Letter to the editor 1838

  THE ORDNANCE SURVEY – GREENAN. 

  To the Editor of the Dublin University Magazine.

 ”His tibi Grynæi nemoris dicatur origo

  Ne quis sit lucus, quo se plus jactet Apollo,”

Virgil, Ecl. 6, L. 72, &c.

DEAR SIR – Conceiving that whatever relates to the statistics of Ireland, and its antiquities in particular, forms matter most appropriate for your valuable miscellany, I would beg leave to make it the channel of a few observations on the subject.

I have just read, with equal attention and pleasure, the first volume of the Ordnance Survey of Derry, a work equalled by few, if any, which have ever appeared on Irish statistics, in point of depth of research, clearness of detail, and excellence of arrangement; a work which will lastingly connect the name of Colonel Colby, under whose able guidance it has been compiled, with the best interests of our country. In bringing forward this great national work, that excellent officer appears to have been happily judicious in his selection of assistants, and particularly in that most interesting department of his survey, the antiquarian. The rich mine of Irish antiquities has been made to yield up its hidden treasures to an extent hitherto unequalled, and which cannot fail of being duly appreciated by all who derive the alightest pleasure from such pursuits. Must not he then appear doubly cased in hardihood, who will venture to differ in any point however trifling, from the eminent professors who labour in this field – and this on a point which, what ever may be its intrinsic claims to notice, appears to have been more the subject of elaborate lucubration, than perhaps any other object in the work? I allude to the circular stone building on Greenan mountain in Donegal, which has been pronounced by these learned gentlemen a military remain, but which I, with the greatest deference, conceive to be one connected with religious purposes. In my endeavour to maintain this position I have to confront a tremendous battery of both prose and verse, but I hope, ere I conclude, to be able to turn the weightiest of its shot to my own advantage. But to the point.

I must set out by dissenting altogether from the applicability of the term “ignus fatuus,” to the etymology of townlands and other places in Ireland. For the controverting this novel doctrine, it might be sufficient to quote the following well-grounded observations from the preface to the very work before us: -”As the townland and other divisions, under various denominations, have existed over the whole of Ireland from the earliest times, it soon became apparent that a sufficient extension of the original orthographic inquiries, to trace all the mutations of each name, would be, in fact, to pass in review the local history of the whole country;” and so it would: in fact, so far from etymology being, as has been stated, “an uncertain foundation for historical hypothesis,” particularly in Ireland, it has, on the contrary, been constant matter of remark, how closely the Irish appellation has invariably been found in unison with the character, general circumstances, and history of the place named. I should mention more than one instance, within my own knowledge, in which the name has induced inquiry, and discoveries have, in consequence been made, fully supporting the correctness of the etymology. Our Irish ancestors never gave an unmeaning name to any place; it was left to the taste of a later age to bestow the term “Belleview” upon a prospect of some half-score filthy cabins and a brown expanse of turf-bog, and to assign that of “Woodville” to a spot where a crow might seek in vain for timber enough to repair her nest. Our forefathers indulged not in these fancies, and therefore it is I am led to consider the names bestowed by them, as likely to prove somewhat more sure and useful guide-posts along the “high-ways and bye-ways” of our national history, than the antiquarian of the Survey is disposed to admit. I sincerely regret that it did not suit the purpose or the convenience of this learned gentleman to enter further upon the subject of the sun-worship of our pagan forefathers, than a mere cursory recognition of the fact; for had he, with those means of information of which he appears to have a command so extensive, and with that acuteness which he displays, entered upon any examination or rather detail of its “characteristic peculiarities”, especially as relates to its sacrificial rites and observances, whether performed on the lofty mount or carn, or with greater solemnity within the mystic circle or “cyclopean work,” I am greatly mistaken if his train of reasoning would not have conducted him, in spite of himself, to the circle of Greenan, as particularly illustrative of the subject.

