The Hill of Tara

We toured the Hill of Tara with Jeff on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  While there, we stopped in the book shop and met Michael Slavin, who runs the shop but also is an author of several books about the place, including one called The Book of Tara.  We purchased a pamphlet he had written called The Tara Walk. (because  we are too cheap to buy an entire book apparently!)

According to his pamphlet, Tara is rich in history, known as a sacred place, a royal home, and one of the largest complexes of celtic monuments in Europe.  142 Kings are said to have reigned in the name of Tara.  The Coronation Stone, the Lia Fail or Stone of Destiny, is where the Irish Kings  held their inaugural  feasts and obtained approval by the Goddess Maeve, the Earth Mother.  Tara is considered a dwelling of the gods and an entrance to the Otherworld in Irish ancient history and mythology.  Legend has it that St. Patrick came to Tara first since it was the most powerful, sacred site of the ancient religion.

The circular bank and ditch were built before the time of Christ, and it is believed they had a  sacred meaning,  being built to keep the good spirits in Tara and the bad spirits out.  There are also several wells at Tara that were named and revered as sacred with healing powers and other properties including being a clear water supply.