168 Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities ofTara Hill. 



name of this monument, Forradh, was applied even to the palace of Tara itself, 

 from its earliest occupation by the Scotic or Milesian kings, so that it might with 

 every probability be regarded as the earliest of the monuments now remaining 

 there. The meaning of its name would also seem to support this conclusion, as it is 

 properly explained by Colgan, Trias Tliaum., p. 141, col. b, to signify a place 

 of public meeting, like the Tings of the Orkneys and of the Isle of Man. It 

 also signifies a judgment seat, a bench, and is probably cognate with the Latin 

 word ybrwTO, or perhaps the Icelandic yor-rarf, Lat. vis, dispensatio. At all 

 events, its erection cannot be ascribed to a later period than the other, and an 

 interesting illustration of its antiquity and use appears to be found in the 

 following passage from the Konungs-skuggsio, or Royal Mirror, Antiq. Celto- 

 Scand. p. 289 : 



« Enn^ar sem hcedjiotti horgarinnar vera, " In editiore quopiam civitatis loco splendidum 



J>a atti Kongurinn }pa/r kastala fagrann ok et tantum non Daedaleum castellum Ilex, et intra 



vel georfann, i \ieim kastala atti hannfagra castelli septa palatium structum et nitore supeibuni 



haull ok mikla, ok i ^eirri haull var hann habuit, ubi solebat litibus incolarum componendis 



vanur at sitia yjir domum manna." prasesse." 



But as the preceding translation is rather overstrained, a more literal one in 

 English is here added : — " And in what was considered the highest point of the 

 city [ Themar] the king had a fair and well-built castle, in that castle he had a 

 fair hall and spacious, and in that hall was he wont to sit in judgment." 



The next important monument noticed is that called the Tea-mur. Of this 

 there is now no vestige, but its situation is pointed out as on a little hill, which lies 

 between the two murs {septa) to the south of Rath na Riogh, and the poem of 

 Kineth O'Hartigan indicates that it was 60 f. in extent, and contained within 

 it the sepulchre of the Milesian queen Tea. 



Of the less remarkable monuments within the Rath na Riogh, the first is 

 Dumha na Bo, or, the Mound of the Cow, called also Glas Teamhrach, which is 

 described as lying to the west of Dumha na n- Giall. This is a circular mound 

 Of. high, and 40 f. in diameter at the base. In illustration of the name or origin 

 of this mound, no historical or even legendary account has been discovered. It 

 may, however, be remarked, that innumerable legends respecting the cow, Glas, 

 which belonged to the Tuatha De Danann smith, Gaibhnionn, are still tra- 

 ditionally current throughout Ireland. 



