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BRI
BRO

nual revenues are stated to have been:—Connaught, 800 cows and 800 hogs; Tirconnell, 500 cloaks, and 500 cows; Tirowen, 60 hogs, and 60 loads of iron; Ulster, 150 cows, and 150 hogs; Oriel, 160 cows; Leinster, 300 cows, 300 hogs, 300 loads of iron; Ossory, 60 cows, 60 hogs, 60 loads of iron; the Danes of Dublin, 160 hogsheads of wine; the Danes of Limerick, 365 hogsheads of red wine. The proportions contributed by Munster are not specified. Brian derived his cognomen of "Borumha" from the Borromean tribute he exacted from Leinster—a tax that had lain in abeyance since the year 694. The battle of Clontarf was decisive as regards Danish supremacy in Ireland. Nevertheless the Danes continued to occupy most of the sea ports until the Anglo-Norman invasion. After Brian's death, Malachy resumed the supreme power. For Brian's descendants, see O'Brien. 134 144 171 263

Bridget, Saint, one of the three patron saints of Ireland, was born about 455, of illustrious parents, at Faugher, near Dundalk. She received a good education, and to singular modesty and simplicity of manners united great charity. When her parents urged her to accept a suitor, it is said that, in answer to prayer, one of her eyes became frightfully deformed, and she was quietly permitted to take the veil—her eye recovering when the ceremony was over. She was then sixteen years of age. Collecting a number of young girls like herself, she established a religious retreat in the County of Meath; her reputation for sanctity increased daily, and crowds of young women and widows applied for admission to her institution. To establish similar monasteries she visited Limerick, Roscommon, and other parts of Ireland. Between 480 and 490 she removed to Kildare, which will ever be associated with her name. Her charity was only equalled by her humility; occasionally she used herself to tend the cattle belonging to the nunnery; while to poor people she was known to give away the rich vestments of the institution. To meet the religious requirements of the place, Coulaeth, a recluse, was elevated to the bishopric. She died at Kildare about 525, aged about 70, and was buried in the cathedral. By some it is stated that her body was eventually removed to Down, and interred with the remains of SS. Patrick and Columcille. Lanigan says: "It would be superfluous to enlarge on the extraordinary veneration with which her memory has been revered, not only in Ireland and Great Britain, but in every part of the Western Church; or to undertake a formal refutation of the impudent assertion of that pseudo-antiquary, Dr. Ledwich, that St. Bridget was an imaginary saint." Her festival is the 1st of February.

"The bright lamp that shone in Kildare's holy fane"

was a perpetual fire kept up in her cloisters probably for the benefit and relief of the poor. The custom was, in 1220, for a time suppressed by the Archbishop of Dublin, lest there might be supposed to be any connection between it and pagan practices. It was, however, soon relighted, and sustained until the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII. For a full discussion of this point, see Notes and Queries, 3rd Series. Doubtless some of the veneration with which, in Pagan times, the Irish regarded Bridh or Bride, their goddess of wisdom and song, was transferred to the memory of St. Bridget. 119 171 234 254 339

Brinkley, John, Bishop of Cloyne, a noted astronomer, was born at Woodbridge, in Suffolk, about 1765. His distinguished career at Cambridge attracted the attention of the board of Trinity College, and in 1792, he was appointed Andrews' Professor of Astronomy, having at his command the observatory of Dunsink, furnished with some of the finest instruments in Europe. He zealously devoted himself to mathematics and astronomy. His discovery of the parallax of the fixed stars in 1814, with the controversy on the subject that ensued between him and Mr. Pond, the Astronomer-Royal at Greenwich, drew upon him the attention of the astronomical world for some years. He wrote many excellent papers for the Royal Irish Academy, of which he was President. In 1829 he was unexpectedly appointed Bishop of Cloyne. This was a loss to science, as he resigned his professorship, ceased to make observations and write papers, and conscientiously devoted himself to the duties of his episcopate. He died 14th September 1835, aged about 70, and was interred under the chapel of Trinity College. One of his chief claims to remembrance is that he was preceptor of Sir William Hamilton. He was also an eminent botanist. On his death, Cloyne became united with the sees of Cork and Ross. 42 116(6) 113

Broderick, Alan, Lord Midleton, an eminent Lord-Chancellor, born about 1660. His father. Sir John Broderick, took an active part in the Irish civil wars, and received in 1653, as his share of the forfeited lands, large estates in the County of Cork. Alan early displayed remarkable intelligence, studied law, sided with his brother Protestants in the War of 1689-'91, soon afterwards was made a Sergeant-at-

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