Duntryleague Passage Tomb

Duntryleague Passage-tomb near Galbally, Co. Limerick. I always seem to think this is in Tipperary, probably because the view to the east is of the Galtees and the "Harps of Cliu" and because it is on the same ridge of mountain that forms the Glen of Aherlow where Tipperary's only confirmed passage tomb is located (Shrough). This passage tomb is unusual in that it is aligned towards the north. It is located within a forestry plantation that with every new picture I see, seems to be growing taller and taller. I first visited in 2006 when the trees had last been harvested and here are some pictures from this visit. I suppose you could argue that this is  the essence of antiquarianism, visiting monuments and preserving photos and sketches (or whatever) of them before time, nature or human action change them.

I found some wonderful folklore on duchas.ie about the tomb, also known as Darby's Bed. Much of the action in this story takes place in Co. Tipperary and initially when I saw sunset mentioned, I thought that it might have had some hidden astronomical meaning. However (as above) the passage in Darby's Bed is aligned to the north. Interestingly there is a wedge tomb at Corderry that is almost exactly 3 miles away and a passage tomb at Shrough that is almost 4 miles away.

"A long, long time ago there lived a fierce black pig on the Sliab na Muc Hills. This pig was the terror of the neighbourhood and nobody would dream of roaming on the hilltops for fear of meeting with this terrible beast. It happened that one day a great giant called Diarmuid chanced to come across the pig at a point or peak on those hills called Corrin (Cairn). The pig in its rage started rooting up the ground and continued doing so until it had made a huge deep hole. This hole is still to be seen and for years everybody that passed it by threw a stone into it, why I cannot say.
The giant then attacked the pig put could not kill it. The battle raged for hours and towards sunset they found themselves 3 or 4 miles further east at a place called Rathdarby. The giant here made a last attempt with his spear to kill the pig but he missed his
thrust only to find the pig taking a sudden hold of him on the ground. It then seized the giant by the throat and killed him. He was buried on the spot where today three large stones mark the site of his grave. This grave is on Mr. T. Kennedys land Rathdarby, a few miles from here.
All the old people called the valley lying south of the Sliab na Muc Hills the "Valley of the Black Pig"."

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922302/4868451/5053713

Aerial View by Aircam Ireland

The Lost Tombs of North Tipp

There are currently 14 intact megalithic tombs recorded in North Tipp. Eleven wedge-tombs, two portal-tombs & one court-tomb. There are also records of megalithic structures (possible tombs that don't conform to any of the above types) and there are three of those recorded.

However there are also records of a number of tombs that are unfortunately destroyed or missing.

Cooleen

The first one we will look at was at Cooleen. It was recorded in 1969 by O'Nuallain & De Valera and a photograph was even taken of it.

From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera & Sean O Nuaillain  

Although heavily overgrown at the time it was clearly an impressive tomb with a gallery that was 6 m long. By 1972 it was being used as a dumping ground for other large stones from the surrounding area. In 1969 De Valera & O'Nuaillain even drew a plan of the tomb.

From Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland : Vol IV by Ruaidhrí De Valera & Sean O Nuaillain 

However after 1972 it was unfortunately removed and archaeology.ie comments that "Some of the large stones lying in a nearby fence may have formed part of the structure". 

Reardnogy More

It was recorded by Crawford in "Dolmens of Tipperary" in 1910 as being partly destroyed but was unfortunately fully removed in 1956.

Crawford described it as follows:

"This monument is situated a short distance west of the last, in the fields behind the creamery. It is partly destroyed, only eight stones remaining in position. Two of the largest form the south side of a chamber now 8 feet long by 3 feet 3 inches wide. Two others form the north side, with a fifth outside ; and the last three are placed as an outer row to the south; all these are under 3 feet in height. Six stones are lying about loose; two of these, respectively 6 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 4 inches long, are large enough for covering slabs; the others are smaller".

There was also a now destroyed stone circle less than 300m to the north of it.

From Crawfords "Dolmens of Tipperary" (1910) RSAI

The other lost tombs are described as the aforementioned megalithic structures and all are in the Slieve Felim up lands. They are likely to be part of the "Kilcommon Group" which I wrote about here before.

Bauraglanna / Lackabrack

This was recorded as a Cromlech on the 1840s Os map and also in the OS name book as "a heap of stones covering about a square perch (c.5 m?) of ground." In 1906 it appears that Crawford (or someone he corresponded with) visited it as he gives a detailed description of it as follows:

"Borlase, No. 1 (under name of Knockanroe). This is a doubtful specimen, and situated in an unusual place, that is in the side of a glen or ravine. A large flat stone is buried in the bank, with one corner projecting, and this corner rests on a smaller stone ; nothing more can be seen. Bauraglanna is in the valley called Glenculloo, at the foot of the Keeper Mountain, a mile or more south of the village of Silver mines".

This tomb may also have been known as The Danes Bed.

Bauraglanna

Less than 0.5km away from the above, is the record of another structure. This time marked as "Dermot & Granias Bed (Site of)" on the 1840's OS maps.

It was described in the OS Name books as "a few large stones stuck in the ground in the form of a bed". 

Also within the townland of Bauraglanna is one of only two intact stone circles in North Tipp.

Baurnadomeeny

It was recorded in the OS Name books as consisting "of a few large stones placed erect on a hill". 

Interestingly the large wedge tomb at Baurnadomeeny is less the 500m to the east.

Reisk

Very little is known about this other than it being recorded as a "Cromlech" on the 1840s OS map. Like the other missing tombs it appears to have been located in the vicinity of another larger or more important monument - this time the destroyed stone circle in the same townland.

The remains of one enigmatic feature known as "The Graves of the Leinstermen" is also thought to be the remains of some type of megalithic tomb. It however was located in the Arra Mountains. For more on it see here.

