540 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



ie\'ising them where reqiiisite, and adding the result of my further studies of 

 the subject. After haviag dealt with this, apparently the final frontier of 

 the kingdom of Uladh previous to the conquest of the province by the three 

 Collas, I purpose then to set out the line of two other boundaries to which 

 the same name is popularly attached, of apparently analogous structure and 

 object, which seem to indicate that there were two consecutive recessions of 

 Ulster territory. 



Father "Walsh's examination and analysis of the statements given by this 

 thirteenth-century record lead him to reject the story attributing to Tuathal 

 Teaehtmar the founding of the provuice of Meath in the second century. 

 "UTioever it may have been that finally settled its extent, and fixed its 

 frontier. Father Walsh points out that that pro^dnce could not have been 

 peopled in the second century by the tribes which are mentioned in the MS. 

 in question, for though some of them were undoubtedly prehistoric races, yet 

 others could not possibly have been settled there till "many centuries 

 subsequent to the date of the alleged formation of the Meath province." 

 Other reasons for rejecting this early date are also put forward. However, 

 the proved identity of the Black Pig's entrenchments with the localities given 

 by Keating substantiates the correctness of the ambit of the kingdom of 

 Meath as therein set out for the west and north, leaving the date of its 

 formation an open question for future inquiry. 



The corrected line of the Meath frontier therefore is as follows : — 



" To the Shannon northwards." 



" To Lough Eibh, and all the islands belong to Meath." Here it should 

 be remembered that Athlone comes in, being at the southern end of Lough 

 Eee. It seems to have marked the extreme S. W. point of the ancient 

 territory of Uladh ; and at Kells and elsewhere the trenches are traditionally 

 said to reach " Athlone." 



" And the Shannon to Lough Boderg." 



Eooskey on the shore of Lough Boderg was the starting-point of the 

 Black Pig's race in Leitrim, and it no doubt ran to Lough Einn near MohiU. 



'■ And from that to Maothail." Mohill, or rather to a point between 

 Mohill and Cloone. 



" To Athlone." An erroneous reading of Keating. 



Li the MS. " «.c -o^ on," Adoon, as corrected by Father Walsh. 



" Thence to Scairbh Uachterach." 



This I failed to identifj' properly, and was led to refer it to Lough Achter 

 (Lough Gowna) or to Lough Oughter. But Father Walsh rightly points out 

 that BaUinamore is in the parish of Oughterach. 



