The New York herald., 1922-12-31
Tara s Harp Silent
No Longer as a
Revival Of the
Old Civilization
Is Taken Up in
All Of the South
BY SEAMUS MacMANUS.

- ment, Is cOrSluoreu Dy most
people new to Ireland. 1t is
really only revival of what ireland
had 1900. 1000 and even $500 years
ago.
The Irish Parliament was first
founded considerably more than 500
years before Christ by Olav Fola. the
most illustrious OF pre-Christian mon
archs of Ireland, at the royal resi-
dence on the hill Of Tara. This insti
tuition was triennial gathering. last.
ink for about a week, and attended
by the kings Of the provinces, the
chieftains Of the clans. the historians,
the poets, the doctors of learning. 1t
was truly wonderful institution for
that age-one that would do credit to
any age. These tr1ennial sessions.
famed In ancient Irish song and story,
always looked forward to by all the
people Of Ireland as the greatest Irish
national event, were continued by sue
cessive Irish monarchs for about 1000
years-until the destruction of Tara
in the sixth century. This biggest
meeting Of the nations representa-
Ilt06 Wdb dSCOilPlhiCA w eAS'SS
meeting Of the nations peoples, for
the Dali, or Parliament, met for ma
tional and legislative work. and there
was q gathering Of the masses for JOY
and festivities. the event being en-
titled the Feis Tara. 1t took place at
the time Of the great Druidic festival
pf Samhain (November -. But while
the Parliament sat for three days be-
fore and three days after Samhain,
the great Feis, the festivities extended
over two weeks-a week before Sam
hahn and a week after.
The occasion of the Feis Tara was
one Of great JOY to the whole nation.
It was time Of jubilee wherein the
Kings peace was proclaimed to all his
people. All wars and contentious then
ceased and even petty brawls All
debtors, all prisoners were freed for
this time of gladness. All personal
ornaments that had been seized for
debt-golden brooches, bracelets, arm
let's. necklets, ladies' toilet bags, mems
fine mantles, must be released to those
from whom they were distrained. The
debtor now came out Of hiding, the
outlaw came down from the hills. No
one could be arrested during the prog
ress of the Feis Tara for any previous
offense. But wise law provided that
for the peace of this jubilee gathering,
where mingled friend and foe, where
heads and hearts were light, and
where blood was high, any man who
broke the Kings peace during the
progress of the F'eis was to be pun
ished with death. In the days of the
great Saint Colin Cille, even the
Saints privilege Of sanctuary failed
to save Kings son who had dis
turbed the peace of the Feis. The law
of the Feis was infiexible. Says an
ancient writer: "It was carried out
without breach OF law. without crime.
violence or dishonor. There was one
universal Fair truce
ASSEMBLY Place Built by Corn1ac
MacArt Hall of His Own Fame
Tho general Feis Of the multitude,
Katheredofrom all ends Of the nation,
was held upon the green slope OF Tara
Hill. The parliament assembly was
held in its own council hall. A special
hall was built for the parliament In
the third century by another of the
most ilustrious of Ireland's ancient
monarchs-the famed Cormac MacArt.
1t was called Teach Mi Chuarta, was
760 feet long, as feet wide and 40 feet
high. On the hill of Tara you can at
the present day still trace the founda-
lions of the great council hall OF Cor
mac MacArt and also see the traces
of the fourteen doo-ways that led into
st. The great parliament hall, beauti-
fully decorated, was of a piece with
the magnificence Of the monarch who
built It. The ancient book of Leinster,
describing Cormac's greatness. says;
"Three thousand persons each day is
what Cormac used to maintain in pay;
besides poets and satirists. and all the
strangers who sought the king; Calls
and Romans and Franks and Frisians
and Longbards and A1hanians (Cale-
donians) and Saxons and Cruithians
(Picts) for all these used to seek him,
and Il was with gold and with silver,
with steeds and with chariots that he
presented them. They used all to come
20 Cormac because there was not in
mis- time, nor before him, any more
celebrated in honor and in dignity and
In wisdom except only Solomon. the
son OF David
This Cormac describes himself In
one of his works, the 'Precepts OF a
Prince" compiled by him for the in
struction OF his son. Cairbee. In re-
etruction of his son, Cairbre. In re-
were your habits when you were q
lad?" Cormac answers:
IT was n listener in the woods.
was a gazer at stars.
was unseeing among secrets.
was silent In wilderness
was conversational among many.
was mild In the mead hall.
was fierce on the battlefield.
was gentle in friendship
was a nurse TO the sick.
was weak toward the strengthless.
was strong toward the powerful.
''I was not arrogant. though was
wise.
was not a promser, though I was
rich.
was not boastful, though I was
skilled
would not speak III OF the absent.
would not reproach, but 1 would
praise.
j would not ask. but would give.
For Il is through these habits that
che young become old and kingly war