NEWRY TARA

The Tara met about the time called "Samhain" (or 1st of November) for making laws, reforming general abuses, revising antiquities, genealogies, and chronicles, and purging them from all corruption and falsehood that might have been foisted into them since the last meeting. This Triennial Convention was the first Parliament of which we have any record on the face of the globe; and was strictly observed from its first institution to A.D. 1172; and, even as late as A.D. 1258, we read in our native Annals of an Irish Parliament, at or near Newry. Mur Ollamhan at Teamhair (which means "Ollamh's fort at Tara"); he also appointed a chieftain over every cantred and a brughaidh over every townland. According to some chroniclers, "Ulster" was first called Uladh, from Ollamh Fodhla. His posterity maintained themselves in the Monarchy of Ireland for 250 years, without any of the two other septs of Heber and Heremon intercepting them. He died at an advanced age at his own Mur (or house) at Tara Newry, leaving five sons.

Finnachta 1277 B.C. Son of Ollamh Fodhla . Died of the plague.
Slanoll 1257 B.C. Son of Ollamh Fodhla. Died in the banqueting hall at Tara Newry.
Gedhe Ollghothach 1240 B.C.Son of Ollamh Fodhla
Fiacha Finnailches 1230 B.C. Son of Finnachta

From Heremon, the youngest of the three brothers, were descended one hundred and fourteen sole Monarchs of Ireland: the provincial Kings and Hermonian nobility and gentry of Leinster, Connaught, Meath, Orgiall, Tirowen, Tirconnell, and Clan-na-boy; the Kings of Dalriada; all the Kings of Scotland from Fergus Mór MacEarea, down to the Stuarts; and the Kings and Queens of England from Henry the Second down to tile present time. The issue of this not accounted among the Milesian Irish or Clan-na-Milé, as not being descended from Milesius, but from his uncle Ithe; of whose posterity there were also some Monarchs of Ireland and many provincial or half provincial Kings of Munster: that country upon its first division being allocated to the sons of Heber and to Lughaidh, son of Ithe, whose posterity continued there accordingly.
For thousands of years, there was little written history of Ireland. The Celts had an oral tradition and the stories of Kings, Chieftains and Heroes were passed from generation to generation by bards, whose jobs (and perhaps lives) were on the line if they failed to sufficiently praise and glorify their masters. Therefore, much of the "history" became influenced When the annalists eventually came to put this history on paper, they had only the old traditional stories to use as raw material.

King Oilioll reigned for 16 years, and was slain by Sirna Mac Deyn. Immediately afterwards, the government of Teamhair (Tara, ?) was violently taken from the "Ulta" (the people of Ulster) who were the descendants of Ir, son of Milesius.   vAll six of the above kings are believed to be descendants of Ir, and it appears reasonable to suppose that the word "Ireland" derives from the name Ir. This view seems to be supported by the fact that in European continental languages such as German, French, and Spanish, the words for Ireland are: Irland, Irlande, and Irlanda, respectively. The Italian word for Ireland is also Irlanda: The Land of Ir.

Muirchertach MacLochlainn                                                                          Aedh MacLochlainn
      King of Cinel-Eoghainn                                                                              |
      King of Ireland                                                                                     |
      King of Aileach and Tara, Here we have the northern Tara mentioned very soundly.         Arch king of Ireland        slai 1166, buried at Armagh

The first direct mention (we know of) of the "Fionn Sneachta" name by the Four Masters is as shown in item 3 of the table below; and as can clearly be seen, this particular King of Ireland had several very close relatives who were also Kings (both before and after his own reign.
KING
PERIOD
RELATIONSHIPS
(1) Fiacha Fionn-Scothach 1352 - 1332 BC space
(2) Ollamh Fodhla 1317 - 1277 BC Son of Fiacha Fionn-Scothach
(3) Finnachta (Fionn Sneachta) 1277 - 1257 BC Son of Ollamh Fodhla
(4) Slanoll 1257 - 1240 BC Son of Ollamh Fodhla
(5) Fiacha Finnailches 1228 - 1208 BC Son of Finnachta
(6) Oilioll 1196 - 1181 BC Son of Slanoll

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(1) The Four Masters associate the reign of King Fiacha Fionn-Scothach with events which took place at the large Celtic site named "Cruachain"(Curran Clan), in County Roscommon (also called Rathcrogan): which is now understood to be one of the most important Celtic royal sites in Europe. According to Brother O'Clery and his colleagues, shamrocks and white flowers appeared in great abundance all over Ireland during the time of his kingship.
(Table Reference)
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(2) King Ollamh Fodhla established Feis-Teamhrach (The Great Feast of Tara,newry ). This feast was held each year and attended by the King's friends and dutiful subjects. Ollamh Fodhla means "The Chief Poet of Ireland". A corrupted version of his name (which was pronounced "Ollav Fola" or "Ullav Fola") gave the present province of Ulster its name. Most of the old province of Ulster is now under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. It is generally known as Northern Ireland (or "The Six Counties"), and as such is separate from the Republic of Ireland.

