Premise:
Between the years 1070-1072, Diarmait mac Mail na mBo and his son Murchad mac Diarmait mac Mail na mBo, Dukes of Laigin (Leinster) died at the height of their attempts to unite Ireland. Their family's (Uí Cheinnselaig) crest, the harp is the image traditionally associated with Ireland. The family was later successful in bringing part of the country together and yet they at the same time brought their greatest enemy to Ireland, the English. It is thought that if Diarmait and Murchad had not died in those crucial years, their island would have been united and subsequently . This AAR will explore that possibility, though starting from an earlier date in order to guide events as close to historically possible, up to the Battles of Ath-cliath (Dublin) where Murchad died and the Battle of Odhbha where Diarmait died.
University of Dublin, 2027
"Damnit!" Erin looked at his alarm. He was 15 minutes late for class already and professor MacMurrough would not be pleased on him being late the eleventh time this semester. Rolling himself out of bed, he quickly dressed himself, grabbed his books, and ran out of the dorm.
Twelve minutes later Erin quietly tried to settle himself into the large auditorium where the Professor was droning on.
"Now when concatenate a literal string to a named string what is the rule? Erin Lynch, you must have spent this morning studying for the test. I'm sure you'll be more than happy to answer the question for us!"
F***! Erin cursed quietly. "Um well you need to have every other string either be literal or named. And named strings are always in quotations."
Nodding approvingly Professor MacMurrough replied "Good. Prehaps you can after class tell me more about the complex data structures of C++?"
After another hour of lecture, Erin walked to the small computer desk where Professor MacMurrough was sitting.
"Erin walk with me back to my office."
As the two headed out the door the professor started speaking. "Erin you know that you have to pass my class to get that engineering degree right?"
"Yes sir."
"You know it's very important for you and I and all of us to be successful. Ireland is counting on you to respect the struggles of our forefathers and to make their work worthwhile."
Erin rolled his eyes. Here he goes with the whole "Irish identity" junk again. "Sir, the country is doing fine. What difference does it make to Ireland if I goof off or just plain sit around and relax?"
They had reached MacMurroughs office "Step inside please." He opened the door, letting the younger man in first. "You know Erin I used to think your problem was that your didn't care about yourself. That you were simply a green backed freshmen, so wrapped up in the 'College Experience' that you forgot who you were. But your problem is more severe. You don't care about your country." We walked over to a painting on the wall. "Turn around Erin." Rolling his eyes again Erin remarked. "Sir it doesn't matter what I do. The future of this country does rest on me. I'm a modern kid living in a modern world. This history crap doesn't concern me. I just want my degree, a decent job, a hot wife and some money that's all."
"And therein lies your problem." MacMurrough was walking over with a mammoth book. It was dusty and Erin noticed that the pages at the beginning were yellower and older looking that the rest and that the binding and back cover were very new.
"What is that?"
"This young man, is the Annuls of the Four Masters. It's a log of all the great kings of Ireland and since the house of Laigin took the throne Tanist of Laigin was to up on his 18th birthday begin writting in it concerning his life. After the revolution of 1777 and the abolishment of the crown, the MacMurrough family, descendants of the old kings got and the eldest male got to keep it and write his story in the book. See for yourself, I started on about page oo 11,837."
Erin flipped the book over and looked in the back. Sure enough there it was. Simon MacMurrough Kavanagh, Chief of MacMurrough Kavanagh house, Duke of Leinster, High King of Ireland.
Erins eyes bulged while William Chuckled. "My father suggested we start adding that since we had our throne taken from us by force and not willingly. I always used to use it as a pickup line when I was in college. Ah those were the days..."
"Your, you, your the king!"
"Well not technically now," taking off his spectacles he "But had things gone differently in '77 than yes I would be King of the Green Isles. And you can see why history is so important to me. Turn to page 8,643. My ancestor Donncha mac Murchada. He was the one to started us on the path that lead us to where we are today. You owe a lot to him"
Erin looked through the book of Donnchads entry. Upon finding it he started to read.
