through the country. He was at his death aged about 43. Most of the Irish annalists express unmixed satisfaction at his overthrow, and bitterly deplore the devastation that his invasion brought upon Ireland. King Robert landed a few days afterwards; but only to lead back the shattered remnants of the Scottish contingent. We find the following reflections on this invasion in the introduction to Clyn's Annals: "Many generations passed before the devastating effects of the Scottish invasion, passing thus like a stream of lava through the country, were done away. The animosity between the English and the Irish was embittered, the sense of the greatness of the English power was diminished, the authority of law and order was impaired, the castle and the farmhouse were alike ruined." 83 134 170* 174
Bunting, Edward, musician and composer, was born at Armagh, February 1773. At the age of nine he lost his father, and went to live with his brother in Drogheda. His extraordinary talents soon showed themselves, and when only eleven years old he was appointed sub-organist of a church in Belfast. There he became intimate with the McCracken family, who proved his best friends all through life. The boy taught music; and it is related that his ears were occasionally boxed by irate young lady pupils, who resented his necessary criticisms upon their performances. As he grew older, his attention was mainly directed towards the collection of ancient Irish airs—especially after 1792, when there was an assemblage of Irish harpers at Belfast; and his life may be said to have been principally devoted to this pursuit—for which he was well qualified, were it not for a spoiled, dilatory, wayward, and more or less dissipated disposition. His publications supplied Moore with many of the airs for his Melodies. Bunting's last ambition was, as he himself expressed, "as he was the first to give to the world a regularly arranged selection of our national airs, to terminate his labours by leaving behind him a complete, uniform, and, he trusts, very nearly perfect collection of Irish music." He died in Dublin, 21st December 1843, aged 70, and was buried in the cemetery of Mount-Jerome. Moore, in his Journal, speaks of one volume of Bunting's collection as "a mere mess of trash; "but bears testimony to the good-nature and good sense with which Bunting hailed his success, dimming, as it inevitably did, Bunting's hopes of fame from his own collections of Irish music. 116(29) 244
Bunworth, Charles, Rev., rector of Buttevant, educated at Trinity College, (M.A. 1730), was distinguished for his patronage and knowledge of Irish music. He was a good harpist, and at the time of his decease, in 1770, possessed fifteen harps, bequeathed to him from time to time by members of the then rapidly dying-out race of minstrels, out of gratitude for his hospitality and care. He examined Curran before going up to college, and gave him assistance towards prosecuting his studies. 349
Burgh, Walter Hussey, an Irish statesman, was born, probably at Donore, County of Kildare, 23rd August 1742. His father's name was Ignatius Hussey. At college he was distinguished for poetic tastes and brilliant talents. He assumed the name of Burgh upon the death of a maternal uncle, the Rev. Rickard Burgh, whose estates in the County of Limerick he inherited. Nominated to a borough by the Duke of Leinster in 1768, he took a leading part in opposing Lord Townshend's government. Under Lord Buckingham's administration he obtained the rank of Prime-Sergeant. In 1779, he was returned for the University, and, on the address to the Lord-Lieutenant, after a spirited debate, he moved a resolution already concerted with Grattan: "That it is not by temporary expedients, but by a free trade alone, that this nation is now to be saved from impending ruin." In the same year his speech on limiting the supplies to six months, in consequence of the national demands not being complied with, was a splendid piece of oratory. Mr. Froude, in speaking of this debate, writes: "It was in these debates that Hussey Burgh made his reputation as an orator, by the famous sentence so often quoted. Some one had said Ireland was at peace. 'Talk not to me of peace,' said Hussey Burgh, 'Ireland is not at peace; it is smothered war. England has sown her laws as dragon's teeth, and they have sprung up as armed men.' Never yet had Grattan so moved the Irish House of Commons as it was moved at these words. From the floor the applause rose to the gallery. From the gallery it was thundered to the crowd at the door. From the door it rung through the city. As the tumult calmed down, Hussey Burgh rose again, and, amidst a renewed burst of cheers, declared that he resigned the office he held under the Crown. 'The gates of promotion are shut,' exclaimed Grattan, 'and the gates of glory are opened.'" After the Revolution of 1782, he was appointed Chief-Baron of the Exchequer. He died 29th September 1783, aged 41. Fond of ostentatious display, it is said that he left his family in embarrassed circumstances; and that Grattan obtained
42
