Teltown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Teltown
Tailtin
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Town
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 Teltown
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Meath |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
Teltown (called Tailtin in Irish) is a special place in County Meath, Ireland. It's a small area located between Oristown and Donaghpatrick, near the town of Kells. This historic spot gets its name from an important figure in Irish mythology: a goddess named Tailtiu.
Contents
A Place of Ancient Games
Teltown is famous for being the home of the ancient Aonach Tailteann. This was a big gathering, almost like an ancient Olympic Games for the Irish.
The Tailtin Fair
In medieval times, people brought back the tradition of the Aonach Tailteann. They called it the Tailtin Fair. It was a major event where people gathered for trade, sports, and cultural activities.
Modern Tailteann Games
The spirit of these ancient games was even revived in the 20th century. They were known as the Tailteann Games. This showed how important Teltown's history was to the people of Ireland.
Uncovering Teltown's Past
Legends say that some large mounds in Teltown are very old, perhaps 2500 years old. These are believed to be man-made earthworks.
What Archaeology Tells Us
Modern archaeologists have studied the area. They believe these mounds are indeed very old. Their research suggests they date back to at least the Iron Age. This means they are thousands of years old!
The Knockauns Mounds
One group of these mounds is called the Knockauns (or na Cnocáin in Irish). Sadly, part of one mound was damaged in 1997. Large machines called bulldozers partly destroyed it for new buildings.
Lakes and Legends
A scholar named John O'Donovan wrote about Teltown. He thought that some lakes near a fort called the Rath Dhubh looked man-made. He believed they might have been used for the "Olympic Games of Tailteann."
O'Donovan also shared an old story. It says that the ghost of Laogaire, who was the King of Tara, was trapped by Saint Patrick. This happened east of Rath Dhubh, in a place called the Dubhloch. The legend says he will stay there until Judgement Day.