There is no doubt that there are likely to be the remains of many more destroyed monuments out there to be found. As I have said before there are likely to still be intact tombs out there as well. If anyone knows of anything unusual that they suspect may be an unrecorded monument, please do contact myself or the National Monuments Service.

St. Lua's Oratory

I found this great drawing from 1791 of St. Lua's Oratory which was located on an island on the River Shannon just outside Ballina in North Tipp. The island was drowned when the Ardnacrusha Hyrdo Electric Power plant was built and the level of the water raised. The Oratory was removed stone by stone and reerected in the yard of the RC Church in Killaloe.
For some foklore on St. Lua see the following
"Long ago there lived on an Island in the vicinity of Killaloe a saint named... Lua or Molua. It was from this Saint that the town and the diocese got their names. The Cathedral however is called after St Flannan.
There are few places in Ireland of more historical interest, combined with unrivalled scenery, than that to which St. Lua gave his name. One of the most ancient monasteries on the Shannon was that built by Molua in the sixth century and this and the monastery called Iniscalthra, founded by Caimin, are situated amidst scenic beauty. Both had their saintly homes destroyed by the Viking invader. What was left of the former (St. Lua's) had been removed and re-erected, and now lies alongside the Catholic Church at Killaloe, to save its being submerged by the rising waters of the Shannon in consequence of the hydro-electrical scheme. At the beginning of the eleventh century a brother of Brian Boru was Abbot of Inis calthra.
On the Island where Saint Lua's oratory stood there was a holy well and people used to visit it especially on Lady's Day on teh 15th August. Many cures were obtained by doing rounds there and reciting prayers. There is a street in Killaloe called Saint Lua Street after the saint."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5177603/5172679/5187420…

Garranmore Bullaun Stones

A pair of earth-fast Bullaun stones in the vicinity of Youghalarra monastic site in North Tipp. Although known locally I realised it hadn't been included in the SMR and notified it to the National Monuments Service. Just one of many interesting sites in the half barony of Arra.

Described on archaeology.ie as follows:

"In pasture, in a slight hollow, on NE facing slope of rising ground overlooking Lough Derg to N and E, higher ground to NW and W. The shoreline of Lough Derg is 650m to NE. St. Conlan's church (TN014-015001-) and graveyard (TN014-015002-) 1.4km to SE. Second bullaun stone (TN014-078001-) 1.2m upslope to W. A subrectangular earthfast sandstone boulder (dims. 1.15m x 1m; H 0.22m) with two bowl-shaped water-filled hollows (top diam. 0.41m; base diam. 0.3m; D 0.2m) on its upper surface. The W hollow (top diam. 0.41m; base diam. 0.3m; D 0.2m) is 0.04m from shallow E hollow (diam. 0.36m; D 0.07m). According to local tradition these stones were believed to be the site of a mass rock."

There are two more bullaun stones within the general vicinity of what may have been a large monastic settlement and its adjacent lands.   

Baurnadomeeny Standing Stone

At over 2.6m tall - this standing stone next to the largest wedge tomb in Tipperary is likely to be the tallest standing stone still standing in Tipp.

There is some interesting folklore linking it with the story of Diarmuid & Grainne. They of course were thought to have spent the night in the nearby wedge tomb or leaba.

"About 200 yards from this house in an old road stands a pillar stone about 12 ft high. Around this stone is a print of a chain and at one time by its side was a smaller stone, which is now broken and carried away. Longstone tradition says it was brought by Diarmuid on his back by means of a chain and the smaller stone brought by Granna. Stones in the construction of labba seem to be brought a short distance from a Quarry down under in the Glen."

It is interesting to note the height of 12ft - this converts back to 3.6m high, what happened to the additional 1m!

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922162/4857307/5016449

The Ultachs of the Slieve Felims

Red Hugh on his horse by Gavigan 01 at English Wikipedia Creative Commons Atrribution - Share Alike 3.0 Unported

One of the most interesting bits of folklore I came across when I started reading the Irish Folklore Manuscripts when they went online was the story of "The Ultachs" in the Slieve Felims.

One version that seems to have carried through is that a number of Ulster men from Donegal settled in the Slieve Felims on the retreat after the Battle of Kinsale. It is thought that they were part of Red Hugh O'Donnells army who passed this way from Holy Cross to Croom and may have seen how sparsely populated the area was at that time and so on the way back decided that it could be a place to settle.

From Foilycleara (just over the border into Co. Limerick).

"Several families of people in this locality are referred to as "Ultachs".
They have typical Donegal names such as Quigley, Dogherty, Devitt, Carew, Carr.
After the name Ryan the most numerous names on the Roll of this school are Quigleys & Carews.
While "faction" fighting survived it was not unusual to "wheel" (or shout) for "an Ultach" or against "an Ultach". The Ultachs were considered settlers by the other people of the neigbourhood. Something of a hostile spirit seems to have existed, or at least was easily stirred up between them & their neighbours. As far as ( can see that has all died away but the term "Ultachs" remains. There is a natural pass from east to west through the Slieve Feilim Mountains. It is now trasversed by the fine road called "The Anglesea Line"."

"When Red Hugh O'Donnell was camped at Holy Cross on his way to Kinsale in November 1601 to assist the Spainards, he found himself surrounded by the forces of Carew & Mountjoy.
A very great frost came on the night of the 13th of November and impassible bogs to the Slieve Feilims became frozen hard.
I know the country very well between Holy Cross & Croom, & I know the only great bog on the way is Cummer bog (shown on map at page 5).
There are other smaller bogs but none as large as Cummer. When these bogs became frozen hard that night was was possible for Red Hugh & his army to strike their camp and march away from their enemies. They did so, and in that very famous march they covered about 40 statute miles and camped at Croom next day. They must have followed (at least roughly) the line where is now the Anglesea Line as far as Réid.
These Hills & mounstains were very thinly populated at the time (The population of the whole country was small). It was at the time of the Cromwellian clearances, 52 yrs later (To Hell or Connaught) that a considerable number of the natives, the people on the fertile plains surrounding the hills left their rich land and came to live in the hills or "Up the Mountains" as they say.