It is agreed on all hands, that the term Grian, making the genitive case Greine, signifies the sun; but there is one fact somehow overlooked, which I consider in no small degree material to my theory, namely, that the term is applied to the luminary, less as the great source of light and heat, than as a deified object of man’s worship and adoration, being clearly adopted from the Apollo Gryuæ us of the heathen mythology, for which see Strabo, lib.13, or what may be more generally accessible, Virgil, Ecl.6, v.72, and Eneid 4, v.345, with the notes thereon. All terms such as Greenan, and many others which I could enumerate, are but dependant derivatives from, and compounds of, this, and many of them of the most figurative character. O’Brien, indeed, goes so far as to make the word to signify also “the bottom of the sea or river, &c.” but in this I am led to think that that learned lexicographer has confounded the word Grian with Grain, signifying “Gravel”, particularly as the Abbe M’Curtin, in his dictionary, published in Paris, 1732, and considered a work of the first authority, does not admit of any signification save one, of the sun.

We have Grian-stad, the solstice, Grian-bheach, the zodiac, Grian-chlock, a sun-dial, &c. These are simple derivatives, but establish the predominancy of the main term; and I conceive that all terms compounded from it must be alike subservient to it; come we then to this compound in question Greenan, which has led to so much ink-shed and argument – Grianan is certainly set down by O’Brien followed by O’Reilly, as bearing these significations, viz. – 1. “A summer retreat.” – 2. A place enclosed on a hill arched or covered over for a commodious prospect. – 3. A royal seat or residence. As to the first, some of the best irish scholars whom I have had opportunities of consulting on the point, are agreed in the opinion that the word should be a “sunny”, not a “summer” retreat – the latter, entirely setting aside the word “Samaradh,” in variably made use of when the summer or anything appertaining to it is to be expressed. As to the second meaning given to the word, there would be something truly bull-ish in the idea of the “summer enclosure on a hill for a commodious prospect,” without window, orifice, or peep-hole of any description to look through, and whose parapet must have been, according to the description given in the Survey, far more than the height of the tallest man above the its existing terrace. Were it not for one peculiar characteristic of these circular works, which the learned antiquarian has avoided all reference to, for I think more highly of him than to imagine for a moment that he is ignorant of the fact, it is this – (and I can not avoid giving our pagan ancestors credit for a good deal of tact and knowledge of human nature in the matter) – the walls or embankments of these circles were of such height as to exclude from the sight of the worshipping assemblage, every object likely to divert their attention from Heaven’s concave and the luminary itself, there rolling in his golden splendour. Such in particular is the tradition respecting that vast circle known by the name of the “Giant’s Ring,” in the county Down, and such, in my humble opinion, must have been the purpose for which the walls of Greenan were erected – this was “the commodious prospect” to which the attention was to be directed there, and that exclusively – any other prospect the spectators must have remained outside the building to take a view of. I long much for the time when that stupendous enclosure in Down, to which I have just alluded, shall come under the notice of those gentlemen who so ably, conduct the antiquarian department of the Survey, anticipating, as I do, that the inquiry will lead to no small degree of coincidence with my view of these matters. The third term “a royal residence,” is evidently figurative in the extreme – we find it applied to Heaven itself as the habitation of the Sun-God, and enlightened by his radiance; and it required no great stretch of imagination, particularly in a fervid-minded Irish poet, to transfer it to a court where, in the honoured days of bardism, he may have found “the winter of discontent,” or want, “made glorious summer by the sun” of royal favour. Need I say how particularly the Irish language abounds in this beautifully figurative style of expression? Some of the most common and apparently vulgar sayings will be found, when duly analyzed, if I may use the term, to come under this head.

