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



31 



The oldest authority for this name, Mur Ollamhan, is a poem in the Lea- 

 bhar Gahhala, ascribed, though erroneously, as its language shews, to Fer- 

 ceirtne, a poet of the first century ; but this poem gives no stronger evidence of 

 the meaning ascribed to the name than the passages already quoted : 



OUarii poola peochaip jal 

 t)o popainn mup n-Ollaiiian 

 Cecna pf puana co pach 

 Lay anoeapnoD p6p Ceampach. 



OUamh Fodhla, of brave fight, 



Erected Mur Ollamhan ; 



The first king, powerful with prosperity, 



By whom was established the Fes of Temur. 



It will be seen hereafter that the Mur Ollamhan is not mentioned among 

 the vestiges described by the ancient topographers ; and indeed there is every 

 reason to believe, that it had no existence save in the etymological inference of 

 O' Flaherty, as the older writers do not appear to have understood the name in 

 the sense stated by him. 



Of the nature of the Feises, or triennial meetings, perhaps the most ancient 

 authentic record is that preserved in the following poem, quoted by Keating, who 

 ascribes it to Eochaidh O'Flynn, a poet who died in the year A. D. 984 : 



peip CeaiTipach jach qieap Bliajain 



t)o coriiaU peace ip piajail 



Oo 5niri ann pin 50 ceann 



Q5 piojaiB aiiipa Gipeann. 



t)o pijne Cacaoip cleamnach 



peip pocaoiTi na pij-reaiiipach 



Canjaoap leip, peippoe oe, 



pip Gipeann 50 haonBaile. 



Cpi la pia Shaiiimn do jpeap 



Cpi la na oiaij pa odijbeap 



tDo'n cpluaj po buo Dioriiop DOij 



Q5 piopol pip an peaccriiom 



^ccn 501D, ip jan join ouine, 



Qca a n-uipeao pm uile, 



j5<3n iiriipr aipm, jan alao, 



^an eacpaoa o'lompaoa. 



^fbe DO jniD nlo oioB pin 



pa bioobaD qioc 50 oqioimnith, 



Hi jeabca op 1 pann uaio 



Qcc a anam pe haonuaip. 



The Feis of Temur each third year, 



To preserve laws and rules, 



Was then convened firmly 



By the illustrious kings of Erin. 



Cathaoir of sons-in-law convened 



The beautiful Feis of regal Temur; 



There came with him (the better for it) 



The men of Erin to one place. 



Three days before Saman, always, 



Three days after it — it was a goodly custom — 



The host of very high fashion spent, 



Constantly drinking during the week. 



Without theft, without wounding a man 



Among them during all this time ; 



Without feats of arms, without deceit, 



Without exercising horses. 



Whoever did any of those things 



Was a wretched enemy with heavy venom ; 



Gold was not received as retribution from him, 



But his soul in one hour. 



Halida^s Keating, p. 330. 