For them it seemed to be "Hell or Connaught or the Slieve Felims" and many chose the latter.
This very district became a very conjested area. There must have been a very large population here in the 1840's. the farmer Mr. Jeremiah Moloney R.I.P. who owned the farm on which this school is built told me there were once 23 houses on this farm. When he told this time there were 2 houses on it - his own & a workman's - Now there is only one (Or two if we include the teacher's residence).
Some of Red Hugh's followers must have become detached from the main body. Michael ryan, Croughmakeen, Farmer 35 yrs, a real native of this place & who has authentic tradition from his people told me since I wrote this that the "Ultach" remained here when coming back from the Battle of Kinsale.
It is certain they passed this way when going from Holy Cross to Croom. They must have noticed the sparseness of the population. Large tracts must have been almost deserted at that time.
At that time it must have been extremely difficult for a weary army to make its way from the extreme South of Ireland back to Donegal in the depth of winter. It is little wonder a colony of them "settled" here. I used here an old man Mr. Rody Ryan R.I.P. (If still alive he would be about 80 yrs) telling how the natives of the district "Saw them camped all about the fields when they looked out in the morning". Thus the Slieve Feilims got their Ulster "colony". Their decendants :- Quigleys, Carews, Carrs, Devitts, Doghertys are the "Ultachs".
When teaching local history I always tell them they be extremely proud of their origin & their connection with Red Hugh O'D."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922083/4850648/4949668

More on it here, this time from Kilcommon. It again mentions the Battle of Kinsale but not where the settlers are thought to have originated.

"Ulster families are said to have settled here after the Battle of Kinsale. They were looked upon as inferior strangers and were commonly called "Owlthacs" probably from the Irish word "Ultach". This extraordinary apathy to good Irishmen is now practically dead. The principal families regarded as Oulthacs were:- O'Tooles, Doherty, Quigly, Carr, Carey, Farrell, Hanly, Keane and the celebrated shout or "wheal" at the faction fights is still remembered. "Here's Quigly, Carey, Carr an' Owlthacs". There are several families of Scanlans said to have come originally from Garranboy, Killaloe, Co Clare."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922168/4857874

Again from Kilcommon - this introduces another story about their origin. That they were driven out of Ulster by the Plantations there in 1609 & 1610. It also mentions a battle that was fought in the locality between some of the Ultachs and English soldiers either on there way to or from Kinsale. Another interesting bit of evidence is that the informant in this piece had some Dongal Irish as a result of him being of Ultach stock.
There is also mention of Clonoulty and I think this is in reference to the placename meaning which is thought to translate as the "plain or meadow of the Ulstermen".

"In this locality quite a large number of northern names survive i.e. Doherty, Nolan, Quigley, Carey, Carr, O'Farrell, Hanly & included in the list are O'Toole tho' they probably came from Leinster. One theory is that they were driven from Ulster Plantation of 1609, '10 the other theory held by some of themselves very strongly is that they fought at Kinsale & settled here instead of returning north.
Story (I)
According to this legend they were from Ulster.
"When the O'Doherty clan had to leave Donegal after the plantation they were travelling along and called at an Abbey for a blessing . A Monk told them to travel on and on to the south and that they must keep going until the reached a level field where ten cows would be lying in a ring chewing the cud and the bull standing in the middle. This they did and never saw cows or bull in that way until they reached Clonoulty. There they found them and there the first of the "Oulthacs" made their home.
Story (II)
At Coonmore Bridge about half way between Kilcommon and Rearcross there is a level patch or "Inch" called Inchnagrauv. This is translated as Ins na gCrám so called I believe because years ago heaps of bones were unearthed there. The bones were human and tradition says that an encounter took place there between the Quigleys, Careys, Carrs being a remnant of O'Donnell's army, and some English Soldiers either in the march to or return from Kinsale. This paints to a kind of influx of Ulster people after the Battle of Kinsale.
The same James Doherty had odd words of Irish. He said to me one morning Goide mar a thá tú When I reminded him that that was Donegal Irish he said Why not? Didn't they come from Innishowen fought at Kinsale & remained here instead of returning north. That more or less disagrees with his legend of Clonoulty or it is quite possible that they settled here both after Kinsale & after Plantation of Ulster.
He got a stroke of a plant on the forehead at a faction fight in Cappawhite about 1876. He carried to the grave a deep dent in the forehead. He wasn't fighting but tried to make peace & got the stroke. The whole party fled leaving him for dead on the street. The fight was between the "Domnall Máire's" (Burkes) and the Quigly Carey Carr an Awlthac"."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922168/4857886

More again about the Ultachs - this time at Lackamore. The folklore here is that a number of soldiers got detached / lost in the hills on the way to Kinsale and eventually managed to set up a settlement in the Slieve Felims and eventually intermarry.

"History relates how the great Aodh O'Donnell crossed the Slieve Phelim mountains on his way to the battle of Kinsale. Our story deals with the daring exploit. Tradition has it that O'Donnell entered the mountains near Templederry without guidance. Since he left Ulster he had to travel through hostile territory and he seemingly couldn't trust the local guides. Therefore he had to take his bearings as best as he could. He succeeded in penetrating the outlying hills without accident until he arrived in the vicinity of Maher Sleive (Máthair Sleibh). His lack of a proper guide found him floundering an impassible morass between (Camáilte) and Máthair Sleibh. He lost the greater part of his commissariat and a company of horse. Within recent years many of the saddles have been dug up out of bogs and even some of the coinage of the period has been found.
O'Donnell had to abandon those troops that lost their calvary and make haste so as to circumvent hostile forces between him and Kinsale. The poor troopers lost company suffered terrible privations but eventually succeeded in establishing a little settlement on the more fertile mountain slopes. A large part of the present inhabitants of the Hills of Tipperary is directly descended from those gallant heroes who left their happy homes in Tír Connaill to strive and die in the cause of Róisín Dubh."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922160/4857103/5015458

From Curreeny - this one suggests that the family lore of the Dohertys in 1934 still maintained they were from Inishowen.

