The Tipperary Antiquarian

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...

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 ...

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 or...