A little consideration will, I think, suffice to shew the explorer of Greenan, how completely it comes within the character of the second term above-mentioned, and how completely it does not come within the character of the third. It is a plain, circular enclosure of stone; its walls of the height just suited to the purpose above-mentioned, of excluding all view save that of heaven above; its one, comparatively small entrance, facing the east or sun-rising, and capable of being closed by means of double reveal in its sides; the evident remains of the altar in its centre – not the modern building now existing there, but that beneath it, accessible by a clearly-defined, flagged path from the entrance. The lateral passages have not been accounted for, but there is not the least vestige of any thing that could indicate inhabitancy of any sort, much less that of a mighty monarch and his attendant “tail.” Why, “the camel and the needle’s eye” are not more inappropriately matched, than a little, low aperture, which forms the sole entrance to Greenan, and one of those great Eochys in all the panoply, “pomp, pride, and circumstances” of regal state and war-like equipment; nor could a tenth of the sept or clan have found space even for bivouacing, within a circle so limited in its dimensions for congregational worship; and that the adoration of the Grean or Grynean Apollo, carried on, as it is known to have been, the entire of the localities exhibit the fitness of Greenan, and, to far better antiquarians than I am, its exclusive fitness. But I shall not occupy your pages by entering further into the subject of sun-worship at present – the talented antiquarians of the Survey will have enough of Grianology when they come to describe such places as Carn Graney, in Antrim, Sleive Grane, in Down, Greine mont, in Louth, the Greine Hills, near Gormanstown, in Meath, Granard, in Longford, Moat or Greine oge, in Westmeath, Toom Graney, in Clare, Sleive Grine, in Waterford, and some dozen other places of like designation and “characteristic peculiarities,” which it will be rather difficult to reconcile with the idea of either “summer seat” or “royal residences.”

I now come to the point on which my learned opponent and I agree, or, at least, approximate to it. And this brings me to refer to the poem which he has cited – I am far from under-valuing those kind of records – ballads often speak when history is silent, and, in the absence of other evidence, are entitled to our attention. “We must,” says Mr. Jamison, in his introduction to popular and romantic ballads – Edinburgh, 1814, – “we must look for the state of our forefathers into their ancient rhymes, which served as their memorials and annals.” I am therefore disposed to give to this aileached the same degree and credit, in an historical and statistical point of view, which I do to the Odyssey, the Æ naid, or Chevy Chase. It shews how a certain fair lady (“multi ante Helenam”) misbehaved; how her gallant was killed, and how the slayer, strange to say, was doomed to carry the dead body on his back till he found a stone meet to cover it; this tombstone he finds on the shore of Lough Foyle – mark, Lough Foyle, not Lough Swilly, which washes the foot of Greenan mountain – this stone he carries away, but it must not have been very far, foe he sinks under its weight and dies. Architects are forthwith in requisition, and the residence of Aileach is built near the spot. Now, I am with Moslem implicitness of credence, a “true believer,” in the establishment of this royal residence, or, if you please Greenan of Aileach, and as the names of those handed down as the builders thereof, not doubting but they were master masons in the grand lodge of their day. I only differ with the antiquarian of the Survey in his transfer of the site from the real Aileach or Elagh, which retains its name to the present hour, and exhibits sundry and extensive vestiges of chieftainlike inhabitancy; while, as a military position, or site, for either a temporary entrenched camp, or the fixed residence of a chieftain, requiring both strength and agreeability of situation, it speaks highly of the skill and judgment which dictated it occupation. Let us look at Elagh through this medium – between the two great estuaries of Foyle and Swilly, a distance of about two miles, extends a commanding ridge, elevated about 250 feet above the sea – great part of it answering the description implied by the term aill, translated by O’Brien as “rocky cliffs” or “having rocky brinks” – its flanks washed and defended by the two loughs; parallel with its southern base extends a morass which, even now would present serious obstacles to a well appointed force; but which, in the days of the Eochys, when drainage and Macadam were undreamt of, must have been, I should think, wholly impracticable – about the centre of this ridge, on a plateau rather sloping to the south, and thus enjoying all the advantage of the genial sunshine stands Elaghmore or Aileach the great, retaining its named unchanged throughout the lapse of ages. The ruin still existing is given by the survey to the O’Doghertys. Sir Cahir may have built on the spot, but as the clan Dogherty succeeded the O’Gormleys, who appear to have had their head quarters there many years before, it is not unreasonable to conclude, that any thing done by Sir Cahir was rather in the way of repair or rebuilding, than founding a fortress on a spot so long occupied as a defensive post. It would take up more space than I am willing to occupy in your pages, to enumerate, as I might do, the further and peculiar advantages of Aileach as a position; – in a word, I consider it one which Colonel Colby would select, and Wellington approve, and to the judgment of either I would leave it to decide, whether it is likely that chieftains, such as we have described to us, either in prose or poetry, would have selected for a station of defence or residence – the bald summit of a hill, accessible on every side, in preference to the well defended ridge of which of which I have been attempting to give some idea.

