The Four Courts of Dublin, which is the seat of the high courts of Ireland, at one time had a large dome decorated with life-like medallions of the world's greatest lawgivers. Unfortunately, this dome was destroyed by fire some years ago. These medallions however, constructed in "basso relievo," included the likenesses of King Alfred, Solon, Confucius, Moses and Ollamh Fodhla. Who was this Ollamh Fodhla, memorialized in the great dome of the Four Courts?

According to the Irish annals, the name Ollamh Fodhla, pronounced "Ollav Fola," means the "Ollamh" or chief POET of "Fodhla" or Ireland; and this he certainly was. But remarkably, the name "Ollamh" can also have another meaning! In the Gaelic language of Ireland the "h" is not pronounced, so the word Ollamh can also be spelt "Ollam." If you drop off one of the ls you end up with "olam." Olam, in the HEBREW LANGUAGE means "FOREVER" or "EVERLASTING." Since "Fodhla" was an ancient name for Ireland, could not Ollamh Fodhla mean "The Everlasting (One) of Ireland"? It is possible that "Fodhla" is also derived from a Hebrew word, and could thus have deep significance.

Ollamh Fodhla was a man of many talents -- as we shall see -- and is revered in Irish history as one of the greatest kings and legislators the country has ever known!

Thomas Moore, in his book The History of Ireland, outlines some of the enlightened institutions King Ollamh Fodhla established:

Among the numerous kings that, in this dim period of Irish history, pass like shadows before our eyes, THE ROYAL SAGE, OLLAMH FODHLA, is almost the ONLY ONE who, from the strong light of tradition thrown round him, STANDS OUT as being of historical substance and truth. It would serve to illustrate the nature and extent of the evidence with which the world is sometimes satisfied, to collect together the various celebrated names which are received as authentic on the strength of tradition alone; and FEW, perhaps, could claim a more virtual title to this privilege than the great legislator of the ancient Irish, OLLAMH FODHLA....

Some of the most useful institutions of Ollamh Fodhla are said to have but a short time survived himself. But the act which rendered his reign an important era in legislation was the establishment of the GREAT FES, or Triennial Convention at Tara, an approach so far to representative government that, in these periodical assemblies, the leading persons of the three orders of whom the political community consisted, -- that is to say, the Monarch, the Druids or Ollamhs, and the Plebeians, -- were convened for the purpose of passing such laws and regulations as the public good seemed to require. In the presence of these assemblies, too, the different records of the kingdom were examined; whatever materials for national history the provincial annals supplied, were here sifted and epitomized, and the result entered in the great national Register called the Psalter of Tara....The policy which Herodotus tells us was adopted among the EGYPTIANS AND THE LACEDAEMONIANS, of rendering employments and offices hereditary in families, was also, from the time of Ollamh Fodhla down to a very recent period, THE ESTABLISHED USAGE IN IRELAND. This strange custom formed one of the contrivances of that ancient stationary system, which has been the means of keeping the PEOPLE OF THE EAST and their institutions so little changed through all time....Not only in their early adoption of this TRULY EASTERN RULE, but in the constancy with which, to this day, they have continued, through all changes of time, to adhere to most of their ancient characteristics and usages, the Irish have proved themselves in so far worthy of their ORIENTAL [EASTERN] DESCENT, and but too faithful inheritors of the SAME STATIONARY PRINCIPLE.

Among the important offices transmitted hereditarily in Ireland, were those of heralds, practitioners in physics, bards, and musicians. To the professors of these arts Ollamh Fodhla assigned lands for their use; and also instituted a school of general instruction at Tara, which became afterwards celebrated under the name of the MUR-OLLAM-HAM, or College of the Learned.-- Longman, Brown, green & Longmans, London. 1846. Pp. 110-113.

Here we see that Ollamh Fodhla established institutions in Ireland that were of an EASTERN ORIGIN. It is interesting to note that the ISRAELITES spent time in Egypt during their bondage, and the Lacedaemonians claimed to be of the same stock as the Jews, both "derived from the kindred of Abraham." (See Josephus). So here is a famous king establishing institutions in Ireland that were of an eastern or Israelitish origin!

