Cover art is ‘A Country Scene in Ireland’ by John George Mulvany

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Book of Leinster

Notes: This is a fascinating antiquarian survey of the monuments of Tara (Co. Meath), the ancient ceremonial capital of Ireland, written from the perspective of someone who had either visited the site or was drawing on a detailed earlier description. It records the positions and legends of features including the Lia Fáil (the Stone of Destiny), the Mound of the Hostages, the Fort of the Synods, the Long na mBan (tentatively identified archaeologically), burial mounds, springs, and various legendary associations with figures such as Cormac mac Airt, Loegaire, Conchobar mac Nessa, Gráinne, and Saint Patrick’s disciple Benén. It is an invaluable document for the archaeology and mythology of Tara.

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The Notable Places of Tara — as follows:

Nemnach — that is, a true spring that is at the fairy-mound in the south-east of Tara. The little stream that flows from Nemnach eastward — it is upon it that the mill was first made for Ciarnait, the bondmaid of Cormac.

The site of the house of Mairisen is at the fairy-mound, to the north of Nemnach, with three small stones around it. It is thus that house was positioned: the floor high to the north, lower to the south. Mairisen was a female householder who lived in the time of Cormac. Whatever house is arranged in that fashion will not be gloomy, and it will not be without wealth.

The Fort of Loegaire son of Niall is to the north of that. Four great doors, each high within it. And the body of Loegaire was set upright under his shield with his weapons against the outer rampart — in the south-east of the royal fort of Loegaire in Tara — and his face to the south, fighting against the Leinstermen.

On the south-east side of the fort of Loegaire is the grave of Matta — that is, Matta, a mercenary from Leinster who was in the company of Cormac. Four young men were playing one day at the south-east side of the fort of Loegaire. Matta released a cast of a stone there, so that it went to the edge of his two ribs, and the young man died of it.

The Royal Fort is to the north of the fort of Loegaire. There are three remarkable wonders in it: the site of the royal house of Cormac in the south-east of the fort, on the side facing the fort of Loegaire to the south; the site of the Forad [the Speaking Mound] beside the royal house to the west; and the Múr Tea between them on the south side — that is, Tea, wife of Éremón. Liathdruim and Druim Cain and Múr Tea and Cathair Chroind were the names of Tara at the beginning. Tea wife of Éremón was then buried between the site of the Forad and the royal house. So from that Temair was named — that is, Tea-mur — the small hill that is between the two walls on the south side — it is there she is.

There is a spring under the floor of the fort to the east, with three names upon it: Liaig, and Tipra Bó Finne, and Derc nDub. From this comes the saying: “it does not go from Láeg to Liaig” — one of them [flows] from Tara to the east, the other from Tara to the west.

Duma na Bó [the Mound of the Cow] is to the west of Duma na nGiall — that is, the Glas Temrach [the Grey Cow of Tara].

Duma na nGiall [the Mound of the Hostages] is to the north-east of the site of the Forad.

The Fál is to the north of Duma na nGiall — that is, the stone that used to cry out under the man who would take the kingship of Ireland. Fál is the name of that stone — that is, fó ail — a stone under a king.

The grave of Cú and Cethen is on the slope to the west of the Royal Fort. There are two stones there — the grave of Cú is one and the grave of Cethen the other — whence the saying: Cú and Cethen. That is: Cú and Cethen, the apportioners of Cormac, killed each other in the middle of the royal house in Tara. Each then fled in a straight line through the ditches of Tara westward until he halted there — so that the brother of the man he had killed killed him. And Cormac said that Cú should not be killed — but the intercession did not reach them in time until both were killed.

There is a true spring in the hollow to the north of the grave of Cethen. Lóeg is its name — it flows westward in a straight line. The site of the kitchen of Cormac is on its bank, above the slope above Lóeg to the east.

Rath na Senad [the Fort of the Synods] is opposite Duma na nGiall to the north.