Now I will go a step further in the way of agreement with the antiquarian of the Survey. I consider it far from unlikely that there may have been such a connection between the circle of Greenan and the fortress of Aileach, as may have led to its being named the Greenan of Aileach, a designation, however, which it was reserved for the Survey to bring to light. The Pagan piety of the day may have occasioned the establishment of the consecrated circle, for its peculiar acts of worship, at a convenient distance from the head quarters of the chief and his sept, as we see a Christian chapel almost invariably attached to the most ancient feudal or baronial fortalices. The mysteries of Paganism admitted of a less close contact with the habitations of men, and particularly with the vicinity of a camplike court; and though not a poet I can fancy the chief of Elaghmore and his followers crossing the intervening valley, and wending up the steep of Greenan to hail the Grian of their devotion, within the circle dedicated to his honour and worship. The fact of this circle having been resorted to until within these forty years, for religious purposes, is set down in the Survey, to the enforcement of the penal laws – prodigious! Persecution has driven men, wishing to worship God according to their consciences, into the depths of the glen, the darkness of the forest, or the gloom of the cavern; but that persons trembling for existence, and anxious to escape observation, should resort congregationally to the most exposed and conspicuous spot in the country, is rather at odds with probability. We must therefore attribute it to a more reasonable cause, the original and continued sanctity of the place. It is a well known fact, that the early propagators of Christianity in Ireland, were too good judges of human nature to expect that men could be induced, all at once, to abandon forms, to desert much less to destroy Fanes hallowed to them, however mistakenly, by a thousand endearing associations; instead, therefore, of insisting upon, or attempting to accomplish any thing of the kind, they judiciously retained the place of worship, while they changed the object of adoration. Hence we see the Christian church, and the symbol of atonement reared beside the tower of the fire-worshipers; surely then it is not unreasonable to conclude, that a place of worship so remarkable as Greenan appears to have been, must have come in for its re-consecration, and continued, more or less, in the odour of sanctity until the period just mentioned. In truth, I might almost rest upon these strong facts and circumstances the entire of my claim for the circle of Greenan, as having been originally devoted to religious purposes. But I find myself powerfully borne out by the local antiquary of the district. – (I grieve to say the late) Mr. Peter M’Loughlin, a man of considerable talent in that line, who takes precisely the same view with me of Greenan, as may be seen by a reference to his well written account of the old castle of Burt, in its immediate vicinity, in No. 64 of that excellent compilation, the Dublin Penny Journal, the discontinuance of which is, in my opinion, much to be regretted. Mr. M’Loughlin was (as I am informed, for I never met him) a person, in many respects, eminently qualified to form an opinion as to the antiquities of the neighbourhood of his residence, and one whose judgment in such matters was well entitled to attention.* I have now put forth the grounds of my dissent from the opinion of the antiquarian of the Survey in the case of Greenan. I trust I have done so with the diffidence of one conscious of his own immeasurable inferiority to that learned Professor, in point of either individual powers or general advantages; and also without having resorted to a single expression capable of being construed into the slightest undervaluing of those of whom I should prefer being (if permitted) the humble fellow labourer than the opponent, in a work of such great national importance. I have endeavoured, through your indulgence, to place the two theories, religious and military, respecting Greenan, in a fuller point of view, than I consider to have been done in the Survey. Those who take an interest in such matters will form their judgment, and I can only say, that should their verdict be unfavourable to my view of the question, I shall consider it no disgrace to strike my flag to such superior weight of metal.

