Uisnech
Encyclopedia
The Hill of Uisneach, or Ushnagh, also Uisnech , formerly regarded as the centre of Ireland, is a historical site in County Westmeath
(National Monument Number 155). The 182 metre hill lies on the north side of the R390 road
, 8 km east of the village of Ballymore
, beside the village of Loughanavally. The Hill of Uisneach occupies parts of four adjacent townlands: Ushnagh Hill, Mweelra, Rathnew, and Kellybrook.
In Irish mythology, it was considered to be the omphalos
or mystical navel of Ireland
, upon which rested a great stone (Ail na Míreann, which means "stone of divisions") which was said to indicate the meeting point of the provincial borders of Leinster
, Munster
, Connacht
, Ulster
, and Mide
(which was once a separate, fifth province). Tradition tells that the Hill of Uisneach was a site favoured for Beltane
fires and Druid
ical ceremonies, and as a ceremonial site it was regarded as second only to Emain Macha
. In the poetic history Lebor Gabála Érenn
(Book of the Takings of Ireland), the Nemed
ian Druid Mide
lit the first fire there. A fire was also lit on the Hill of Uisneach on the feast of Bealtaine. This fire could be seen from Tara, and when they saw it, they lit their fire.
According to a popular passage from the same record, Ériu
, a tutelary goddess sometimes viewed as the personification of Éire (Ireland), meets the invading Milesians
at the Hill of Uisneach where, after some conversation and drama, the Milesian poet Amairgin promises to give the country her name. Geoffrey of Monmouth
's Historia Regum Britanniae
(History of the Kings of Britain) claims a common belief that Stonehenge
was transported to Britain from the Hill of Uisneach. St. Brigid of Christian legend, is also notably connected with fire.
Based on co-ordinates alone, some have theorised that this may be the site identified as Raiba or Riba, by Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy), the Egyptian-Greek astronomer and cartographer, writing in his Geographia around the year 140 A.D.
Archaeologically, the site consists of a set of monuments spread over two square kilometres in the closely adjoining townlands of Ushnagh, Kellybrook, and Rathnew, which includes enclosures and barrows, a possible megalithic tomb, and two ancient roads. The largest enclosure was excavated in the 1920s by R.A.S. Macalister and R. Praeger and showed evidence of occupation from prehistory up to the early mediaeval period.
The actual geographical centre of Ireland
is near the western shore of Lough Ree
.
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
(National Monument Number 155). The 182 metre hill lies on the north side of the R390 road
R390 road
The R390 road is a regional road in Ireland linking Athlone to Mullingar, all of it within County Westmeath. It passes through the town of Ballymore, and several hamlets, before terminating in Mullingar.The road is long.-References:...
, 8 km east of the village of Ballymore
Ballymore, County Westmeath
Ballymore is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland, on the R390 road between Athlone and Mullingar. The historic Hill of Uisneach is nearby.-Demographics:In the 2006 Census, the village had a population of 485, a 6% increase above the 2002 Census.-Sport:...
, beside the village of Loughanavally. The Hill of Uisneach occupies parts of four adjacent townlands: Ushnagh Hill, Mweelra, Rathnew, and Kellybrook.
In Irish mythology, it was considered to be the omphalos
Omphalos
An omphalos is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel" . According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world...
or mystical navel of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, upon which rested a great stone (Ail na Míreann, which means "stone of divisions") which was said to indicate the meeting point of the provincial borders of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, and Mide
Kingdom of Mide
Mide , spelt Midhe in modern Irish and anglicised as Meath, was a medieval kingdom in Ireland for over 1,000 years. Its name means "middle", denoting the fact that lay in the middle of Ireland....
(which was once a separate, fifth province). Tradition tells that the Hill of Uisneach was a site favoured for Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
fires and Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
ical ceremonies, and as a ceremonial site it was regarded as second only to Emain Macha
Emain Macha
]Navan Fort – known in Old Irish as Eṁaın Ṁacha and in Modern Irish as Eamhain Mhacha – is an ancient monument in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. According to Irish legend, it was one of the major power centers of pre-Christian Ireland...
. In the poetic history Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
(Book of the Takings of Ireland), the Nemed
Nemed
Nemed , meaning "holy" or "privileged" is a figure of Irish mythology who features in The Book of Invasions...
ian Druid Mide
Kings of Mide
In medieval Ireland, the Kings of Mide were of the Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the Uí Néill. Several were High Kings of Ireland. After the collapse of the kingdom in the 12th century its dynasty, the Ua Mael Sechlainn or Ó Melaghlins, were forced west and settled on the east bank of the Shannon...
lit the first fire there. A fire was also lit on the Hill of Uisneach on the feast of Bealtaine. This fire could be seen from Tara, and when they saw it, they lit their fire.
According to a popular passage from the same record, Ériu
Ériu
In Irish mythology, Ériu , daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the eponymous matron goddess of Ireland. Her husband was Mac Gréine ....
, a tutelary goddess sometimes viewed as the personification of Éire (Ireland), meets the invading Milesians
Milesians (Irish)
Milesians are a people figuring in Irish mythology. The descendants of Míl Espáine, they were the final inhabitants of Ireland, and were believed to represent the Goidelic Celts.-Myth:...
at the Hill of Uisneach where, after some conversation and drama, the Milesian poet Amairgin promises to give the country her name. Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
(History of the Kings of Britain) claims a common belief that Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
was transported to Britain from the Hill of Uisneach. St. Brigid of Christian legend, is also notably connected with fire.
Based on co-ordinates alone, some have theorised that this may be the site identified as Raiba or Riba, by Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy), the Egyptian-Greek astronomer and cartographer, writing in his Geographia around the year 140 A.D.
Archaeologically, the site consists of a set of monuments spread over two square kilometres in the closely adjoining townlands of Ushnagh, Kellybrook, and Rathnew, which includes enclosures and barrows, a possible megalithic tomb, and two ancient roads. The largest enclosure was excavated in the 1920s by R.A.S. Macalister and R. Praeger and showed evidence of occupation from prehistory up to the early mediaeval period.
The actual geographical centre of Ireland
Geographical centre of Ireland
The geographical centre of Ireland is where the 8° Meridian West meets the 53°30' North Latitude in the townland of Carnagh East, County Roscommon on the western shore of Lough Ree, opposite the Cribby Islands and 8.85 kilometres NNW of Athlone Town....
is near the western shore of Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
.