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  The O'Cuilleain (O’Collins) and Tara  
     
  The legend of King Arthur, Camelot and the knights of the Round Table is one of the most important and famous legends of human history.
  
  Almost every person of Europe and the English speaking world is taught at some stage about the story of King Arthur, his battles against evil and his search for the Holy Grail.
  
  King Arthur is universally seen as the King of Kings, a just and noble ruler, of the line of ancient Kings. His story is the great story of heroes, of forgotten history, of rightful inheritance, of betrayal and redemption.
  
  In turn, Camelot is seen as the Kingdom of Dreams, a just and wise place, a sacred and special place where both wisdom and spirituality happily co-exist (for a time). Then there is the famous round table of the knights of Camelot decreed by Arthur as a sign of equality amongst men of virtue.
  
  There are so many aspects to the story, and so powerful are its characters, that the legends have endured centuries and are as still as popular today as they were over nine hundred years ago.
  
  The Arthurian anomalies  
  For Christians, the Arthurian legends are both comforting and disturbing. For woven in the fabric of the story are some of the most important people, places and icons of the life of Jesus the Nazarene.
  
  There is Joseph of Arimathea, who in the legend of Arthur is supposed to have safely transported the Holy Grail (Sangreal or sacred bloodline) out of the Middle East to the mythical druids of Britain and Ireland.
  
  Then there are the strange references to the Holy family visiting Britain and the mysterious religious of Glastonbury who hold great secrets.
 
  But there are also deeply pagan connections to the most ancient line of true kings. There are references to the Fisher King- the first kings.
  
  Then there is his battle standard, the so-called Pendragon, an ancient symbol Pen Draig ("head dragon" or "chief dragon") as written in the legends, a Red dragon on a yellow background.
 
  There is the connection of Arthur to sacred sites by blood such as Stonehenge. Then of course, there is Merlin, the wisest of all druid priests.
  
  For most people, the anomalies only serve to increase the interest and mystery surrounding the story of King Arthur.
  
  In search of the historical Arthur
  
  Historians, especially Christian historians have long considered the stories of Arthur pure fiction. The most popular of stories concerning Arthur are those written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, with his Historia Regum Britanniae written in the 1130s.
  
  However, in recent decades, some historians have sought to identify possible real people of history upon which the legends of Arthur might have been created.
  
  Given the historic association of the story of the red Dragon like creature on a yellow background being the colors of Arthur and its association with Wales, the focus for the search of Arthur has remained primarily on British shores.
  
  Even the name Arthur has been proposed as Welsh derivation of art + ur, 'man of the bear' or 'bear-man'.
  
  Some believe that Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman officer who served in Britain in the 2nd century CE and was involved in saving Britain against an attack from the Caledonians (Scottish tribes) as the basis of the hero Arthur myth. He was believed to have family colors including a bear.
  
  Many today believe Glastonbury to be the real and final historic burial place for Arthur and that he was somehow an early Welsh king. The only problem is that no list of Kings of Wales have ever listed such a figure in the first thousand years since the birth of Jesus Christ.
  
  The real Arthur  
  While the story of ancient poets and Geoffrey of Monmouth have long been discounted, they in fact point to a real historic person in which many of the symbols of the story are based in important historic fact.
  
  The problem is that all other records of such facts have long been burnt and the authors or possessors of such dangerous knowledge murdered. For such knowledge have Popes burnt even children, let alone whole villages. For at stake is the true history of Christianity and its key figures and the mythical history we have been taught for centuries.
  
  Geoffrey of Monmouth knew what he was doing. He also knew that if he stepped too close, he would be fire kindling. So he mixed a wonderful story of deep symbolism that thankfully survived the centuries of destruction and purges.
  
  Let us now look at the historic Arthur and the important symbolism associated with the story.
  
  Cormac Mac Airt ("son of Art") reigned 200-225 CE
 
  The real Arthur is regarded as one of the greatest High Kings of Ireland to have sat on the ancient marble throne of Tara (Camelot). To end the fighting between the kings of the provinces, he redesigned Tara so that each King had their own quarters. He also created a round table at which all the Kings would meet so that no King would be considered greater or lesser than the other. The knights of the round table.
  
  He was also of ancient royal blood, very ancient royal blood of Priest Kings. He was of the Ui Cuilleain, the Cualaan, the Holy Ones. He was by birth both druid and king.
  
  His royal colors by birth, since the time of his ancestors from the Princess Tamar daughter of Zedekiah was the Lion of Judah- the red lion on bright yellow flag.
  
  The stone of his anointment as King was the stone of destiny upon which the Kings and Queen of England have been crowned ever since it was stolen from safe keeping in Scotland. His sword, the sword of Solomon, (Excalibur) the sword which held in battle was unbeatable.
  
  His royal line, the House of David and the House of Joseph and the even more ancient kings of the world. For running through his very veins was the Grail itself, the holy bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene through their oldest daughter Mary.
  
  And what of Joseph of Arimethea, Ha-Rama-Theo (His Divine Highness), the crown prince? He was of course his ancestor a great king who abdicated this throne in search of truth and wisdom, who returned with his grandchildren upon the crucifixion of his son Jesus.
  
  And what of the search for the Grail? It was the search for the bloodline of James, the “Prince of Wales”, the only Son of Jesus and Mary Magdalene who entrusted to the Welsh but did fade from view, but not from legend.
  
  In every detail, the story rings true, the mystery solved. But in solving the mystery, an even greater truth is revealed. For what we think we know, we know nothing. What we think is truth, if often poor lies and what we discount as myth is often the careful work of truth, hidden through the mists of time, waiting for the key that will unlock its secrets.
  
  For the powerful and historic history of Cormac Mac Airt and his bloodline, see Chapter 23 and Chapter 24 of the Lebor Clann Glas (Book of the Green Race)  
     
   

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