I remain yours,

W.B—–.

Jan. 30th, 1838.

* The poem cited, alludes to a huge stone, under the weight of which the bearer sunk, and near which Aileach was built. Now it is a curious fact, and not to be overlooked, that there does exist such a rude monument at Belmount, about a quarter of a mile from the shore of the Foyle, rendered holy, as tradition goes, by the preaching of St. Columb from it. Should this stone be alluded to, (and I know of none answering the description so fully,) the real Elagh lies nearer to it, by nearly two miles, than does Greenan.

A quite interest in history

Odin & Setanta

Odin

Setanta

Given the Cinderella

My much appreciated neighbour just brought me some pages from last weeks Inish Times, a local newspaper. In the short breaks section they kindly added Inishowen to it under the heading: ‘A heavenly haven’. From it the following quote:

“The name Inishowen comes from the Irish meaning Island of Eoghain. Eoghain was the son of Niall Mor Naoighiallach or Niall of the Nine Hostages, one of the High Kings of Ireland. King Niall was based at the enigmatic site of the Grianán Aileach, a fort or temple that was built to honour the pre-Celt god, Dagda. This fort, which is located at one of the most southerly points of the peninsula, was erected around 1700 BC and is believed to be the oldest monument in Ireland with only the famous fort of Newgrange in Co Meath contesting this fact. …

One of the best vantage points to take in the breath-taking beauty of Inishowen is to be found at the castle, An Grianán Aileach. The castle was one of the famed Clan O’Dochertaigh’s strongholds and is one of the best known castles, which can be easily observed from the Derry to Letterkenny road. You can get quite close to this ancient fortress by taking a side-road off the main road, however, the actual castle lies on private ground.”

Under such impertinent circumstances, for I haven not come across so many blundering mistakes in so few lines, I may be forgiven for feeling utterly disposed of all my senses. Not only seemed the author of those lines unable to google and safely copy and past whole sections, which would have left him or her at least with slightly more clarity on Newgrange, the difference between a fort and a passage tomb and Irish history as such, this writer also managed miraculously to combine the two sites of the structure at Greenan Hill (Grianán Aileach) and Aileach Mor (with the remains of the O Dochartaigh Castle) outside Derry into one location, despite the four kilometres placed between them.

Since an Inishowen paper can’t or wont be bothered to put a little effort into getting the much limited known facts of Inishowen’s past straight, I fear, there is no hope of getting it from the rest of this island. A very enchanted view, of that I have no doubt, of what will survive of our history in a Walt Disney’s ‘Cinderella’ version, may not be as far fetched as one would wish to believe.

A short circuit of the feast at Aileach

I could have sworn I walked over the ground today where the banqueting hall of this feast once stood:

The kings of Erin in fetters,

With Muircheartach son of warlike Niall,

Ten hundred heroes of distinguished valour

Of the race of the fierce fair Eoghan.

The Son of the living God was pleased

With Muircheartach, the son of Niall;

Long in possession of the sovereignty of Banba

Be the descendant of Neill Frossaigh , the most valiant.

The noble kings were attended

According to the pleasure of the race of Niall,

Without sorrow, without gloom in the house,

As if they had been clerics.

Ten score hogs – no small work, -

Ten score cows, two hundred oxen,

Were slaughtered at the festive Aileach,

For Muircheartach of the great fetters.

Three score vats of curds,

Which banished the hungry look of the army,

With a sufficiency of cheering mead

Were given by the magnanimous Muircheartach.

Twelve vats of choice mead

Were given to the kings of Ereann,

The dinner of an hundred of each kind of food, nobly

Was given gratuitously to them from the Queen.

