2014 Ireland & Worldcon
trip
Hill of Tara &
the Boyne Valley
August 10, 2014
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The Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny)
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Slane Bridge dates from the 14th Century, but major improvements were
carried out on the structure in 1776.
There are 13 arches.
Sunday (continued)
Leaving Newgrange, we drove along the Boyne Valley,
paralleling the River Boyne and traveling down river. We drove through
the Village of Slane in County Meath and past many interesting ruins.
Slane Castle was built in 1785. It hosts huge concerts, castle weddings
and is home of Slane Castle Irish Whiskey.
Donaghmore Round Tower - The original monastery at this site is attributed
to St. Patrick. The tower was restored
in 1841. The gable wall to the right is from a 15th century medieval
church.
The second stop was the Hill of Tara, the seat
of well over 100 kings in historic and prehistoric times. The hill has
hundreds of ruins, markers and other structures including another megalithic
tomb called the Mound of the Hostages. The hill is more broad than tall
(500 feet tall and 1,000 feet by 800 feet), but we could see part of about
half the counties of Ireland at the summit near the 1822 deconsecrated
Saint Patrick's Church which now serves as the visitor's center.
The Stone of Destiny at the top of this page is supposed
to let out a screech that can be heard all over Ireland if the next King
of Ireland touches it. I didn't touch it and take the chance.
Saint Patrick's Church and graveyard
I haven't been able to identify this church and cemetery. It is much
closer than the Hill of Slane.
This small passage tomb is known as the Mound of the Hostages and dates
to around 2500 BCE.
It is one of only two monuments at Tara that have been excavated.
Interior of the Mound of the Hostages passage tomb. There is Megalithic
art in the stone at the left.
Memorial Cross for those who died in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
Interior of Saint Patrick's Church
Statue of St. Patrick - The legend is that St. Patrick visited Tara
in the 430s AD/
after lighting his "Paschal fire" on the nearby Hill of Slane.
Old Book Shop built from stone that was part of an earlier church which
was destroyed during the
Battle of Tara during the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
The owner of the Old Book Shop, Michael Slavin, is the author
of "The Book of Tara."
Tour guide, Mary Gibbons, during the bus ride back to Dublin.
During the bus ride back to Dublin, Mary Gibbons, encouraged
people to visit the National Museum of Ireland to see artifacts relating
to the locations which we had visited during the tour. One of the drop
off points was near that museum, but we chose to be dropped at the same
place where we were picked up in the morning.
Returning to Dublin in the late afternoon, we explored
some of the shops along and near O'Connell Street, Dublin's main thoroughfare.
The rain was still coming and going, but heavier and after visiting a few
shops we took a taxi back to our hotel for a brief break before the evening.
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