Saturday, 29 September 2018

The Feast Day of Michaelmas in Tipperary




"In the long ago it was a Custom with the people of this district to kill the first goose of the season on St Michael's Eve, 28th September.
It was eaten on St. Michael's Day, 29th September and for that reason was always called the "Michaelmas Goose".
http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922260/4865099/5022402

Wednesday, 26 September 2018

Lackamore Wedge Tomb

Lackamore is a townland in Castletown Arra of 181 acres. Its name is thought to come from An Leaca Mhór which translates as the "Big or great hillside".
Arra's only confirmed wedge tomb is located prominently within the townland with views to the Clare Hills in the East on which there are other wedge tombs located and down to Youghal Bay which to me also stands out.
De Valera & O'Nuallain in "The Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland" suggest that this tomb and Cooleen near the Silvermines were evidence of a link between the wedge tombs of East Clare and the Kilcommon Group around Rearcross & Kilcommon area. They proposed that there may be there a mining link between the settlements that may have accompanied them.
I've always found this interesting considering the slate quarry industy that has been carried out in the locality up to the present day.

The half-barony of Arra must be unique in the variety of megalithic monuments still existing in the area. 
There is a wedge-tomb, stone row, stone pair, stone circle, possible portal tomb, rock art and possibly the remains of a court-tomb (Graves of the Leinstermen).