Hill of Tara

Mound of the Hostages

The small passage tomb known as the Mound of the hostages or Duma na NGiall dates to around 2500BC. The tomb gets its name from the custom of Irish kings taking important people hostage, one of these kings was known as Niall of the Nine Hostages who had taken hostages from all of the provinces of Ireland and from other countries. The passage tomb is one of only two monuments at Tara that have been excavated.

Rath of the Synods

North of the iron age enclosure is a 2,000 year old earthwork, The Rath of the Synods, which is built around an earlier burial mound known as the King's Chair. This earthwork can be seen in the picture above, the largest mound on the right is the Mound of the Hostages. Further North is a long rectangular area with banks on either side, known as the Banqueting Hall it may have been used as such but is more likely to have been an entrance road to Tara.

The Sloping Trenches

Grainnes enclosure

Situated: From Dublin take the N3 North, about six kilometres after Dunshaughlin take a sign-posted left turn, at the end is a T-Junction, take a right turn here Tara is about half a mile down this road on your left. The site has a car park and visitor centre.

Google Map.

Discovery Map 42: N 920 595. Last visit July 2008.

Photos: Jim Dempsey.


The Royal Seat	Hill of Tara Earthworks The Hill of Tara was the Coronation place of Irelands pre-Christian kings, and is one of Irelands more famous sites. This was not an hereditary Kingship, the kings either won it in battle or were chosen for it. Although no buildings survive there are a number of large earthworks still remaining on the hill, some are inside an even larger iron age enclosure known as a Hill Fort. In the middle of this enclosure are two linked ring forts, to the East is Cormacs House and to the West is The Royal Seat.
In the centre of the Royal Seat stands a pillarstone which is believed to be the Lia Fail (stone of Destiny) or Coronation Stone. The pillarstone, a prehistoric phallic symbol, originally stood in the Northern part of the enclosure near the 4,000 year old neolithic passage tomb known as the Mound of the Hostages. According to legend, this stone was brought to Ireland by the Tuatha De Danaan and when the true king of Ireland stood on the stone, it would roar.	5 Lia Fail
Mound of the Hostages	The small passage tomb known as the Mound of the hostages or Duma na NGiall dates to around 2500BC. The tomb gets its name from the custom of Irish kings taking important people hostage, one of these kings was known as Niall of the Nine Hostages who had taken hostages from all of the provinces of Ireland and from other countries. The passage tomb is one of only two monuments at Tara that have been excavated.
The passage of the tomb is quite short measuring just over three metres long. One of the features of the tomb is that one of the orthostats bears neolithic rock art. This stone pictured right is the first stone on the left of the passage. On my latest visit to Tara a small wooden fence had been erected around this monument. Mound of the Hostages Rock art shown right.
Rath of the Synods North of the iron age enclosure is a 2,000 year old earthwork, The Rath of the Synods, which is built around an earlier burial mound known as the King's Chair. This earthwork can be seen in the picture above, the largest mound on the right is the Mound of the Hostages. Further North is a long rectangular area with banks on either side, known as the Banqueting Hall it may have been used as such but is more likely to have been an entrance road to Tara.
About 80 metres to the north-west are two more earthworks named the Sloping trenches and another earthwork named Grainnes enclosure, to the South of the main site lies a ring fort known as King Laoghaire's Fort.Tara is also associated with the prehistoric goddess Medb or Maeve and on another hill about half a mile south of Tara is a Hill fort known as Rath Maeve. There are other megalithic remains at Tara, such as the Standing stones in the graveyard of the church, which is now used as the visitor centre. .	The Sloping Trenches
Grainnes enclosure	There are other megalithic remains at Tara, such as the Standing stones (pictured below) in the graveyard of the church that is now used as the visitor centre. .
Situated: From Dublin take the N3 North, about six kilometres after Dunshaughlin take a sign-posted left turn, at the end is a T-Junction, take a right turn here Tara is about half a mile down this road on your left. The site has a car park and visitor centre. Google Map. Discovery Map 42: N 920 595. Last visit July 2008. Photos: Jim Dempsey.