1900-1901.] 5^3 



numerous references in the Annals of the Four Masters show 

 that the place was well known for several centuries after. 



We now come to consider the origin and meaning of Taillten. 

 This is explained in the " Book of Lecan," which says that the 

 fair of Taillten, or the QEnach of Taillten, was instituted by- 

 Lug, a King of the Tuatha de Danann, in honour of Taillte, 

 wife of the last King of the Firbolg Colony, whose death is 

 recorded at b.c. 1829. From this we may reasonably surmise 

 that Queen Taillte was buried in the cemetery we have been 

 exploring. Her request to King Lug was that the fair CEnach, 

 or assembly, should be " around her Leacht." 



Both Mr. Conwell and Mr. Fergusson seem to think that it 

 may yet be possible to identify the tombs of Queen Taillte and 

 Ollamh Fodhla among the groups of monuments on the crest 

 of Sliabh na Caillighe. 



As the day was far advanced, we were reluctantly obliged to 

 make for our vehicles, and drive on to Kells, where we arrived 

 too late to catch the last train for our headquarters at Navan. 

 However, a substantial and well served dinner, promptly pro- 

 vided at the Headfort Arms, prepared us for the further ex- 

 ploration of the crosses, round tower, and oratory of Columba 

 at Kells, so often and so well described in our antiquarian re- 

 cords ; and then we finished the day's work with a drive to 

 Navan, where we arrived about midnight. 



On the 13th we made an early start from Navan for 

 Bective Abbey and Trim, driving through the rich pasture 

 lands of Meath, the hedgerows, clothed with a luxurious growth 

 of vegetation, regaling the senses with a delicious fragrance, 

 bloom and freshness. About five miles from Navan a short 

 turn from the main road brought us into full view of the 

 picturesque abbey ruins of Bective, the remains of the only 

 Cistercian monastery in Meath, founded in the twelfth century. 

 Even yet it partakes somewhat of the style of a castellated 



