The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-07-25
The High Standards For Admission to the
Fianna Touched Upon by an Able
American Writer.
Remarkable Preparation and Competition For
Enlistment in the Militia of
Ancient Ireland.

Writing from Tara, Ireland. under
date of July s. to the Chicago Rec.
ord Herald, William E. Curtis says:
Cambrensis. one OF the oldest and
earliest writer's of Ireland. says:
There is in Meth a hill called the Hill
of Taragh, whereon is plainc twelve
score long which was named the Ktna
his hall; where the countrie had their
meetings and folkmotes, as D. place
that was accounted the high 3laco "f
the monarch. The historians hammer
mamie fables in this forge of Fin Mas
Collie and his champions"
While Tara was the seat of authority
for all ireland, and the center of mil
itary education and display, Il, was
also the place where the bards used
to assemble in early times for compe-
titions in poetry and melody. Each
wear the troubadors of Ireland gather
ed there to recite heroic epics In praise
Of their patrons and sing the ballads
they had composed for prizes. These
musical and literary. tournaments
reached ther greatest fame and inHu-
ence during the days when Cormac
Mac Art was king. He was not only
the greatest warrior. but the greatest
scholar and legislator and Judge that
the Irish knew during the period of
ic1, tIoiv initial The
poems and chronicles of his time de-
scribe him as a model of majesty.
magnificence and manly beauty. He
founded three colleges in the neigh
borhood of Tara, one for the teaching
Of law. one for poetry, literature. his
tory and music. and the third for mill
tary science. He organized what was
known as the "Fena of Erin" a body
of militia remarkable in many respects
Mac Cool. his SON n-law. who Of all
the ancient heroes Of Ireland. is best
remembered in tradition and who COM
bined the qualities Of Hercules, Julius
Caesar and Solomon.
But no reference in literature to
this sacred place Is more familiar than
one of the ballads Of Tom Moore. In
deed, the great majority of people new
er heard OF Tara from any other
source:
The harp that once through Tara's
The soul Of music shed
Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls
AS II that soul were fed.
So sleeps the pride Of former days.
So glory's thrill is DER.
And hearts that once beat high for
praise
New feel that pulse no more!
No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells:
The chord alone that breaks at night
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus Freedom now SO seldom wakes.
The only throb she gives
Is when some heart indignant breaks
To show that she still lives.
The history of Tara, the proceedings
Of the mobiles. kings and learned men
who met there at intervals. with the
Ard Ri at their head, to devise laws
and promote welfare of the kingdom,
and to transact other important busi-
ness were all written down in 4 book
called the Psalter Of Tara: This book
also contained record of the "fes. %
or tournaments. both military and ath-
letic. that were held there. AMI con-
tained list Of the prize winners. but.
although the Psalter OF Tara is fire.
quently quoted by early writer's the
original Of the book was lost or de
stroyed ages ago.
There are however. many venerable
tones, epic poems. as we'll as history.
that illuminate what are usually term
ed the prehistoric times Of Ireland. The