Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities of Tar a Hill. 29 



monumenta Scotorum ante Cimbaoch incerta erant." But though the authority 

 of Tighearnach may seem sufficient to establish a very great antiquity for Tara, 

 it is not to be inferred that it was at all times the seat of the monarchy, or that 

 every thing related of its royal occupants preceding the known use of letters in 

 Ireland has a foundation in truth. On the other hand, however, it would be equally 

 premature to reject these traditions as wholly fabulous, as to receive them as real 

 history, until the whole body of evidence contained in the Irish MSS. shall be 

 subjected to critical examination, by being laid before the public with literal 

 translations. In the mean time, without collecting all the matter relating to 

 the history of Tara, which would in fact be nothing less than a history of Ire- 

 land, it will be necessary, for the satisfaction of the reader, and the completeness 

 of this memoir, to bring forward the notices of the more remarkable events in 

 connexion with its early state, whether apparently authentic or apocryphal, 

 without minutely canvassing their claims to credibility. And for facility of refe- 

 rence, these notices will be given as often as possible from the published Annals 

 of Tighearnach, Ulster, and the Four Masters. 



It is stated in the Annals of the Four Masters, from the Book of Clonmacnoise, 

 that Ollamh Fodhla, the fortieth monarch of Ireland, according to the lists, 

 first instituted the triennial assemblies, and erected the Mur Ollamhan, or House 

 of Ollamh, at Tara. 



Qoip Doriiain, rpi liiile naoi ccec p'ce A. M. 3922. Ollamh Fodhla, after having been 



UDO. lap mbeic do pichec bliaoain i pije forty years in the government of Ireland, died in 



©penn t) 'OUarii Porta acbail ma mup bu- his own house at Temur. He was the first king 



bein 1 Ceriipaij, Qf e ceona pi lap a noep- by whom the Assembly of Temur was instituted ; 



nao peip Cearripach, acup ap laip do coj- and it is by him that Mur Ollamhan was erected 



Bao mup n Ollairian i d Ceihpaij. CIp e Din at Temur. It is he also that appointed a chief 



po opDaijcaoipioch ap jach rpiochaic ceo, over every baronj', and a farmer over every town- 



acup bpujaio ap joch baile, acup u bpoj- land, and who were all to serve the king oflre- 



narii utle DO pij Gperin. GochaiD ceo uinm laud. Eochaidh was the first name of Ollamh 



OUariian Pocla, acup ap aipe uo pubpao Fodhla, and he was called Ollamh from his hav- 



OllaiTi ppip, ap a Beic 'na OUarh epgna ing been first a learned Ollamh (chief poet), and 



ceoup acup 'na pij Gpenn laparii. afterwards king of Ireland. 



On this passage it may be remarked, that though the date assigned to the 

 foundation of these institutions is so very remote, as to make it appear wholly 

 incredible, yet there is the testimony of Tighearnach that a monarch known by 



