the great house of the king, is celebrated as the place of the triennial assembly of the states, for many early ages, down to the middle of the sixth century. This periodical parliament, or convention, was called the Fes of Teamor, and is said to have consisted of the Monarch, the Kings of Leinster, Munster, Ulster, and Connaught; together with the nobility, priests, historians, antiquaries, and "men of learning, distinguished by their abilities in all arts and professions." We are told that affairs of state were here regulated; laws made or repealed; and the national records examined. It is added, by the writers who state the above particulars, that an abstract of all the provincial records was, during the sittings of these assemblies, entered into the work called the Psalter of Taragh, or, as it is sometimes denominated, SenachasMore, or great antiquity; a performance which has not descended to posterity.

Not only were assemblies of the states held on this celebrated hill, but it is said that the Kings of Ireland had here their principal palace, contiguous to which was an University, supported by their munificence. Very florid descriptions of the splendour of this royal palace, and of the state with which the monarchs held their court, have been given by some writers. For minute particulars we refer to the pages of Keating, O'Flaherty, and O'Halloran, or to the compendious view of those writings presented in the History of Ireland lately commenced by Mr. McDermot.*

*The following extract from the last-named author will convey some idea of the magnificence attributed to the monarchs of Ireland, in the third century of the Christian æra :-" The splendour of this monarch” (Cormoc) "is highly celebrated in our annals. One hundred and fifty massy cups of gold and silver decorated his sideboard, on festival days; one hundred and fifty of the Clana Morni, or Connaught knights, attended on his person, and his palace was guarded by one thousand soldiers. He enlarged and decorated the palace of Tara, and kept an open table for fifteen hundred persons. The officers of the court were, a prince of the blood royal, as companion; a chief judge, to consult as privy counsellor ; a chief druid, to direct him in spiritual affairs; a chief physician; an antiquarian ; a poet laureat ; a musician, and three stewards to superintend the contributions of the provinces, and the œconomy of his household.

He

The real character of this palatial structure has excited some discussion, and there certainly is reason to conclude that the buildings were fragile, temporary, and not composed of stone, as no traces of ruins are discernible on the hill, which is a lofty but gently-rising eminence, in the midst of a very extensive plain. Considerable remains of circular earth-works denote the former places of assembly, and probably of residence; but of the palace and the colleges, possibly protected by those intrenchments, no vestige exists, or is recorded ever to have been seen. Equally devoid of palatial ruins are, indeed, those hill-fortresses of the sister island, in which the Celtic Kings of Britain held their respective courts.

After the English obtained supremacy in Ireland, the Hill of Taragh was used as the place for the general hostings, or musters of men under arms, which were held for the service of the state.*

added three colleges to the University at Tara; a military and historic academy; and a college for the study of the law. A poem of Duvegan, containing 183 verses, commencing with the words "Teamhair na Riogh, Rath Cormoc," i. e. Tara, seat of kings, and palace of Cormoc, records all these domestic arrangements, and the splendid profusion of the palace of Tara." Hist. of Ireland by M'Dermot, yol. I. pp. 351.2.

* The various rules and regulations respecting Hosting, may be seen in the work termed "A Breviate of the getting of Ireland, and of the Decaie of the same, written by Patrick Finglass, first chief baron, and afterwards chief justice, of Ireland, in the reign of Henry VIII." Many of these regulations are also printed in "Hibernica," or some pieces relating to Ireland, edited by Walter Harris Esq. We present some excerpts, calculated to exhibit the extent and character of these military musters.

“All lordes and gentilmen and widows of the foure shires shall send an able man, well appointed for warr, for everie twenty pounds that he may dispend yerely, to goe wythe the deputy to an hosting, with jacks and skulls, bowes and arrowes; and whoe cannot dispend twenty pounds, togither to be cessed after that rate.

“Item, that no Englishman dwellinge within Maghregron doe take no spear with him to the field, except he hath a bowe or pavice, (pavice is a piece of defensive armour worn by the ancients, being the largest sort of bucklers, whose side bent inwards, and formed a light portable testudo; in which sense it differed from a target) upon paine of forfeiting six shillings and eight pence, and loosing of his spear toties quoties.

The most recent historical event connected with this hill, relates to the year 1798. On the evening of the twenty-sixth of May, in that year, a large body of rebels, that had assembled here, was routed, with the loss of not less than 350 men, by a party of the royal forces, in unison with Lord Fingall's troop of yeoman cavalry, and some other bands of yeomanry.

In the vicinity of the hill of Taragh were several religious foundations, indicative of the former celebrity of the place, and the attractions it at once held forth to the pious, the affluent, and the powerful.

