Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-04-29
Beautiful Plain Is Watered by
Numerous Lakes and
Streams.
st. Patrick Lighted the First
Paschal Fire on Hill of
Skreen.
HAS MANY VERY NOTED RUITS

The County Meath was once called
Royal Meath. II was the central
province of Ireland and the dwelling
place of the Ard Righs or superior
Kings. From the Delvin river to
Lough Sheelin Meath is forty-seven
and half miles long. Its greatest
breadth, from the Yellow river to
Ballyhoe lake, is thirty-nine and
half miles. 1t has an area of 9O6
square miles and a population OF
about $1,000.
The county is nearly all level, al
though there is a range of hills in
the northwest, and one of these hills
near Carbane Is 904 feet above sea
level. On the SUBMITS of these hills
is an ancient pagan cemetery, con-
sisting of a most remarkable group
of large cromlechs and sepulchral
chambers, in all respects resembling
the great cemetery at Bruga of the
Boyne. In the barony of Lower
Kells, at the north end of the county,
I there are hills rising to the height
of S35 feet. The Hill OF Ward, near.
Athboy, though only $50 feet high,
10 lOSdllg Nclg l6uldl lhdult
Meath has a coast line of seven
miles from the mouth of the Delvin
river to the mouth of the Boyne.
1t is nearly straight, and there is
fine sandy strand the whole way,
backed by and hills. The Boyne
river, coming from Kings county and
Kildare, first touches Meath at the
mouth OF the Yellow river, at the
southwest corner; it then forms the
boundary line between Meath and
Kildare for eight miles. From there
it flows through Meath, passing by
Trim, Navan and Slane until 1t
meets the Mattock river at Old
bridge. Tributary to the Boyne in
Meath are the Blackwater, the
Moynalty, the Cross Water. the
MattSck, the Devlins, the Trembles-.
town, the Dee, the Nabber, the
Nanny Water, the Talka and the
Rye Water. Besides these flowing
streams there are many beautiful
lakes irrigating the plains of Meath.
Trim, the assize city of Meath, is
town of great antiquity, with many
, remains of it's former Importance,
OlncIb lluG Olu NdollO anu
the ruins of several ecclesiastical
establishments, chief among them
being the Yellow Steeple. Trim has
population of 1000. Navan, which
is situated at the junction of the
Boyne and Blackwater, is a good
trading town. Kells, on the Black
water, is another very ancient town
and has a number of very ancient &c
clesiastical ruins, among them a
round tower, a Celtic cross and a
stone-roofed oratory called st.
Columb's House. The town grew
around a monastery founded by St.
Columbkille in the sixth century.
Duleek, a little town in the eastern
part OF the county and located on
the banks of the Nanny Water, was
place of great Importance in olden
times. An abbey was founded there
in the fifth century by st. Cianan or
keenan,, its first Bishop, which con-
tinued to flourish for many ages;
and the place now contains the ruins
of a monastery.
The present county OF Meath
formed a part of the ancient king
uOiu Ol lue Sdulc haASs AoA"s WV
ancient residence of the Kings, is
situated six miles from Navan. In
ancient times the chief ecclesiastical
centers of Meath were Bective, on
the Boyne, where there is a beauti-
full ruin; Danshoughlin, in the
southeast of the county, where st.
Sechnall, a nephew Of st. Patrick,
founded an abbey in the fifth CEN
tury; Shane with its fine ruins OF an
abbey and hermitage OF st. Ere, the
patron; Skreen, on hill where st.
Patrick lighted the first paschal fire
in the year 433; and Cionard on the
Boyne, where st. Finnian established
his great school in the sixth century.
Not a vestige of the school now re-
mains.