O'Looney — Historic Tales in Irish. 223 



seized and brought on trial before the King and magnates of the Sid, 

 ■who sentenced him to remain in their own service — as it were in penal 

 servitude — assisting one of their female attendants, and carrying in 

 firewood to the mansion of the Sid. In this office Nera remained, and 

 got married to the woman of the Sid, and thus became acquainted 

 with all the concerns of the place. One fine clay he broke his parole, 

 and managed to return home to Ailell and Medb, with such informa- 

 tion regarding the Sid and its treasures as tempted them to plunder 

 it. This they did on a succeeding Samain, and among the treasures 

 carried away on that occasion were the Cetach Loeghaire, and Emeach 

 Bunlaing, and the Barr Briuinn, the three prime jewels of Erin. 



"U&cn e-g&itfi in Com&ip. — " Cave of the Church of the 

 Comar." 



tl&cr) betA.15 Cotigt&if. — " Cave of Bealach Conglais." 

 There is a curious account of this cave, and of Cu Glas, from 

 whom it is named, preserved in the Bindsenchas of Bealach Conglais, 

 in the Book of Lecan, folio 234, b. b. Cu Glas was the seventh son of 

 Bon Bessa, King of Leinster, he was fostered by Eterscel Mor, monarch 

 of Ireland, and succeeded to the office of Master of the Hounds to his 

 son, Conaire Mor. When his six elder brothers joined Big eel Caech 

 and his followers in rebellion against Conaire Mor (whom they killed 

 in the assault and destruction of the Bruiden Ba Berga, a. m. 5160), 

 Cu Glas remained faithful to his master and continued in his service. 

 He went out with the King's hounds one day from Tara, and passed 

 on to the place subsequently called Bealach Conglais (now Baltinglas, 

 Co. Wicklow). Here they started a wild hog, and worsted him in the 

 chase till he took shelter in the cave. Cu Glas and the hounds pursued 

 him and were lost in the cave, and they have not since returned; andhence 

 the place is called the cave of the pass of Cu Glas. There is a poem of 

 four quatrains on this subject in the Book of Leinster, folio 155, a. i. 

 "U&uli Lice DL&ca. — " Cave of Leac Blath." 

 11 4xh IIIU151 bot.5.— " Cave of Magh Bolg." 

 tl^ch beinoe tleo&ip. — " Cave of Bend Etair." 

 This was the celebrated cave of Etair, at Howth, in which 

 Biarmait and Grainne took refuge after their elopement, when pur- 

 sued by King Cormac, the father, and Find Mac Cumall, the affianced 

 husband of Grainne. There is a good deal of romance concerning 

 this cave to be found in our Irish manuscripts : but of this tale I only 

 know one original copy, that in the British Museum, MS. Harl., 5280, 

 of which there is a copy in the 0' Curry MSS. in the Catholic University, 

 tl^ch Loch& Lup^^n. — " Cave of Loch Lurgan." 

 tl^ch *Oeipci Fe&pn&. — " Cave of Dearc Fearna." 

 I am not aware of any existing copy of this tale. Bearc Fearna 

 was the ancient name of the cave now known as the Cave of Dun- 

 more, Co. Kilkenny, respecting which see the Academy's Proceedings, 

 Ser. 11., Vol. 11., p. 168. In the Book of Leinster there is an ancient 

 poem enumerating the triumphs and great deeds of the men of 



SER. II.. VOL. I., POL. LIT. AXD AN'TIQ. 2 K 