The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters adds further information about the famous King Ollamh Fodhla:

Ollamh Fodhla, after having been FORTY YEARS in the sovereignty of Ireland, died at his own mur [house] at Teamhair [Tara]. He was the first king by whom the FEIS-TEAMHRACH [FEAST OF TARA] was established; and it was by him Mur-Ollamhan was erected at Teamhair. It was he also that appointed a chieftain over every cantred, and a Brughaidh over every townland, who were all to serve the King of Ireland. Eochaidh was the first name of Ollamh Fodhla; and he was called Ollamh [Fodhla] because he had been first a learned Ollamh [poet], and afterwards king of [Fodhla, i.e. of] Ireland. -- Third Edition. Vol. 1. De Burca Rare Books, Dublin. 1990. Pp. 53-54.

This quotation shows that Ollamh Fodhla ruled Ireland for FORTY YEARS and was the first king of Ireland to establish a school or "Mur Ollamhan" (School of Learning) at Tara. On top of this, he also established the famous FEAST OF TARA. One source in the annals states that he ruled for approximately THIRTY YEARS, which is also of significance -- as we shall see later.

Turning to The Story of the Irish Race, by Seumas MacManus, further details about Ollamh Fodhla and the feast of Tara can be gleaned:

All the stories say that the GREATEST KING of those faraway times was the twenty-first Milesian king, known as Ollam Fodla (Ollav Fola) who BLESSED IRELAND IN A REIGN OF FORTY YEARS, some seven or eight centuries before the Christian Era. His title, OLLAM FODLA, DOCTOR OF WISDOM, has preserved his memory down the ages. The legends indicate that he was a TRUE FATHER to his people, and an ABLE STATESMAN. He organised the nation for efficiency -- dividing it into cantreds, appointing a chief over every cantred, a brugaid (magistrate) over every territory, and a steward over every townland. Some traditions say that he established a School of Learning. And as a CROWNING GLORY he established the celebrated Feis [FEAST] of Tara, the great triennial Parliament of the chiefs, the nobles, and the scholars of the nation, which assembled on TARA HILL once every three years to settle the nation's affairs. This great deliberative assembly, almost UNIQUE AMONG THE NATIONS in those early ages, and down into Christian times, reflected not little glory upon ancient Ireland. -- The Devin-Adair Company, N.Y. 1949. P. 15.

The time period of Ollamh Fodhla's reign (some seven or eight centuries before Christ), recorded above by Seumas MacManus, reflects one of two main chronologies of the Irish kings found in the ancient Irish annals. Roderic O'Flaherty's chronology in his Ogygia, places the arrival of the Milesians under Heremon in the year of approximately 1,000 B.C.; whereas The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, compiled by the Four Masters, places the invasion of Ireland at a time shortly after the Exodus (ca. 1434 B.C.). When the history of the Milesians is studied carefully, it becomes evident that The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland contain the CORRECT chronology of the Irish kings.

If we go now to O'Flaherty's Ogygia, we will find out WHEN the great feast of Tara was held:

Ollamfodla, the 40th king of Ireland, of the house of Hir [Ir], the son of king Fiach, SLEW Faldergod in the BATTLE OF TEMOR [TARA], and ascended the throne. He had four sons, viz. Finnacta, Slanoll, Ged, and Carbry, the progenitor of the Rudricians; from his name Ollamh, the name of Ulster [northern province of Ireland] is said to be derived. He FIRST instituted the assemblies of Temor [Tara], which were held every three years for enacting and executing laws. THREE DAYS BEFORE, AND SO MANY AFTER THE FESTIVAL, WHICH WE CALL SAMHUIN, that is THE END OF SUMMER, called by the Latins THE KALENDS OF NOVEMBER; these solemn assemblies were celebrated WITH GREAT POMP AND CEREMONY. He appointed over each triceraria of land a dynast, and a governor over every town....

