Con well — On the Cemetery of Taillten. 85 



the general arrangement of them into groups, the central one of each 

 group being much larger than the surrounding ones ; which naturally 

 leads to the inference that each group may represent a dynasty, the 

 central earn being probably the tomb of the founder. 



It would be reasonable to suppose that Queen Taillte's last resting- 

 place should be found in the cemetery named after her ; but we have 

 been unable, so far as our present investigations have gone, to point to 

 any one of the cams as Taillte's tomb, although we strongly suspect 

 tbat the large earn on the peak now called tbe hill of Patrickstown, 

 the stones constituting which have been nearly all carted away for the 

 purpose of building adjoining fences, was such ; for there are many 

 still living who describe this cam, before its recent destruction, as the 

 most conspicuous of all upon the hills, particularly when viewed from 

 the great rath at Telltown, the probable site of one of her principal 

 residences, as we have before seen. Had this earn been situated on 

 Mr. Naper's property it would in all likelihood have escaped desecra- 

 tion and destruction. 



Having learned, from the extracts above quoted, the names of some 

 of those who were buried at the ancient cemetery of Taillten, it be- 

 comes legitimate for us to inquire, if, among these remains, there be any 

 positive or distinctive peculiarities by which they could be indicatively 

 associated with the memory of any of those stated in the foregoing ex- 

 tracts to have been buried at Taillten. It will be seen that the first men- 

 tioned as interred at Taillten was Ollamh Fodhla,*the great law- giver 



• Pronounced Ollav Fola : i. e. the Ollamh, or chief Poet of Fodhla, or Ireland. 

 "We are indebted to Dr. 0' Donovan's translation of the Annals of Ireland for the 

 following particulars, and the valuable notes thereon by the learned editor. It will 

 be necessary to keep in mind, in reading them, that the Chronology adopted by the 

 Four Masters, following the computation of the Septuagint, as given by St. Jerome 

 in his edition of the Chronicon of Eusebius, makes the first year of our era agree 

 with the year of the world, 5199. 



" The Age of the world, 3847. After Sedna had been five years in the sovereignty, 

 he fell by Fiacha Finscothach and Muineamhon, son of Cas Clothach, at Cruachain." a 



" The Age of the World, 3848. The first year of the reign of Fiacha Fins- 

 cothach over Ireland." 



" The Age of the world, 3867. After Fiacha Finscothach had been twenty years 

 in the sovereignty of Ireland he fell by Muineamhon, son of Cas. Every plain in 

 Ireland abounded with flowers and shamrocks in the time of Fiacha. These flowers, 

 moreover, were found full of wine, so that the wine was squeezed into bright 

 vessels. Wherefore, the cognomen, Fiacha Fin-scothach b , continued to be applied 

 to him." 



"The Age of the World, 3868. This was the first year of the reign of 

 Muineamhon, son of Cas Clothach, over Ireland." 



" The Age of the World, 3872. At the end of the fifth year of Muineamhon, 

 he died of the plague in Magh-Aidhne. c It was Muineamhon that first caused 



* Cruachain. Now Rathcroghan, near Belanagare, in the county of Roscommon. 



b Finscothach: i. e. of the Wine-flowers. Keating gives this cognomen the same interpreta- 

 tion, but in Connell Mageoghegan's translation of the Annals of Clonmacnois, it is stated that 

 this King " was surnamed Ffinnsgohagh of the abundance of white flowers that were in his 

 time," which seems more probable, as wine was then unknown in Ireland. 



° Magh-Aidhnp : a level district in the present county of Galway, all comprised in the 

 diocese of Kilniacduagh. 



