Macamstek — Temair Breg : Remains and Traditions of Tara. 285 



The purpose of khe poet is not so much to give a history of the site, 

 as to account for a series of names by which, according to tradition, it 

 was successively known : Fordruini (apparently the original name before the 

 clearance of the hazel-thicket), Druim Leith, Druim Cain, Gathair Chrofind, 

 and Tea Mur (sic). The course of events by which he endeavours to account for 

 these names is clearly very natural ; unusually so, indeed, for a Dind-shenchas 

 history! The change of the name of a place with its owner is a common 

 occurrence in Ireland down to modern times ; Flanagan's Rock, Fort, Hotel, 

 or what-not, becomes O'Connor's in name as well as in legal title, to the 

 frequent confusion of topographers. So the theory that explained these 

 changes of name by changes of ownership is just what would naturally occur 

 to a commentator. And the transformations of the hill as pictured in the 

 poem before us are what any intelligent person might evolve out of his inner 

 consciousness. We see in turn the unreclaimed thicket ; the site turned to a 

 corn-land ; the elevation of the hill to a military station, when its strategic 

 advantages became evident ; the establishment of a royal house ; the founda- 

 tion of a royal dynasty. Nothing could be more obviously true : nothing 

 could be farther from the real truth. 



The only historical value that the poem possesses is its testimony that the 

 hill was known by different names. We need not accept the chronological 

 succession of these names ; they may have been used indiscriminately, perhaps 

 in different parts of the country. Other names, not mentioned in the poem, 

 are recorded elsewhere : O'Clery's Glossary gives us Connalt, .i. tech Cuinn 

 .i. Temair Breg 1 ; also Itos, .i. Temair, to which the lexicographer Peter 

 O'Connell adds " an old name of Tara." 2 PD records another name, Druim 

 nDescend, but without comment. The name Eos Temraeh is also vouched for 

 in Acallam na Senorach (ed. Stokes, line 1475). 



The ninth stanza of VD i would seem to imply that there were structures 

 at Temair associated with Tea — a house and a grave. " A rampart was built 

 round her house by Tea the great, daughter of Lugaid ; she was buried 

 behind the wall without, so that ' Temair ' comes from her." Possibly the 

 Forrad was supposed to have been originally Tea's house. 



Another important point must be marked for future reference before we 

 pass from this poem. The foundation of the cathaiv is ascribed to a woman. 



VD ii is a poem of great obscurity. The author assumes on the part of 

 his readers knowledge which is no longer accessible ; his allusions are there- 

 fore difficult, if not impossible, to understand. The text of the poem will be 



1 Rente eeltique, iv, 390. *-' Ibid., \. 3$ 



