of his work is creditable to the character of Dublin printing of the time. He died 30th August 1775, aged about 76. The bust of the Dean, intended for a niche in front of Faulkner's house in Parliament-street, was by his nephew presented to St. Patrick's Cathedral, where it is now placed over the Dean's tomb. In Notes and Queries, 2nd Series, will be found an interesting discussion relative to Faulkner's editions of Swift's works.42 110 254
Feichin, Saint, said to have been descended from Con the Hundred Fighter, was born early in the 7th century. Having finished his studies under St. Nathy, and being ordained for the priesthood, he retired to Fore, in the County of Westmeath, where he gathered round him a community of 300 monks. He founded another establishment on the island of Irishman, one of the Aran Islands, off the coast of Galway. Most of his life was passed in retirement and self-mortification, and he died of a pestilence that raged over Ireland in 665. His festival is the 20th January, This saint is venerated in Scotland as St. Vigeon. 119 234
Felim, King of Munster, and for a time monarch of Ireland in the 9th century, is by some writers represented as having rivalled the worst deeds of the Danes in the devastation of his country, taking advantage of their incursions to plunder and lay waste the land. In one engagement he defeated the Ard-Righ Nial Caille, and carried off his daughter Gormlaith. O'Mahony says: "That he was nevertheless a brave and wise prince, within the limits of his own principality, may be judged from the fact that Munster was kept comparatively free from the ravages of the Northmen during his lifetime." O'Curry styles him "a distinguished scholar and a scribe." He died 18th August 845. His name is in Irish spelled Fedhlimidh. 134 171 261
Fergus, one of the chiefs who headed the migration of the Irish to the Western Highlands of Scotland, about the beginning of the 6th century. He was the second son of Erc, King of Dalriada, and with his brothers Lorn and Angus made a successful settlement on the promontory of Cantire about 503. Fergus took possession of Cantire, Lorn of the district which bears his name; and Angus colonized Islay. Fergus is said to have died in 506, and to have been succeeded by his son Domangart. 39
Fergus MacRoigh, King of Ulster, one of the heroes of Fenian romance, said to have flourished in the 1st century. He won the hand of a beautiful widow Nessa, upon the condition that he would permit
her son, Conor MacNessa, to sit beside him on the judgment seat of his kingdom for one year, and he allowed himself to be gradually supplanted in the affections of his people by Conor, who delighted them by his wisdom and kingly bearing. Afterwards, when Conor had treacherously put to death the sons of Uisneach, for whose safety Fergus had pledged his honour, Fergus went into voluntary exile to the court of Meave and Ailill in Connaught. In the legend of the Tain Bo Chuailgne he was the guide and director of the expedition on the side of the Connaught men against Conor MacNessa,; and, as it would appear, was himself the historian of the war. He eventually fell a victim to the not unmerited jealousy of Ailill, husband of Meave, Queen of Connaught, who caused him to be killed by a javelin, cast as he was swimming in Lough Ein, near Cruachan. It was by Fergus MacRoigh's grave that the seer Murgen was fabled afterwards to have recovered the story of the great Tain Bo Chuailgne. [See Meave.] 171 179 260
Field, John, a distinguished pianist, was born in Dublin, 26th July 1782. His father was a violinist in a theatre; from his grandfather, an organist, he received his first lessons on the piano; these he perfected under Clementi, after his family removed to London. Field accompanied his master on a Continental tour in 1802, and left a lasting impression in Paris by his performances, especially his rendering of the fugues of Bach. Master and pupil arrived in St. Petersburg towards the close of 1803, and found so many admirers that Field remained behind to push his fortune. He received large sums for playing at concerts and giving lessons. He was, however, incurably lazy and addicted to drink, and thereby lost the opportunities afforded him of amassing a fortune. In 1822 he removed to Moscow, and there established himself with even greater honour and profit than attended his nineteen years' residence in St. Petersburg. In 1831 he revisited England, and performed in London; then he travelled through France, the Netherlands, and on to Italy, giving concerts with his usual success. Illness induced by dissipation compelled him to seek shelter in a Neapolitan hospital, where he remained several months, until rescued by a Russian family, who brought him back to Moscow. There he ended his days in indigence, 11th January 1837, aged 54. Field had married a French pianiste, Mdlle. Charpentier, by whom he had one son, who became a distinguished Russian tenor—Leonoff. Field's musical abilities were of
176
