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this stone shows the text of the declaration of independence issued at the Easter Rising in 1926
a peek inside the short passage, note the decoration on the stone to the left
the ancient standing stones: Blocc and Bruigne, the latter is said to feature a Sheela na Gig. We failed to see her
the stone to the left commemorates the fallen Irish militiamen in the 1798 battle of Tara
St Patrick's church dates from 1823 now functions as visitor center
a statue of St Patrick, but he is not the reason for our visit
the entrance of the mound is sealed off
Tara of the Kings

Since ancient times the Hill of Tara was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. A long list of the kings starts ca 1500 BC with  Slaine mac Dela and ends with Brian Ua Neill in 1260 AD. Kings before 450 AD are legendary

A new ruler was only acknowledged as the rightful High King when Lia Fail , the Stone of Destiny screeched out loud its approval. 

The hill features dozens of prehistoric monuments, the oldest one is a neolithic passage tomb from ca 3000 BC, called the  Mound of the Hostages. Later a huge wooden henge was added circling the mound.

You can still see the contours of circular ditches and banks, the remains of Iron Age hill forts, but most of the stuff sits hidden below the soil.

A St Patrick's church was build here in the 12th century, the present one dates from 1823 and now serves as a visitor center.

Near the churchyard stand two ancient stones named Blocc and Bluigne, the latter is very weathered but may have a Sheela na Gig carved on it.

We visited the Hill of Tara in June 2018.

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information about the site is displayed at the entrance
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we approach the Mound of the Hostages passage tomb
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the ancient hill fort An Forradh
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and this is the famous Lia Fail, the screeching coronation stone