- Mullaghmast
-
Mullaghmast Elevation 587 ft (179 m) Translation Broad crown (summit) of Maistiu (Irish language) Location Location County Kildare, Ireland Coordinates 53°1′0.66″N 6°48′43.34″W / 53.01685°N 6.8120389°W Mullaghmast (Irish: Mullach Maistín), is a hill in the south of County Kildare, Leinster, near the village of Ballitore. It was an important site in prehistory, in early history and again in more recent times. It is classed as a National Monument by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Contents
Legend and prehistory
The Metrical Dindshenchas, or Lore of Places, a Middle Irish collection of poetry purporting to explain the origins of Irish place names, claims that Mullaghmast is named for Maistiu, wife of Dáire Derg, who was killed by the sorcery of the malicious faery Gris, who was in turned killed by Dáire Derg.[1]
A standing stone from Mullaghmast, decorated with a triskele, thought to belong to the very end of the prehistoric period, or perhaps to the early Christian period, is now in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.[2]
1577 massacre
From the Annals of the Four Masters:
- M1577.14. A horrible and abominable act of treachery was committed by the English of Leinster and Meath upon that part of the people of Offally and Leix that remained in confederacy with them, and under their protection. It was effected thus: they were all summoned to shew themselves, with the greatest number they could be able to bring with them, at the great rath of Mullach-Maistean; and on their arrival at that place they were surrounded on every side by four lines of soldiers and cavalry, who proceeded to shoot and slaughter them without mercy, so that not a single individual escaped, by flight or force.
Monster meeting
Daniel O'Connell 1 October 1843 "a large number, to wit 100,000" present
Sport
- St Laurence's GAA is based in the parish of Narraghmore, encompassing Kilmeade, Booley, Narraghmore, Calverstown, Kilgowan, Brewel, Ballymount, Ballitore and Mullaghmast.
Notes
- ^ Gwynn; MacKillop, "Mullaghmast". MacKillop notes that Dáire Derg may be a double of Goll mac Morna.
- ^ Mytum, plate XI and p. 73; MacKillop, "Mullaghmast".
References
- Gwynn, Edward (1906), The Metrical Dindshenchas, 3, Dublin, pp. 135–139, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T106500C/index.html, retrieved 2003-08-13
- Lennon, Colm (1994), Sixteenth Century Ireland: The Incomplete Conquest, New Gill History of Ireland, Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, ISBN 0-7171-3947-6
- MacKillop, James (1998), Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-860967-1
- Mytum, Harold (1992), The Origins of Early Christian Ireland, London: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-03258-X
Categories:- Archaeological sites in County Kildare
- Ireland geography stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