"At the battle of Kinsale, a section of Hugh O'Donnells army consisted of Dohertys from Inishowen, Donegal. Some of them did not return to Donegal but remained, settled down around Kilcommon, Thurles. Their descendents are there today & are referred to as
The Doherty Galltachts
In 1934 an old member of the present family died in Kilcommon & he maintained that he originally came from Inishowen in the manner described above. It was from him heard it."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922143/4856181/5015396


So the list of "Ultach" family names seems to include
Quigley,
Dogherty,
Devitt,
Carew,
Carr, 
Devitts,
O'Tooles, (Possibly Leinster)
Doherty,
Carey,
Farrell,
Hanly,
Keane,
Nolan,
O'Farrell

To summarise; folklore seems to suggests that either the "Ultachs" arrived in the Slieve Felims as a result of movements associated with the Battle of Kinsale around 1601 or else as a result the Ulster Plantations of 1609 / 10. Either way it shows how strong folk memory is.

One interesting placename I stumbled across is that of Annaholty near Birdhill - in the general Owney / Slieve Felim area. It translates as the "Ulstermans Marsh" and goes back to at least 1654.

https://www.logainm.ie/en/46438?s=Annaholty

Another reference to Ultach settlements that I came across was in East Galway but this occurred in the 1800s as a result of Catholic persecution in Ulster.

This time the surnames are different
McGann,
Reilly,
McCabe,
Murray,
McGuire

The saddest part of the story is that they were treated very poorly by the landlord in that area who sold them farmland that turned out not to be so but was actually upland that required reclamation.

For more on this see a summary in the Irish Times of Dr Christy Cunniffe's research on the subject.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/archaeologist-finds-200-year-old-galway-refugee-camp-1.3190982

Edit:

Additional information on the subject received through facebook. 

John F Headen - "some also settled on O'Brennans land at Crutt Castlecomer Co Kilkenny after the Battle of Kinsale------the road was called Straid Ulaid ------now just Straid----still Fermanagh and Tyrone names in the holdings in 2017"

Michael Roche - "O Donnells are still common enough in the Northern edge of the Knockmealdown Mts around Clogheen, Grange,and Ardfinnan. The local tradition among the older Irish speakers in Newcaste was that the O Neills and O Donnells settled and cleared from forest some of the unihabited glens there after the battle of Kinsale. I have also seen O Donnells listed on the hearth roll census for Knocklofty and a few other areas here."

Michael Roche - "The schools folklore also mentions that the Flynn families around Latteragh were dropouts from the O Sullivan Beare march to Leitrim that passed by there. Ive been told that 9 families of Harringtons in Templederry are descended from those that accompanied O Sullivan Beare. The tradition is that they were farriers and horse tenders to the O Sullivans."

Michael Roche - "Could they have been responsible for building a sweat house at Boolatin in the Silvermines. Sweat house were common in W Ulster but very rare south of N Roscommon and W Cavan. There is also one near Clogheen (An area settled by O Donnells)."

Michael Roche - " There is one fine example of a corbelled sweathouse in Castlegarden Co Kilkenny with a nearby Ultach placename association. Ultachs were known to have settled parts of Co Wicklow and it has been suggested that the sweathouse at Annacarney Valleymount owes its origin to Ulster settlers who were banished here at the time Ulster plantations."

Michael Hassett - commented on facebook that Berkery and Frahill were also Ultach names. Frahill's we thought to have been educators of the children of the O'Neills and travelled with them to the battle of Kinsale. 

From "Tipperary" by Mairtin O Corrbuí - "mentions the following about the McDonnells in the area - "In Dolla some of the Ultachs settled too, for the local inhabitants still talk of nearby Knockawillan as the place 'where the McDonnells lit their first fire'". (pg 82)"

He goes on to say "in 1665, .... 'he had certain intelligence that one Colonel Hugh McPhelim of Ulster had come to Tipperary, where in a wild and woody part called Slieve Felim, several Ulster Irish had lately settled themselves, and removed themselves out of the north of Ireland'" 

On page 91 he says "It is no surprise to find McNulty - Mac an Ultaigh, son of the Ulsterman - in Tipperary, and in the Hearth Money Rolls of the county (1667-69) there are two men, Niall Ultach and Patrick Ultach, listed as then living in Ballinaclough." 

Also I recall a suggestion that the Harringtons were Ultachs also but I have struggled to find a reference for that. 

The Shrine of St. Columba, Terryglass, North Tipperary

Part of a Shrine to St. Columba / Mass Rock and bullaun stone at Terryglass Catholic Church in North Tipp.
Folklore suggests that it was a part of a Shrine that housed the remains of St. Columba at one stage. It also says that the rock was later used as a mass-rock at this site. This is slightly contradicted by the folklore saying it was located at the National School in Terryglass prior to the 1930s when it was moved to the "new" cemetery.
I had initially wondered if it may... have been the base of an old high-cross and whether there may be any faint carvings on it that could be brought up with a light but I think that seems unlikely after a second visit to it recently.

