487 
several years, however, done good service, not only to the compiler, but 
some of his literary friends, who, in their difficulties, sought counsel of the 
‘“monster Index.” The printed Index will form an invaluable book of 
reference, and I hope that its appearance will promote investigations 
into the interesting topography of our island: certainly the Census list 
of 1851, with its admirable details, and this Index to follow it, will prove 
a rich treasury of topographical illustration ; and ere long I hope to see 
the series on our shelves divested of their blue wrappers, and recom- 
mended to notice by a becoming exterior. It is impossible to over- 
estimate the importance of such a work as this to the topographer. Not 
only is he enabled hereby to trace to its proper position the site of an 
ancient church, or the field of a distant encounter, or the subject of an 
early grant, but he has also materials for the correction of etymological 
fallacies, and the establishment of a true standard of interpretation. 
I may adduce one or two examples. 
The celebrated hill of Tara, in the county of Meath, is called in Irish 
Temhair, from the genitive of which, Zemhrach, the common appellation 
obtains its form. Now, the old bardic etymologists derive the name 
from Zea-mur, ‘“‘the wall’ or ‘‘ house of Tea,” a celebrated female of 
olden time. A suggestion, however, is thrown out by Cormac, in his glos- 
sary, that the name may be allied to the Greek @ewpéw, inasmuch as éem- 
hur is used to denote an elevated place—the ‘‘ temhuir of the country”’ 
being a hill, and the ‘‘ temhuir of a house” being an upper chamber.* 
If, then, it obtained the name in consequence of having been the palace 
of a certain queen, we would naturally expect that it should be the 
only place in Ireland bearing this peculiar designation; but on looking to 
our Index we find, under the head TZara,} the following examples of 
its occurrence :— 
Townland. Parish. Barony. County. 
1. Tara, Durrow, Ballycowan, King’s County. 
2. Tara, Slanes, Ards, Down. 
3. TARA-HILL, Kilcayvan, Ballaghkeen, Wexford. 
4, TaRa-HILL, Kaltennell, Ballaghkeen, Wexford. 
In numbers 2 and 8 of this list there are earthen forts, whose situation 
is high and commanding, and such as fully answers to Cormac’s inter- 
pretation. 
Again, according to the old Register of the diocese, the name Clogher 
was said to be derived from Cloch-oir, a ‘‘Golden Stone, from which, in 
the times of Paganism, the Devil used to pronounce Jugling Answers.’ + 
* See Dr. Petrie’s Essay on Tara, in the Transactions, vol. xviii. pt. 2, pp. 131, 154. 
+ To these may be added Temoria Singite, in Westmeath (Colgan, Trias Th. p.131 a); 
and Teamhair-Brogha- Niadh (in Leinster, Ogyg. pp. 269, 273, 283), an eastern limit of 
Connacht (Keating Hist. chap. 2); and Teamhair Luachra, in Kerry (Book of Rights, 
p- 90); Beal-atha-na- Teamhrach (Four Mast.1580), now the townland Bellahantouragh, 
in the parish of Ballincuslane, in barony of Trughanacmy, county of Kerry. 
} Harris's Ware’s Works, vol.i., p. 175. 
