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Teamhair agus Dindshenchas

Cén chiall as Gaeilge atá leis Teamhair, an bhfocal draíochtúil sin? Tá mé ag lorg fúithi anseo. Tá tuairimí éagsúlaí dhuine léinn. Léamh mé leabháir difriúlaí agam. Is téama breachnaite. Fuair mé malairtí leagain. Inseoidh seo agaibh i mbéagan focal.

Is "Teamhair," agus "Tara" as béarlachas, dó modh ghinideach "Teamhrach." Scriobhann Séamas Mac Fhilib ina "Foclóir Mhitaseolaíocht Ceilteach" liosta ainmneacha fada (lth. 354 s.v. "Tara"). Insionn faoi "Temair" go difriúl: "an dorcha?", "radharc/ amharc?", "maoileann (cnoic)?", "halla chruinníu?", nó teaglaim na radharc iomrothlach leis maoileann leis ardan atá a chur ina sheasamh go saor.

Tráchtaim sé ar "Lebor Gabála;" déanann amach sé féin sanasíocht ó "téa múr," nó "mur Théa." Bhí an banríon Théa-- ar ball "Tephi." Bhí sí ina céile ag Éremon. Bhí sé ceannaire dhuine de chlann Mhíle. Tá finscéal go bhfuil faoi rampar ansin. Dúirt seanchaithe go raibh uaidh aici ann.

Rinne lucht Iosreaelítigh Bhriontanachaí dearmad "clasiceach." Chuirdaigh siad faoi 1900 in gCnoc Teamhrach. Iarraidh siad a faighte ar ais as an Áirc an Chonartha! Mheas lucht go raibh "mur Théa" bhí cosuil seanchathair na "Thebes" mar sin, do dhícheall eile leis "Téa." (Féic an leabhar le Máiread de Carrún faoi tochailt go nífhortúnach sin sa talamh seo; 2003, 25).

Go deireanach, tabharfaidh taighdeoirí buille faoi thuairimi "Teamhair." Aontaionn Ollamh Dáithí Ó hÓgáin go bhfuil an ciall "radharc." (1991; 400 & 1999, 129); Thug Ciara ní Mhiadhacháin "airde" nó "cnoc." (2002, 269)

Mar shampla, measaionn Conor Newman ina "Ciclipéid na hEirinn" go bhfuil dhá ciall fúthu, "ar shlite éagsula." Is "aít ard," nó "láthair cruinnithe na dorchadas agus solas." (2003, 1034) Cád é is ciall dó dinnsenchas faoi "Teamhair" inniu? Táid ar mhalairt tuairime. Tá easontas eatarthu ina thaobh. Níl fhios agam go cinnte, fós.

Tara & Place-Name-Lore

What meaning in Irish is with Tara, that magical word? I am looking into it here. There are various opinions of scholarly people. I have read different books of mine. It is a theme with variations. I found variant readings. I will tell these to you all in a few words.

"Teamhair," and "Tara" as an anglicism, in the genitive form is "Teamhrach." James MacKillop writes in "Dictionary of Celtic Mythology" a long name list (pg. 354 under the word "Tara.") He tells about "Temair" differently: "dark one?", "spectacle?", "elevated place?", "assembly hall?", or he combines "free-standing eminence of wide prospect."

He mentions the "Book of Invasions;" it itself contrives an etymology from "wall of Téa," or "Téa's wall." She was queen Téa-- or later "Tephi." She was together with Éremon. He was leader of the people of Míl [Milesians]. There's a legend about the rampart there. Storytellers spoke that her grave was there.

The sect of British Israelites made a "classic" mistake." They searched around 1900 in Tara. They wanted to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant! The group thought that "wall of Téa" was like the old city of "Thebes," as another possibility for "Téa." (See the book by Mairead Carew about that unfortunate excavation in this ground; 2003, 25).

Professor Dáithí Ó hÓgáin agrees that the meaning is "spectacle." (1991; 400 & 1999, 129); Cary Meehan finds "eminence" or "hill." (2002, 269) There are new definitions also now.

For instance, Conor Newman thinks in "The Encyclopedia of Ireland" that there are two meanings about it, "variously." It is a "lofty place," or "a meeting place of darkness and light." (2003, 1034) What is the meaning of the place-name lore about "Tara" today? They differ in opinion. They differ about it. I do not know for sure, still.

Grianghrafaí: Pàganachd agus Págánacht: Sábháil Teamhair!. Save Tara Valley Campaign.