544 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



theuce across the valley to Scarva. These commanded the ISTewry pass. 

 Secondly, the main entrenchments running from the southern confines of 

 county Monaghan, dominating the passes of the Fews and Forkhill, reinforced 

 there by a huge fortified camp, and thence past the western foothills of 

 Slieve Gullion, to join the Dane's Oast, near Drumbauagher. Thirdly, a 

 subsidiary inner line that also is called " the Dane's Cast," segments of which 

 lie about four miles south of Armagh, with a IST.E. and S.W. alignment, 

 running from Ballyfaddy, through Lisnadill, to Butterwater stream, the 

 original terminals of which are unknown. 



I should point out that the ancient Irish high road, the Slighe Midluachra, 

 passing north from Newry, branched into two routes, one traversing Glen Eee 

 to the north coast of Ireland, and the other virtually following the passes of 

 Forkhill and the Fews to Emania and onwards. In this connexion I would 

 call attention to passages in our ancient literature which show that the pass 

 between Slieve Gullion and Slieve Fuad was at the time of the writing of the 

 •' Tain " recognized as the key to Ulster, and the usual route between Emania 

 and the south. Here it scarcely can be doubted was the " watching ford " 

 referred to in the " Tain." Various references in our ancient literature sub- 

 stantiate this, some of which are cited by Canon Lett. The following passage 

 from " Le Meurtre de Cuchullain," by Jubainville' shows that the ordinary 

 route from Emania was by the Fews pass, across which the great ditch and 

 the Dorsey camp were constructed. 



Cuchulaiu is described as starting from Emania in his chariot with Laeg, 

 the charioteer, and galloping southward over the road of Midluachra, and 

 round Slieve Fuad, "and when they arrived at the south of that mountaui, 

 they continued to follow southward the road of Midluachra till they arrived 

 in front of the fort whicii is in the plain of Murthemne, and it was there 

 they encountered the enemj'." The relation goes on to describe the fight, and 

 how Cuehulain was killed by Lugaid, the son of Curoi. But before he dies 

 he ties himself to a pillar-stone that he may die standing. His foster-brother 

 Conall goes to avenge his death, and finds the body tied to the pillar-stone. - 

 A few paces from it Conall finds a rampart. I swear to you, says he, by the 

 oath whicli my nation made, tliat one will call this rampart the " Kampart of 

 the Great Man." The Druid replied : " This enclosure must henceforward 

 bear the name, this place will always be called the ' liampart of the Great 

 Man.' " It is interesting, therefore, to note, and would be a remarkable 



' " L'Epopee Celtique en Irlande. "— De Jubainville, tome i, JJ. 'd'Si . 

 - P. 350. Cf. also "The Dun at Dorsey" by Canon Lett.— Jour. R. See. Ant. 

 Ireland, vol. viii, Pt. i, 1898, pp. 13, 14 (" White Stone of Callaigh Beri," p. 7). 



