The Hill of Tara: Tracing the Footsteps of the High Kings of Ireland

The Hill of Tara is said to be one of the most ancient sacred sites in Ireland. Predating the Celts by thousands of years, the archaeological site is covered in tombs, monuments, and Neolithic earthworks, many older than the ancient Pyramids of Egypt. According to legend, Tara is where the mythological Tuatha De Danann reigned, the God-like race of peoples of pre-Christian Ireland, closely associated with the fairies. The Hill of Tara (Cnoc na Teamhrach) is made of a variety of structures, believed to have been constructed separately and arbitrarily before the space was combined into one large complex now known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland.

The Hill of Tara and the Coronation Ritual of the High Kings of Ireland

Located in County Meath, Ireland, the Hill of Tara rests near the River Boyne which flows into the Irish Sea. The two foremost features are its twin hills, Tara and Skreen, considered to be part of the “greatest orderings of landscape.” Upon Tara sits the Forradh and Tech Cormaic, with the Mound of the Hostages, and together they form the Fort of the Kings. It is said that this was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, a blend of historic and legendary kings said to have ruled Ireland over thousands of years.