In Muirchú's account of the life of Saint Patrick there is a story about a wicked pagan chieftain by the name of Macc Cuill moccu Greccae.
Saint Patrick banishes Macc Cuill in a boat without oars or a rudder, and he goes on to repent of his sins and is baptised. Saint Patrick encounters Macc Cuill at a place known as 'Druim moccu Echach'.
Eamonn Kelly, in his extensive work 'Knock Iveagh and Drumballyroney, Co Down: Investigation of a Royal Ritual Landscape' states: 'The placename means 'the ridge of the Uibh Eachach', which describes perfectly the topography of Knock Iveagh. [...] Macc Cuill moccu Greaccae is the same character as the sun god Macc Cuill and Muirchú's story may be regarded as a reference to the Christians triumphing over a sacred mountain that was a centre of pagan sun worship.'
Most people are aware that what has come to be known as the 'Celtic' year is often thought of as being divided into quarters with the divisions marked by the Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh.
However it is probably less well-known that the year can also be divided into three four-month parts, with dividing points at the Winter Solstice, around the 18th of April, and around the 24th of August.
The Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Book of Invasions), describes how Ireland was embodied in three Sovereign 'land-goddesses' named Eiru (from which we get the name 'Eire'), Banba and Fodhla. Each goddess was married to a grandson of the Dagda (the High King of the Tuatha Dé Danann), Eochaidh; also known as the 'Great Father'.
These grandsons were named MacGrēine (God of the Sun), Mac Cuill (God of the Hazel), and MacCecht (God of the Plough) respectively. Each grandson/king was associated with a portion of the year.
We know that many ancient monuments appear to have been positioned with great care to mark, highlight and perhaps even amplify the interactions between the land and the Sun, Moon and Stars.
On a clear evening at sunset on the 18th April and 24th August each year at Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo, the Sun will appear to 'roll' spectacularly down the side of the mountain*. This event can be viewed from 'Boheh Rock', a rock covered in spectacular ancient solar imagery. Along with the winter solstice, this solar phenomenon sets out the divisions of the three-part Solar year.
Five and a half miles from Knock Iveagh, off the Lackan road between Lough Island Reavy and Ballyroney, lies the townland of Ardaghy (Ard Eachaidh). The Northern Ireland Place-Name project states the following:
'It is possible that that the name of the townland of Ardaghy is a compound of ard ‘high’ and achadh ‘field’ as in the case of Ardaghy in the parish of Carlingford, Co. Louth (L. Log. Lú 27). One would expect such a compound to be stressed on the first syllable, but as our Ardaghy is clearly stressed on the second we can dismiss this possibility. If, however, one was to argue that ard was a noun rather than an adjective, this would certainly satisfy the linguistic criterion, although Ard Achaidh ‘height of the field’ might not seem to be the most plausible of suggestions. This being the case, it seems likely that the personal name Eachaidh (a variant of Eochaidh) is indeed the second element as suggested by O’Donovan’s local informant, Patrick Rice, in 1834 (OSNB). Either Eachadha or Eachaidh may be employed in the gen. sing., but Ard Eachaidh rather than Ard Eachadha is probably the more correct form as it agrees best with both the anglicized forms and the modern pronunciation.'
From a monument located close to the current townland boundary of Ardaghy (Ard Eachaidh) in the Parish of Kilcoo, it was possible to observe the sun setting directly into the cairn at the summit of Knock Iveagh on the 19th April this year.
Google Earth (see below) shows how, just as at Croagh Patrick, it should also be possible to observe this same pheomenon around the 24th August, as the year enters the portion devoted to the God of the Hazel, Mac Cuill. It is worth noting that large quantity of burnt hazelnut shells were found during a partial excavation of Knock Iveagh cairn in the 1950s.
Also worth noting perhaps, is that local people have long observed a tradition of climbing Knock Iveagh around this time of year to roll their Easter Eggs. As is the case elsewhere, might this tradition hark back to an older tradition of pilgrimage involving Knock Iveagh? Certainly the timing is interesting.
At sunset on two parts of the three part solar year, the light of the sun is extinguished by the hill of Knock Iveagh, a hill Kelly suggests may have had Mac Cuill connections. In the mythology as many of you will know, the god Lugh (whose name invokes light) is killed by Mac Cuill and his two brothers.
Is the sun setting into Knock Iveagh from the vicinty of 'High Eochaidh' at the dividing points of the solar year mere co-incidence? Naturally it is! However the more interesting question is whether or not this event held a deeper meaning for the people who lived in this area thousands of years ago, and whether it therefore conferred a special significance on Knock Iveagh. Further research is required.
However, as Roald Dahl once said: 'Those who don't believe in magic will never find it'.
If Eamonn Kelly is right (and I urge you to read the rest of his article), and Muirchú's Druim moccu Echach does indeed refer to Knock Iveagh, then it would appear that Saint Patrick considered the 'pagan' hill worthy of his attention at any rate...
It is due to the hard work and commitment of the Friends of Knock Iveagh and others such as Eamonn Kelly that such a lot has been learned about this landscape already, and in a relatively short space of time. I have my husband to thank for noticing the name of the townland which set our minds to working. You may be interested to read more about other potential alignments within this landscape. All coincidences too - naturally!
I am also grateful to David Ross for pointing me in the direction of the following poem by Richard Rowley, (which I intend to set to music). It tells the story of a fiddler who finds himself playing for the 'wee folk' at a rath on the road between Lough Island Reavy and Annahinchago (the Lackan Road). Whilst there he meets the 'king o' them all', and when he eventually awakes he finds he has lost an entire year...
Perhaps there are a few people who wouldn't mind disappearing for a year or so round about now!
Be well.
*This solar event was rediscovered thanks to the passionate and patient work of the late Gerry Bracken.
References/Further Reading:
E.P. Kelly - Croagh Patrick (County Mayo) The Sacred Mountain of the Sun God https://www.academia.edu/40120219
E.P. Kelly - Knock Iveagh and Drumballyroney, Co Down: Investigation of a Royal Ritual Landscape (Emania, forthcoming)
Grateful thanks to: Jonathan Simmance, David Pattison, David Ross, Eamonn Kelly and the Friends of Knock Iveagh
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