He being a man of great literary knowledge, is called Ollam-fodla, i.e. through Ireland which is called Fodla in our language, he was a great professor of learning, (to whom the name Achy was first given) which he deservedly obtained on account of his extensive learning. He erected Mur-Ollamhan, i.e. the wall [house] of the learned, at Tara. You may call it a college, a canopus, a prytaneum, an academy, or a lyceum....(Translated by James Hely. Vol. II. Printed by W. M'Kenzie, Dublin. 1793. Pp. 70-71).

Not only was Ollamh Fodhla a learned man -- a poet, a sage and a lawmaker -- he was also a WARRIOR! According to the annals he besieged the city of Tara, killing the king of Ireland and taking the throne by force! The annals also state that his sons "succeeded him one after another as kings of this land without ANY OTHER coming betwixt them, which good NEVER happened to no other before him." I might add that this succession of sons on the throne of Ireland has never occurred SINCE the time of Ollamh Fodhla!

O'Flaherty also brings to our attention that the great feast of Tara LASTED FOR SEVEN DAYS IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR -- "three days before, and so many after the festival, which we call Samhuin, that is the end of summer." What great feast that lasted seven days was held in Israel every year in the fall? THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES! Let's turn to Geoffrey Keating for more information:

Ollamh Fodhla, son of Fiacaidh of the Wineflowers, son of Sedna, son of Artri, son of Ebric, son of Eber, son of Ir, son of Miledh [Gathelus], held the sovereignty of Ireland FOR THIRTY YEARS, at the end of which he died WITHIN HIS OWN WALLS. This prince got the name of "Ollamh Fodhla" or "SAGE OF IRELAND," because he proved himself to be an "Ollamh" in wisdom and in intellect, by the laws and regulations which he instituted in Ireland during his reign. It was he that first established the CONVENTION OF TEMHAIR OR TARA, as the bard thus tells us:

"Ollamh-Fodhla SKILLED IN THE FIGHT,
Twas he that built the Ollamh's hall;
This MIGHTY KING of happy reign
First instituted Temhair's FEAST."

The CONVENTION OF TARA (or the "Feis Temhrach,") was a great general assembly, somewhat like a parliament, to which the nobles and ollamhs of Ireland were wont to repair every third year, ABOUT THE TIME OF THE FEAST OF SAMHAIN, in order to renew and establish laws and regulations, and to give their sanction to the annals and historic records of Ireland. At it an especial seat was assigned to each of the Irish nobility, according to his rank and title. There was, also, assigned thereat, an especial seat to each of the chieftains of the BANDS OF WARRIORS who were retained in the service of the kings and lords of Ireland.

It was likewise a sacred and established usage, that the man who committed a rape or robbery, or who struck or attempted to strike another with any hostile weapon, at the Convention of Tara, should inevitably suffer death; and neither the king himself, nor any other person, had the power of pardoning his crime. And, furthermore, it was the usage of the men, who were to form this convention, to spend six days previous to its sitting, to wit: THREE DAYS BEFORE AND THREE AFTER THE SAMHAIN, IN FEASTING TOGETHER, and in making peace, and establishing mutual friendly relations between them. Eocaidh O'Floinn speaks of the usages practiced at the CONVENTION OF TEMHAIR, in the following historic lay:

"Each third year Temhair's FEAST was held;
There righteous laws and rules were made,
And usage old in force upheld
By Eri's proud and mighty kings.
King Cathair, sire of many clans,
Once called high Temhair's noble FEAST,
And thither came, well pleased thereat,
All Eri's chiefs, at his command.

THREE DAYS ere Samhain's sacred rites,
And THREE DAYS AFTER (usage good),
Spent there that proud and daring host
IN BANQUETING AND REVEL GAY.

Thence theft was driven and murder dire,
During those brief and happy days;
None weapon bared, none treason wrought,
No brawl was raised, nor insult flung.

The man, who wrought one deed of these,
Was deemed an IMPIOUS, outlawed wretch;
No gold his forfeit could redeem --
His life was doomed, his head accursed."

