Saturday, 2 September 2017

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. 

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