BOAR 69 



of Angus, at Brugh on the Boyne, a god who was Diarmad's 

 special protector or guiding spirit, and he laid geasan, or spells, 

 on Diarmad that he was never to hunt a boar — -a very sensible 

 precaution as it turned out. These geasan, however, had been laid 

 upon Diarmad in his infancy, and the fact was unknown to him. 

 Fionn knew, and, in his jealousy, persuaded him to his death. 

 Though told to Diarmad at the time, he scorned to draw back 

 and bravely or rashly rushed on his fate. Ben Laoghal, in 

 Sutherland (among other places in Scotland), is said to be the 

 exact spot where the above took place, the animal being circum- 

 stantially described as being "like a boat lying on the shore, 

 long and broad and black ! " For this, or " Mac o' Duine's 

 boar hunt," see the Book of the Dean of Lismore (English), pages 

 ^1 et seq. 



In ancient Gaelic poems we find the skin of the wild boar the 

 appropriate costume for a hero, and in a rhapsody by Deirdri 

 (Irish version), this line occurs, " Ardan, subduer of the luxurious 

 boar." 



In Ossian. Cath Loduinn, Duan 1., inler alia, evidence of the 

 special distinction or honour of which the boar's head was a sign 

 is given, as it is there said "Thoir ceann an tuirc do cheann nan 

 daoine " — The boar's head give to the chief of men. This is 

 supposed by Dr Clerk to mean devoting the youth to the hunting 

 of boars as his special vocation. 



The Irish, and other Celtic warriors in ancient times, were 

 accustomed to wear on their armour the skin of the boar, or other 

 wild beasts which they had slain. In 1005 the then King of 

 Uladh or Ulidia, Dubhtuinne, was surnamed " In Tore," The 

 Boar. Ulysses is described as having " A boar's white teeth in 

 order spread, grinning horrid o'er his head." 



A boar's head garnished was, and still is, served on special 

 banqueting occasions in other places than Celtic halls as the 

 "chief" of dishes, and it will be observed that one of the names 

 for the boar is "chief." 



The wild boar originally abounded in the black wood of 

 Rannoch. At a place near Oban, called Strontoiller (in English), 

 a stone stands which is supposed to have been erected in the 

 "dim distant past" to commemorate Diarmad's death from the 

 boar, as above referred to. The most ancient and original forms 

 of ancient art were found in the incised figures of animals, of 

 which the ^boar stone at Essich, near Inverness, is said to be the 

 most interesting illustration to be found in Scotland, though 

 not perhaps Celtic in its origin, being supposed to have been 

 formed before the Celtic art was elevated to the high standard 

 of the Columban period. 



In the Isle of Man, under the name "Purrs," boars were at 

 one time subject to a special or particular tithe. The boar in 

 common with other animals gives its name to many places, such 