IR was the fifth son of Milesius of Spain (who, see page 50, is No. 36 on "The Stem of the Irish Nation"), but the second of the three sons who left any issue. His descendants settled in Ulster.

36. Milesius of Spain.

37. Ir: his son. This Prince was one of the chief leaders of the expedition undertaken for the conquest of Erinn, but was doomed never to set foot on the "Sacred Isle;" a violent storm scattered the fleet as it was coasting round the island in search of a landing place, the vessel commanded by him was separated from the rest of the fleet and driven upon the island since called Scellig-Mhicheal, off the Kerry coast, where it split on a rock and sank with all on board, B.C. 1700.

38. Heber Donn: his son; born in Spain; was granted by Heber and Heremon the possession of the northern part of Ireland, now called Ulster.

39. Hebric: his son; was killed in a domestic quarrel.

40. Artra: his youngest son; succeeded in the government of Uladh or Ulster; his elder brothers, Cearmna and Sobhrach, put forth their claims to sovereign authority, gave battle to the Monarch Eochaidh, whom they slew and then mounted his throne; they were at length slain: Sobhrach at Dun Sobhrach, or "Dunseverick," in the county of Antrim, by Eochaidh Meann; and Cearmna (in a sanguinary battle fought near Dun Cearmna, now called the Old Head at Kinsale, in the county of Cork, where he had his residence), by his successor Eochaidh Faobhar-glas, grandson of Heber Fionn, B.C. 1492.

41. Artrach: son of Artra.

42. Sedna: his son; slew Rotheacta, son of Maoin, of the race of Heremon, Monarch of Ireland, and, mounting his throne, became the 23rd Monarch. It was during his reign that the Dubhloingeas or "pirates of the black fleet" came to plunder the royal palace of Cruachan in Roscommon, and the King was slain, in an encounter with those plunderers, by his own son and successor, who mistook his father for a pirate chief whom he had slain and whose helmet he wore.

43. Fiacha Fionn Scothach, the 24th Monarch: son of Sedna; so called from the abundance of white flowers with which every plain in Erinn abounded during his reign; was born in the palace of Rath-Cruachan,cucrran? B.C. 1402; and slain, B.C. 1332, in the 20th year of his reign, by Munmoin, of the Line of Heber.

44. Eochaidh (2): his son; better known as Ollamh Fodhla,* i.e., "Ollamh, or chief poet of Fodhla" (or Ireland); began his reign, A.M. 3882, B.C. 1317 (according to the received computation of the Septuagint, making A.D. 1 agree with A.M. 5199). This Eochaidh was the 27th Monarch of Ireland, and reigned 40 years. It was this Monarch who first instituted the Feis Teamhrach (or "Parliament of Tara"), which met about the time called "Samhuin" (or 1st of November) for making laws, reforming general abuses, revising antiquities, genealogies, and chronicles, and purging them from all corruption and falsehood that might have been foisted into them since the last meeting. This Triennial Convention was the first Parliament of which we have any record on the face of the globe; and was strictly observed from its first institution to A.D. 1172; and, even as late as A.D. 1258, we read in our native Annals of an Irish Parliament, at or near Newry. (See "O'Neill" Stem, No. 113.) It was this Monarch who built Mur Ollamhan at Teamhair (which means "Ollamh's fort at Tara"); he also appointed a chieftain over every cantred and a brughaidh over every townland. According to some chroniclers, "Ulster" was first called Uladh, from Ollamh Fodhla. His posterity maintained themselves in the Monarchy of Ireland for 250 years, without any of the two other septs of Heber and Heremon intercepting them. He died at an advanced age, A.M. 3922, at his own Mur (or house) at Tara, leaving five sons, viz.: 1. Slanoll; 2. Finachta Fionnsneachta (or Elim); 3. Gead Ollghothach, and 4. Fiacha, who were successively Monarchs of Ireland; and 5. Cairbre.

45. Cairbre: son of Ollamh Fodhla; King of Uladh; died in the 22nd year of the reign of his brother Fiacha.

46. Labhradh: his son; governed Ulster during the long reign of his cousin Oiliol, son of Slanoll.

47. Bratha: his son; was slain by Breasrigh, a prince of the Heberian race, in the 12th year of the reign of Nuadhas Fionn-Fail.

