Kane — Additional Researches on Black Pig's Dyke. 555 



Bohereen tawna, or, as given by the same man, Botheen na tawna, and 

 Boreen na tawna ; by another, Bohereen na tawna, and Boher na tawna. 

 It would, therefore, appear probable that this locality recalls by its name 

 some circumstance connected with the great Cattle foray. We find on 

 reference to the original saga that the army of Queen Meave was led south 

 by Fergus after arrival at Granard, and that their guide purposely led them 

 astray, till they reached the "Indeoin Eiver," said to be the Dungolman 

 Eiver, in the direction of Lough Eee. Here a new guide was chosen, and 

 the host " turned and took the nearest course to Ulster," by the Slighe Asail, 

 one of the ancient roads of Ireland, that ran along the western shore of 

 Lough Owel to Portloman, and possibly further north. The hosts, therefore, 

 would have marched to the head of Lough Owel by it, and turned north-east, 

 and crossed the Boher na tawna, to go to Ardcullen. 



The passage referred to is as follows, quoted from the translation of the 

 " Tain," by Joseph Dunn, 1914 :— 



Medb. " Fergus, speak, what shall we say ? 

 What may mean this devious way ? 

 For we wander North and South, 

 Over other lands we stray." 



Fergus. " Medb, why art thou so perturbed ? 



There's no treacherous purpose here, 

 'Ulster's land it is, O Queen, 

 Over which I've led the host." 



This seems to be an important testimony, that rhe Barony of Eathconrath, 

 which is bounded on the west by the Dungolman Eiver, and all the district 

 through which the Connaught army had been led, after they had crossed 

 the Shannon, near Mone Coltna (a moor in Eoscommon, between Eoosky 

 and Lanesboro'), namely, in Co. Longford, through North and South TefBa, 

 as well as Barony of Moycoish in Westmeath, were, at the date of the 

 writing or compilation of the epic, all considered within the bounds of the 

 Ulster principality. All these lay between the Shannon, which divided 

 Ulster on the west from Connaught, and the frontier line on the east, which 

 has been above described, and which went on to Athloue. It appears to 

 have been a country not known to the Connaught host ; but Fergus pre- 

 varicated in saying that it was " Ulster," as it would seem that there was no 

 opposition offered to the raiders, and that Fergus sent a message to northern 

 Ulster when he crossed the Shannon, probably about Newtown Forbes, en 

 route for Granard. Whatever claim, however, the northern Province may 

 have had upon this south-west portion of Westmeath territory to justify 



' Is for Ultu in tir darsa tiagusa. 



R.I. A. PEOCJ., VOL. XXXIII., SECT. C, [79] 



