26 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Slieve Bernagh, Thountinna, on Lough Derg, Kimalta, and Knockfierna, 

 raising its cairn- crowned dome and long ridges to the south-east. 



The fort being on the east slope of Luachair, probably once among oak 

 groves,' and with its high rampart, deep ditches and alleged souterrain, tallies 

 closely with the features of a famous fort in a wild romance. We 

 may well ask was it Temhair Luchra,'' the fort of Ciiroi mac Daire ? 

 O'Donovan's identification of Temar with " Bealahantouragh," near Castle 

 Island, does not agree with the Mesca Ulad.' There is a ring-fort in 

 Ballahantouragh (Kerry 0. S. Map 40), about three miles east from Castle 

 Island, but the slopes face ivestward, the place is shut in, and nothing in 

 the minute topography of the Mesca tells of any long march through the 

 hills many miles away from the sunward slopes of East Luachair. No plain 

 exists in its valleys such as the Mesca Ulad presupposes. In brief, if it or 

 Conreagh Fort (quasi Conroi ! !), Tonreagh on the old maps, be Temar, 

 then, unlike most of our legends, the topography of our only detailed 

 document is radically wrong. To give one single example, the hills rise 

 1345 feet to the north-east, and 400 feet to the south, and 879 feet to the 

 east of Ballahantouragh, which is about 250 feet above the sea, instead of 

 their slopes facing the rising sun. Irish writers are hopelessly addicted to 

 repeating outworn catchwords ad infinituvi. Hennessy's identification is far 

 more probable, but still the Mesca Ulad does not quite tally with Portrinard, 

 which his equation of the legendary tale with the note in the Annals of the 

 Four Masters and the letter of Pelham compelled him to adopt.* All the 

 allusions to this Temar are extremely vague. Pelham, in 1580, marched 

 towards Newcastle, and on to Glin, thus passing before (if not near) 

 Dunganville.' From Glin he passed through Glenlogher, and camped at 

 Dowau. The Annalists say : " proceeding to Temar Luachra." All turns on 

 whether they had more than a general idea as to the position of Temar, or 



' As shown by "Daragh " names near it. 



2 Like Bregian Tara, it was named, according to the Dindsenchas (Revue Celtique, 

 vol. sv, p. 444), after Tea, daughter of Lugad, son of Ith, wife to Eremon. It was the 

 burial-place of the Kings of the Clann Deadad. 



3 Mesca Ulad (ed. Hennessy). The curious lecture on Co. Limerick topography, 

 delivered by Cuchullin, on Knockainy Hill, is on p. 17. 



* However, he states cautiously tliat it was " in a triangle, the base of which " extended 

 from Newcastle West to Duagh, the apex being at Glin. The Onomasticon Goedelicum 

 accepts O'Donovan's identification without giving anything to explain the entire contra- 

 diction between it and the Mesca Ulad. After leaving Portrinard Pelham passed on 

 to Tralee (letter in Carew Calendar, March, 1580, p. 236, vol. ii). The Castle Island way 

 seems a meaningless and unnecessary circuit, and unlike other marches of the period 

 (past Lioksnaw). He more probably went past Listowel and Abbeydorney. 



^ He started from Newcastle, and ravaged as he went, all along ' ' the foot of Slew- 

 logher," till he came to Shanid. Carew Cal., vol. ii, p. 236. 