From The circuit of Ireland by Muircheartach mac Néill (in Irish)

This is so far the only translation I could find. The feast took place at the end of winter beginning of spring in 942. The site is east/north-east of the ruin of the O Dochartaigh Castle at Aileach Mor, below the remains of a impressive farm. All the fields in the vicinity have stone walls. And there are so many of it. Most of the fields have been cleared beyond hope of any features over the last centuries. Robert, the farmer I talked to, said, that he didn’t know who built the stone walls and that he doesn’t believe it either, that all the stones were taken out of the fields. The overall size of the complex of the royal seat must have been enormous. Tara comes to mind. Aileach had no mound of hostages but a house for them. Both sites had a banqueting hall, fit for a of thousand warriors.

Just outside the boundary of White Oaks, a Christian centre, seem to be the remains of a Stone Age burial site. Two earthen, circular structures at Dundrean, which, most likely where supporting raths to the royal site, used to be just beside it. Another one was just across the bog, now the Buncrana Road, connecting Bridgend with Derry, at Bunnamayne. There might have been at least one more, covering the rear, towards what is now Culmore. The rest is pretty much sheltered by a hill range and the gap between seems to have been to some amount bog on the 1661 map. But as I said before, no hope really, of finding any trace of these places today. But a magnificent spot is there, no doubt, fit for a king.

The visibility, higher you go up the hillocks, covers the penetrations of the Atlantic, called Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle, much more intimate, than it does from the distance of the circular structure on top of what is now called Greenan Hill. And the space available does by no stretch of imagination cover what would be needed to accommodate besides 1000 warriors, several hostage kings, “Ten score cows, two hundred oxen,” and most importantly the sleeping and toilet arrangements for a feast like this.

With many thanks to John

Determined not to hit the brakes under any circumstances in the most treacherous bend on Greenan Hill, covered with ice and snow, is one thing, reflexes by habit another. As a result my car got out of control and went like a shot through the bank beside the road. It should have tipped over at this stage for the first time.

Just as I managed to get out another car came down and stopped. I am quite certain that I will not find the words to express my astonishment nor gratitude for what happened next.

It was a mission impossible rescue.

The man, who came out of that car, was by divine intervention and foresight armed with rope and shovel. He dug my car out, he pulled my car out from both directions, wheels were hanging in the air and it looked on more than one occasion, as if it would just fall over on its side for good. But it didn’t. And with his tremendous ability and determination he got the car, very straight, back on the road.

It must haven taken him nearly a hour. Safe and sound back home, car include, it still remains a mystery to me, how on earth he could have possibly manage to pull this off and my car from this bank.

‘Oh ye of little faith.’

With deep appreciation and great admiration – thank you so much, John.

About my association with Grianan

An email I received this morning:

‘Dear Ms Bettina Linke,

I am a student in Derry and I am doing research on Grianán Ailigh for a dissertation. I was just wondering what your association with Grianán is, and how you came to be interested in its history and restoration?

Yours sincerely,’

And my reply:

Dear …

Thank you for your email.

Although your question concerning my association with Grianan seems to be straight forward and simple enough , the answer, I am afraid is not, since I don’t know it myself.

Some twelve, thirteen years ago I visited for the first time Derry and on my first day someone asked me if I planned to see Grianan of Aileach. At the time I worked in Munich in a travel agency for England, Wales and Ireland and as a frequent visitor to Kerry was well acquainted with brochures and literature on Ireland, only I never heard of Inishowen or Grianan. Despite that, neither of them failed to make a deep impression. A year later I moved permanently. Considering that I am interested in history for as long as I can remember, it makes sense to me that I am taken by the richness of this area, which is sadly barely explored and tremendously underestimated.

In November 2000 the Lough Swilly facing side of Grianan collapsed and although I regarded this incident as strange, since a national monument with visitor walking on its wall could just collapse over night without anyone noticing, I thought no more off it. The wall was going to be repaired and that will be the end of it. But it wasn’t. The same section collapsed in 2003 and 2005. In 2007 it was taken down and rebuilt for the fourth time. In 2006 the gate section was replaced. Needless to say that I am deeply appalled by such treatment of a national treasure. In 2003 I wrote my first letter to the editor to the Derry Journal, which was published. Between the collapses I try to find out more of its history.

