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Muc is Gaedhelic for boar ; and the custom of taking family names 

 from animals was prevalent in Ireland, as well as in other countries, 

 as "Mac Sionach," son of the fox ; "Mac Cue," son of the hound, &c. 

 That the boar was held in great estimation in Ireland, if not actu- 

 ally reverenced, we have strong indications in the traditions and 

 folk-lore of the peasantry, and yet stronger evidence in the fact, that it 

 enters into the topographical nomenclature of our island to a great 

 extent. 



The porcine terms Muc, Tore, Lioth, and other appellations con- 

 nected with the unclean animal, as Chollan, a hog; Oro, a stye; 

 Banb, a young pig, will be found designating numerous localities 

 through the country. 



Thus, an ancient name of Ireland was Muc-inis, or hog island : 

 there is a Muc-inis in Lough Derg, on the Shannon ; also a Muc-inis on 

 the coast of Clare ; and a district on the banks of the Biver Brick, 

 county of Kerry, called Muc-inis ; also Muck-ros, in the same county ; 

 a Muc-moe, in the county of Monahan ; a Ballynamuc and Kilamucky, 

 county of Cork ; a Coolnamuck, county of Waterford. One of the 

 western islands of Scotland is called Muc-inis, and her territorial 

 chiefs, up to a late period, were styled Lairds of Muc. We have Tore 

 Mountain, Killarney ; Mam Tore, in Connaught, Glen Torcan, and 

 numerous other hills, glens, and natural objects, into which the word 

 Tore enters. The boar-name Liath, enters into the designation of one 

 of our counties, Leitrim, anciently Liath-Truim ; as well as of Tara 

 Hill, anciently called Liath-Druim, &c. One of our early kings, called 

 Olmucadha, or of the great swine, reigned from A. M* 3773 to 3790. 



The prominence thus given to this animal in our legendary tales 

 and topographical nomenclature suggests the idea, that the boar may 

 have been identified with that system of animal worship which we 

 have some reason for believing once existed in this country. The 

 Hindoos reverenced the varaha, or boar, as one of the incarnations of 

 Vishnu ; and in the geography of the Hindoos, Europe is set forth as 

 " Yaraha Dwipa," or Boar Island, equivalent to the Muc-inis of our 

 own. He (Yishnu) is represented as residing there in the shape of a 

 boar; " and he is described as the chief of a numerous offspring, of 

 followers, in that shape" (" Asiatic Researches," vol. viii. pp. 302- 

 361). 



I hope this digression may not be considered foreign to the subject 

 in hand, my object being to illustrate the use of this tribe name as 

 found on the Drumloghan and other Ogham monuments. 



Having thus endeavoured to describe these interesting inscriptions, 

 which are a valuable addition to our still increasing stock of Ogham 

 literature, I would desire to call attention to a few particulars worthy 

 of notice in connexion with this find. 



Firstly. That we can form no opinion as to the age of this chamber, 

 the people by whom it was constructed, or the purposes for which it 

 was intended, as in the excavations nothing was discovered that could 

 throw light on such inquiries. 



