Tallaght - Etymology

Etymology

The place name Tallaght is derived from the words támh leacht, which is Middle Irish for pit of tears, being made up of the Gaelic words "tamh", meaning pit and "lachta", meaning tears. The words, “Tamhlacht Muintir Parthenon” denote its state as a mass grave, and is mentioned in Lebor Gabála Érenn (or Book Of Invasions) as being the burial place of thousands of Partholonians who died from a plague very much like the Black Death. The earliest mention of Tallaght in recorded material is an account of Parthalon in the Annals of the Four Masters. Parthalon the Greek was said to be one of the early invaders of Ireland and a plague is said to have killed 9,000 of his followers in one week, with their subsequent burial being in the vicinity of Tallaght. Thus the place came to be named Taimleach Muintire Parthalon. However, the burials that have been found in the Tallaght area are all normal pre-historic interments, mainly of the Bronze Age. Nothing suggesting a mass grave has so far been recorded here.

Although the factual history of this place is very hard to come by, it is still a town shrouded in historical events, from battles to plagues. The name alone is still not really agreed upon, as the name "Tallaght" is found all over Ireland. Druids are said to have come to the Tallaght Hills. Giving rise to the legend that Tallaght in this case means 'burial of the druid'. Upon Mount Seskin (the tallest of the Tallaght Hills) can be seen numerous stone structures. The one that lies atop this mountain is commonly referred to as "The Hell Fire Club" and was built by a man called Speaker Conolly. Some say it was built from a "fairy ring", an ancient monument similar to Newgrange. Thus creating the perfect location for very many myths and legends about this place, as the destruction of these structures for any reason is said to bring bad luck, today all across the country side of Ireland can be found random mounds of earth. These are locally called "fairy rings" and farmers would rather leave them than risk the wrath of the "fairy folk".Tallaght also seen extensive flooding in the 2011 European floods.