Carnfree facts for kids

Carnfree (Irish: Carn Fraoich, meaning "Fráech's cairn") is an important ancient place in County Roscommon, Ireland. It's located south of the village of Tulsk and is quite close to the famous ancient area of Rathcroghan. The main feature at Carnfree is a large mound from the Bronze Age. People believe this mound is the burial place of a legendary warrior named Fráech. For many centuries, up until medieval times, this mound was used as a special place where kings were crowned.

The Carnfree area also includes a spot called Selc. Here you'll find Duma Selga, which means "The mound of Selc." There's also an old church site where St. Patrick is said to have baptized the princes of the Uí Briúin, a powerful family in Connacht. According to stories about St. Patrick, these princes might have lived or ruled from this very area.

Ancient Legends

The Story of Carnfree Mound

This mound and the area around it are linked to a famous warrior from Connacht named Fráech. He is often known as the lover of Queen Medb's daughter, Findabair. Some legends say that Fráech lives inside the mound.

Old Irish poems called the Dindshenchas tell us that the mound and area got their name from two different people named Fráech.

One story tells of a Fráech who lived after Queen Medb's time. He was the son of Conall, a ruler of both Cruachan and Tara. Cruachan was attacked by a king from Munster. This king also had a champion named Fráech. The two warriors fought, and Fráech of Cruachan was defeated. But his bravery inspired his friends, who then won a great victory. To honor their fallen friend, they buried him in the mound, which was once called Cnoc na Dala.

Another legend says the mound is named after the Fráech who loved Medb's daughter. He was persuaded to join the great battle of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. Sadly, he drowned during a fight with the hero Cuchulain. After the men of Connacht mourned him, magical women from the Sidhe (fairy folk) carried his body away. They took him to this mound, which now carries his name.

The Legend of Duma Selga

The Dinshenchas poems also explain how Duma Selga, "the mound of the hunt," got its name. This mound is said to be where the heads of six magical pigs were buried. These pigs were once human children, fostered by Derbrenn, a daughter of Eochu Feidlech.

These foster sons and their wives ate enchanted nuts and turned into red pigs. Óengas of the Sidhe, who loved Derbrenn, looked after them. The pigs could still talk and feel. They begged Óengas to change them back. He told them they needed to shake a magic tree and then eat salmon from a special river.

But before they could reach the salmon, Queen Medb saw them. She wanted the pigs for herself, so she hunted and killed them. Their heads were then buried in the mound, which was once known as Ard Cain.

History of Carnfree

Carnfree was a very important place, especially during the Middle Ages. Old records, like the Annals of Connacht, show that many kingship ceremonies happened here.

One famous event was the crowning of Felim O'Connor in 1310. The records say he was made king of Connacht in a very grand way. It was described as the most splendid "kingship-marriage" ever seen in Connacht up to that time. His ceremony took place right on the mound. A noble person gave him the rod of kingship, and another noble held the keys to the mound. Kings from all over Connacht were there, along with twelve bishops.

These bishops were said to be the successors of the bishops who were there when Saint Patrick baptized the sons of Brion. A biography of St. Patrick from the eighth century tells how he came to an area called Selc. This was where the "halls of the sons of Brion" were located. Patrick brought twelve bishops with him and wrote their names on stones nearby. It was here that Patrick converted the Uí Briúin princes and baptized them in a nearby lake.

While this story about St. Patrick might be partly fictional, it could mean that the important ceremonies for kingship moved from Rathcroghan to Carnfree. However, there are many ring barrows (ancient circular mounds) in the area. This shows that Carnfree was already an important site long before St. Patrick's time. The mounds of Carnfree and Duma Selga prove it was a significant place back in the Bronze Age.

Duma Selga is thought to be a mound surrounded by connected ring monuments. These are very similar to those at the top of the Hill of Tara. This might show a link between Connacht and Tara in both legends and history. The ringfort part of the site was likely where the O'Briens, a powerful family, had their main seat.

Main Sites to See

Carnfree Mound

This is a small mound, about one and a half meters tall. It dips slightly at the top and has stones covering one side. Until the mid-1800s, a special "proclamation stone" stood nearby. This stone had two sunken footprints, where a new king might have stood. Today, this stone is kept at Clonalis House near Castlerea.

Duma Selga

The exact spot of Duma Selga has been debated. For a while, people thought it was a perfectly round, untouched Bronze Age mound, 21 meters wide. However, it is now believed to be a mound that is part of a larger, connected earthwork. This mound has a dip at the top and is surrounded by a wide bank that joins a ringfort. It looks very much like the central feature at the Hill of Tara. This makes it a likely place for the royal seat of the Uí Briúin family. The round-topped mound that was first thought to be Duma Selga might actually be Carn Lámha, another ancient site.

Ecclesiastical Site (Patricks Base at Selc)

This area is believed to be the campsite where St. Patrick and his priests stayed while meeting the Uí Briúin princes. Today, you can see the remains of a rectangular building. This is thought to be a medieval church. There is also a circular enclosure from the same time period.

Cloch Fada na gCarn (The long stone of Cairns)

There are several ring barrows in this region. The most noticeable one is Cloch Fada na gCarn. It's a large ring barrow with a standing stone that is almost 3 meters tall. The monument itself is 36 meters wide. There's also a fallen stone nearby that is over 3 and a half meters long. Other ring barrows in the area range from 9 to 20 meters in diameter.