75 



is declared by Holingshed, that " the country had their meetings 

 and folk-motes there, as a place that was accounted the high palace of 

 the monarch." And lastly, that in accordance with the Irish account, 

 the Lia Fail appears by various concordant traditions, to have been 

 removed to Argyle by the before-mentioned Fergus Mac-Eire, and 

 thence to Scone ; when being for some ages degraded from its inaugu- 

 ral office, it was only restored to its original dignity at the coronation 

 of James the first, as King of England,* where it has since remained, 

 and is now we believe encased in the coronation chair of the three 

 kingdoms at Westminster. 



- It does also appear-f- that Rathcroghan in the west, another hill 

 of very observable antiquities, and mentioned by Tigernach, as a 

 royal fortress founded by Forgo King of Connaught, was the scene 

 of similar assemblies as these held at Tara ; and that there were like- 

 wise similar stones of inauguration in other places, as on the ascent 

 to the church of Cashel, at Carnfree in Connaught, &c. Scc.\ 



In the book of the 0'Duigenans,§ mentioned by Doctor O'Conor in 

 the first volume of his Catalogue of the Stowe MS. (p. 125,) there 

 is a copy of the form of inauguration of the Connaught kings, usually 



• Speed's Theatre, p. 1222. Hume's England, Edward I. Doubts have, however, been 

 started, whether the stone now preserved at Westminster is the genuine one. — See Gent. 

 Mag. 1781, p. 452, and Id. 1782, p. 22. 



t O'Conor, Rer. Hib. Script. (Annal. Tigern.) pp. 23, 85, and 125. 



X O'Conor, Rer. Hib. Script, v. 3, p. 23. 



§ The book of the O'Duigenans, was an historical compilation of the fourteenth century ; 

 it included the interval of events from A. D. 900, to the time of its being written, and was one 

 of the principal sources from which the annals of the Four Masters were digested in the com- 

 mencement of the seventeeth century. Cucoigrighe O'Duigenan, of the County Roscommon, 

 was of the learned men, who assisted in the latter work ; as Manus O'Duigenan had been of 

 those who had collated the book of Ballymote in the fourteenth century. While various 

 others of the name have distinguished themselves in Irish literature, as chroniclers, family 

 historians, and bards. 



VOL. XVI. L 



