Macalistkr — Temair Breg : Remains ami Traditions of Tara. 339 



Another point of importance to notice about Fal is a constant tradition 

 that it was not native to Temair; coupled with an expectation that it was not 

 destined to remain there for ever. As to the place from which it came 

 authorities differ; but they agree in representing thai il came from elsewhere. 



Thus, Lebor Gabala enumerates it among the four treasures brought into 

 Ireland by the Tuatha Ue Danann. It came, so we are told, from the city 

 Falias; while Lug's invincible spear was brought from Gorias, Nuadu's sword 

 from Finnias, and The D'agda's inexhaustible cauldron from Murias. 1 Thus 

 the stone is brought into association with three of the most important 

 deities in the pantheon. The names of the cities are obviously factitious, 

 formed by someone who had deciphered a name like Urdus on an Ogham 

 inscription, and recognized the common name Ere, but was not very clear as 

 to the meaning of the archaic genitive termination ias. Falias is thus formed 

 from the name of Fal ; and the apparent meaning of Fal (" wall ") has 

 suggested Mi'ir, and thus given a foundation on which to base the city 

 Murias. Some vague recollection of a legendary king Nuadu Finn-fail has 

 suggested Finnias, whence Nuadu obtained his sword ; and Gorias {gar = fire) 

 is a suitable place for the sun-god Lug to find his destroying spear. Thus 

 Fal lies at the base of three out of the four cities in which the Tuatha 

 De Danann learnt their magic. 



liaile an Scdil, the tale to which reference has already been made, tells a 

 different story. According to this interesting text, the druids Mdel, Blocc, 

 and Bluicne explained to Conn Oet-chathach that the stone came from Inis 

 Fo-ail, was set in Temair Tire Fail, and was destined hereaftei to find its way 

 to Tailltiu. 



Inis Fo-ail is merely a perversion of lnis Fail, in the interests of an 

 absurd etymology (fo ail, " under a king"). Thus, what the druids said was 

 that the stone came to Temair from Inis Fail. This implies that lnis Fail is 

 not Ireland, but some other island. When we seek for another island bearing 

 this name, we have not far to look. The little islet in Wexford Harbour," 

 now called Beggery Island a corruption of Beg-Eire, Little Ireland), also 

 bears the name of Inis Fail. 



Beg-Eire is the site of a very ancient ecclesiastical establishment] 

 associated with the name of Ibar, traditionally said to have been one of the 

 pre- Patrician saints of Ireland. Now it may be laid down as at least a 

 working hypothesis, that the existence of an ancient Celtic monastery on such 

 an island is presumptive evidence of the pre-existene'e of & pagan sanctuary 



1 Book of Ballymote, faca. 32 a 15-26. 



- No lunger an island, owing lo land reclamation, 



