Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill. 27 



traditional information was obtained respecting objects now changed or obliterated. 

 Till this task was completed we made no use of the written documents, lest we 

 might be led into false or unwarranted conclusions from imperfect data ; but 

 having satisfied ourselves that we had omitted nothing, and distorted nothing to 

 answer a theory, we commenced, with the map in hand, a second examination of 

 the remains in the order pointed out by the ancient descriptions. This exami- 

 nation, fortunately, we were able to make with little difficulty, as the first object 

 mentioned was one in the identification of which we could not be mistaken, 

 namely, a remarkable spring, whose locality on the side of the hill is distinctly 

 pointed out, and which is stated to be the source of a stream which turned the 

 first watermill ever erected in Ireland. 



Subsequently to this investigation several other historical documents, also 

 tending to illustrate this interesting locality, were obtained, and are made use of 

 in this memoir. They were chiefly found in the Book of Glendalough, in the 

 library of Trinity College, and in the Leahhar Breac, or Speckled Book of Mac 

 Egan, another compilation of Irish literature belonging to our Academy. 



Having premised thus far, as to the mode by which the information was 

 obtained from which our evidences have been derived, I now proceed to the notice 

 of this interesting locality, as drawn up for the Survey. 



The hill of Tara, though undistinguished either for altitude or picturesque- 

 ness of form, is not less remarkable for the pleasing and extensive prospects 

 which it commands, than for the associations connected with it, as the site of the 

 residence of the Irish monarchs from the earliest times. In both these circum- 

 stances it bears a striking similitude to the hill of Aileach, near Derry — the 

 residence of the kings of Ulster — and to the hill of Emania, near Armagh, 

 another residence of the Ulster kings, but who were of a different race. All 

 these localities have shared a similar fate in the destruction of their monuments 

 at distant periods, and all equally present striking vestiges of their ancient 

 Importance. 



According to the Irish Bardic traditions, the hill of Tara became the chief 

 residence of the Irish kings on the first establishment of a monarchical govern- 



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