The Irish had naturally taken a keen interest in the struggle of their neighbours and kinsmen • He had annexed Wales to England in 1283.
In Scotland. Their own condition is well set out in a ” Remonstrance ” which was sent to the Pope about this time by Domhnall O’Neill, King of Aileach.*
After pointing out that Henry II, by false representations, had procured authority from the Pope to claim dominion over Ireland, the document goes on to show that the conditions under which this authority had been secured had been violated and that not reforms but disorder and vice were the results.

After The death of Alexander III, a dispute took place as to the succession to his throne, the matter was referred to Edward I of England.
The latter agreed to arbitrate, and decided in favour of John Baliol, one of the claimants.

But Edward also put forward a claim of supremacy over Scotland,which is based upon acts of homage paid by previous Scottish Kings to Kings of England, which were, however, paid in respect only of English lands owned by the Scottish Kings.

Baliol and the Scottish Norman nobility weakly submitted, but the Scottish people rose under William Wallace, and for eight years fought until Wallace was captured and executed (1305).

Domhnall O’Neill, the signatory to this ” Remonstrance,” was the son of Brian of Down, who had been acknowledged as Ard Ri at the conference of Caol Uisge. Despite the gloomy tone in which he writes, the Irish had, for some time past, been fairly successful in checking the progress of the invaders. Domhnall had himself contributed to this result. But he saw that the rivalries and jealousies of the Irish chiefs were so strong that unity under a native leader seemed to be hopeless. Himself the heir of the greatest traditions in Ireland, and occupying the strongest position in the island, he patriotically determined to waive his own claims, and to endeavour to secure under a stranger king that national unity which a native chief could not secure. The ” Remonstrance “f therefore proceeded to say that the Irish had invited Edward Bruce, ” descendant from our most noble ancestors,” to reign over them.