Carnfree

Carnfree (Irish Carn Fraoich, Fráech's cairn) is a site south of the village of Tulsk in Roscommon that also lies close to the more celebrated ancient landscape of Rathcroghan. The chief feature here is the bronze-age mound of Carnfree itself, believed to be the cairn of the Connacht warrior Fráech, that was used as an inauguration place up to late medieval times. It also encompasses an area known as Selc featuring Duma Selga (The mound of Selc) and the ecclesiastical site where St. Patrick baptised the Ui Brian princes of Connacht, who according to the saint's biography may have resided in or administrated from this area.

Mythology

Carnfree

This mound and area is associated with the Connacht champion Fráech, commonly known as the lover of Queen Medbs daughter Findabair, who is believed to reside in the mound. The Dindshenchas poem on Carn Fraoich actually credits the naming of the mound and area to two different figures called Fráech. The first Fráech mentioned lived after the time of Medb during an unstable period before Ireland's division into Conns half and Moghs Half. He was the son of Conall who ruled both Cruachan and Tara, and was reared with his brothers in the Western capital. Cruachan was attacked by the Munster king Eoghan Taidlech who had his own champion called Fráech and the two great warriors of the same name fought in single combat with Fráech of Cruachan losing the fight. He had however inspired his comrades who eventually overcame and routed the Munsterman in a glorious victory and to honour their fallen brother they buried him in the mound previously called Cnoc na Dala. The second Fráech credited with the mound was the man who wooed Medb's daughter and because of his was persuaded to take part in the Táin Bó Cúailnge where he was drowned by Cuchulain during single combat and beheaded. After the Connacht men's mourning his body was carried off by Sidhe women and taken to the mound that now bears his name.