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NEMED: Leader of the second wave of invader of Ireland. When he arrived only himself and 4 warriors and 4 women remained of their expedition. King NEMED died of the plague that killed the majority of the NEMEDIANS.
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NIALL: Niall of the Nine Hostages was the greatest king that Ireland knew between the time of Cormac mac Art and the coming of Saint Patrick. He not only ruled Ireland greatly and strongly, but carried the name and fame, and the power and fear, of Ireland into all neighboring nations. He was, moreover, founder of the longest, most important, and most powerful Irish dynasty. Almost without interruption his descendants were Ard Righs of Ireland for 600 years. Under him the spirit of Ireland bloomed in its last great red flame of military glory.
Niall was grandson of Muiredeach Tireach. His father, Eochaid Muig Medon, son of Muiredeach, became Ard Righ mid way of the fourth century. By his wife, Carthann, daughter of a British king, Eochaid had the sons Niall. By another wife, Mong Fionn, Daughter of the King of Munster, Eochaid had four sons, Brian, Fiachra, Ailill, and Fergus. Mong Fionn was a bitter, jealous and ambitious woman, who set her heart upon having her son, Brian, succeed his father as Ard Righ. As Niall was his father’s favorite, Mong Fionn did not rest until she had outcast him and his mother, Carthann, and made Carthann her menial, carrying water to the court. The child was rescued by a great poet of the time, Torna, who reared and educated him. When he had reached budding manhood, Torna brought him back to court to take his rightful place – much to his father’s joy. Then Niall, showing strength of character, even from his early youth, took his mother from her menial task, and restored her to her place. Of Niall’s youth there are many legends, but one in particular show the working of his destiny. One day, the five brothers being in the smith’s forge when it took fire, they were commanded to run and save what they could. Their father, who was looking on observed with interest Niall’s distinctiveness of character, his good sense and good judgment. While Brian saved the chariots from the fire, Ailill a shield and sword, Fiachra the old forge trough, and Fergus only a bundle of firewood, Niall carried out the bellows, the sledges, the anvil, and anvil block, saving the soul of the forge, and saving the smith from ruin. His father said: “It is Niall who should succeed me as Ard Righ of Eirinn.”
Niall’s first expedition was into Alba to subdue the Picts. The little Irish (Scotic) colony in that part of Alba just opposite to Antrim had gradually been growing in numbers, strength, and prestige, until they excited the jealousy and enmity of the Picts, who tried to crush them. Niall fitted out a large fleet and sailed to the assistance of his people. Joined then by the Irish in Alba, he marched against the Picts, overcame them, took hostages from them and had Argyle and Cantire settled upon the Albanach Irish. After obtaining obedience from the Picts, his next foreign raid was into Britain. When Maximus and his Roman legions were, in consequence of the barbarian pressure upon the Continental Roman Empire, withdrawing from Britain, Niall, with his Irish hosts and Pictish allies, treaded upon their hurrying heels. Yet did the Romans claim victory over Niall. For it is said his was the host referred to by the roman poet, Claudian, when in praising the Roman general, Stilicho, he says Britain was protected by this bold general.
“When Scots came thundering from the Irish shores,
And ocean trembled stuck by hostile oars”.
Niall must have made many incursions into Britain and probably several into Gaul. He carried back hostages, many captives, and great booty from these expeditions. Yet how often out of evil cometh good. It was in one of these Gallic expeditions that the lad, Succat, destined under his later name of Patrick to be the greatest and noblest figure Ireland ever knew, was taken in a sweep of captives, carried to Ireland and to Antrim, there to herd the swine of the chieftain, Milcho. Many and many a time, in Alba, in Britain, and in Gaul, must Niall have measured his leadership against the best leadership of Rome, and pitted the courage and wild daring of his Scotic hosts against the skill of the Imperial Legions. Yet his fall in a foreign land was to be compassed not by the strategy or might of the foreign enemy, but by the treachery of one of his own. He fell on the banks of the River Loire, in France, by the hand of Eochaid, the son of Enna Ceannselaigh, King of Leinster, who, form ambush, with and arrow, shot dead the great king.
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