-- The History of Ireland. Translated by John O'Mahony. P.M. Haverty, N.Y. 1857. Pp. 231-233.

Not only did the Feast of Tara last seven days in the fall, it was truly a time of feasting and coming together in peace and tranquility!

You may have noticed that the material quoted so far states that the Feast of Tara was held "each third year" or triennially. However, this was a LATER development in the keeping of the feast. Originally, as instituted by Ollamh Fodhla, the feast was held EVERY SINGLE YEAR! Notice:

Allow Fodla of the house of Ulster was king of Ireland and of him Ulster took the name. He was the FIRST KING of the land that ever kept the GREAT FEAST at Tara called Feis Tarach WHICH FEAST WAS KEPT ONCE A YEAR, whereunto ALL the kings friends and dutiful subjects came YEARLY and such as came not were taken for the king's enemies, and to be prosecuted by the law and sword as undutiful to the state. This king was so well learned and so much given to the favor of learning that he built a FAIR PALACE at Tara, only for the learned sort of this realm to dwell in, at his own peculiar cost and charges, of whom he was so much again beloved and reverenced that ever after his house stock and family were by them in their rymes and poems preferred before any others of their equals of the Irish nation; also at different times after when the nobility of Ireland had proclaimed the utter abolishing and banishing of POETS out of the land they were protected and maintained from time to time by the issue of this king, as on a time one Moyle Cova, king of Ulster, who was of his descent, kept and maintained in his one house for the space of a whole year the number of 360 IRISH POETS; 6 of his children succeeded him one after another as kings of this land without any other coming betwixt them, which good NEVER happened to no other before him. He died at Tara a famous king RICH, LEARNED, WISE, and generally well beloved of all men, and REIGNED 40 YEARS. His right name was Collawyn. -- The Annals of Clonmacnoise Being Annals of Ireland from the Earliest Period to A.D. 1408. Translated into English A.D. 1627 by Conell MaGeoghagan. Edited by Dennis Murphy. University Press, Dublin. 1896. P.34.

The Annals of Clonmacnoise further state, in a footnote on page 34, that this feast "was the GREAT CONVOCATION of the men of Erin [Ireland], and which was continued by the Kings of Erin FROM THAT [keeping of the feast every year] down every third year, to preserve the laws and rules, and to purify the history of Erin, and counted in the Saltair of Tara, that is, the Book of the Ardrigh of Erin." (Footnote #2).

The Feast of Tara was held EVERY YEAR during the reign of Ollamh Fodhla; but after his death his successors started to keep it every third year until it finally was discontinued altogether.

Who was this Ollamh Fodhla -- warrior, poet, legislator, sage and king -- who reigned forty years and kept a seven-day feast in the fall of the year?

In The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, we find a remarkable coincidence -- or is it just coincidence? The years of the reign of Ollamh Fodhla fall at the SAME TIME as the reign of King David of Israel -- a year or two differential between the two reigns if the chronology of Ussher is compared with that of The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland! When you couple this with the fact that both kings reigned for FORTY YEARS (one source says 30 years -- which could represent the 33 years that David reigned from Jerusalem), and that of ALL the Milesian kings from Heremon down to Queen Elizabeth II. only FOUR in 3,500 years had reigns of 40 years in length -- is it just possible that both these kings were one and the same? Is this farfetched? Both kings were noted warriors; both kings were poets and sages; and both kings died a natural death at home. Of all the Milesian kings from Heremon to Ederscel (time of the Messiah) ONLY EIGHT died a natural death; and of these FOUR DIED AT TARA. Most of the others died in battle; two died of the plague; one apparently was struck down by YEHOVAH God and one was struck by lightening! King David faithfully kept YEHOVAH's annual festivals; and the Irish annals show King Ollamh Fodhla faithfully kept a seven-day feast in the fall of the year -- the Feast of Tabernacles!

Some historians argue that King David's empire was centered around Israel in the Middle East, and could not have extended all the way to Ireland. Is this really true?

