Boho (pronounced , )Placenames Database of Ireland is a hamlet and a civil parish covering approximately southwest of Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated within Fermanagh and Omagh district.
This area contains a high density of historically significant sites stretching from the Neolithic Reyfad Stones, through the Bronze Age/Iron Age (Aghnaglack Tomb) and medieval (High Crosses) to comparatively recent historical buildings such as the Linnett Inn.
Boho parish has a high biodiversity of flora and fauna due in part to the niches offered by the limestone karst substrata combined with fen meadow, upland heath and acidic bog. The three mountains found within the parish; namely Glenkeel, Knockmore and Belmore provide a landscape varying from high craggy bluffs, with views of neighbouring counties, to low, flat bogland punctuated by streams and lakes. Below this landscape are two of the three most cave-rich mountains in Northern Ireland, featuring the deepest cave system in Ireland at Reyfad Pot, the deepest daylight shaft in Ireland at Noon's Hole, as well as popular caves for local outdoor adventure centre groups at the Boho Caves and the nearby Pollnagollum Coolarkan.
History
Ancient origins Boho is an anglicisation of the Irish Botha, which is the plural of Both, an old word for tent, hut or booth. This is a truncation of Bhotha Mhuintir Uí Fhialáin, Bothach ui fhialain in Breifney or mBothaigh I Fhialain, which translates as the huts of the Uí Fhialáin. The surname Ó Fialáin is sometimes rendered as Phelan.
This area has a long history of habitation as evidenced by the Neolithic Reyfad stones, dating from the late Stone Age/early Bronze Age (nearly 4000 years ago), classified as a scheduled monument. Further remnants of Neolithic habitation were unearthed by the Enniskillen archeologist Thomas Plunkett in 1880 when he discovered an ancient settlement beneath the surface of a peat bog (the coal bog) in the townland of Kilnamadoo. More neolithic remnants were unearthed in the townland of Moylehid again by Thomas Plunkett when he discovered the Eagle's Knoll Cairn passage tomb and Moylehid ring in 1894. Evidence Bronze Age habitation was discovered by George Coffey (1901), who unearthed a copper knife, currently on display in the Dublin collection. Iron Age artifacts were discovered in the Carn townland of Boho (1953), consisting of remnants of a hearth at the foot of an escarpment dating to first millennium AD. Later evidence of Danish raiders in the area came in the form of an iron spear head, found in a Cromleac in Boho, on display at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
History The inscriptions on the Neolithic Reyfad stones constitute the first markings or writings from the Boho area, however their meaning has still to be deciphered. Thousands of years later, the region covering the Boho area was inhabited by the Erdini, Ptolemy (150 AD).
In 700 AD, the two predominant tribes in the region were the Cenel Enda and Cenel Laegaire, whose boundaries followed areas similar to Clanawley, and the Magheraboy. There was a third tribe in this region known as the Fir Manach but their territory did not cover the Boho region. At this time, the barony of Clanawley extended into the north of County Cavan. Later the Boho area was considered to be in West Bréifne, also known as Bréifne Ó Ruairc.
The Boho area was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster (628 AD), in which Suibne Menn of the Cenél nEógain kindred of the northern Uí Néill, reigning High King and son of Fiachra defeated his distant cousin Domhnall, son of Aedh (Domnall mac Áedo). This event was also described in The Annals of Tigernach (630 AD) as "Cath Botha in quo Suibne Mend mac Fiachrach uictor erat, Domnoll mac Aedha fuigit". In the first part of the 9th century the area of Boho or as it was written Botha eich uaichnich, was linked to the encompassing territory known as Tuath Ratha (Tir Ratha) and also to a local patron saint St Faber in the Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee Óengus of Tallaght
The area known as Túath Rátha (), is anglicised as Tooraah and later as Toora and Trory. It has also been retained as the name of the mountain Tura. Tuath-Ratha is mentioned again in 1103 in the Annals of the Loch where "a fierce conflict between the men of the Lurg and the Tuath-Ratha, in which fell a multitude on both sides". Again in 1119, it states that Cuchollchaille O'Baighellain, chief Ollamh (Ollam) of Erinn in poetry, was slain by the Feara-Luirg and by O' Flannagain of Tuath-Ratha.
The rebellion in Boho. At one point, the people of the Boho area refused to pay annual tribute to the King of Fermanagh, Magnus MaGuidhir. The dispute was recounted by McGuires historian as follows:
Accordingly, Maguire sent out his Bonaghs or stewards to proceed on circuit for the tribute on his behalf; and the Flanagan, of Toora, was the first to refuse it, " till he saw his lord, to whom he would give it on his feet ": and to show the guile of this artful chief, he added with Irish blarney—"that they would not store it more faithfully for him than himself." With this rebel refusal the stewards seized the cattle of Flanagan, and Flanagan pursued the bonaghs to where we now call Glack, or Aghanaglack, sometimes called Carn (Clais an Chairn), at Boho, where a fight ensued for the cattle, in which many were killed on both sides, including Flanagan and 15 of Maguire's party, and while the conflict was taking place "the women and youngsters" of Toora took back the cattle.
