Loch Gabhair facts for kids
Loch Gabhair, also known as Lagore, means "Lake of the Goats." It's a special place in County Meath, Ireland. You can find it between the villages of Ratoath and Dunshaughlin. This area even gives its name to two nearby places: Lagore Big and Lagore Little.
Lagore is famous for the Lagore crannog. A crannog is an old artificial island. This one was a royal home in Ireland from the 700s to the 900s. Imagine kings and queens living on an island in a lake!
Archaeologists have dug up many cool things here. They found bronze items like ancient weapons and beautiful brooches. One very important find was the Lagore Brooch. You can see this amazing brooch today at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
The Lagore Crannog: An Ancient Island Home
The Lagore crannog was a very important place long ago. It was built on an artificial island in a lake. People in ancient Ireland often built crannogs for safety. They were like mini-fortresses surrounded by water.
This particular crannog was a royal residence. This means it was a home for kings and their families. It was used for about 300 years, from the 7th to the 10th centuries. It was a center of power and life in ancient Ireland.
Amazing Discoveries at Lagore
When archaeologists explored the Lagore crannog, they found many treasures. These finds help us understand how people lived back then. They discovered many items made of bronze.
Some of the bronze items were weapons. These might have been used for hunting or in battles. They also found beautiful bronze brooches. Brooches were like pins used to fasten clothes. They were also often used as jewelry.
One of the most famous finds is the Lagore Brooch. This brooch is a wonderful example of ancient Irish art. It shows how skilled the craftspeople were. If you visit the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, you can see this historic piece.
Who Ruled Lagore?
Lagore was part of a larger area called Deiscert Breg. This name means "south Brega." Brega was an important kingdom in ancient Ireland. The kings of Lagore were also known as the kings of Deiscert Breg.
These kings were powerful rulers in their time. They would have lived in the crannog and governed the surrounding lands. Here are some of the known kings who ruled this area:
- Fergus mac Fogartach: He died in 751.
- Máel Dáin mac Fergus: He died in 785.
- Ailill mac Fergus: He was a king of Deiscert Breg and died in 800.
- Beollan mac Ciarmac: He died in 979.
- Gilla Mo Chonna mac Fogartach: He was also a king of Deiscert Breg and died in 1013.
These kings played a big part in the history of ancient Ireland. They helped shape the region we now know as County Meath.
