Hill of Tara

These striking ridges of once dominant ring forts offer much more than just incredible views of the lush County Meath countryside. They tell old tales of kings, gods and sacred rituals. This place has been an important site of worship and a coveted seat of power since pre-Christian times, and it overflows with the myths and legends that make Ireland’s Ancient East so endlessly fascinating.

The Hill of Tara is best known as being an ancient seat of power on the island. It was from atop this hill that 142 kings oversaw their kingdom – quite literally, as it is said that on a clear day you can see half of the counties of Ireland from this spot!

However, this was no ordinary kingship, for it followed no family lineage. The king of Ireland was chosen by the Lia Fail, or "Stone of Destiny". According to Irish mythology, this coronation stone was brought to the Hill of Tara by ancient Celtic gods, the Tuatha Dé Danann, as one of their sacred objects. It is said to let out a great roar when touched by the rightful king of Tara.

Try your luck, brace yourself, and give it a pat. You never know, you may discover you are the next king or queen of Ireland!

Between 4000-2,500BC, the people of Tara believed the hill to be an entrance to the otherworld – the site where gods entered our world. So important was this otherworld legacy to the future kingship that the high kings of Tara, on their inauguration, had to symbolically marry the goddess Medb in order to become king! Medb, you see, was believed to have originally come from the Otherworld.

This importance of the pagan religion in Tara also led to a historic encounter between St Patrick and the high kings on the Hill of Tara. Legend goes that St Patrick, on his mission to bring Christianity to Ireland, first travelled here to confront the pagan king, Laoghaire, at the religion’s most powerful site, to announce that Christianity had arrived to Ireland.