Inauguration Sites in Tipperary

Inauguration of the O'Neill on 1602 map of Ulster by Richard Bartlett

I must admit I have a soft spot for royal inauguration sites. This one here was for the O'Neill clan of Ulster. Not that many have been recorded in Tipperary but if you see some of the pre Cromwellian maps of Tipperary / North West Munster there were at least 12 "countries" in the North Western section, all of which would have required an inauguration site. Clues to a site include a sacred tree or bíle, a stone chair or a footprint stone. Generally they were on a height, so on top a mound or barrow. There doesn't seem to be a consistency to their location sometimes they were on the edge of a territory, sometimes in the middle. Sometimes a rival site could be set up during times of civil war.

Here is a list of the "Chief Irish regions and countries of Thomond and Chief Captains of the same"
This was essentially part of King Henry VIII's enemy list in North Munster but also points to these being "countries" in their own right with chiefs that would require inauguration. ...

"O' Brien de Toybrien (Clare and Limerick)
O'Kennedy de Ormond (Tipperary)
O'Carroll de Ely (King's Co.)
O'Meagher de Ikerin (Tipperary)
McMahon de Coroaskin (Clare)
O'Loghlin de Burrin (W. Clare)
O'Grady de Kinall Downall (Clare)
O'Brien de Arra (Tipperary)
O'Mulryan de Owney (Tipperary)
O'Doure (O'Dwyer) de Kylnemanagh (Tipperary)
McBrien Oghonagh (Coonagh) (Limerick)"
Taken from "The History of the O'Dwyers" by Sir Michael O'Dwyer

So from this we can see that the O'Kennedys, O'Carrolls, O'Meaghers, O'Briens, O'Mulryans & O'Dwyers all would have had to have inauguration sites all within the general area of North Tipp. To my knowledge no record has ever been kept of the sites locations. Personally I think this is something that needs to be addressed, is it possible to rediscover these inauguration landscapes?