At the time of David the Phoenician nation, which was chiefly comprised of the city-states of Tyre and Sidon, was in control of a far-flung trading and commercial empire. To hold this commercial empire together the Phoenicians had built a large and powerful navy. Goods from all parts of the world flowed into these city-states which formed the points of origin for land trading routes in Palestine. Phoenician ships traveled throughout the Mediterranean area, the western shores of Europe and Africa as well as the BRITISH ISLES.

At this time the King of Tyre was Hiram, who was acutely aware of Israel's immense military power to the south. Being pragmatic, and realizing the city-states of Phoenicia were no match for David's power, he initiated a compact between David and himself. This agreement soon turned into a strong alliance between Israel and Phoenicia, and a very close personal relationship developed between the two kings. This union also brought together the world's greatest commercial and naval power and the emormous land power of Israel's army, to produce an alliance of superpower status in the ancient world. David was now at the height of his power and glory.

When Solomon ascended the throne of Israel, he inherited this alliance with the Phoenicial city-states as well as a far-flung empire his father David had welded together with the aid of Hiram.

Moreover, some years ago an inscription was unearthed in the town of Murviedro in Spain, bearing a Hebrew epitaph to Adoniram the COLLECTOR OF KING SOLOMON'S TRIBUTE MONEY. Obviously then, at the time, Spain was under the sway of Solomon's empire and, if this is true, is it stretching the facts to think that Ireland too may have been under the sway of Solomon? There is mounting evidence of an early Phoenician presence in Ireland; and Solomon's ships carried Phoenician sailors!

Solomon's commercial interests extended across the seas to many parts of the world. With his navy based at Ezion Geber on the Red Sea, there is evidence that Solomon's ships reached as far as Peru in South America and may have even circum-navigated the globe! Since Solomon was a man of peace, he made no new territorial conquests during his lifetime but inherited a far-flung empire from his father David, the great warrior king.

The Ordnance Survey maps of Ireland reveal that an area THREE MILES NORTH OF TARA HILL in Ireland is named "Dowd's Town" -- literally "David's Town" -- the Settlement of David! Is it possible that King David of Israel visited Ireland and brought the country under his sway? Herman L. Hoeh thinks so:

Perhaps the enigmatic 29th chapter of Isaiah will take on new meaning in answer to this question:

"Ah, ARIEL, ARIEL, THE CITY WHERE DAVID ENCAMPED!
Add ye year to year,
Let the FEASTS come round!
Then will I distress ARIEL,
And there shall be mourning and moaning..."
(Jewish translation).

That this prophecy refers to the House of Israel is made plain from the context. The climax of the prophecy is the time of divine intervention in all human affairs. But why should the "CITY WHERE DAVID ENCAMPED" symbolize the center of government of the House of Israel today? It is not a fitting expression for Jerusalem and Mt. Zion, for David DID MORE than encamp there. He dwelt and ruled there! Notice further the name ARIEL. Here is a CITY WITH THE NAME ARIEL. It symbolizes the same people as does Mt. Zion in prophecy, but it is NOT Mt. Zion. It is only a place WHERE DAVID ENCAMPED.

Cities in early times often changed names, or were given names, due to FAMOUS MEN WHO RESTORED OR REBUILT THE SITES, or to men who established the priority of their names in a genealogical line. Take for example the change of the name of Aegialea to Sicyon in Greece....Was there at Tara a FAMOUS KING with the name of ARIEL whose blood line rules today in the British Royal Family? Indeed there was. Of four sons of Gede the Heremon, only the line of IRIAL (Irish for Ariel) continued to rule from Tara. His name was as RARE in Irish history as the name David was in Jewish history!

These scant evidences of history are more than mere coincidence. NO OTHER PLACE ON EARTH bears the names of Eber, of Dan, of David, of Ariel. -- Compendium of World History, Vol. I. Ambassador College, Pasadena, CA. 1962. Pp. 426-427.

