Hill of Tara

I was personally excited --perhaps one of the few on the bus. Remember, Liam didn't really give us much to go on about the places we were visiting. No one knew what this place was-- to visit the Hill of Tara. My sister brought me home some soil from the hill from her time in Ireland as a souvenir in a beautiful glass vase years ago. I have wanted to visit personally ever since finding out it existed.

No one is really sure what the Hill of Tara was really used for, but tradition says it was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. The hill of Tara was at the height of its power as a political and religious center in the early centuries after Christ. The hill has an air of romance and mystery. To the right of the hill lies a beautiful old church building that now serves as a visitor center (though closed at the time of visit.)
At the summit of the hill, to the north of the ridge, is an oval Iron Age hilltop enclosure that is enclosed by an internal ditch and external bank, known as Ráith na Ríogh (the Fort of the Kings, also known as the Royal Enclosure). The most prominent earthworks within are the two linked enclosures, a bivallate ring fort and a bivallete ring barrow known as Teach Chormaic (Cormac's House) and the Forradh or Royal Seat. In the middle of the Forradh is a standing stone, which is believed to be the Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny) at which the High Kings were crowned. According to legend, the stone would scream if a series of challenges were met by the would-be king. At his touch the stone would let out a screech that could be heard all over Ireland. To the north of the ring-forts is a small Neolithic passage tomb known as Dumha na nGiall (the Mound of the Hostages), which was constructed around 3,400 (cal.) BC.
So now you know all that the brochure told me about the Hill of Tara. Personally, I believe it to be a must see for all ladies named "Tara", don't you?