This tract is a description by O Breislin (historian to Maguire) and O'Cassidy (physician to Maguire) of a time when MaGuidhir, the King of Fermanagh was unable to collect annual tribute from the seven tuaths of Fermanagh due to three years of infirmity. The account is written some several hundred years after the event and may contain exaggerations on the generosity of the king, prophesies and connections to Irish mythologies. The account mentions the Flannagans of Toorah, the area of Boagh or Boho and adjacent areas controlled by Mac Giolla Fheinnéin, the chief the Muinntear Fhuadacháin, Muinntear Leannáin, the church termoners for the parish of Inis Mhuighe Samh (Inismacasaint) and O Fialáin and Clann Mhe Garacháin associated with the Both Uí Fhialáin.
Magnus MaGuidhir sent his bonaghs (representatives) to collect annual tribute from the southern edge of his dominion, namely O' Flannagáin's territory in Tuath Rátha. O' Flannagáin was reluctant to hand over the annual tribute to the bronaghs; stating that it would be as safe with him as it would be with the tribute collectors. Accordingly, the bonaghs forcefully collected this tribute in kind by rounding up cattle, preys and other stock. However, O'Flannagan and his party pursued the men across Sliabh Dha Chon, close to Reyfad until they reached Galc Mhanchah or Clais an Chaim (also known as Glack) where a battle took place. During this struggle the women and children of Boho retrieved the cattle. Fifteen of McGuires men and 25 of the Boho men were killed including the chief Flannagan. Incensed by reports of this rebellion, Maguire summoned his council of chiefs to decide on the compensation the Flannagan would pay. The result of a council of the other chiefs of Fermanagh was that since chief of the Flannagans had died in battle and they had lost 25 men, then there was no more need for settlement. This verdict was delivered by O Breislein, whom Maguire suspected of bias since they both came from the Fanad. Suspecting part of a wider rebellion, McGuidhr summoned his son Giollas Losa Ma Guidir from Briefne (heir apparent to the Fermanagh throne) and directed him to Sliabh dha Chon (mountain of the two hounds) which was previously known as Gleann Caom, the mountainous tract that lies between Fermanagh and Briefne Ui Kuairc (Brienfny O Rourke), lying within the Boho area at that time. He counseled his son about the area, since it was the place where Fionn lost his two hounds 'through devilry or magic of the children of Lir'. He was then to make his way to his brother in Beal Atha Seannaigh (Ballyshanon) and tell him (O Domhnaill) of the rebellion.
Maghnus and Giolla 'losa then enlisted the help of some 700 men from Tyrconnell (Tir Chonnail) including Gallagher (O Gallchubhair), Bohill (O Baoighill) and the three Sweenys (Mac Suibhnes) who proceeded from Ath Seanaigh to Leac na nArm (Lack) and did not stop until they had reached to Sliabh Dha Chon. They first called in at Tuath Lurg to collect tribute from O Maoladuin. Since he did not have it they sent him to custody at Port Dobhrain at Knockninny. Next was the Tuath of Tir Cheannada where Clann Mhe Guinnnseannain, O'Duibhain, O Seaghdhannain and Clann Mhic Anuisce lived on the hill known as Craobh Ui Fhadachain, where the Muintear Fhuadachain used to be. Giolla Tosa asked for tribute which they could not provide. He then ordered the arrest of Ma Guinnsionnain and all the tribe present to set an example also had them sent to Port Dobhrain. They proceeded then to have all the heads of the seven tuaths bound and fettered and sent to Port Dobhrain to extract the eric that they owed . After this tour of the county, O Domhnaills men camped at the top of Gleann Dorcha (dark valley) and then at Srath na d'Tarbh in the townland of templenaffrin which is named after the fight of the two bulls, Donn Cuailgne and Finnbheannach. Eventually the tribute from all seven Fermanagh tuaths was paid with eric (compensation) at Port Dobhrain, the Maguires royal residence at Knockninny. An eric of 700 milk cows was levied on O'Flanagan as a balance for the 700 men Maguire had employed to enforce his tribute collection who had come from Tyrconnell (Donegal). The new Flannagan together with the heads of the seven tuaths were then made swear allegiance to McGuidhr and the new Flannagan was officially recognized. There then followed three days of feasting "to the high, to the lowly, to the laity, to the clergy, to the druids, to the ollambs in the royal household, and to the Tyrconnell (Tir Chonnail) party".
Later historical accounts of Túath Rátha described the region as extended from Belmore mountain to Belleek and from Lough Melvin to Lough Erne.
In 1483, Boho is mentioned in The Annals of Ulster upon the death of John O'Fialain (Ua Fialain), "the Ollam in poetry" of the sons of Philip Mag Uidhir (McGuire) and herenagh of Botha. Again in Annals of the Four Masters (Mícheál Ó Cléirigh, 1487) the area is mentioned on the death of Teige (Tadhg), the son of Brian Mac Amlaim Mag Uidhir (McGuire), son of Auliffe Mag Uidhir, who had first been Parson of Botha, and then Vicar of Cill-Laisre (Killesher) In 1498 there are reports of Maine, the son of Melaghlin, son of Matthew Mac Manus, slain in Botha-Muintire-Fialain, by the sons of Cathal Ua Gallchobair (O'Gallagher). There is also mention in 1520 of Nicholas, the son of Pierce O'Flanagan, Parson of Devenish, who was "unjustly removed from his place by the influence of the laity, and died at Bohoe". In 1552 there is a mention of Tadhg, the son of Tadhg, son of Eoghan O'Ruairc, who was slain in treachery in Bothach-Ui-Fhialain, by the Davine, son of Lochlainn.