Irial Faidh was the sixth Milesian king of Ireland, ruling from 1414 B.C. to 1404 B.C. According to the annals Irial was a great warrior who fought four major battles during his ten year reign. He was the first of the Irish kings to FORTIFY AND BUILD EMBANKMENTS around the city of Tara, and to clear the plains and build forts throughout the land. Tara was named after him for a period of time.

The prophecy (in Isaiah 29:1-4) against the city of ARIEL (IRIAL) came to pass in A.D. 554 when the halls of Tara fell silent:

In the reign of [Diarmid]...the ancient Hall or Court of Tara, in which, for so many centuries, the Triennial Councils of the nation had been held, saw, for THE LAST TIME, her kings and nobles assembled within its precincts....Some fugitive criminal, who had fled for sanctuary to the monastery of St. Ruan, having been dragged forcibly from thence to Tara, and there put to death, the holy abbot and his monks cried aloud against the sacrilegious violation; and proceeding in solemn procession to the Palace [at Tara], pronounced a CURSE UPON ITS WALLS. "From that day," say the annalists, "NO KING EVER SAT AGAIN AT TARA;" and a poet who wrote about that period, while MOURNING OVER THE FALL OF THIS SEAT OF GRANDEUR, ventures but to say, "It is not with my will that Teamor [Tara] is deserted." -- The History of Ireland, by Thomas Moore. P. 254.

O'Flaherty mentions in his book that "from his name OLLAMH, the name of ULSTER [northern province of Ireland] is said to be derived." (P.70). This is significant! The flag of Northern Ireland (Ulster) has a white background with a red cross. In the center is a SIX-POINTED STAR, and in the center of this white star is "the BLOOD-RED RIGHT HAND OF ULSTER." Immediately above this six-pointed "STAR OF DAVID" is the Royal crown. The nation of ISRAEL today has as its emblem the six-pointed star of David because, in the main, the Jewish state is descended from Pharez through David!

Why does Northern Ireland or Ulster have the star of David on its flag (symbolic of David and the Pharez line of Judah) AND the Red Hand (symbo- lic of the Zarah line of Judah)? Because this represents the HEALING OF A BREACH!

The breach occurred when twin sons were born to Judah. We read about this in the book of Genesis:

Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her [Tamar's] womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a SCARLET THREAD and bound it on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, "How did you break through? This BREACH be upon you!" Therefore his name was called PEREZ [PHAREZ]. Afterward his brother came out who had the SCARLET THREAD on his hand. And his name was called ZERAH [ZARAH]. -- Chapter 38, verses 27-30, NKJV.

Why should this strange occurrence be recorded in Bible history unless this BREACH was to be healed between the sons or their descendants at some future time? However, it never occurred during their lifetime. How was this breach healed? The British-Israelites and a number of churches believe the breach was healed when the prophet Jeremiah traveled to Ireland with a daughter of King Zedekiah (of the line of Pharez). This daughter, so they claim, married Heremon the son of Gathelus (of the line of Zarah), thus healing the breach. Unfortunately, there is one problem with this scenario -- it never occurred! In my article Jeremiah in Ireland: Fact or Fabrication I clearly show that Jeremiah NEVER set foot in Ireland with Zedekiah's daughter. Instead, the breach was healed by David -- a type of the Messiah!

According to E. Raymond Capt, "It was Zarah's hand bound with a 'scarlet thread' that probably accounts for the ORIGIN of the heraldic sign employed today in ULSTER, Northern Ireland, consisting of a red hand coupled at the wrist with a scarlet thread." (Jacob's Pillar. Artisan Sales, Thousand Oaks, CA. 1977. P.28). The "SCOTIC" people of Northern Ireland were descended from the Zarah line of Judah, and arrived in Ireland under the leadership of Heremon, son of Gathelus. My article The Stone that Roared: The Incredible Story of Lia Fail! deals with the arrival of this line in Ireland.

