Barrow - ring-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

On Silliot Hill (OD 499 feet). A circular area (diam. 33m) is enclosed by a very regular earthen bank (H 1.4m; W 3.7m), with slight traces of an internal fosse. In 1955, it was noted that the bank looked ‘partially remodelled’, the fosse was some 12 feet (c. 3.65m) wide but was ‘effaced in parts’, and there was a ‘ruined summer house’ on the fosse and bank at NW (SMR file). Ó Murchadha (2002, 70) concludes that, ‘ … here, on or around Silliothill in the parish of Carnalway, Oenach Carmain was celebrated.’ Oenach/áenach generally denotes an assembly of people, and originally these celebrations were probably funeral rites, so that óenach became associated with such burial sites as Tailtiu, Brug na Bóinne and Emain Macha. Among the Laigin of south Leinster, the assembly known as Oenach Carmain was a highly esteemed one (ibid. 57).

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 14 June 2012

References

Ó Murchadha, D. 2002 Carman, site of Óenach Carmain: a proposed location. Éigse 33, 57-70.