From an information board at St. Columbas Headache Well.
"For centuries, pilgrims have prayed for healing at St. Columba's Headache Well. St. Columba's founded a monastery in Tir Dhá Ghlas in 549AD. Some years after his death, his remains were returned to Tir Dhá Ghlas to be laid to rest in a special shrine. Part of this shrine now forms the base of a cross in the grounds of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. This stone bears special historical significance as it was as a Mass Rock in Penal times."
From duchas.ie
"(In May, 1934 The revered relic of St. Columba was removed from its resting place in the school yard. It was probably placed there when the old Catholic Church was erected, sometime between the years 1826 and 1832. The present national school is part of this church.
The school children, boys and girls, under the direction of Mr. Manuel D. Hickie, Oldcourt shifted the large stone from its long resting place and conveyed it to the new cemetery beside the church of the Immaculate Conception. The object in procuring the help of the school children in the removal of the relic was to impress upon their young minds the glory of Ireland's historic past dating back even thirteen centuries and also to encourage them to pass down to the next generation the same beautiful story. Hence it will pass from generation to generation."
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922122/4854211
"The church of the Immaculate Conception is built on a mass-rock site. The old Catholic Church (its predecessor) was built on the grounds attached to the monastery. Tradition still speaks of a still older Catholic church, a low thatched building dating back to the eighteenth century. This one too, was built on the old monastic grounds, but no remains of it are to be seen though the spot it occupied is known traditionally. It was in existanc probably up to the year 1826."
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922122/4854212

How did a Cathedral & Ecclesiastical Centre end up on the Rock of Cashel?

I've been reading "The Irish Church, Its Reform & the English Invasion" by Donnchadh O Corrain and one very interesting section refers to Cashel.
In 1101 Muirchertach O Briain (King of Munster & of the Dal Cais) granted the Rock to the Church as part of the Synod of Cashel.
...

The author thinks that it "deprived the Eoganacht dynasty of its ancient historic centre forever". The Eoganacht were rivals to the Kingship of Munster and had used the Rock as a Royal Centre.
The terms of the grant was that the Rock "was to be free from any secular exaction and that it was a grant to the church in Ireland as such, namely, that it was not to become the property of any individual, group of clerics, or any single religious institution".
It also helped show Muirchertachs position as a "reformer" and helped create a second major ecclesiastical centre in Ireland in rivallry to Armagh.
(Pgs 65/66).
So from that the ecclesiatical centre origins on the Rock were put in track.

The Pailis as Kingly Residence - A North Tipperary Pallas?

Growing up I often heard of the townland area Pallas - an upland area outside Nenagh. The name always conjured the idea of a Palace to me but of course that was a fanciful notion.

I was reading the book "Gaelic Ireland c. 1250-1650: Land, Lordship and Settlement" in which uthor Professor Elizabeth Fitzpatrick mentioned that townlands with the name Pallas may often have housed a high-status Gaelic timber fortress. This obviously got me thinking of the local townland Pallas. Prof. Fitzpatricks latest paper finally became available to view on academia.edu and in it she discusses this idea.

https://aran.library.nuigalway.ie/handle/10379/14741

This is a fascinating paper and Tipperary features prominently in a number of sections of it. 

The paper looks at the meaning of the name Pallas and considers whether it comes from palisade or was a borrowed term from abroad for an elite building.

It also confirms that there are townlands with the name Pallas from all four provinces of Ireland.

It concludes that they mainly occur in boundary areas and in areas where Anglo-Norman influence had waned. It says of Tipperary that "In Munster, which experienced highly variable intensities of Anglo-Norman colonisation, with reassertion of Gaelic dominance in some territories in North Tipperary, especially in the the second half of the fourteeth century". One of the diagrams shows a "Pallas" on the boundary of the half-cantred of Arra. (There are in fact six Pallas placenames in Tipperary). I would however find it hard to argue that the townland of Pallas is located on the boundary of the half-barony of Arra. 

This Pallas (called up on the map in the Fitzpatricks paper) near Nenagh it concludes is likely to have been built by the Mac I Briens.

The paper says that the structure "may have been used as high-status markers in the configuration or reaffirmation of Gaelic sept boundaries" or I suppose they were built to show off how strong the Mac I Brien sept were in this area. The Anglo-Normans foothold in this area was always fairly tenuous during this period and it appears these structures were a way of showing this. 

Fitzpatrick says "the surviving archaeology literature and historical geography associated with some of these place-names suggests that the place-name Pallas can distinguish a palace or mansion of a lord with recent royal ancestors and kingly pretensions. The use of the term must have carried some authority or was designed for that purpose in the changing circumstances of Gaelic elites who, while making political recoveries as lords, lost their status as kings during the later thirteenth and fourtheenth centuries." 

From the old OS maps  / SMR below we can see that there is a "moated site" on the townland boundary between Pallas More & Pallas Beg known as Lios Conla.

Lios Conla is described as follows on archaeology.ie:

"Situated on flat pasture in an upland area. A well-preserved moated site consisting of a raised square platform (dims. 30m x 30m) enclosed by an earth and stone bank (Wth 2m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 2.5m) with a wide, flat-bottomed, waterlogged fosse (Wth 6m; D 2.3m) and possible traces of an outer bank. There is a causewayed entrance (Wth 2.8m) midway along the SE side. A stone wall (T 0.9m) along the SE side of the entrance may indicate a stone bridge."

Information from the locality suggests that it is currently completely overgrown and impossible to see anything other that the rough ditches of the monument. 

So this description ties in with Fitzpatricks paper which says that most Pallas monuments are moated sites or raths / ring-forts. 

The last thing the paper muses on is whether a timber-hall would have been built on these moated sites. Contempory poetry mentions that timber-halls were located within them but to date no excavations have been carried out at any of these sites to confirm whether this was so or whether poetic license may have been at play. 

It is interesting to see on the old OS maps that just to the east of Lios Conla is a tree known as "Shantom Bush". It is unusual for a single tree to be recorded on the old OS maps and so it must have been of some importance. I would speculate that it may have had something to do with royal inauguration.

