tullaghoge hill

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 chanted his name in unison 'amid the clang of bucklers and the music of a hundred harps' and he was then anointed and crowned by the primate of Armagh. The last king to sit on the chair was the great Hugh O'Neill in 1593. The O'Hagan role as prominent law officers continues into modern times, and was the first Lord O'Hagan (1812-85) was chancellor of Ireland.