23-636: Fiachu mac Néill (flourished 507–514) was a king of Uisnech in Mide of the Ui Neill dynasty. He was the son of the high king Niall Noígíallach . According to the king list in the Book of Leinster , he succeeded his brother Conall Cremthainne (died 480) as king of Uisnech . According to the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick , Saint Patrick visited Fiachu and his brother Éndae at Uisnech . Fiachu refused baptism from
46-406: A central chamber or chambers. Examples of this type include Newgrange , Knowth , and Dowth . Portal tombs (often referred to as dolmens) are mainly located in the northern half of the country. Such tombs have a straight sided chamber often narrowed at the rear. The entrance is marked by tall portal stones. On top lies a huge single cap stone resting on the portal stones on the front and sloping at
69-668: A false prophecy that he would win this battle and desired revenge. In 514 he achieved this revenge by defeating Failge at the Battle of Druim Derg. By this victory the plain of Mide was taken away from the Laigin. Fiachu was ancestor of the Cenél Fiachach , a clan which included several well known sub-clans or septs such as Geoghegan and O'Higgins , whose lands extended from Birr to Uisnech in southern Westmeath and part of north Offaly and their southern territory became known as Fir Cell (land of
92-687: A great hailstorm during an assembly on the hill created the twelve chief rivers of Ireland. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn ("Book of the Taking of Ireland"), the Gaels ( Milesians ) meet the goddess Ériu at Uisneach where, after some conversation and drama, the Milesian poet Amergin promises to give the land her name. She is said to be buried under the Ail na Míreann . In mythology, Uisneach and Tara are said to be linked. In
115-413: A number of rectangular chambers (up to four). The chambers are roofed on the inside by corbelling . Each of these chambers may contain inhumations and cremated remains. Surrounding these chambers is a low dry stone wall with orthostats at the extremities. Sometimes they are called a lobster-claw cairn The passage tomb is a large mound of earth or stone with a narrow passage leading from outside to
138-525: A set of monuments and earthworks spread over two square kilometres. About twenty are visible, and the remains of at least twenty others have been identified under the ground. They include a probable megalithic tomb , burial mounds , enclosures, standing stones , holy wells and a medieval road. They date from the Neolithic to the early Middle Ages , showing that the site has been the focus of human activity for about 5,000 years. Several sites were excavated in
161-460: A special place. In Irish it is called the Ail na Míreann ("stone of the divisions"), as it is said to have been where the borders of the provinces met. It is nicknamed the Cat Stone, allegedly because it resembles the shape of a sitting cat. The biggest monument at Uisneach is Rathnew, the remains of a figure-of-eight shaped earthwork. An early medieval road leads towards Rathnew from the foot of
184-447: Is a protected national monument . It consists of numerous monuments and earthworks— prehistoric and medieval —including a probable megalithic tomb , burial mounds , enclosures, standing stones , holy wells and a medieval road. Uisneach is near the geographical centre of Ireland , and in Irish mythology it is deemed to be the symbolic and sacred centre of the island. It was said to be
207-465: Is called Uisneach in both Irish and English, with the alternative Irish name Cnoc Uisnigh meaning "hill of Uisneach". It is also anglicized as 'Ushnagh', such as in the name of the townland . In Old and Middle Irish it was spelt Uisnech . Eric P. Hamp derives the name from Proto-Celtic * us-tin-ako- meaning "place of the hearth" or "place of cinders". T. F. O'Rahilly derived it from * ostinako- meaning "angular place". The site consists of
230-523: Is described as the sacred centre of Ireland, the burial place of Irish gods such as Lugh and the Dagda , the site of a sacred tree (the Bile Uisnig ), and a place of assembly (the mórdáil Uisnig ) associated with the druids , which, according to later tradition, was held during the festival of Bealtaine . The Ail na Míreann ("stone of the divisions") in particular is described as the navel of Ireland. It
253-506: Is seen as a kind of omphalos or axis mundi of Ireland, a meeting place between the Earth and the Otherworld and the source of creation. It is said to have marked the meeting point of the provinces . The Dindsenchas ("lore of places") says that Uisneach is where the druid Mide lit a sacred fire that blazed for seven years. The tale Tucait Baile Mongáin ("Mongan's Frenzy") describes how
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#1733085929738276-488: Is thought to refer to Uisneach, as Killare is a place at the foot of the hill. Irish megalithic tombs Megalithic monuments in Ireland typically represent one of several types of megalithic tombs : court cairns , passage tombs , portal tombs and wedge tombs . The remains of over 1,000 such megalithic tombs have been recorded around Ireland . These tombs have an open east-facing entrance court which leads into
