Overview
Similarly to the other island (Ireland) Valentia Island & its neighbouring islets are scattered with ancient Cairns Dolmens, Wedge tombs, Standing Stones, Ogham Stones, a promontory fort, remains of churches, numerous beehive huts etc…. but what we had that the rest didn’t, well there’s the Tetrapod Tracks and then there’s Mug Ruith…
Mug Ruith (or Mogh Roith, “slave of the wheel”) is a figure in Irish mythology, a powerful blind druid of Munster who lived on Valentia Island, County Kerry. He could grow to enormous size, and his breath caused storms and turned men to stone. He wore a hornless bull-hide and a bird mask, and flew in a machine called the roth rámach, the “oared wheel”. He had an ox-driven chariot in which night was as bright as day, a star-speckled black shield with a silver rim, and a stone which could turn into a poisonous eel when thrown in water.
To explore the early history of this extraordinary island a visit to the Valentia Island Heritage Centre is highly recommended.