At LISMULLEN, about two miles to the north of Taragh, a priory was founded, in the year 1240, by Alicia, sister to Richard de la Corner, bishop of Meath. The nuns of this house followed the rule of St. Augustin. Maria Cusack was the last prioress, and surrendered the priory and its possessions in the thirty-first of Henry VIII. The buildings, and part of the estates, were granted by Edward VI, to Thomas Cusack.

Lismullen has been, for some time, the seat of a branch of the noble family of Dillon, and constitutes, in ecclesiastical arrangement, a part of the union of Skryne. John Dillon, of Lismullen Esq. who had represented in parliament the borough of Ratoath, in this county, received from his Imperial Majesty, Joseph II. in the year 1782, the dignity of a free baron of the sacred Roman Empire, with limitations to his issue, male and female. This honour was conferred in consequence of the active part taken by Mr. Dillon, in the Irish House of Commons, in the discussion of several measures adopted by the legislature for the relief of the Roman Catholics of Ireland; and he was permitted to accept of this distinction by his late Majesty, George III.

"When the hosting is concluded a captain is to be elected, who is to be their baron at that hosting, if taken prisoner, to be ransomed. The ransome to be cessed on every twenty pounds of land.

"No yeoman was to ride in the field. Bowmen were also to go on foot, except the great captain." Hibernica, &c. Edit. 1747. pp. 44-46,

ODDER, two miles to the south of Taragh, is the site of a Nunnery, founded in honour of St. Brigid, by the family of Barnewall, for regular canonesses of the order of St. Augustin. Several cells of nuns, in the county of Meath, were annexed to this house. Margaret Silke, the last abbess, surrendered the nunnery and its appurtenances in the thirty-first of Henry VIII.

At Rosse and Trevet, near Taragh, were also religious institutions, of which little is now known.

KILLKEN CASTLE, the noble mansion of the Earl of Fingall, is situated near the small town of Dunshaghlin. This castle was originally built by De Lacy, about the year 1180, and was, for many ages, the seat of the Cusack family, from whom it passed to that of Plunkett, by the marriage of Joan, daughter and sole heir to Sir Lucas Cusack Knt, Lord of Killeen, Dunsany, and Gerardston, with Sir Christopher Plunkett, who, in 1432, was deputy to Sir Thomas Stanley, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In this family, who were through nine descents styled Barons of Killeen, the estate has since remained, and has, with few in'terruptions, constituted their principal residence. Lucas, the tenth lord baron of Killeen, termed Lucas More (the great) was created Earl of Fingall by King James I, in 1628. Arthur James Plunkett, the present nobleman, is eighth Earl of Fingall and seventeenth lord of Killeen. The castle of Killeen, in its existing state, has few visible traces of high antiquity, but the antient, or "gothic," style of architectural arrangement, has been sedulously, and with a very pleasing effect, cultivated in the extensive alterations made under the direction of the present Earl. Large and tasteful additions, comprising several fine apartments, have been recently carried into execution, after the designs of the able architect Mr. Francis Johnston. His lordship has also improved the demesne by plantations to a great extent, which are in a thriving condition.

At a short distance from the castle is a venerable and interesting church, built under the auspices of Sir Christopher Plunkett, in the early part of the reign of the fourth Edward. In this church

are numerous monuments of the Plunkett family, among which is that of the founder, who died in 1445, and Joan Cusack, his wife, who died in 1441. Sir Christopher and his lady founded, in the church of their erection, a chantry of four priests, to pray for their souls. There was also founded, in the same structure, a Guild, or Fraternity, consisting of brethren and sisters, termed the Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Killeen.-It is believed that an abbey was founded at this place, by St. Endeus, in the sixth century; and also a Nunnery, in which was interred St. Fanchea, sister of the founder.

At the distance of one mile from Killeen is DUNsany Castle, the seat of Edward-Wadding Plunket, Lord Dunsany. The estate of Dunsany was long vested in the Cusack family, and passed, with that of Killeen, to the family of Plunket, or Plunkett, on the marriage of Joan, daughter and heir of Sir Lucas Cusack, with Sir Christopher Plunkett, as before mentioned. The barony and lands of Dunsany descended to Sir Christopher, second son of the above named Sir Christopher Plunkett, and have ever since remained with his posterity. The present nobleman is the fourteenth baron. The castle of Dunsany was originally erected in the twelfth century, and probably by Adam de Feipo, but has been re-edified in a style allusive to the "Gothic," but adapted to modern taste and habits. The park is well suited to the mansion, in extent and beauty, and contains an antient church, in which are interred many of the former barons, and various members of their family. On this demesne is also a lofty rath, or Dun, from which the estate evidently derives the first part of its appellation.

END OF THE COUNTY OF MEATH.