299-430: The 1920s by R.A.S. Macalister and R. Praeger. The summit has panoramic views, from which hills in at least twenty counties can be seen. On the summit is the remains of a probable megalithic tomb, known as 'St Patrick's Bed', which was once surrounded by a ring ditch. Downslope to the east is a small lake known as Loch Lugh or Loch Lugborta , and on a rise east of this is a burial mound known as Carn Lughdach , which
322-480: The burial place of the mythical Tuatha Dé Danann , and a place of assembly associated with the druids and the festival of Bealtaine . The summit is 182 metres (597 ft) above sea level and lies north of the R390 road , 8 km east of the village of Ballymore and beside the village of Loughnavalley . The hill occupies parts of four adjacent townlands : Ushnagh Hill, Mweelra, Rathnew, and Kellybrook. The hill
345-542: The churches), and later the Barony of Moycashel. His son Túathal established a northern branch and his son Úathnemgenn a southern branch. Another son Crimthann was great-grandfather of a local saint Áed mac Bricc (died 589). Uisnech The Hill of Uisneach or Ushnagh ( Irish : Uisneach or Cnoc Uisnigh ) is a hill and ancient ceremonial site in the barony of Rathconrath in County Westmeath , Ireland. It
368-440: The hill. Rathnew was originally one round enclosure marked by a ditch, with an eastern entrance. Inside it were several pits containing partly-burnt animal bones, each sealed with large flat stones. It appears that fires "had been kindled, and then suddenly quenched" with water or soil, in a ritual. There was also a large ash bed containing thoroughly-charred animal skeletons. This appears to have been "a sanctuary-site, in which fire
391-560: The literature, Tara is mainly associated with royal power, while Uisneach is mainly associated with spiritual power. Anciently, both locations had festivals or meetings every seven years – the Feast of Tara at Samhain and the Great Meeting of Uisneach at Beltane; at the Feast of Tara new laws were passed and councils formed. It was linked to Tara by the ancient road called the Slighe Assail ;
414-532: The modern R392 road mostly follows its route. The tragic tale of Deirdre and the "sons of Uisnech" or "sons of Uisliu" ( Naisi , Ardan and Ainle) is part of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae ("History of the Kings of Britain") says that Stonehenge originally stood at the ' hill of Killare ' ( mons Killaraus ) in Ireland, before being moved to Britain. This
437-630: The rear where it rests on the backstone. In the majority of cases the tomb entrance faces the east towards the sunrise. This is not always the case though as many tombs face different directions. Examples of portal tombs include Kilmogue , County Kilkenny; Poulnabrone in the Burren, County Clare; and Knockeen , County Waterford. These tombs are generally found in the west and north west of Ireland. Their sloping roof and narrowing walls at one end produce their characteristic wedge shape. The number and location of tombs in each province of Ireland are recorded by
460-567: The saint who put a curse on Uisnech. Tírechán gives a different account stating that Fiachu's son killed one of Patrick's followers during the visit causing Patrick to curse his descendants. Fiachu appears as the conqueror of Meath in the annals with Failge Berraide , the ancestor of the Leinster dynasty of Uí Failgi, as his opponent. In 507 Fiachu was defeated by Failge at the Battle of Frémainn (Frewin Hill, near Mullingar , County Westmeath ). Fiachu had
483-465: Was a place of royal and religious gatherings, and may have served as a royal residence of the kings of Meath during these gatherings. The Clann Cholmáin chieftains, who became kings of Meath, were styled " Kings of Uisnech " in early-medieval king lists. There is also Tuar Uí Cobhthaigh / Toorcoffey (Coffey's Tower) named after the brehon law O'Cobhthaigh family who were known as the filí or ollamhs of Uisneach. In Irish mythology , Uisneach
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#1733085929738506-406: Was also once surrounded by a ring ditch. South of these are two holy wells, one of which is known as Tobernaslath and sits beside a circular enclosure and standing stone. On the southwest side of the hill is a large, oddly-shaped limestone rock; a glacial erratic almost 6 metres (20 ft) tall and thought to weigh over 30 tons. In prehistory an earthen bank was dug around it to mark it out as
529-426: Was kept burning perpetually, or kindled at frequent intervals", where animal sacrifices were offered. Later, in the early medieval period , a large figure-of-eight shaped earthwork was raised on this site. It was a large round enclosure, with a smaller round enclosure joined to it, marked by a bank and ditch. Within each enclosure was a small stone building and a souterrain . It is suggested that Rathnew at this time
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