It is fascinating to note that THREE of Ulster's six counties, as well as the towns of Bangor and Dungannon, have the RED HAND as a part of their official emblems. W.H. Bennett notes: "It is true, of course, that since the division of Ireland in 1920 the official ARMS of Northern Ireland show the red hand alone without the scarlet cord, but this does not alter the fact that the ANCIENT AND TRADITIONAL EMBLEM OF ULSTER WAS AND STILL IS A RED HAND CIRCLED BY A SCARLET CORD." (Symbols of Our Celto-Saxon Heritage, p.114).

When David ascended the throne of Ireland he truly became the king over ALL Israel -- not only of the land of Israel in the Middle East, but also of the far-flung colonies established in Spain and Ireland. He HEALED THE BREACH by probably marrying a woman of the Irish line of Zarah; and this is the reason WHY the flag of Northern Ireland contains the "STAR OF DAVID," and WHY Ulster was named after "Ollamh" Fodhla!

According to the annals, the line of David (Ollamh Fodhla) in Ireland was soon to end. After the death of Ollamh Fodhla, four of his sons ruled in succession over the land. The annals record that the reigns of the sons of Ollamh Fodhla brought much peace and prosperity to the people. Slanoll, the second reigning of the sons, derives his name from slan, "health," and oll, "great;" and Geoffrey Keating notes that "he was so called because all his subjects enjoyed great health in his time." The Annals of Clonmacnoise contain the same remark: "During whose reign the kingdom was free from all manner of sickness."

Gedhe Ollghothach, the third reigning son, had a reign of great peace and tranquility: "Observers of antiquity affirm of him that the conversation of his subjects in general in his time, was as sweet a harmony to one another as any musick, because they lived together in such concord, amity, and attonement among themselves that there was no discord or strife heard to grow between them for any cause whatsoever." (Annals of Clonmacnoise).

Of Fiacha, the fourth and last reigning son of Ollamh Fodhla, it is said that "it was difficult for the stalk to sustain its corn during his reign." This observation is a figurative way of expressing the GOODNESS OF HIS RULE and the PROSPERITY of the country during Fiacha's administration. Unfortunately, this state of affairs was not to last. Discord broke out in the house of Ollamh Fodhla which paved the way for its downfall.

The next king, Bearnghal (son of Gedhe Ollghothach), was a warlike monarch; and there was continual fighting during his rule which brought a great scarcity of food to the land. After ruling for twelve years he was slain by his cousin Oilioll -- son of Slanoll -- in a civil war that was supported by Sirna of the house of Heremon, who was paving the way for his own takeover of the throne.

The end of the ruling line came when the last of Ollamh Fodhla's grandsons (Oilioll) was killed by this Sirna (son of Dian) in the sixteenth year of his reign. The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, state that "It was this Sirna, son of Dian, that WRESTED the government of Teamhair [Tara] from the ULTA [line of Ollamh Fodhla]." Of this same event the Annals of Clonmacnoise say that "Oilell was king 15 years, and then was slain by Siorna [Sirna] Mac Deyn (of the sept of Heremon), who was he that VIOLENTLY TOOK THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SCEPTRE OF THIS LAND FROM THE SEPT OF ULSTER." Thus, the visible, ruling line of Ollamh Fodhla in Ireland came to an end just as the ruling line of David came to an end in Judah some centuries later.

Although the ruling house lost the throne and scepter of Ireland, the LINE (descendants) of Ollamh Fodhla or David continued on; and there is the distinct possibility that a female descendant of this king married into the line of Heremon. Intermarriage among royal houses was VERY COMMON in ancient times. This was a tool often used by royalty to cement relations between nations and between competing lines. In fact, the royal houses of Europe were doing just this in the early decades of this century! The probability of a daughter of Ollamh Fodhla (or of one of his sons or grandsons) marrying into the same line that produced Queen Elizabeth II is therefore extremely high! There were, after all, ONLY THREE ruling lines in Ireland -- those of Heremon, Heber and Ir.

The similarities between King David of Israel and King Ollamh Fodhla of Ireland are indeed remarkable! Instead of Ollamh Fodhla being Jeremiah the Prophet as so many of the British-Israelites and various churches teach, here is almost undeniable proof that the great Irish king was King David himself!