48. Fionn: his son; fought against the Monarch Eochaidh Apach at Tara, defeated him, and became the 42nd Monarch; but after a reign of 22 years was slain by Seidnae Innaraidh, his successor.

49. Siorlamh: his son; so called from the extraordinary length of his hands (Lat. "longimanus," or longhanded); slew the Monarch Lughaidh Iardhonn, and assumed the sovereignty of the kingdom, which he held for 16 years, at the expiration of which, in B.C. 855, he was slain by Eochaidh Uarceas, son of the former King.

50. Argeadmar (or Argethamar): his son; ascended the Throne of Ireland, B.C. 777, and was the 58th Monarch; after a reign of 30 years, was slain by Duach Ladhrach. He left four sons: - 1. Fiontan, whose son, Ciombaoth, was the 63rd Monarch; 2. Diomain, whose son, Dithorba, became the 62nd Monarch; 3. Badhum, who was father of Aodh Ruadh, the 61st Monarch, who was drowned at Eas Ruadh (or Assaroe), now Ballyshannon, in the county of Donegal, and grandfather of Macha Mongruadh, or "Macha of the Golden Tresses," the 64th Monarch, and the only queen Ireland ever has had, who laid the foundation of the Royal Palace of Emania, in the county of Armagh, where her consort Cimbath, died of the plague; the fourth son of Argeadmar was Fomhar.

51. Fomhar: son of Argeadmar; died during the reign of Cimbath.

52. Dubh: his son; was King of Ulster.

53. Ros: his son.

54. Srubh: his son.

55. Indereach: his son.

56. Glas: his son.

57. Carbre (or Cathair): his son.

58. Feabhardhile: his son.

59. Fomhar (2): his son.

60. Dubh (2): his son.

61. Sithrich: his son.

62. Ruadhri (or Rory) Mór: his son; was the 86th Monarch; died B.C. 218. From him the "Clan-na-Rory" were so called. He left, amongst other children - 1. Bresal Bodhiobha, and 2. Congall Clareineach, who were respectively the 88th and the 90th Monarchs; 3. Conragh, the father of the 105th Monarch Eiliomh; 4. Fachna Fathach, the 92nd Monarch, who, by his wife Neasa was father of Conor; 5. Ros Ruadh, who by his wife Roigh, the father of the celebrated Fergus Mór; and 6. Cionga, the ancestor of the heroic Conal Cearnach, from whom are descended O'Moore, MacGuinness, M'Gowan, and several other powerful families in Ulster and Conacht.

63. Ros Ruadh: son of Rory Mór; married Roigh, daughter of an Ulster Prince.

64. Fergus Mór: his son; commonly called "Fergus MacRoy" or "Fergus MacRoich," from Roigh, his mother, who was of the sept of Ithe; was King of Ulster for three (some say seven) years, and then forced from the sovereignty by his cousin, Conor MacNeasa, where-upon he retired into Conacht, where he was received by Maedhbh (Maev) Queen of that Province, and by her husband Oilioll Mór, and, sustained by them, was in continual war with Conor MacNeasa during their lives. Maedhbh was the daughter of Eochy Feidlioch, the 93rd Monarch, who gave her in marriage to his favourite Tinne, son of Conragh, son of Ruadhri Mór (No. 62 on this stem), with the Province of Conacht as a dowry. This prince was slain at Tara by Monire, a Lagenian prince, in a personal quarrel; and Maedhbh soon after married Oilioll (who was much older than she was), the son of Ros Ruadh by Matha Muireasg, a Lagenian princess. Oiliol was far advanced in years when Fergus Mór sought shelter beneath his roof at Rath-Craughan, in Roscommon, and the Queen Maedhbh, being young, strayed from virtue's path, proved with child by Fergus, and was delivered of three male children at a birth. The names of these princes were: - 1. Ciar [Kiar], a quo Ciarruighe Luachra, Ciarruighe Chuirc, Ciarruighe Aoi, and Ciarruighe Coinmean; 2. Corc, a quo Corc Modhruadh (or Corcumroe); and 3. Conmac, a quo Conmaicne-Mara (now Connemara), Conmaicne Cuile Tolaigh (now the barony of Kilmaine, co. Mayo), Conmaicne Magh Rein (the present co. Longford, and the southern half of the co. Leitrim), Conmaicne Cinel Dubhain (now the barony of Dunmore, co. Galway). According to the native genealogists these three sons of Fergus and Maedhbh ought to stand in the following order - 1. Conmac; 2. Ciar; and 3. Corc. Fergus Mór was slain by an officer belonging to the court of Oiliol Mór, as he was bathing in a pond near the royal residence, and he was interred at Magh Aoi. The other children of Fergus Mór were: - 1. Dallan, 2. Anluim, 3. Conri, 4. Aongus Fionn, 5. Oiliol, 6. Firceighid, 7. Uiter, 8. Finfailig (ancestor of O'Dugan and O'Coscridh, chiefs of Fermoy, in the county of Cork), 9. Firtleachta, and 10. Binne.

65. Conmac: eldest son of Fergus Mór, by Maedhbh; whose portion of his mother's inheritance and what he acquired by his own prowess and valour, was called after his name: "Conmaicne" being equivalent to Posterity of Conmac. The five Conmaicne contained all that (territory) which we now call the county of Longford, a large part of the counties of Leitrim, Sligo, and Galway; and Conmaicne Beicce, now called "Cuircneach" or Dillon's Country, in the county of Westmeath, over all of which this Conmac's posterity were styled Kings, till they were driven out by English adventurers.

66. Moghatoi: his son.

67. Messaman: his son.

68. Mochta: his son.

69. Cetghun: his son.

70. Enna: his son.

71. Gobhre: his son.

72. Iuchar: his son.

73. Eoghaman: his son.

74. Alta: his son.

75. Tairc: his son.

76. Teagha: his son; had a brother, Dallan, who had a son Lughdach, who had a son Lughdach, whose son was St. Canice of Aghaboe.

77. Ethinon: his son.

78. Orbsenmar: his son; after whose death a great Lake or Loch broke out in the place where he dwelt; which, from him, is ever since called "Loch Orbsen" (now Lough Corrib).

79. Conmac: his son; some Irish annalists are of opinion that the territories called "Conmacne" above mentioned, are called after this Conmac, and not from Conmac, No. 65 on this Stem.

80. Lughach: his son.

81. Beibhdhe: his son.

82. Bearra: his son; a quo O'Bearra, anglicised Berry and Bury.

83. Uisle: his son.

84. Eachdach: his son.

85. Forneart: his son.

86. Neart: his son.

87. Meadhrua: his son.

88. Dubh: his son.

89. Earcoll: his son.

90. Earc: his son.

91. Eachdach: his son.

92. Cuscrach: his son.

93. Fionnfhear: his son.

94. Fionnlogh: his son.

95. Onchu: his son.

96. Neidhe: his son.

97. Finghin: his son.

98. Fiobrann: his son; had four brothers, from three of whom the following families are descended: 1. Maoldabhreac (whose son Siriden was ancestor of Sheridan), ancestor of O'Ciarrovan (now Kirwan), O'Ciaragain (now Kerrigan), etc.; 2. Mochan, who was the ancestor of O'Moran; and 3. Rinnall, who was ancestor of O'Daly of Conmacne.

99. Mairne: his son. From this Mairne's brothers are descended O'Canavan, O'Birren, Birney, and MacBirney, O'Kenney, O'Branagan, Martin, Bredin, etc.

100. Croman: son of Mairne.

101. Eimhin: his son; had three brothers: - 1. Biobhsach, who was ancestor of MacRaghnall (or Reynolds) of Connaught; 2. Gearadhan, ancestor of Gaynor; 3. Giollagan, ancestor of Gilligan and Quinn of the co. Longford. From these three brothers are also descended Shanly, Mulvy, Mulkeeran, etc.

102. Angall: his son. From this Angall that part of Conmacne now known as the county of Longford, and part of the county of Westmeath was called the "Upper Anghaile," or Upper Annaly; and the adjacent part of the county of Leitrim was called the "Lower Anghaile," or Lower Annaly; and his posterity after they lost the title of Kings of Conmacne, which his ancestors enjoyed, were, upon their subjugation by the Anglo-Normans, and on their consenting that their country be made "Shire ground," styled lords of both Anghalies or Annalies.

103. Braon: his son. This Braon's brother Fingin was ancestor of Finnegan, etc.

104. Congal: son of Braon.

105. Feargal ("feargal": Irish, a valiant warrior): his son, a quo O'Fergail, anglicised O'Farrell, O'Ferrall, Farrell, Freehill, and Freel.

65. Aongus Fionn: son of Fergus Mór, King of Ulster. This Aongus was ancestor of the Chiefs of Owny-Beg, now a barony in the county of Tipperary:

66. MacNiadh: his son.

67. Orchon: his son.

68. Foranan: his son.

69. Labhra: his son.

70. Cait: his son.

71. Oiliol: his son.

72. Diochon: his son.

73. Sleibhe: his son.

74. Gofnid: his son.

75. Conor: his son.

76. Dermod: his son.

77. Lochlan: his son.

78. Dubhthaig: his son.

79. Maolbrenan: his son.
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65. Firceighid: son of Fergus Mór. This Firceighid was ancestor of the Eoghanacht of Ara-Cliach, a district in the county of Limerick on the borders of Tipperary:

66. Rory: his son.

67. Lawlor: his son.

68. Daire: his son.

69. Conri: his son.

70. Benard: his son.

71. Doncha: his son.

72. Eocha: his son.

73. Eoghan: his son; a quo Eoghanacht Ara-Cliach.

74. Cuchonacht: his son.

75. Maonaig: his son.

76. Dinfeartach: his son.

77. Duibtheach: his son.

78. Loingsedh: his son.

79. Dunlaing: his son.

80. Bruadar: his son.

Eochaidh Ollamh Fodhla,Son of Ficha Finscothach. It was this Monarch who first instituted the Feis Teamhrach (or "Parliament of Tara"),Newry 1317 B.C.

From Heremon, the youngest of the three brothers, were descended one hundred and fourteen sole Monarchs of Ireland: the provincial Kings and Hermonian nobility and gentry of Leinster, Connaught, Meath, Orgiall, Tirowen, Tirconnell, and Clan-na-boy;

Among the more remarkable relics of antiquity may be noticed around the place in Newry is a large and perfect rath, about 1˝ mile from the town, on the Rathfriland road, called Crown Rath. It is an earthwork, 112 feet high, nearly circular at the base, which measures 585 feet in circumference, with a flat top of oblong form, and is surrounded by a fosse 20 feet broad and 10 deep. On the south side of the fosse is a square platform, surrounded with an intrenchment, the glacis of which declines towards the old ford of the river. Many other remains of forts and many cromlechs are to be found in various parts. ONE MORE RECENTLY DISCOVERED IS THAT FACING THE BUS SHELTER ON THE CAMLOUGH ROAD,( ON THE PARK HEAD GREEN) ALMOST DIRECTLY FACING DERRYBEG ENTRANCE. THIS ONE IS CALLED CORRIAN RATH & WAS DISCOVERED BY A KEEN QUICK EYE ON A SUNNY DAY BY PADDY CURRAN, HENCE THE NAME. During a spell of great weather the out line of the ancient wall below an obvious shallow covering of grass which had become dry and yellowed after days of sun & SHOWED THRO VERY OBVIOUSLY. . The lush green grass to the center of the rath could be easily seen, after a check with Belfast official's we found that there was a whole village on this Park Head Green, there were circles mapped out all over the Camlough road. Some that are now under houses and one under the roundabout. Sad stuff to think that these were marked and became forgotten.

Newry is said to have been the birthplace of Jarlath MacTrien, who was prior of Armagh in 465; also of Dr. Parry, who was raised to the bishoprick of Killaloe in 1647
. It gives the inferior title of Viscount to the Earl of Kilmorey. So there!! MORE TO COME.!!

Like today In Newry most of these are now proving true when you look at this story of an Abbey that was supposedly bulldozed away,nothing left at all we are told, over and over.. Where all the stories of old in this area junk when those In the rest of Ireland were true. is It not exciting when you see references to a Tara of Newry. A staggering thought given the famous Tara. From what i have read Newry was a much more important place all those years ago.& why not. look at this, Linda McKee newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk    11 March 2006 ARCHAEOLOGISTS have learned how early Christians in Co Down protected themselves from raiders - they went underground.   A 1,000-year-old tunnel system discovered at Rooneys town near Raholp. It would have been built so that families could take refuge with their valuables when threatened by Vikings. The mysterious stone tunnel was uncovered by a builder working on new housing, after the ground gave way beneath his digger.
Environment and Heritage Service archaeologist Ken Neill confirmed that the tunnel was a previously unrecorded example of a souterrain, built during the early Christian period more than 1,000 years ago. "Souterrains are usually known as caves or coves throughout the countryside," he said. "They were underground tunnels built as a refuge against raiders. Some were rock-cut, but most were built by digging a trench, lining it with dry stone-walling and placing heavy stone lintels across the top before covering with earth.   "It was one of these lintels which had given way under the weight of the digger to expose the souterrain. Many were built within circular earthen raths or stone cashels, but others, like this one, are discovered in apparent isolation although there was almost certainly originally a house nearby."   Mr Neill said the design and complexity of the souterrain supports the idea that it was built as a place of refuge from neighbouring tribes or even Viking invaders. Given this info and the many times written collapses In the area of Newry Abbey, who knows whats up there.One thing for sure they are not getting away with wipeing It all out like they Intend to.


I

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