GENESIS OF CELTIC IRELAND

For the next 200 years after the departure of the 3 previously mentioned Nemedian groups from Ireland it once again remained basically a wilderness.

2100 BC The Stone Circles, which had eventuated in the Megalithic period in Ireland were to serve as prehistoric temples for the holding of rituals from the Early Bronze Age and among these are those at Loch Gur / Gair in Co. Limerick in the mid - north - west of the Munster Province and another two at Beltany Hill near Lifford / Leifear on the River Foyle in Co. Donegal in the north - west of the Ulster Province and at Hollywood (St. Kevin's Little Church / Cillin Caemgen) in Co. Wicklow in the south - east of Southern Leinster. There is also another prehistoric Stone Circle at Drombeg situated 2 miles east of Glandore / Cuan Dor (Dor's Harbour) in Co. Cork in Southern Munster where it was used as an Early Bronze Age ritual site.

A prehistoric fort / dun is also situated at Bally Kinvarga to the north - east of Kilfenora (Church of Fionnuir) Cill Fhionnurach in Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province where it is surrounded by sharp stones, known as Chevaux de Frise built as a stone defense and placed upright and spaced out to entangle any attackers and measures 155' x 130' with walls up to 16' high. Earthen Circles were also used during this period to carry out their rituals such as those at the Giant's Ring at Drumbo (Cow Ridge) Droim Bo in Co. Down in the south - east of the Ulster Province on the River Lagan. It is 590' in diameter and 15' high taking in an area of about 10 acres surrounding the Megalith Tomb there, which is a Dolmen with stone uprights and capstone.

2150 BC The Bell - Beaker Culture, known as such because of their utensils that were produced as bell - shaped vessels, began to show up in Ireland at this time, and their particular society was also technologically advanced making full use of metals and finely polished stone tools.

2000 BC At the beginning of this Millennium inter - related material Human cultures existed, which spread across Europe with some degree of communication with the increasingly civilized World of the Eastern Mediterranean. Neolithic peoples in Temperate Europe continued on with cereal culture on the bottom land, while in the Upland country and over the Northern Europe plain, pastoral pursuits was their way of life, which meant that there were existing at this time both pastoral and agricultural peoples with block wheel vehicles that may have been or not been drawn by Oxen.

    The previously mentioned Beaker People from the Mediterranean region, who were mostly pastoralists running mainly sheep, ranged widely in Western Europe from Bohemia to Albion / Briton who were also using the Euro - Asiatic battle - axe, and early Neolithic pottery from the Western Mediterranean region was to be part of the Beaker Culture. They penetrated other societies who had single grave burials, but not with covering barrows, and were not metal workers and although Hybrid cultures were to be created from these two peoples the Battle - Axe people were to become the most predominant in the end.

    Bronze Age / Early / Middle. During this period pastoralists with bronze weapons stayed in their own environment and had single grave barrow burials for their Chiefs who now also had gold - mounted weapons and ornaments as the battle - axe now began to become rare.

    Due to the increasing dryness of the climate in Temperate Europe there was also to be reduced agricultural settlement.

    In the South Eastern Zone of Europe / Anatolia established a copper and bronze working early in this Millennium and they were active along a passage through the Balkans and across the Middle Danube to the tributaries of the River Tisza and to Transylvania where rich copper deposits were located and various Bronze Age cultures were to come into existence in this region along the Middle Danube.

                                                                                      +On to Seanchus of Celtic Ireland - 10

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.

John & Sue Markham

RAINBOW FARMS 603 Roxburgh Road., Muswellbrook., 2333.

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