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



149 



t)pai, piDcellaij, puippeoip paon, 

 Cuiplenoai j, clepaioi claon, 

 Colpra a cuic peola, lep pip, 

 In can ciajao i cec pijh. 

 Rijcec CUIC penmoipi paop, 

 Caipleoip ip cepoa mapaon. 

 Copnoipi, buinoipe apbpij, 

 t)eiDi po meloip mio mep. 

 niuipiDin DO mal ITliDi. 

 Caipiotnhoin, ip ciopriiuipiu, 

 tDliccio DO n Dpoincc cpebuip cpein, 

 Ichcop petnop in cplinnein. 

 tJpomanna oponna in cec cpeb, 

 Xio DpuiDib, DO Doippeopaib. 

 Upupclae Dingein cenac, 

 lep n-mopao cicci Uempac?" 

 Coluin CiUi, cpenuiD bpoiD, 

 t)o poD an CGC do tDiapmaio, 

 Re n-Dula do ap muip omac," 

 Oo jiallpao cuip no Cempac." 

 CpeiDim Cpipc po cep a cpi, 

 Oo cuip cec nepc pop nemDni,*° 

 Qp bpdn DO Daim t)e na C015; 



Druid, chess-players, and arch-buffoon, 

 Pipers, and tricky jugglers. 

 The Colptha for their share of meat, in truth, 

 When they come into the king's house. 

 The liightheach the share of the noble preacher. 

 Of the Cashel-builder and artisan likewise. 

 The cupbearer, and vigorous footman, 

 Both drank cheering metheglin. 

 The muiridin to the chief of Meath. 

 The embroiderers, and fullers. 

 Are entitled, as a people skilful, important. 

 To the fleshy lower part of the shoulder. 

 The straight backs in every tribe, 

 To druids, and doorkeepers. 

 What fortress will be protected. 

 After the suppression of the house of Temur ? 

 Columbkille, who purchased hostages, 

 Gave the battle to Diarmaid, 

 Before his going over across the sea, 

 The chiefs of Temur gave him hostages. 

 The faith of Christ tormented his heart. 

 He brought all strength to nought, 

 In consequence of the sorrow of the people of God 

 in his house ; 

 Ni cape cepmonn do Cempoij. He extended no protection to Temur. 



Taking the preceding ancient documents as a guide, the remains on the 

 Hill have been identified with the descriptions given of them, in the following 

 order : 



1. The Well Neamhnach. This is marked in the poem as lying east of the 

 Mur Tea, which is within the principal rath of Tara ; and more accurately in 

 the prose tract, as north-east, and supplying the stream on which the first mill was 



" The preceding eight quatrains are omitted in the Book of Ballymote, tliat is, from Cech Cempac imb aca 

 in paic, down to lep n-inopao cicci Cempac, both lines inclusive, but they are given in the Leabhar Buidhe, 

 and in the Leabhar Gabhala of the O'Clerys. The verses following seem to be the production of a later writer, as they 

 are not found in the Leabhar Buidhe Lecain, and other ancient vellum MSS. 



■" Re n-Dul DO Dap muip imac. — L. Ballymot., recte- 



" Ron jiallpaoap cuip Cempac. — L. Ballymot. 



** Ro cuip cue nepc ap neiiicni.— i. Ballymot. 



