Westropp — Assembly -Place nf'Oenach Cairhre and Sid Asail. 365 



Lliciii Llic i,n-oat sauctuaiies just enumerated. If we take tlie tale literally, 

 nothing can be less probable. 



Apart from the other chiefs and their settlements, and probably not in 

 the original legend, we hear that 



"Asail came out of the North, over the waves, 

 As far as Munster of the great doings. 

 Out of the North he came iu his galley ; 

 From him is lovely Druim Asail named. 



That is the settling of the host, 

 Even of all the household of Umor."' 



Eoss, son of Deda, of the predominant Ernai, became one of their 

 securities. Asal is not named in the prose version, and as Connacht 

 stopped at Linn easa Lomanaig (or Ourragower), at the later City of 

 Limerick, in the definition of the Tain bo Flidais, Medb could not have 

 been supposed to have given lands so far south as at Dromassel. The 

 other settlements (whether Murbech, Dael, and Taman were in North 

 Mayo or in Co. Clare and South Galway)' were at least all in Connacht. 

 From all this it seems evident that Asal should be regarded (like Maistiu) 

 as apart from the rest of the Umorians. 



We have always to face the problem of legends of the same person with 

 different parentage and residence, so it may be well to note, without assertion 

 of identity, some at least of the various persons named " Asal." King 

 " Asal of the golden pillars " owned wonderful swine, which could be killed 

 and eaten each day and reappear intact on the next occasion, like those of 

 Manannan mac Lir, or the heavenly boar, " Saerhimnir," in the Edda. Asal, 

 son of Dordonblas,^ gave his name to the important ancient highway, Slige 

 Asail.* Asal, a slave of Eremhon, appears in the traditions of the first 

 Milesian settlers.' " I said, Ye are gods . . . But ye shall die like men," seems 

 the text on which the Euhemerists modelled their editing. They give us every 

 stage of tlie deepening twilight of the gods, from god to hero or druid ; from 

 druid to druth or jester ; and on to monster or devil — all can be seen in Irish 



' Metrical Bind Senchas (ed. Gwynn, Todd Lect. Ser. x), pp. -440-9 ; Asal, p. 445 ; 

 Maistiu, Rev. Celt., xv, p. 3:34. 



= The Dael in North Mayo and the Daelach in Co. Clave (Dahilyegh, 1590) ; Tawin 

 Island, Galway Bay ; Tawin Loch, on Clare Island, Co. Mayo ; Murbech, in Tirawley, 

 Mayo, and in Aranmore. There was a historical settlement of the Fir Bolg in Ti 

 Fiachiach Aidne, on the edge of Co. Clare, exterminated by Dui Tenguma, King of 

 Connacht, late in the fifth century. 



^ "The Road of Assal, son of Dor Dunn," Metr. Dind S. x, p. 281. 



* Rennes Dind Senchas (Rev. Celt., xv, p. 454). 



5 Leabhar Gabhala (ed. Macalister and MacNeill), i, p. 263. 



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