Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland
The Hill of Tara is the former seat of the High King of Ireland, located in the Boyne Valley in Country Meath. It's an archaeological complex comprising of several ancient monuments. There is an Iron Age hilltop enclosure on the summit of the hill, and a small neolithic passage tomb can be found to the north of the ring forts.
Not only has it served as the seat of the Irish high kings, but it appears to have place of prayer and worship as well.
Several of the trees at Tara have pieces of paper, plastic, string, strands of christmas decorations decorations and cloth (clooties) hanging from the branches.
Other trees have small coins shoved into the splits in the branches
I guess for one little soul, a handwritten note was the best way to ask the fairies for a favour
It's probably a bit difficult to make out in the photo, but someone has also poured milk and porridge oats on the tree (a favourite meal of the Little Folk?)
Legend has it that St. Patrick a visit to Tara to confront the ancient Pagan religion at it's most powerful site. He lit the paschal fire on the eve of Easter, when the Pagan practice had been to extinguish all fires before a new one was lit at Tara. The high king, Laoighre, was warned by the Druids the fire would burn forever if it wasn't put out. Patrick was summoned to Tara, and although he didn't manage to covert Laoighre to christianity, he was granted the permission to convert Laoighre's subjects. (Actually, it seems that St. Patrick got around, as he seemed to be present at crucial points in Irish mythology to save some poor Pagan's immortal soul. But that's another rant, for another day).
Today, there is a church and a statue of St. Patrick on the Hill.
Not only has it served as the seat of the Irish high kings, but it appears to have place of prayer and worship as well.
The Hill is home to numerous Fairy Trees as well. These can be found all over Ireland, and are usually gnarled old Hawthorn trees. Otherworld being were once believed in live in them, and it seems that some vestiges of this belief persists to this day. It's still considered back luck to destroy or cut down a fairy tree in some places.
I guess for one little soul, a handwritten note was the best way to ask the fairies for a favour
It's probably a bit difficult to make out in the photo, but someone has also poured milk and porridge oats on the tree (a favourite meal of the Little Folk?)
Legend has it that St. Patrick a visit to Tara to confront the ancient Pagan religion at it's most powerful site. He lit the paschal fire on the eve of Easter, when the Pagan practice had been to extinguish all fires before a new one was lit at Tara. The high king, Laoighre, was warned by the Druids the fire would burn forever if it wasn't put out. Patrick was summoned to Tara, and although he didn't manage to covert Laoighre to christianity, he was granted the permission to convert Laoighre's subjects. (Actually, it seems that St. Patrick got around, as he seemed to be present at crucial points in Irish mythology to save some poor Pagan's immortal soul. But that's another rant, for another day).
Today, there is a church and a statue of St. Patrick on the Hill.
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