Rev. John Gleeson's book "The History of Ely O'Carroll Territory" deals with the area and the O'Briens in detail.

One interesting reference on pg 502 (which come from the AFM & AC) is to "1545AD - "McBrien Ara (Conla) slain in his own castle by some prisoners". Did that refer to Lios Conla or an individual named Conla whom the castle may have been called after?
He does not seem to list the moated site among the features called out in the OS letters from the 1840s (Unless it is Burgess Fort which it describes as circular?).

However a Conla doesn't appear in the pedigree of the O'Briens featured later in the chapter. 

So to conclude it appears that the Mac I Briens built a large square earthen banked fort on the boundary of Pallas More & Pallas Beg townlands as a way to show that they were Chiefs of the area and that Anglo-Norman rule was very far away. This moated site may have had a timber hall within it. 

Inauguration site of the Déise.

Outside Clonmel in South Tipperary in the townland of Mullachnoney is the reputed inauguration site of the Kings of An Deise known as Mullach Inneona.

From the information board adjacent to the site it "was the inauguration site of the kings of An Deise Thuaiscirt from time immemorial until the coming of the Normans. According to legend, Aonghus Nad-fraoich, King of Cashel, granted the territory of Uibh Eoghain and Uibh Fhathaidh (Iffa and Offa E. & W.) to the Deise, as a reward for expelling the Osraige from the area. They gave their name, An Deise Thuaiscirt, to the newly acquired territory. It is related that St. Patrick came to Inneoin to fast against the king, Ledhan, because he had refused to accept baptism from St. Declan. Declan came to Inneoin to meet Patrick. They deposed Ledhan, appointed Feargal MacCormaic in his place, blessed him and proclaimed him chieftan. The Declan and Fergal gave a large area of land to Patrick in which there was a clear fountain, since known as St Patricks Well, which was to belong to Patrick's successors forever. The last king of An Deisc Thuaiscirt was Maolsheachlainn Faolain. In 1159 he made a grant of land to the Cistercian Monastery of Inis Leamhnachta. With the coming of the Normans in 1160, he gradually lost power and his death in 1205 signalled the end of the Deise Kingdom. Thus ended the reign of Mullach Inneona as an inaugeration site, where for centuries was enacted one of the oldest rituals in Europe, the wedding of the lawful king to the goddess of the place."

The townland origin is confirmed by logainm here 

You can see here that the townland was recorded from 852 as Indeoin-na nDéisi. 

The Giant's Headstone near Clonmel

Its funny how a random news report can get you thinking of monuments you visited many moons ago. I happened upon this report in "The Nationalist" newspaper primarily based in Clonmel about a reservoir to be constructed in the townland of Giantsgrave. Obviously with a name like that there must have been a monument here once. Hopefully the stone will not be affected by the works and has been noted.

I last visited approximately 11 years ago and I understand that these days this block enclosure with the pillar stone is lost behind a pine plantation.
When I last visited there was no entry on archaeology.ie for the site. So when I thought of it after reading the article I found the SMR has a lot to say about the monument.

It is likely that this stone was recorded on the Civil Survey of (1654-6) and this shows its importance as a landscape feature.
As mentioned below one of the crosses is in raised relief and the other in base relief and you can see that in the photos. The OS letters mention that the hill was called "An Cnoc Air a bhFuair Fionn Fios" or "The Hill on which Finn received his knowledge". So perhaps it wasn't the Salmon of Knowledge from which he got it from after all.
Other folklore suggests that it was thrown from the top of Slievenamon (again linked with Fionn MacCoill) and that it marks the grave of some Ulstermen who died during the siege of Clonmel by Cromwell (I assume).

On the old OS maps it is referred to as The Giant's Headstone.

Copyright NMS

The Irish Schools Manuscripts have this to say about the hill

"The people of Ireland tell a lot of stories about Giants. About two miles from Clonmel is a big hill with a lot of bushes on it. It is a grave of a giant, he is supposed to have been buried there. It is called Giants Grave."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922257/4864829/5021467

From archaeology.ie

"On the summit of a hill, at the highest point in the vicinity. S of cross-pillar is under pasture, area N of stone is planted with young conifers. In the Civil Survey (1654-6) there is a reference to 'the stones standing, upon the sd hill to the lands of Rathduffe' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 297). This refers to at least one standing stone in Rathduff townland, part of which appears to have become Giantsgrave townland. In Lewis' topographical dictionary (1837, 508) he refers to an upright stone at Giant's Grave which is 'about eight feet [2.4m] high above the ground, on which two crosses are sculptured; that on one side of the stone is in raised relief, that on the other in bas relief'. Again the stone and two crosses are described in the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 51-2) at which time there was 'a small piece of land left untilled about this stone measuring eighteen feet [5.5m] from east to west and seven feet [2m] from north to south'. According to the OS Letters the hill was called 'An Cnoc Air a bhFuair Fionn Fios i.e., the hill on which Finn (Mac Cumhaill) received his (prophetic) knowledge, and the Townland is called An Chloch Fhada i.e., the Long Stone, in Irish, and Giant's Grave in English' (ibid.). Another local legend claimed that the stone was cast from the top of Slievenamon by a giant to its present position (White 1892, 28), while another tradition asserted that the stone was erected to mark the grave of some Ulstermen who fell in a sortie during the siege of Clonmel (Power 1908, 5). Cross-inscribed pillar stone (H 2.74m), aligned NW-SE, composed of sandstone and inscribed with a cross on both broad faces. That on the SW face is in relief, with circles hollowed out in the angles and a circular knob surmounting the triangular apex of the head. There is a blank panel above this. The other cross, on the NE face, approximately half way up the stone, is sunken with a central bosse. This face has split on the W side. A concrete wall (H 1.04m) now encloses the pillar stone, and is a maximum distance of 1.05m from the stone."

