Bibliography

OʼDriscoll, James, and Patrick Gleeson, “Locating historical Dún Bolg and the early medieval landscape of Baltinglass, County Wicklow”, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 121 C (2021): 1–34.

  • journal article
Citation details
Article
“Locating historical Dún Bolg and the early medieval landscape of Baltinglass, County Wicklow”
Volume
121 C
Pages
1–34
Description
Abstract (cited)

During the early medieval period (c. AD 400–1200), the Baltinglass landscape in eastern Ireland may be interpreted as a major central place connected with important regional dynasties like the Uí Cheinnselaig and latterly the Uí Máil. Its significance is recorded in sources such as the Bórama Laigen and Fingal Rónáin, as well as a number of annal entries, which refer to an important royal fortress in the area known as Dún Bolg. This fortress has been linked with a complex of enclosures on Spinans Hill, including a massive fort of some 131ha, located a few kilometres to the east of Baltinglass. This, along with a number of previously unrecognised early medieval sites, reveals a heavily mythologised landscape that was instrumental to dynasties emerging from the shadows of the Iron Age in central Leinster. This paper attempts to assess the rich textual evidence alongside the archaeological evidence to elucidate the broader importance of the Baltinglass landscape during the early medieval period.

Subjects and topics
Headings
early medieval Ireland
Approaches
history (discipline) archaeology
History, society and culture
Agents
Uí ChennselaigUí Chennselaig
Uí Cheinnselaig
Group of dynasties based in Leinster.

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Uí MáilUí Máil

Early Irish dynasty of Leinster, whose territory corresponded roughly with the plain of the river Liffey, extending south to Baltinglass.


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Places
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
July 2021