An account of the palace of the celebrated Cormac Mac Art, monarch of
Ireland in the third century, is given by various historians. It was
called Teach Miodhchuarta, signifying either the "House of Banquets,"or
the "House of Conventions;" also Teach-na-Laech, or the "House of the
Heroes;" and it was the place in which were held the great Feis
Teamhrach, or the "Conventions of Tara." In its halls the monarchs gave
their great Banquets; and entertained the provincial kings, princes, and
chiefs. It is stated that the length of the structure was three hundred
feet; the breadth, fifty cubits or about eighty feet; and the height,
thirty cubits or nearly fifty feet. It contained numerous apartments
besides the royal bedchamber, and had on it fourteen doors; and it is
stated that there were seven other great habitations adjoining the
palace. Cormac* was the son of Art, the son of Conn of the Hundred
Battles, monarchs of Ireland, of the race of Heremon; he was one of the
most celebrated of the Irish kings, for munificence, learning, wisdom,
and valour; and the glories of his palace at Tara were, for many ages,
the theme of the Irish bards. Amongst other splendid articles it is
mentioned that he had at the royal banquets one hundred and fifty massive
goblets of pure gold, Cormac's palace was situated on the Hill of Tara,
and a great part of the circular earthen ramparts, together with a large
mound in the centre, still remain. The palace is considered to have
been built chiefly of wood, from the oak forests in ancient times so
abundant in Ireland; and was probably in part formed of stone-work,# or a
fortress of Cyclopean architecture, composed of great stones without
cement: and though few of those stones now remain, they may have been
removed in the course of ages, and placed in other buildings,
particularly as the Hill of Tara was easily accessible. Though this
royal residence could not be compared with the elegant stone-buildings of
more modern times, yet it was distinguished for all the rude magnificence
peculiar to those early ages. On the Hill of Tara were also erected
several other raths or fortresses and mounds, as mentioned by various
ancient historians; amongst those fortresses were Cathair Crofinn, or
"Crofinn's Fortress"-- so called from Crofinn, one of the Tuath De Danan
queens, and this building was also called Tur-Trean-Teamhrach, signifying
the "Strong Tower of Tara." As the term Cathair was applied only to
stone buildings, this was probably a fortress of Cyclopean architecture,
the stones of which may have been removed in the course of time; and the
Danans are stated by the old writers to have built fortresses in other
parts of Ireland, particularly that called Aileach Neid, in Tirconnell,
situated on a great hill near Lough Swilly, in the county Donegal-- and
of this Cyclopean fortress some ruins still remain. At Tara was also the
building called Mur-Ollamhan or the "House of the Learned," in which
resided the bards, brehons, and other learned men; and likewise Rath-na-
Seanadh, which signifies either the "Fort of the Conventions" or of the
"Synods," and said to he so called from great meetings held there at
different times by St. Patrick, St. Adamnan, St. Brendan, and St.
Ruadhan; also Rath-na-Riogh or the "Fortress of the Kings;" Dumha-na-
nGiall, or the "Mound of the Hostages," where there was a fortress in
which the hostages were kept; and Dumha-na-mRanamus, signifying the
"Mound of the Warlike Women," which was probably either a habitation or
burial place of those ancient heroines, there was likewise a habitation
called Cluan-Feart, or the "Sacred Retreat," which was the residence of
the Vestal Virgins or Druidesses.
There were also habitations at Tara for the warriors, Druids, Brehons,
and bards, and also for the provincial kings, princes, and chiefs who
attended at the great national conventions; and, therefore, the place was
considered as a city in those times. There are many remains of the
mounds, raths, and other antiquities still remaining at Tara; but many of
those mounds and ramparts have been levelled in the course of ages.
According to the ancient historians many of the kings, queens, and
warriors of the early ages were buried at Tara, and several sepulchral
mounds were there raised to their memory. In one of the earthen ramparts
at Tara were discovered, A.D. 1810, two of the ornaments called torques;
a sort of golden collar of spiral or twisted workmanship, and of a
circular form, open at one side, worn on the necks of ancient kings and
chiefs, and similar to those which were worn by the ancient kings and
chiefs of Gaul, and were called torc in the Celtic language. One of the
torques discovered at Tara is five feet seven inches in length, and
something more than twenty-seven ounces in weight, and all formed of the
purest gold; the other torque is beyond twelve ounces in weight, and they
form some of the most interesting remains of ancient Irish art.
In the celebrated work called Dinseanchus, which gives an account of
the origin of the names of remarkable places in ancient Ireland, and was
composed by Amergin, chief bard to Dermod, monarch of Ireland in the
sixth century, the origin of the name Teamur is thus given; Teph or
Tephi, a daughter of Bachtir, king of Brigantia in Spain, having been
married to Canthon, king of Britain, died there, but her body was
brought back to Spain, and a mur or "mound" was erected to her memory,
and called Tephi-mur, or the "Mound of Tephi." Tea, daughter of
Lughaidh, son of Ith, and queen of Heremon, the first Milesian monarch of
Ireland, having seen the mound of Tephi, while in Spain, caused a similar
mound to he constructed when she came to Ireland, as a sepulchral
monument for herself; and, being buried there, it was called Tea-Mur,
signifying "Tea's Mound," and hence was derived "Tara" or "Temor,"
latinized "Temora" or "Temoria." In after times it was called Teamhair-
na-Riogh, or Tara of the Kings;" and Rath Cormaic, or the "Fortress of
Cormac." It is also mentioned by old writers under the names of Druim
Aiobhin and Tulach Aiobhin, signifying the "Beautiful or Delightful
Hill." Kineth O'Hartigan, a celebrated bard of the tenth century wrote a
poem on Tara, contained in the "Book of Ballymote," from which have been
translated the following among other passages:--"It was a famous fortress of wisdom;
It was ennobled with warlike chiefs;
To he viewed it was a splendid hill,
During the time of Cormac O'Cuinn (Cormae Mac Art)."When Cormac was in his grandeur,
Brilliant and conspicuous was his course,
No fortress was found equal to Temor,
It was the secret of the road of life."Enlightened was his train of bards,
Who kept their records in careful order,
And what they said was respected by the
Professors in each art."When Cormac resided at Temor,
His fame was heard by all the exalted;
And a king like the son of Art-Ean-Fhear
There came not of the men of the world."* Cormac: As Conn of the Hundred Battles was the grandfather of Cormac,
he was sometimes called Cormac "MacCuinn," as well as Cormac MacArt.# Stone-work: As to the art of building with stone and lime mortar, at an
early period in Ireland.
from; "Irish Pedigrees", by John O'Hart.
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Some excavations were done at Tara in the 1950's. An extensive survey
was begun in 1992 and completed in 1997 under direction of Conor
Newman, who was the Director of the Tara Project;
Department of Archaeology, University College Galway, Galway, Ireland.Archaeological survey of the earliest monuments were radiocarbon dated
to between 3030-2190 B.C..
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