GENESIS OF CELTIC IRELAND

3,800 BC The Seas during the previous 1200 years had risen an extra 2 metres to 8 metres below the present level and Neolithic farming began in earnest and there was to be increased migration into Ireland and the Mounds and Passage Tombs in Ireland had been constructed in great numbers by this time and were placed much closer together then in any other Country.

3,500 BC - 2,000 BC The people of the *Neolithic / New Stone Age arriving into Ireland not only began the introduction of farming practices, but also the building of monuments, with Human remains of their skeletons emanating from this age to be found within in more modern times in Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province and Co. Offaly in the north - west of Southern Leinster. They were Sun worshippers who burnt the remains of their dead and then placed their ashes into burial urns.

This Neolithic pre - Celtic period saw many Neolithic Passage Graves being constructed, which were to include New Grange on the River Boyne west of Drogheda in Co. Louth in the north - east of Northern Leinster, where it is situated physically in Co. Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster covering an area of one acre. It was to be the ancient burial place known as Brugh na Boinne of the pre - Christian Kings of Tara / Ireland where up to 100,000 - 200,000 tons of stone were to be used to construct it, and situated there also is a similar Neolithic Court Cairn on a hill at Deer Park / Magher an Rush north of Loch Gill. The Linkardstown Cists, which were also Neolithic single burial tombs, also appeared in Ireland during this time.

3,430 BC the remains of domesticated cattle from this period were to be found in modern times in Co. Down in the south - east of the Ulster Province.

3,215 BC The oldest known Neolithic homestead in Ireland was also uncovered in modern times from this period at Ballnagilly near Cookstown / an Chorr Chriochach (Boundary Hill) in Co. Tyrone in Central Ulster.

3,200 BC The Passage Tomb at New Grange was begun to be constructed and would be continued over the next one hundred years and nearly 300 Passage Tombs were to be completed altogether with many along a line from the Midlands / Mide / Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster towards the west into Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province. These were to be composed of a round mound of earth and stone, with the burial chamber in the middle, and entry was via a passageway leading in from the outside of the mound. (The Passage Tombs were mostly to contain burnt human remains with very few human bodies being interred within them.)

3,030 - 2,190 BC Saw the construction of The Mound of the Hostages / Duma na nGiall another Passage Tomb at Tara in Co. Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster.

3,000 BC The Neolithic / New Stone Age period began in earnest in Ireland and thousands of Megalithic Portal Tombs (Chambers or Court Cairns), which were in reality prehistoric graves made up of mounds of stones with verandahs, were built throughout Ireland especially in the northern region. At Carrowmore in Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province there are over 200 Megalithic sites that extend from Clew Bay on the west - coast of Ireland right over to Dundalk / Dun Dealgan (Dealgan's Fort) in Co. Louth in the north - east of Northern Leinster. (Those who built them were Ireland’s first farmers who also raised animals and cultivated the soil.) Court Cairns such as the one at Creevykeel / Craobhach Caol (The Narrow Bushy Place) in Co. Sligo in the north - west of Connacht are mostly all found in the northern part of Ireland with many concentrated in the north of the Connacht Province and across the southern region of the Ulster Province. 350 all up have been found so far, mostly composed of a long mound of stones with a forecourt at one end leading into a long and often subdivided chamber with some cremation burials carried out in the Court Cairns, but their actual purpose is not clear as they were not grouped together and are scattered about in isolated positions.

Portal Tombs or Chambers were to be constructed until 2000 BC and most of these are to be also found in the north of Ireland and a large number along the eastern side in a line from Co. Dublin in the north - east of Southern Leinster down to Co. Waterford in the south - east of the Munster Province. Over 160 Portal Tombs, including Dolmen Tombs, have already been discovered, which were above ground burial chambers constructed with upright stones covered by one or two capstones and were to be found sometimes in either a long or rounded mound.

+On to Seanchus of Celtic Ireland - 6

Situated on the western bank of the Hunter River, midway between Muswellbrook and Denman the doorway to the Heart of Australia's "Horse Capital" in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales., Australia.

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