Royal Inauguration in Gaelic Ireland C. 1100-1600: A Cultural Landscape Study, Volume 22This investigation considers the places on the Irish landscape where open-air Gaelic royal inauguration assemblies were held in the period c. 1100-1600. Specially designated inauguration sites played an important role in the political life of Gaelic lordships in later medieval Ireland. Gaelic ruling families often appropriated prehistoric ritual landscapes for their royal assemblies in order to attach the pedigree of a royal candidate to an illustrious past; such sites might be an alleged burial place of an eponymous ancestor or a legendary heroic figure, or an ancient landscape associated with renowned events. This study of their physical appearance, place-names, and geographical and historical contexts ranges over all the archaeological sites identified as inauguration places - enclosures, sepulchral mounds, natural places, ringforts and churches, and associated inauguration furniture in the form of 'leaca' and stone thrones, basin stones and sacred trees. Irish royal assembly places and practices are viewed in relation to sites elsewhere in Britain and greater Europe, and the circumstances that brought about the ending of the Gaelic practice of inauguration are also considered. ELIZABETH FitzPATRICK is Lecturer in Medieval Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway. |
Contents
Chapter | 13 |
4 | 27 |
Chapter 2 | 41 |
2 | 52 |
3 | 68 |
4 | 81 |
5 | 87 |
Chapter 3 | 99 |
3 | 185 |
Chapter 6 | 195 |
4 | 208 |
Epilogue | 213 |
5 | 214 |
List of Attested Inauguration Sites | 229 |
Footprint Stones at Church Sites or Attributed to Saints | 235 |
Provenancing the Chair of Clann Aodha Buidhe Michael J Simms | 243 |
99 | 116 |
2 | 128 |
STONE THRONES | 131 |
Chapter 5 | 173 |
Bibliography | 249 |
Placename Index | 269 |
283 | |
Common terms and phrases
Acallam na Senórach agus Airgialla Aodh Archaeological Bréifne cairn Carn Amhalghaidh Carn Fraoich Carraig an Dúin chief church Cill Mhic Nenáin Cinéal Clann Aodha Buidhe Cnoc Conchobhair Connacht County Cruachain Dál Dál Cais Dál Riata Dindshenchas Donegal Dublin Dumha Dunadd early medieval enclosure footprint stone Gabhra Gaelic hill Ibid inauguration ceremonies inauguration place inauguration site inauguration sites inauguration stone Ireland Killala Kilmacrenan king of Connacht king-making Kings to Warlords kingship landscape later medieval period lordship Lough lucht tighe Mág Uidhir Magh Adhair Metrical Dindshenchas Monaghan monuments Mór mound Mullach Leac Ó Domhnaill Ó Néill O'Donovan Oirghialla Ordnance Survey place-name poem prehistoric Raghallaigh Ráith recorded ringfort rite ritual rock royal inauguration Ruairc seat Selga Sgiath Gabhra Simms stone chair suggests summit Teamhair territory throne Tír Conaill townland tradition trans Tudor Tulach Óg Tynwald Uí Chonchobhair Uí Dhomhnaill Uí Fhiachrach Uí Néill Ulster