Westropp — Magh Adhair, Co. Clare. 57 



by O'Donovan in the " Genealogies and Customs of Hy Eiachra," we 

 have a long account^ of the inauguration of Cathal Crovderg O'Conor, 

 who died 1224. From it we gather that the cairn or mound, on 

 which the prince stood, had a palisade and gateway, the last guarded 

 during the investiture by three chiefs, a fourth alone ascended 

 the mound to give the rod to the candidate. The other chiefs, and 

 the coarbs of the priacipal local saints, stood below, holding the 

 prince's arms, clothes, and horse, and afterwards assisting him to robe 

 and remount. The chief faced the north, and, on stepping down from 

 the stone, turned round thrice each way, as is still the custom in 

 Clare, on seeing the new moon. Martin, in his account of " the 

 Western Islands " of Scotland, two hundred years ago,^ describes a 

 nearly identical ceremony at the inauguration of a Scottish chief : he 

 was placed on a heap of stones, his followers standing round it, and 

 one of his principal friends gave him his father's sword, " and there 

 was a white rod delivered to him at the same time." Then "the 

 chief druid or orator stood close to the pyramid," and made "a 

 panegyric, setting forth the ancient pedigree, valour, and liberality of 

 the family." In the case of the O'Briens we know very little, save 

 that "Macnamara," in whose territory the mound stood, was chief 

 officer. A very doubtful line in only one translation of the " Wars of 

 Torlough " suggests that Macnamara pronounced the titles and 

 descent of O'Brien at a " pillar " among great hosts. This may have 

 been interpolated in the sevententh century, but is equally likely to 

 preserve a true tradition. An ancient tree also was used in the 

 ceremony at an early period. The inauguration probably took place 

 on the north side of the great mound. The chiefs guarded a 

 gate at the foot of the sloping way ; the principal spectators stood in. 

 the levelled enclosure; the "orator" recited on the cairn, and 

 possibly the marshal presented the chief to the rank and file of his 

 adherents in the level field beside the pillar. As for the basin-stone 

 its use is not alluded to in the records cited above, but one occurs 

 hollowed in the native rock at Dunadd in Argyllshire, close to the 

 footprint which marks the spot where the Dalriadic kings were 

 " made."^ The stone at Magh Adhair has no footprint ; such a stone, 

 however, exists in Co, Clare at Dromandoora, which, if not of the 



1 Hy Fiachra, p. 432 ; Kilkenny Society Journal, 1852-3, p. 341 ; Royal 

 Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, 1870, p. 349, where the closely 

 analogous mound, cairn, and pillar of Carnfree are described. 



- Martin's "Western Islands," edition 1703, p. 101. 



^ Soc. Antiq. Scotland, 1878-9, p. 28, paper by Capt. F. Thomas, R.N. 



