Down the road rises Uisneach, abode of the great;
On whose slopes Irish nobles did once congregate.
And the fires of the Druids boldly blazed there of yore,
Near the town in Westmeath, that is called Ballymore.
Ireland's navel is in the news. Some weeks ago, part of the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath was included in a property, Lunestown House, that was up for auction. The State did not bid, as historians and archaeologists had hoped, and the property went to a local farmer, Mr David Clarke. Now Duchas, The Heritage Service, is negotiating with Mr Clarke to acquire the portion of the estate that is of value. It forms part of a collection of the Hill's features that includes an ancient road, the Palace of Tuathal Techtmhair and features known as St Patrick's Bed and Well. It is also rich in assorted ring-forts (cairns, cashels), pillar stones, mounds, earthworks, cairns, enclosures and a cemetery. Richer still is its folklore, woven richly into the tapestry of Uisneach's story.
"Catstone"
Division is part of Uisneach's history, because Aill na Mireann, the Stone of Divisions, stands there. It is not on the Clarke property but it is the most prominent feature of the hill looking from the Athlone-Mullingar road. Its composition and shape earned it the name "Catstone" but the 12th-century Welsh historian, Geraldus Cambrensis, described it as Umbilicus Hiberniae. If he was accurate, poor Mother Ireland must be a bit of a freak, because Seffin Stone, proudly displayed in Birr since the late Oliver Flanagan returned it there from Clare, was similarly described.
What's more, the Laois-Offaly TD claimed that the Birr stone had been stolen by Daniel O'Connell's followers and used as a Mass Rock because it bore the imprint of the cock that crew three times in St Peter's hearing when Christ was on trial. When advocates found it hard to decide whether Offaly cocks crowed very loudly or whether Peter had very sharp hearing, they came up with the story that the mark was the imprint of Fionn Mac Cumhaill's fingers, made when he hurled the stone at a raiding Scottish giant
The Seffin Stone is a pebble, however, compared with Aill na Mireann. Uisneach's great rock divided the five ancient provinces of Ireland before Meath was absorbed by Leinster. It is a huge erratic in the middle of a low earthen ring over 60 feet in diameter. In legend, it played an important part in the Bel ( Bile) Festival until St Patrick cursed it and Uisneach's other stones so that they could never again be heated by fire nor hiss when cooled by water - a prerequisite for good sound effects at Bel festivals! The De Danann goddess Eire, from whom Ireland got its name, is said to be buried beneath the Catstone and Geoffrey of Monmouth claimed that Merlin the druid brought stones from "Mount Killarus", often identified as Uisneach.
Exploits of Lugh
Brian Friel and Noel Pearson have acquainted the world with the feast of the god, Lugh. He and the mortal female Dechtire were Cuchullain's parents. In the war of the Tain, when Cuchullain was battle-weary from his fight with Ferdia, Lugh appeared and fought for a while alongside his son. Lugh also assisted a beleagured High King, Donn or the Hundred Battles, from 177 to 212 AD. When Lugh and all the other old gods had to go underground in the face of Christianity, Lugh selected Uisneach as his resting place. Demotion followed rapidly and he became a mere shoemaker. The weight of Uisneach above him cramped his style and he developed a hump. This got him the name "Little stooping Lugh", or Lugh Chromain, which was, in turn, Anglicised to Leprechaun. So souvenir manufacturers must bless Uisneacht. Tuathal Teachtmhair (The Legitimate) was High King of Ireland from 130 to 160 AD. Born in England after his mother fled Connaught, he returned and became High King. He formed the province of Meath as the High King's personal estate, so acquisition of property through power is nothing new in this land. As well as his palace on Uisneach, he maintained others at Tlaghtga (near Athboy), Teltown and Tara. Another association with Meath concerned the diocese, which was sub-divided by a synod of bishops that sat at Uisneach in the 12th century.
Brian Boru
The road remains on the Clarke property represent part of the carriageway to Tara. When Maelseaghlin ruled, Brian Boru faced him down by camping on the road where it crossed Uisneach. In later times, Eamon de Valera held a rally on Uisneach.
The Hill of Uisneach is not very imposing. It is a mere 602 feet slope, but as it stands in a flat pastureland in Ireland's centre, the view from its summit is spectacular: "Where a score of the counties of Erin appear On a clear Irish day in the springtime of year."
The ballad about Ballymore may even be modest in its assessment. Many locals claim that, given good weather conditions, up to two dozen counties are visible. Trouble is, the mists of rain as well as history cling to the midlands.
Kevin Kelly Kevin Kelly and The Irish Times confirm that proceedings between them concerning a piece published in An Irishman's Diary on August 29th, 1997 have been settled. The Irish Times wishes to state that nothing in the article was intended to suggest that Kevin Kelly or Checkout magazine was other than a supporter of the democratic process. Further, The Irish Times acknowledges that Kevin Kelly has been for many years a staunch supporter of the SDLP and its endeavours to secure peace and reconciliation.