Tourist Information in County Meath

Hill Of Tara

Tel: +353 (0)46 902 5903

Tara is one of those Places of Interest that will always be popular. I was the traditional inauguration site for the ancient High Kings of Ireland. Most of its structures were wooden and are long gone but there is a haunting air of mystery about the place. It was an important site long before the High Kings - a passage tomb being the oldest visible monument dating back to 3,000 BC. Tara was the centre of Mide - the fifth province of Ireland. The title "King of Tara" always inferred a special importance. Only in the 9th century did that title become synonymous with High King of Ireland. Tara was abandoned in 1022 by Mael Sheachlainn the then High King of Ireland. In 433 St. Patrick lit a Pascal fire on the nieghbouring Hill Of Slane in defiance of the pagan king of Tara. The next great occasion at Tara was in 1843 when over a million people gathered to hear Daniel O'Connell speak against the Union of Great Britain and Ireland Easiest access is via the M3 (or old N3) taking the Skryne/Tara exit north of Dunshaughlin.