This is the 14th critical review of the beliefs collectively known as British-Israel, and as with the first thirteen, we will address statements which W.H. Poole made in his book entitled Anglo-Israel Or, The British Nation: The Lost Tribes Of Israel (hereinafter A-I/BN). The purpose of this series is to confirm such a belief system where it is correct and to give constructive criticism where it is in error. With this paper we will explore more of Poole’s conclusions on topics he addresses and we’ll evaluate whether they are valid or flawed. We will start this session by quoting Poole on page 61, on the subject of Tara, where we left off in part #13:
“TARA.” (continued)
“In those early times much of the history of the nation was written in [the] poems of the country. As might be expected, the introduction of an Eastern princess became an inspiring theme. I cannot now quote from them, though there is much of interest in many of those I have on hand.
“Who has not heard ‘The Harp that [was] once in Tara’s Hall?’
“‘When a land rejects her legends
Sees but falsehood in the past,
And its people view their sires,
In the light of fools, or liars,
’Tis a sign of its decline,
And its splendors cannot last,
Branches, that but blight their roots
Yield no sap for lasting fruits.’
“In Ireland, county Fermanagh, four miles below Enniskillen there is a lake called Lough Erin. In this lake there is an Island, called Davenish, on which there is a round tower; connected with the tower is a very ancient cemetery. In that cemetery there are very ancient monuments, and in one corner of the cemetery there is a tomb hewn out of a solid rock. That tomb has from time immemorial been called ‘Jeremiah’s tomb.’ A gentleman, living in this city, says, ‘I have seen that tomb hundreds of times.’
“It is well known to historians that, for centuries, Ireland was the university for all Europe. There are, however, so many who do not know it, and who are not willing to admit the facts about the musical and literary character of Ireland at those times, I will quote from two or three impartial testimonies. Sir James McIntosh, says, ‘The Irish nation possesses genuine history several centuries more ancient than any other European nation possesses in its present spoken language.