From those far-off ages, when heroic poems were pre- served by memory in gilds of bards rather than by written manuscript, there has come down to us the following tale con- cerning the preservation of the great heroic epic of Ireland,, the Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Shortly after Senchan Torpeist was elected to the headship of Irish bards, he called an assembly of the poets of Ireland to discover if the whole of that famous poem was held in memory, but found that only scattered parts of it were known.

Unwilling that this record of heroic deeds should be lost, Senchan inquired of his students if any would go to the land of Letha to learn the epic.

Two followers, one of whom was Senchans own son, Muirgein, volunteere Enthusiastically the young men started on their quest and finally came to the kingdom of Connacht and visited the grave of that great hero of mythical Ireland, Fergus mac Roig, who, had been one of the principal participants in the cattle rai Here Muirgein lingered behind while his companion went for- ward to search for lodging.

The legend relates that Muirgein addressed to the grave- stone a song as if he were singing to the hero Fergus himself.