Page 39 - Demo

Chapter One 39
Once established, and having commenced his reign with several acts of severity, which were, as one chronicler noted, ‘perhaps necessary to consolidate his power,’ Cormac quickly rebuilt the palace of Tara (the residence always of the Ard –Rí) with much magniicence. He reputedly built the Teach Miodh Chuarta or the Banqueting Hall that was 760 feet by 46 feet. Also he built the House of the Hostages, the House of a Thousand Soldiers, and a Grianán, or ‘Sun House’ for the women.
It is known that Cormac, had in his court ten persons in constant attendance:—1, A Prince for companion; 2, a Brehon; 3, a Druid; 4, a Chief Physician; 5, an Ollamh;, 6, an Ard File [head poet]; 7, an Ollamh re ceoil “with a band of music [oirideadh] to soften his pillow and solace him in times of relaxation:” 8, three stewards of the household. The ollamh, or ollav, be it understood, was the Chief Bard, whilst the oirideacha were the instrumental musicians. In ancient Ireland the systems of law, medicine, poetry, and music, were often set to music, being poetical compositions.
Excavations underway at the Mound of the Hostages in the late 1950’s.
In fact, Cormac himself was styled “Ceolach,” or the Musical.
Equally distinguished as a soldier, a ruler, and a patron of learning, one who united the wisdom of a philosopher to the chivalric courage of a champion, Cormac gave to the oice of High King a magniicence that heretofore it had not known. Furthermore, he also gave a new dignity to the triennial parliament, the Feis Teamhrach, ‘The Great Feast of Tara,’ and established order in the land by constant revision of the laws.
‘He was the greatest king’, says one of the old historians, ‘that Ireland ever knew. In power and eloquence, in the vigour and splendor of his reign, he had not his like before or