The Irish standard., 1914-10-10
The Ancient Glories of Tara

****4&****+**** ******,
The following paper giving an ac-
count of the glories of the ancient
city Of Tara was read before the
Gaelic League of Dundalk:
Undoubtedly the most interesting
of all the historic spots that cover
this land of ours is Tara Hill. A few
summers ago with three others we
went to see what remained of the
once great city. At first we were a
little disappointed, for as we ap-
preached even within a hundred
yards of it we could notice nothing
more than the low, fiat, green hill,
with nothing to ornament it but a
modern dwelling house and a little
church. But when we reached the
summit and looked around us on
every side we felt already fully re-
paid for the journey. A more ex-
tensive view than that which is OBJ
tanned from it would be hard to find.
Portions of the four Provinces of
Ireland are visible from here.
We were mystified to know how we
got to such an elevated spot without
noticing any rising ground. Away to
the north the mighty sliabh Culainn.
the Cooley and Mourne mountains
stand out clearly. To the west and
northwest can be seen the Cavan and
Monaghan hills; the blue tops of the
Wicklow mountains beyond the Dub
lin to the southeast, with the Sieve
Bloom range on the southern horizon.
These form a huge azure frame. as it
were, to the lovely picture of towns,
spires, rivers, hills, ruins, green
fields, etc., which is to be seen from
the hill.
On the hill itself little traces now
remain of its past greatness. The
ridges and burrows which mark the
sites of the different apartments,
however, are quite clear. On a little
round mote still stands what is sup
posed to be the Ia Fail, or Stone of
Destiny. on which every Ri or King
stood during his coronation cere-
mony. This stone now marks, it is
said, the spot where sleep the
"Croppies," who fell in 1898, while
making one more of those many gal
liant attempts at freedom which
were made by the Gael.
A modern statute of st. Patrick,
with one of the hands broken of, also
occupies place on it. The old man
who accompanied us through the
place told us that the hand was shot
off by wealthy landowner who was
in a frenzy through drink. He got
killed afterwards. he told us. by a
fall from his horse one day as he was
out hunting. -.
+ And now we will go back about
four thousand years or so and see
who was the first Ri in Tara. Ac-
cording to the Annals of the Four
Masters, Slainge, a Fir-bolg High
King. who was contemporary with
Abraham, they say, first chose this
hill as royal palace. Others, how
ever, trace the origin Of Tara to the
second colony which came to ireland,
namely the misunderstanding. The
Lila Fail. or Stone of Destiny, is said
to have been brought by those sec
ond corners, as also the old Ogham in
scription, or form of writing. The
name given by the Fir-bolga to the
place was Cathair Croflnn, or the city
of Crofinn, a queen Of that race.
Then the Tuathe-De-Danain tribe
called it Teamhair. Hearmun, the
leader Of this colony, had wife
whose name was Tea pronounced
Tee-a). This queen requested that
the place should be called after her,
and her chivalrous Milesian husband
did not refuse.
Tea, with the afflx "mur or mar"
meaning rath or grave-mound, Is
the Irish form of the name since;
hence we have Teamhuir, Teas bur-
ial place pronounced Teha-wir) Z.
Those Milesians, of whom we, Gaels.
claim descent, are the warriors Of
whom Moore says:
"They came from a land beyond the
And now DER the Western main
Set sail, in their good ships CALAMITY.
From the sunny land of Spain.
And, 10, where afar DER ocean shines
A sparkle Of radiant green,
As though in the deep lay emerald
mines
Whose light through the waves
was seen.
"'Tis Innisfail-'tis Innisfail!"
Rings DER the echoing sea;
While bending to heaven. the warri-
ors hail
That home of the brave and free. -
It Is said that as many as one hun