You would think it was a shower of pearls that were set in his mouth; his lips were rubies; his symmetrical body was as white as snow; his cheek was like the mountain ash-berry; his eyes were like the sloe; his brows and eye-lashes were like the sheen of a blue-black lance."[104] The compilation of the Saltair of Tara, as we mentioned previously, is attributed to this monarch.

Even in Christian times his praises are loudly proclaimed.

The poet Maelmura, who lived in the eighth century, styles him Ceolach, or the Musical, and Kenneth O'Hartigan, who died A.D.973, gives a glowing account of his magnificence and of his royal palace at Tara.

O'Flaherty quotes a poem, which he says contains an account of three schools, instituted by Cormac at Tara; one for military discipline, one for history, and the third for jurisprudence.

The Four Masters say: "It was this Cormac, son of Art, also, that collected the chronicles of Ireland to Teamhair [Tara], and ordered them to write[105] the chronicles of Ireland in one book, which was named the Saltair of Teamhair.