Tullyhogue Fort

[6] It is a State Care Historic Monument sited in the townland of Ballymully Glebe, in the Cookstown District Council area, at grid reference: H8250 7430.

[8] The date of the construction of Tullyhogue fort is not known; however, it is believed to have held great significance from early times, possessing a form of ritual importance long before the O'Neills became associated with the site.

Over time they moved north into Glenconkeyne and Loughinsholin and were replaced by the Cenél Feargusa who included the O'Hagans, supporters of the O'Neill dynasty interest.

[6] At this time the Cenél nEógain had been largely bereft of effective leadership candidates and the branches in the Tulach Óc district made the unusual political decision to import an alien dynasty; Conchobar and his brother Cennétig, grandsons of Donnchadh mac Briain, bitter rivals to the main branch of the royal Munster O'Brien dynasty.

They became successive 'Kings of Telach Óc' for a short period before 1084 with the support of the Meic Lochlainn who were happy to deprive potential internal rivals of a secure base of operation.

Detail of a copy of Richard Bartlett's 1602 map of Ulster that included this depiction of an O'Neill inauguration on Tullyhogue. A figure on the right, an O'Cahan, can be seen holding a shoe over the chief's head as part of the "single shoe" ritual
Reconstructed Tullahogue fort inauguration stone