And that is basically it.

Sincerely,

Between Aileach and a hard place

My letter to the editor was not published but our councillors seem to have finally gotten hold of information they all lacked so badly last week. One even ‘attributed the problems to the break up of the state body Duchas’. Now they are all puffing and shoving for votes in the upcoming election for the European Parliament, using the old Grianan of Aileach as one of their pawns to play determination with. But since none of them has even a basic knowledge of the history of Inishowen, never mind interest, they are talking out of their depths and their behind. Neither has one of them ever been known for calling in at least an archaeological survey in a highly sensitive area of rich historical background before the JCBs moved in, nor did any of them stopped the destruction of beautiful architecture or landscapes.

Their rather outlandish upheaval to aid and promote the ailing monument most likely is going to be in vain. Chances are, that by the time Donegal County Council gets something done for Inishowen, a section of the wall has collapsed or is in the process of being taken down and rebuild again by the Office of Public Works. Besides, I cannot see for the life of me, why the Office of Public Works would want to ‘maximise the tourism potential’ of this site, knowing well, what has to happen.

The thought crossed my mind to support our fine councillors in their honourable task. Shame though, that all will get very quite once the votes have been cast.

Why indeed

Article in last Fridays Derry Journal

Why is Grianan of Aileach still being neglected? – MacLochlainn asks

Despite being one of Ireland’s truly historic sites, Burt’s Grianan of Aileach is all but ignored both in terms of the provision of facilities and tourism promotion
In another attempt to rectify this Sinn Fein’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has submitted a motion to Donegal County Council aimed at maximising the potential of the ancient ring fort.
Since election to Donegal County Council in 2004, Colr Mac Lochlainn has campaigned for the development of the structure, repeatedly raising the matter at council meetings and meeting with Office of Public Works (OPW) officials on site at An Grianan on two occasions.
Cllr Mac Lochlainn said: “Last year, I visited the site at the Hill of Tara in County Meath and witnessed for myself the facilities for visitors at that location. I would argue that An Grianan is an equally important historical location to the island of Ireland as it was also the base of the High Kingship of Ireland (Ard Rí) at a time and is visually more impressive in terms of the panoramic views around it.
“So why does it continue to be neglected? Why is it not even mentioned on the OPW’s own Heritage Sites of Ireland map? Why is the signage to the site on approach roads so poor? I am tired of the lack of focus on An Grianan. In recent years, there have been ongoing works to ensure the safety of the structure and despite some controversy, following a meeting with OPW officials at the site; I accept the works were necessary. But it is now time to develop the potential of this wonderful national treasure.
” I have submitted the following motion for the next meeting of the council and I am confident of its successful passing and I am utterly determined to ensure that its objectives are delivered.”
The motion reads: “That Donegal County Council immediately lead up a strategic initiative to maximise the tourism potential of Grianan of Aileach in partnership with the OPW and Duchas and to give An Grianan its place in our national heritage”.

Letter to the Editor of the Derry Journal

LACK OF FOCUS

Councillor Pádraig MacLochlainn put last week a motion forward “ to maximise the tourism potential of Grianan of Aileach in partnership with the OPW and Duchas and to give An Grianan its place in our national heritage”.
If he is talking about Duchas – The Heritage Service and Irish State body responsible for national monuments and historic properties, then good luck to him, because this Duchas has been abolished in 2003. It was seen as an obstacle in the preparations for the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004, which gave the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the power to injure and to destruct a national monument without any restriction to archaeological considerations (Section 14/2d). And because a motorway was going to be built through the world heritage site at Tara, so much praised by Councillor MacLochlainn, the construction of this road did already include the above and worse.
The responsibilities of Duchas were split between the Department of aforesaid Minister and the Department for Finance and the OPW.
Staying with the Office of Public Works and in connection with Grianan of Aileach, – maximising “the tourism potential” is not something which would naturally spring to mind, considering what must be the record closure for any national monument in such short amount of time. Re-arranging the layout, shape-shifting and concreting a dry stone monument aside, but if I would have had a garden wall built by fault or design by a company with such a record of collapses, like the OPW has with Grianan of Aileach, I would only let my enemies walk on top of it.