Ive included the references that Jean Farrelly uses for the above.

References:

• 1. O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1930 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Tipperary collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840. Bray.
• 2. Power, P. 1908 Placenames of the Decies. Journal of the Waterford and Southeast of Ireland Archaeological Society 11, 1-34, 45-78, 135-43 and 179-210.
• 3. Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1931 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol I: county of Tipperary: eastern and southern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Síd Cullain or the Castle of Cullahill

This is one of the Síds of Tipperary that I had forgotten to write up into blog format.

People will know it as the dramatic ruin looking down into the valley were Kelly's of Fantane are based. Prof Ronald Hicks who is an expert on the subject says this "Síd (Cullain) – in or near Glenkeen, a valley and parish in County Tipperary with an early monastic site. There are several likely hills nearby, including one in the townland. Perhaps more likely is Cullahill, to the west of the mona...stic site. Today there is the ruin of a large house of indeterminate age on Cullahill."

What is interesting is just how much archaeology and folklore you can see from up here. Looking to the east you can see Knockanora with a cairn on top, next is the hillfort of Garrangrena Lower and then the Devils Bit forms an interesting silhouette. I was really impressed with the views and the remains up here.

Archaeology.ie describes the castle as "Situated on natural rock outcrop in an upland area with extensive views. A seventeenth-century house (TN034-025001) and bawn (TN034-025002) lie to the NW and a ringwork castle (TN034-025004) lies to the NE. Present remains consist of the wall-footings of a two-room single-pile rectangular house site (ext. dims. 18.4m N-S; 8.9m E-W; wall T 0.9m) with a doorway in the centre of the W wall which gives direct access to the large N room. A partition wall divides the N room from the smaller S room. A possible drain outlet in the SE angle of the S wall suggests the possible use of the building as a byre."
It makes sense that it was built on a rock outcrop as that seems to be the reason it has fallen down as the foundations settled over the years.

In Cois Deirge (a local historical journal mainly dealing with the lakeside areas) a piece about the castle was written in 1990 - the main parts that I can see that may relate to a fairy mound is the mention of music being heard and also the finding of a large slab of stone.

"Some stories of ghosts were also connected with the old ruins. Years ago an old resident in the adjoining locality used to say that a sow & bonhams could be heard in the castle at certain times of the year. Strong sound of music could be heard on other occasions. But the most unusual incident ever heard of took place on one occasion.

It was believed that there were a couple of pots of gold hid underneath the floor of the castle. One day two young fellows set out to get this hoard of wealth. They dug down a few feet, and then came upon a big stone slab. They were certain that the treasure was near at hand. They lifted the stone a small bit. Then they got the "shock of their lives". From underneath the stone out came a huge bird cock shape, and black as a slowe. He flew at one of the boys and picked him on the face. They he flew away and never seen afterwards. The boy took ill and died in a few days. But the treasure was never discovered"

I have reproduced the full article here as the journal is very difficult to get a hold of these days.

From Cois Deirge 1990

"Cullohill Castle is situated in about three mile North West of Borrisoleigh village. The ruinous state of the ancient fortress is on a hillock overlooking the main Nenagh Thurles highway. It was a two storey building and the foundation was cut out of solid rock, which forms part of the north side wall to a height of about thirty feet and the masonary just sits on top. This portion is thirty feet by sixty and has pointed gables, height about forty feet. Adjoining the north wall is a strong square building, thirty feet, by thirty four. This was apparently the castle dungeon. Said to was erected in the thirteenth century, about 1260 (approx). Greater part of the ruin now standing appears to have been erected in the 15/16 century. The castle figured constantly in the strife between the O'Dwyers and the De Burges from the 13th to the 15th century when peace was made between the two families. Walter Bourke married Sheila na Guira. Local tradition tells us that Sheila resided at Cullohill castle where she committed numerous deeds which could hardly be recorded publicly. Known by name as Sheila na Guira numerous tales are still told of her harsh treatment towards those who incurred her hostility, e.g. some of her enemies when captured were placed in a barrel, the interior spiked and then rolled down the steep slope neath the castle walls, a painful departure from torture within the castle walls. Other victims were flung into huge containers of boiling oil and roasted to death.

Sheila had a sister (name Christian unknown) who according to the report from Sheila herself had a "moral relapse". She was punished according to reports published at the time. Sheila ordered her to be suspended from the top of the castle, stripped naked, and roasted to death with boiling oil poured over her body from couldrons.

On another occasion she ordered her so called troops to raid a local chieftains residence and bring the loot back to her. They obeyed her orders. The loot was brought to the castle, where it was placed in a strongroom. The following morning Sheila invited the officers in charge of the raiding party to jjoin her at breakfast. When breakfast was over the officers were taken into an adjoining room. That was the end of the day for them. They were set upon and murdered. Another of the tyrants deeds. It was believed she was afraid that they would divulge the secret of the hidden treasure.

Sheila was a sister of Dermot O'Dwyer, Cloneyhap. It is necessary to point out that a family named Bourke resided in another castle nearby. About one mile north west of Cullohill castle, in the townland of Currabaha there was the name Leobold Bourke. It appears that there was a traditional fued between this man Bourke and Dermot O'Dwyer, of Cloney harp (Drombane district) O'Dwyer attacked this stronghold of Bourke but failed to take it and had to withdraw to his own territory. Tradition tells us that O'Dwyer remained in hiding outside the castle after his forces had withdrawn. A short time afterwards Bourke and his young son came out of the castle and into open ground. Suddenly they were set upon by O'Dwyer and Bourke was badly injured and his son was killed. Finally peace was made between the Bourkes and O'Dwyers. Sheila married Walter Bourke. Walter was out lived by Sheila. He died in 1623 and Theobold Bourke died in 1634.