Between the years 1070-1072, Diarmait mac Mail na mBo and his son Murchad mac Diarmait mac Mail na mBo, Dukes of Laigin (Leinster) died at the height of their attempts to unite Ireland. Their family's (Uí Cheinnselaig) crest, the harp is the image traditionally associated with Ireland. The family was later successful in bringing part of the country together and yet they at the same time brought their greatest enemy to Ireland, the English. It is thought that if Diarmait and Murchad had not died in those crucial years, their island would have been united and subsequently . This AAR will explore that possibility, though starting from an earlier date in order to guide events as close to historically possible, up to the Battles of Ath-cliath (Dublin) where Murchad died and the Battle of Odhbha where Diarmait died.
University of Dublin, 2027
"Damnit!" Erin looked at his alarm. He was 15 minutes late for class already and professor MacMurrough would not be pleased on him being late the eleventh time this semester. Rolling himself out of bed, he quickly dressed himself, grabbed his books, and ran out of the dorm.
Twelve minutes later Erin quietly tried to settle himself into the large auditorium where the Professor was droning on.
"Now when concatenate a literal string to a named string what is the rule? Erin Lynch, you must have spent this morning studying for the test. I'm sure you'll be more than happy to answer the question for us!"
F***! Erin cursed quietly. "Um well you need to have every other string either be literal or named. And named strings are always in quotations."
Nodding approvingly Professor MacMurrough replied "Good. Prehaps you can after class tell me more about the complex data structures of C++?"
*************************************
After another hour of lecture, Erin walked to the small computer desk where Professor MacMurrough was sitting.
"Erin walk with me back to my office."
As the two headed out the door the professor started speaking. "Erin you know that you have to pass my class to get that engineering degree right?"
"Yes sir."
"You know it's very important for you and I and all of us to be successful. Ireland is counting on you to respect the struggles of our forefathers and to make their work worthwhile."
Erin rolled his eyes. Here he goes with the whole "Irish identity" junk again. "Sir, the country is doing fine. What difference does it make to Ireland if I goof off or just plain sit around and relax?"
They had reached MacMurroughs office "Step inside please." He opened the door, letting the younger man in first. "You know Erin I used to think your problem was that your didn't care about yourself. That you were simply a green backed freshmen, so wrapped up in the 'College Experience' that you forgot who you were. But your problem is more severe. You don't care about your country." We walked over to a painting on the wall. "Turn around Erin." Rolling his eyes again Erin remarked. "Sir it doesn't matter what I do. The future of this country does rest on me. I'm a modern kid living in a modern world. This history crap doesn't concern me. I just want my degree, a decent job, a hot wife and some money that's all."
"And therein lies your problem." MacMurrough was walking over with a mammoth book. It was dusty and Erin noticed that the pages at the beginning were yellower and older looking that the rest and that the binding and back cover were very new.
"What is that?"
"This young man, is the Annuls of the Four Masters. It's a log of all the great kings of Ireland and since the house of Laigin took the throne Tanist of Laigin was to up on his 18th birthday begin writting in it concerning his life. After the revolution of 1777 and the abolishment of the crown, the MacMurrough family, descendants of the old kings got and the eldest male got to keep it and write his story in the book. See for yourself, I started on about page oo 11,837."
Erin flipped the book over and looked in the back. Sure enough there it was. Simon MacMurrough Kavanagh, Chief of MacMurrough Kavanagh house, Duke of Leinster, High King of Ireland.
Erins eyes bulged while William Chuckled. "My father suggested we start adding that since we had our throne taken from us by force and not willingly. I always used to use it as a pickup line when I was in college. Ah those were the days..."
"Your, you, your the king!"
"Well not technically now," taking off his spectacles he "But had things gone differently in '77 than yes I would be King of the Green Isles. And you can see why history is so important to me. Turn to page 8,643. My ancestor Donncha mac Murchada. He was the one to started us on the path that lead us to where we are today. You owe a lot to him"
Erin looked through the book of Donnchads entry. Upon finding it he started to read.
*************************************
Last edited:
