
One of the Cashels, probably the Pewter Fort, Moytura Cong.
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Eochaí, son of Erc, King of Eire, advanced to the hill of Cnoc Meadha with all his forces from Tara, in Meath, then the seat of government, to attack the Tuatha Dé Danann, whose leader, sages, druids, bards, poets, and physicians, etc., have been all recounted, and their prowess sung in story, so that throughout the whole thread of Irish history they remain recorded. By this means the wily Dananns had the fastnesses of Joyce Country and Connamara to fall back on in case of defeat, as it is said they destroyed their fleet on landing. Cnoc Meadha, or Knockma, the great hill, so conspicuous in the landscape, is about five miles to the west of Tuam, in the barony of Clare and county of Galway; its northern slope is occupied by the woods and cultivated grounds of Castlehacket; and on its summit stands the great carn within which tradition and ancient history say Ceasair, one of the earliest colonists of Ireland, was interred.Tradition, as well as popular superstition, has thrown over it the investiture of fairy legend beyond all other places in the country; for here Finnveara, the Oberon of Irish sylvan mythology, holds his court. From this point may be obtained one of the grandest panoramic views in Ireland - the great plain stretching beneath and round Cnoc Rua; the beautiful abbey of Cnoc Muaidhe; the towers of Athenry, the Ford of the King; Tuaim of St. Iarlaith; the Round Tower of Cill Beanáin; the ruined keeps of the De Burgos; the ships riding in the Bay of Galway; the Slievebloom and Clare mountains; the blue island-studded waters of Loch Coirib; and, in the far western background, the Conamara Alps, with their clear-cut edges, and their sides momentarily varying in tints from the marvellous atmospheric effects of that region stretching round by the Partraí range to the lofty peak of Cruach Pádraic; and in the extreme north-western distance the bulky form of Néifin, and even some of the Acaill mountains skirting Clew Bay. |
Ecohaí's Cairn, near Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
Images & text © William Wilde (father to Oscar) 1839
The information on this page came from the following URL - http://www.wombat.ie/galwayguide/history/wrwilde/chapt7.html
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