Hill of Ward
Hill of Ward Tlachtga | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 90 m (300 ft) |
Prominence | 50 m (160 ft) |
Coordinates | 53°37′26″N 6°53′10″W / 53.624°N 6.886°W |
Geography | |
Location | County Meath, Ireland |
The Hill of Ward (Irish: Tlachtga, formerly Tlachtgha)[1] is a hill in County Meath, Ireland.
Geography
The hill lies between Athboy (to the west) and Ráth Chairn (to the east). During medieval times it was the site of great festivals, including one at which winter fires or bone fires (Tine Cnámh) were lit at Samhain, the forerunner of the modern Halloween. It is associated with the figure Tlachtga, a druidess in Irish mythology who is said to have given birth to triplets on the hill.
History
The Hill of Ward is the site of an
The hill got its English name from a landowner, Ward, who had been evicted from his land during the invasion of Oliver Cromwell in 1649. The land was given to a Roundhead soldier. The Ward family, whose forebears were landowners of the hill and after whom the hill was named, are living in County Meath today.
Recent archaeological work has been done on the site, confirming that it was used as a ritual site for many years.[2]
References
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ^ Mullally, Erin. 2016. "Samhain Revival".Archaeological Magazine. November/December 2016. Pages 34-37.