Sheila was killed by one of her own soldiers. Each morning she would come to the front of the caste wall and look over her territory. This morning she came to take her usual look around. Suddenly there was heard a loud cry and they her lifeless body was found on the ground beneath the castle walls. She was buried in Glenkeen cemetary.

Other tales are told about this female tyrant. The old tale that still survives is worth relating. In a townland about four miles west of Cullohill there lived an old man Reeney Ryan. He was the father of a big family - 22 sons. He met Sheila one day as he was journeying through the district. They talked awhile and then an argument started between them. Shiela challenged Reeney to muster his men and fight he trained soldiers on a certain date. Old Reeney accepted the challenge. The forces met in a place called Knockane dearg, about two miles east of Cullohill. There was a fierce battle all day long. Towards evening Reeney's forces were getting the upper hand &  Sheila retreated to her stronghold at Cullohill. Those who were killed in the battle were buried where they had fallen. It was said that small mounds mark the spot where the battle was fought.

There was a small lake at the rear of the castle, but no trace of this remains, with the exception of a hollow about forty feet in diameter. It is said that the lake water is flowing from a rock on the slope of a nearby quarry.

Some stories of ghosts were also connected with the old ruins. Years ago an old resident in the adjoining locality used to say that a sow & bonhams could be heard in the castle at certain times of the year. Strong sound of music could be heard on other occasions. But the most unusual incident ever heard of took place on one occasion.

It was believed that there were a couple of pots of gold hid underneath the floor of the castle. One day two young fellows set out to get this hoard of wealth. They dug down a few feet, and then came upon a big stone slab. They were certain that the treasure was near at hand. They lifted the stone a small bit. Then they got the "shock of their lives". From underneath the stone out came a huge bird cock shape, and black as a slowe. He flew at one of the boys and picked him on the face. They he flew away and never seen afterwards. The boy took ill and died in a few days. But the treasure was never discovered."

Tonn Tinne

The other prominent "Fire Hill" visible from Uisneach in Tipperary is Tonn Tinne. Now Tonn Tinne also has many other claims to fame other than this.
During the middle ages, chroniclers when recording the story of the origins of the Irish are thought to have grafted a Biblical origin onto the story linking the first Irish people to Old Testament stories. The story goes that the first Irishman was Fintan mac Bochra who came with his 5 wives to Ireland before the Biblical Flood. One of Fintan's wives was Cessair the grand-daughter of Noah.
What has this got to do with Tonn Tinne near Portroe I hear you ask? Well after the flood, Fintan was the only survivor as he managed to hide in a cave on Tonn Tinne known as Fintans Grave.
Next Wikipedia says "He then turned into an eagle and then a hawk then back to human form. He lived for 5500 years after the Deluge, becoming an advisor to the kings of Ireland. In this capacity he gave advice to the Fir Bolg king Eochaid mac Eirc when the Tuatha Dé Danann invaded, and fought in the first Battle of Magh Tuiredh.
He survived into the time of Fionn mac Cumhail, becoming the repository of all knowledge of Ireland and all history along with a magical hawk who was born at the same time as him. They meet at the end of their lives and recount their stories to each other. They decide to leave the mortal realm together sometime in the 5th century, after Ireland was converted to Christianity."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintan_mac_B%C3%B3chra
Now why the chroniclers picked Tonn Tinne as the location of Fintan's Grave is not known. However I would imagine they may have borrowed from some other story or myth linking a flood at this location.
On the sloop of Tonn Tinne is of course the "Graves of the Leinstermen" which is recorded as a megalithic structure. I've written before that it may have been a Neolithic court-tomb.
http://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.ie/…/graves-of-lein…
There is also a bronze age hillfort less than 500m away at Laghtea and of course the Capstone of the King of Leinster is another monument in the vicinity which is not fully understood.
http://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.ie/…/the-capstone-o…
So it could be that the Graves of the Leinstermen are the remains of Fintan's Grave. It could also be that there is another unknown monument waiting to be discovered under the peat on the summit or slopes of Tonn Tinne or even an actual Cave. However I did a brief check of the underlying geology of the area and it appears that it isn't conductive to the formation of Caves.
As we mentioned before the meaning of Tonn Tinne is either "Wave of Fire" or "Grave of a person". The 2nd could link it into the story of Fintan.

Edit

Other folklore relating to Tonn Tinne

From Ballina/Boher: Our History and Traditions" by Kevin M. Griffin and Kevin A. Griffin. Thanks to Joanne Hinz for passing these on to me.

pg 39 "Another extraordinary story about the Graves of the Leinstermen comes from the Book of Leinster, and is also mentioned in other ancient sources, which call the site 'Firt Fintan.' According to the ancient writers, Fintan was said to have slept here and he slept so soundly and so well that the Great Flood of the Bible failed to wake him or drown him! Later he used to wake up at intervals telling the history of the past, and collecting that of later times. Because of this he was considered to be the main transmitter of the remote story or ancient history of Ireland." 

This comes from a footnote in Westropps account in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies,
History, Linguistics, Literature, Vol. 29 (1911/1912), pp. 186-212 - see page 211.

pg 19 "Tountinna; Tone Tinne: "Wave of fire or Hill of the wave."  "This is Tul Tuine, Hill of the Wave--the place where Fintan was buried... In the N.E. end of parish. It chiefly consists of mountain. On the N.E. are two small lakes and a trig. Station, 1500 feet above low water at the sea. Bounded on the N. by the parish of Youghal Arra." 

The nearby townland of Townlough Upper & Lower splits the townland which the Capstone of the King of Leinster is in from the townland of the Graves of the Leinstermen. Townlough itself translates as Tuaim Locha or basically burial place by the lake or perhaps burial mound by the lake but there is no record of any such monument in that townland