Magh Slécht (sometimes
Anglicised
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
as Moyslaught) is the name of a historic plain in
Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles (8 km
2) situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport,
Barony Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of
Tullyhaw, in the west of
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is base ...
. It is bounded on the south by
Templeport Lough, on the north by
Slieve Rushen mountain, on the east by the
Shannon–Erne Waterway, and on the west by the
River Blackwater. Magh Slécht formed part of the Province of
Connacht until the 16th century when it was made part of the Province of
Ulster.
It was originally named Magh Senaig (plain of the hill-slope) and under this guise is mentioned in ''
The Metrical Dindshenchas'' in the story of the
Dagda, Corrgenn and
Ailech, wherein it states the Corrgenn travelled from Tara to
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle ( or "loch of the lip"), is the estuary of the River Foyle, on the north coast of Ireland. It lies between County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Sovereignty over ...
in the
Inishowen peninsula ''via'' Mag Senaig.
In Pre-Christian times the small area where the
Crom Cruach idol stood at
Killycluggin and
Kilnavert was originally named ''Fossa Slécht'' or ''Rath Slécht'' and it is from this small location that the wider Magh Slécht area received its name. In 1911 BC during the reign of Fodbgen, the Firbolg High-King of Ireland, the name Magh Senaig was changed to Magh Slécht (''The plain of prostrations'') as it became the nationwide centre of the cult of the
god Crom Cruach. Another interpretation is Magh Sleacht meaning the ''Plain of the Monument''.
St. Patrick
ST, St, or St. may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Stanza, in poetry
* Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band
* Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise
* Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
is said to have thrown down Crom Cruaich when he stretched out the
Bachal Isu from a neighbouring hill causing it to fall over with its head pointing toward the
Hill of Tara. The twelve surrounding idols were then swallowed up by the earth.
Another name for the plain was Magh Lecet or Magh Leced. The ancient Irish prayed by prostrating themselves in a similar fashion to today's
Muslims, i.e. by kneeling down on both knees and touching the forehead against the earth. The plain is not flat but consists of little
drumlin hills. However, as it is surrounded by mountains, it is a plain in comparison. In the old Irish tale ''The Siege of Druim Damhgaire or Knocklong'' (''Forbhais Droma Dámhgháire''), one of King
Cormac Mac Art's druids was called Cecht of Magh Slécht.
Occupation
This area has been in constant occupation from pre-4000 BC up to the present day, as is evidenced by the huge number of ancient monuments which still survive. In a small area of there are over 80 monuments of different types, with many others bound to be discovered by future archaeological searches. It is the densest grouping of such monuments in County Cavan and possibly in Ireland.
Included are
* 9
megalithic tombs
* 7
Ring barrow
A ring cairn (also correctly termed a ring bank enclosure, but sometimes wrongly described as a ring barrow) is a circular or slightly oval, ring-shaped, low (maximum 0.5 metres high) embankment, several metres wide and from 8 to 20 metres in ...
s
* 3 different
stone circle
A stone circle is a ring of standing stones. Most are found in Northwestern Europe – especially in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany – and typically date from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, with most being built from 3000 BC. The be ...
s
* 9 different
standing stone
A menhir (from Brittonic languages: ''maen'' or ''men'', "stone" and ''hir'' or ''hîr'', "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large human-made upright rock (geology), stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. T ...
s
* 2 stone-rows
* 5 enclosures
* 6
crannogs
* 33
ráths or souterrains
* 3 Early-Christian church-sites
* 2 Early-Christian Holy Wells
* 2
Bullaun
A bullaun ( ga, bullán; from a word cognate with "bowl" and French ''bol'') is the term used for the depression in a stone which is often water filled. Natural rounded boulders or pebbles may sit in the bullaun. The size of the bullaun is high ...
s
* 2 Medieval castles
The area was first inhabited by
Neolithic hunter-gatherer
A traditional hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living an ancestrally derived lifestyle in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local sources, especially edible wild plants but also insects, fungi, ...
s who arrived via the river (originally called the
Gráinne river & now canalised as the Woodford Canal or the
Shannon-Erne Waterway). The first named inhabitants were the
Masraige
The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...
tribe who ruled Magh Slécht until they were conquered by the
Uí Briúin tribe in the 8th century AD. The Masraighe were also called the ''Sons of the Liath'' or the ''Tuatha Slécht'' and Magh Slécht was sometimes called ''Liathmhuine''. It is of interest that Conall Gulban, the first nobleman baptised by St. Patrick, thus opening the way for the conversion of the ruling classes of Ireland, was murdered by the
Masraige
The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...
at ''Magh Slécht'' (
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is base ...