Maybe if Councillor MacLochlainn would have had experienced this extent of construction failure on his own house, he would have been less trusting towards the lullaby of those responsible for it. He might even have been able to focus a little bit harder on the underlying issues.

Link for National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004

What would you think if I sang out of tune

When a new year starts with the realisation that, what was perceived as Grianan of Aileach until now and since the 1830’s, is not the circular structure on top of Greenan Hill but underneath the meagre remains of an old O’Doherty castle at Eleaghmore a few miles away, then one may wonder, what the remaining days of this year could possibly bring.
And it does leave the most important place on earth to me without a name.
Many names were given to a place of power and kings, destined to rule this island and change the course of its history. Amongst those names:

Ailech Neit
Ailech Frigrend
Ailech na Rig
Rath Ailig
Grianan Ailigh

All apply, so it seems, to one place alone, a mighty ringfort “Set on a narrow neck of land With seas to either hand” and a “noble lime house”, a “castle of limewashed [...](?) walls“. – Aileach Mor, todays Eleaghmore.
The place I go to frequently is set on a narrow neck of land with seas to either hand, but had no man made lime to cover the outside of its walls at any given time.
Nor would this place ever accommodate anything bigger than a family farmstead. The inside barely equals the floorspace of todays narrow restriction of council housing. Even if the outer ramparts are taken into account, which even in its heyday would have been laughable in a military sense as defence mechanism, the available space does not allow for more than a good sized farm with a few outbuildings for storage. But for what purpose would anyone have had a farmstead built on such unique and magnificent spot, overlooking a significant part of the land, if there are surely more practical and less seasonal depending spots as far as cold temperature and strong winds are concerned.

Some months ago I finally got to read Dr. Brian Lacy’s contribution to the Donegal Annual in the 1980’s. In it he mentions the return of Muircertach of the Leather Cloaks from his winter circuit of Ireland (( hostage taking, cattle raiding etc). As he reached Aileach on his return with his hostages plus additional luggage and one thousand warmly clothed warriors, who where crucial to mount such ordeal in the first place,  a feast was instigated at Aileach in the beginning of 942 AD, at a time the Aileach in question would have been firmly in the hands of Cenel Eogain as their seat of power and a palace of their residence, with “ten score hogs, ten score cows and two hundred oxen …’. ‘Three score vats of curdes’ and a ‘sufficiency of cheering mead banished the hungry look of the army’ and the hostage kings.”

Not only do I find it difficult to imagine this amount of people on such a small hilltop as the one occupying the site known currently as Grianan of Aileach. There is no sufficient space on this top, I have found so far, nor in its surroundings, which could possible accommodate such feast, which probably lasted for days. Not only is there no space to collect such amount of food as in two hundred oxen and the space to prepare, I also would contest that there is nothing on this hilltop to host such an enterprise, as a banqueting hall, without having your plate on your knees, your muscles of your behind and your legs firmly concentrated on preventing you to slope, always so slightly, and I can not help thinking that those thousand strong warriors, eating and drinking, had nowhere to go to relieve themselves during this feast, than the very spot they sat on. I have no doubt in my mind, that out of practical experience, they would have been very well aware of the fact that you do not share immediate food consumption or preparation of such and places of retirement for sleep with areas of relieve of the very fertile but nevertheless poisonous if not lethal product of such exercise if in close proximity to the above. Besides, it would have created some considerable amount of stink , if exercised within this very confined facility, despite the “lofty” location of this spot.

There are other doubts which concern the layout of the gate and the platforms. And that everything about it screams place of worship, meeting place and perfect for courts.

There is this place of great importance, the guardian of the northern island, with no name to call nor memory to revoke.
What a beginning indeed.

The Returning of the Light