The site of the tent of Adomnán is in that fort, and his cross before it — the cross to the east of the fort, and his seat to the south of the cross.

There is the site of the house that was burned over Benén, the servant of Patrick, and over Luccat Máel — a little distance to the south-east from the cross of Adomnán — that is, beside the road to the east, a little.

There are three small stones to the north of Rath na Senad — three stones that were cast upon the druids. These are their names: Máel, and Bloc, and Bluicne — Máel to the east, Bloc to the south, and Bluicne to the north-east.

The grave of the Dwarf is to the east. It is arranged thus: a cubit south-east and south-west — only three feet its measurement. A small depression below. Thus is the grave arranged — a small stone in the ground to its east and another to its west. Three feet are found one time and three and a half the other time.

There are two mounds to the north of the cubit — Dall and Dorcha — but there is no wall between them, and the stones and the cubit. Dorcha is the name of the western mound. Dall and Dorcha also the name of the eastern mound.

Long na mBan [the Ship of the Women] is to the north-west of the eastern mound. It is thus the site of that house was arranged: its width under it to the north, its front to the south, and the raising of a wall around it to the east and to the west, and a small wing in the northern part of it to the north and south. Its proper appearance is that of a long house. Fourteen doors in it — or fifteen as others say — seven to the east and seven to the west. And they say it is there the Feast of Tara was held. That is fitting, for the great majority of the men of Ireland used to be accommodated there — and that is the house of thousands of retainers.

There is a small mound to the south-east of the site of the house, at the southern end of Duma na mBan [the Mound of the Women] — that is its name.

There is the cubit of Caelchon and his charioteer opposite the north-east end of the Long na mBan. Caelchú that is — son of Loarn son of Ruad son of Cas, of the Eóganacht of Cashel. From his family come the Tuatha Cis at Tara, and from them comes the Aicme Rois of Tara.

The three-stone monument of Ness, mother of Conchobar, is at the north-east end, opposite the north-east end of the Long na mBan to the north-east.

The Fort of Conchobar son of Ness is to the north of the three-stone monument of Ness, with its door to the east, level with the Mead of Cú Chulainn.

There is the site of the Shield with its hollow level with the Mead to the north-east. It is arranged thus: a fort of equal and similar [dimensions] on the ground, with a small mound in its middle — the bowl of it full of earth.

It is level with the Fort of Conchobar to the north-east: Sescend Temra [the Marsh of Tara] — level and to the north-west of the Long na mBan — a small foul marsh that is there beside Carn na Macraide [the Cairn of the Boys].

Rath Gráinne [the Fort of Gráinne] is to the west of Sescend Temra, on the height of the hill.

Fán na Carpat [the Hollow of the Chariots] is to the north, under the bank of Rath Gráinne, level with the northern Cloenfer to the east.

The two Cloenfearta [the Sloping Entrenchments] are to the west of Rath Gráinne. In the southern Cloenfer the young women were violated at Tara. In the northern Cloenfer […] the judgment against […] the judgment that Cormac gave concerning the straying of the sheep in the destruction [caused] by the wethers.

Carn na Macraide Lagen [the Cairn of the Boys of Leinster] is to the north of Sescend Temra.

The Cross of Fergus — that is, a holy pilgrim — it is he who is in Carraic Clúmain, to the south-east of Carn na Macraide.

The sunwise circuit of Tara is between the two Cairns of the Boys — between the northern cairn and the southern cairn.

Carn Macraide Uí Néill [the Cairn of the Boys of Uí Néill] is to the north of the sunwise circuit of Tara.

The Fort of Colmán son of Caelchon is to the north-east of Carn Macraide Uí Néill — that is, from the northern cairn.

Duma ind Luchdoind [the Mound of the Luchodon] is to the west of the Fort of Colmán son of Caelchon.

Adlaic and Diadlaic are level with the Fort of Colmán to the north-east, on the slope of the hill beside the fort to the north-east — two springs those are: Adlaic is one and Diadlaic the other — though there is no difference between them.

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