) in 464. He was buried by
Saint Caillin
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ortho ...
at
Fenagh,
County Leitrim. The descendants of the Ui Briuin included the McGovern clan who are still the most numerous surname in the area.
Historical events

The main events in the history of Magh Slécht as listed in the ancient sources are
# The Journey of
Corrgenn through Mag Senaig in 2000 BC
# The killing of
Regan, the
Fomorian, at Tomregan in 1860 BC.
# The death of the
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...
,
Tigernmas, & 4,000 of his followers in the Seventh Plague of Ireland while worshipping
Crom Cruaich
Crom Cruach ( sga, Cromm Crúaich ) was a pagan god of pre-Christian Ireland. According to Christian writers, he was propitiated with human sacrifice and his worship was ended by Saint Patrick.
He is also referred to as ''Crom Cróich'', ''C ...
on 31 October (Samhain,
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
),
1413 B.C. His grave there is marked by a standing stone.
# The Battle of
Tuaim Drecain (
Tomregan) in 1342 BC by the High King
Eochaid Faebar Glas.
# The murder of the Ulster hero
Conall Cernach in the 1st century BC at ''Áth na Mianna'' (
Ballyconnell
Ballyconnell () is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is situated on the N87 national secondary road at the junction of four townlands: Annagh, Cullyleenan, Doon (Tomregan) and Derryginny in the parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw.
Ball ...
). His grave is supposedly marked by a hilltop cairn.
# The Battle of Magh Slecht in
80 AD by the High King
Tuathal Techtmar
# The battle of Luachair beyond Mag Slecht by King
Cormac mac Airt in 239 A.
# The killing of the druid Cecht of Magh Slécht in
c.246 in Ireland, 246 AD by the druid
Mug Ruith and the Army of Munster at the Siege of Knocklong
# The destruction of the idol Crom Cruach (The
La Tène Killycluggin Stone) by
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
in the 5th century AD and the founding of a church there at ''Fossa Slécht'' under St.
Banban the Wise
Banban the Wise, Irish saint, fl. ''c.'' mid to late 5th century. Banban was installed by St. Patrick as pastor of the Domnach Mór (Big Church) in Templeport, County Cavan, County Cavan, Ireland which was erected after destroying the idol of pre- ...
.
# The murder of King
Conall Gulban of
Tír Chonaill, a kingdom in west
Ulster, by the
Masraige
The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...
in
464 AD.
# The birth of St.
Dallan Forgaill
Dallan is a given name and surname. Notable people with this name include:
* Dallán mac Breasal, 5th century Irish king
* Dallan Forgaill, 6th century Irish saint
* Dallán mac Móre, 8th–9th century Irish poet
* Dallan Muyres
Dallan Muyres ...
, the
Chief Ollam of Ireland, in c.
530
__NOTOC__
Year 530 (Roman numerals, DXXX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lampadius and Rufius Gennadius Pr ...
AD
# The birth of St. Mogue (also known as Saint
Aidan of Ferns
Aidan or Aiden is a modern version of a number of Celtic language names, including the Irish male given name ''Aodhán'', the Scottish Gaelic given name Aodhan and the Welsh name Aeddan. Phonetic variants, such as spelled with an "e" instead ...
) in
550 AD
# The foundation of the University of Tuaim Drecain (
Tomregan) by the Synod of Drumceat in
584
__NOTOC__
Year 584 ( DLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 584 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...
AD.
# The murder of the relatives of King
Báetán mac Muirchertaig
Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572), also Baetán Bríge, was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. He was the son of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died 534), also considered a high king. He was a member of the C ...
in 620 AD
'Annals of Ulster''
# The Battle of Magh Slecht, Battle of Magh Slécht in 1256 AD, between a united Breifne– Connacht force and the forces of the O'Reilly and House Burke
See also
* Tomas Óg Mág Samhradháin Tomas may refer to:
People
* Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name
* Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name
* Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name
* Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...
References
External links
Maps of Magh Slécht through the centuries
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magh Slecht
Geography of County Cavan
Archaeological sites in County Cavan
1st century in Ireland