hills historical ireland

Knockmany Hill, 2 miles north west of Augher, si topped by a large passage grave with stones incised with swirling patterns. The spiral motives are similar to those at Newgrange in County Meath. A cairn was built over the top in 1959 to protect the Knockmany grave, which appears above ground in old photographs. To get inside the tomb, ask at the ranger's house at the forest entrance, though there is a general view of the stones through an iron grid. The mythological mother goddess Aine, loved by...

The chief crowning place of the O'Neills, from the early twelfth to the seventeeth century was 2 miles outside Cookstown at Tullaghoge, headquarters of the O'Hagans, chief justices of Tyrone. There is a fine view of the old kingdom of Tyrone from the top of this tree ringed hill. The circular graveyard nearby, with a wall round it, was the O'Hagan burial place.

During the ceremony the King elect sat on a stone inaugration chair, new sandals were placed on his feet, the assembled chiefs c...

Knockninny Hill is a striking feature on the upper lake. The hill is a well known beauty spot and although only 600ft high, there is a fine view of the islands from the top (3 miles north of Derrylin)...

Gurtagarry Hill (461m) and Knockanora(431m), with its conical summit capped by remains of a cairn, lie left of the Bit....

Famous as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, the Hill of Tara has been an important site since the Stone Age, when a passage tomb was constructed. Tara was a political and religious centre in early Christian times and though it declined in importance as Christianity spread in Ireland, the site still retains its air of mysticism.
Today the ruins are sadly deserted, poignant reminders of what once was, but from atop the hill the visitor can still experience some of the magic which fi...

Dating to the 3rd millennium B.C., the site is known in Irish as Sliabh na Caillighe - 'the Hill of the Witch', legend declaring that the mounds and cairns were created by an over-flying witch dropping pebbles on the landscape. The view from atop the hills is one of subtle and varied contrasts, the rolling fertile lands of Meath stretching to the south and east, the lakelands and expansive flat plains of Cavan and the Midlands seemingly limitless as they spread towards the Shannon....

Half-way between Navan and Kells (N3) rises the Hill of Tailte, where the famous annual Tailtean Games and Fair of ancient Ireland were held. Established by King Lugh Lamhfhada (Lugh Long-hand) and named in honour of his step-mother, Tailte (daughter of the King of Spain and wife of Eochaidh, last of the Kings of Firbolgs), the Tailteann celebrations were amongst the great ceremonial occasions of pagan Ireland. Held in ceremonial fashion for the last time in 1168 under Roderick O'Connor, the las...

Overlooking the town of Athboy is the Hill of Ward where the great Celtic Feast of Samhain (1st November) took place every year. Although the annals record the feast was held as late as 1168 (when the last Gaelic High-King of Ireland, Rory O'Connor, presided), it was in pagan times that the celebrations were at their wildest with the druids offering sacrifices and burning victims on Samhain eve.

To this day the feast of Hallowe'en is celebrated all over Ireland on the night of th...

Approximately 6.43 kms east of Tara lies Skreen, called after the shrine of St. Columcille's relics which were brought to an early Christian monastery here in 875. The holy well is dedicated to the Saint. the present remains of a church and tower date from the 15th century and were ruined in Elizabethan times. The hill provides a fine vantage point to view the Hill of Tara. The word 'Skreen' or 'Skryne' is the equivalent of the English word 'shrine'....

A mound rising over 60 feet high that is said to be the birthplace of the legendary hero Cuchulain.. On the summit is the ruin of a house built in 1780.....