GENESIS OF CELTIC IRELAND

The North Alpine Urnfield Province was coming into existence with their previous origins in both the Beaker People and the Battle - Axe People on one hand, and also in Mesolithic and Western Neolithic sources, and there was also settled farming that was destructive of the Urnfield Culture foreign to Western and Northern Europe. Ireland was to play an important role in the bronze industry from the Early Bronze Age.

Round Heads who were an older established population from the Bronze Age were in the North Alpine Zone, while the Long Heads aristocratic (made up) were derived from a more Central European population that expanded westwards, and a genetic mix becomes apparent from the graves that were to be explored in more modern times from that period, but certain physical characteristics are also prominent, or elements in the overall population. They were to be clean shaven with long flowing moustaches, even covering the mouth, and wild backward swept curly or wavy hair that was covered in a thick lime wash.

2000 BC - 1500 BC around 400 Wedge Shaped Tombs were constructed during this period that contained Bell - Beaker pottery similar to that found in Brittany in France and they all seemed connected with the ones in Ireland scattered through out the north with especially large quantities in the west, particularly in Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province, in Northern Connacht and in Co. Cork in Southern Munster. They were composed of long rectangular burial chambers roofed with large stones placed on a long, wedge - shaped mound. There were also 200 Stone Circles emanating from the Beaker period with 100 of these concentrated in the south - west in Co. Cork and Co. Kerry in Southern Munster mostly composed of only up to 5 stones. In the south - west of Ireland also are 4 stone groupings / Four Posters similar to those in northern England and in Scotland. Another great concentration of Stone Circles are to be found in the central and south - western region of the Ulster Province in the north of Ireland, which usually were composed of more stones then those found in the south - west.

    2000 BC During the Early Bronze Age the Celts / Keltoi were to be sighted in Southern Germany on the Rivers Rhine and Danube, they were also in Switzerland, Bohemia, Northern Italy, and in Gaul, which took in France and part of Spain at that time and they were a very "Family" orientated people and were firm in keeping their "Genealogies" who later on in Ireland all claimed their original descent from *12.Magog the son of *11.Japheth, the son of *10.Noah.

    The people in Ireland during the Early Bronze Age were the first of the metal workers who were craftsmen in gold, and many of the artifacts they were to leave behind have since been discovered and are now to be seen in the Dublin Museum. The Burial Mounds still in existence throughout Ireland are mainly from the Bronze Age itself and included among these is the Mound of the Hostages, which was built as a small Passage Grave at Tara in Co. Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster where it stands within a hill fort. It was to be also re - used during the Bronze Age itself and is much younger by centuries then New Grange (Alla's Field) Achadh Alla and Knowth / Cnodhbha. The Dolmen or Portal Dolmen tombs from the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age are those seen as upright standing stones who they somehow managed to also fit with huge Capstones. The ones at Malainn Mor (Big Malin) are the finest group in Ireland to be seen with another at Mount Browne near Carlow in Southern Leinster and 2 at Proleek / Prailic Ballymascanlan in Co. Louth in the north - east of Northern Leinster where the capstone rests on three slender uprights. The one at Legananny (The Hollow of the Marsh) Lag an Eanaigh in Co. Down in the south - east of the Ulster Province is situated 8 1/2 miles west of Ballynahinch on the southern slope of Cratlieve Mountain where it too is balanced on three uprights. The Dolmen / Portal Tombs are mostly to be found in the eastern region at Glen Ruid near Killiney (The Church of the Daughters of Leinin) Cill Inion Leinin in Co. Dublin in the north - east of Southern Leinster and also nearby there at Howth.

    Another type of ancient tomb is the wedge shaped Gallery Grave such as that at Labbacallee (The Hag's Bed) Leaba Chailli near Fermoy in Co. Cork in Southern Munster and another is at the Burren in Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province and another at Bally Edmon Duff near Stepaside in Co. Dublin in the north - east of Southern Province.

The construction of these Megalithic Tombs / Dolmens was to continue on until 350 BC and are in reality Royal cemeteries built in the Boyne Valley / Brugh na Boinne situated between Drogheda (The Bridge of the Ford) that divides Co. Louth in the north - east of Northern Leinster from Co. Meath in the south - east at Slane. The 3 ancient Burial Grounds of the early Irish Kings was at Rath Croghan / Cruachan in the Connacht Province, Tailten / Ceanannus Mor / Kells, and Brugh na Boinne at New Grange.

+On to Seanchus of Celtic Ireland - 11

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