''Tara is not just a hill!''

"Sweet Tara, may your heart preserve thee":

Oh sacred soul of Eriu's glades
holy hill with wisdom sage
sweet prophetess on the pilgrim's way -
Royal Meath's sweet repose.

Oh Tara beloved maiden -
still shine in eternal splendour!
Hill suffused in healing ministry -
its halo a fountain of love

Of the consciousness of the Gael
you are the true portal;
your mounds and boughs and barrows
heaving treasures of earth's arrows.

Hill adorned with green bastions
her fertile riches the temple of Danu;
beloved Tara whose glory confounds
as India's laws of Manu!
You're ageless like Fodhla's fruits -
the pantheon of High Hings' classical.

Sacred Schrine in the House of Royals
the mother Goddess at love's zenith.
Oh Hill of Tara! Oh holy Tara!
your mounds and barrows blest!

Psychic spirit resting mo chara -
a time tablet of Eriu's smiles
Oh motherland of nature's pilgrims
Sweet Tara! may your heart preserve thee!

The Mound of the Hostages, Tara Hill - second oldest astronomical observatory in the world

Footnote: Tara, County Meath, is the socalled ancient capital of Ireland. But alas the Tara Landscape, i.e. the Tara/Skyrne Valley, has been destroyed and plundered to make way for a two tolled motorway!! (http://www.savetara.com/      http://www.tarawatch.org/) Over 70 major archaeological sites were destroyed - 40 of which were new including the site of Lismullen astronomical Henge (one of the top ten discoveries in the world in 2007!); a gala complex of souterrains at Roestown, about which or its purpose, we'll never know now, Collierstown - very possibly and probably the burial grave of the Na Fianna Warriors killed at the Battle of Gabhra in 280; Baronstown ceremonial grave - the probable feasting ground and meeting place for the Harpists of Ireland, according to the Dindseanchas; and the gallows site of 1798 - Soldier's Hill, which is now the interchange; the searing of the outer extremity of the remarkable promontory fort, Rath Lugh etc

Further footnotes:
Tara Hill - which is the centre of this landscape - is where 142 High Kings of Ireland were inaugurated.
Danu is ancient Ireland's most famous Goddess and was the principal deity of the Tuatha De Danaan, the mythical people of ancient Ireland.
Fodhla (representing justice) is one of the triple Goddesses of the Tuatha De Danaan: Eriu, Banba accompany Fodhla, who it's believed welcomed the Milesians (the Gaelic people) when they arrived here.

The Gabhra River and lovely quaint bridge - about the only pristine part left of the Tara/Skryne Valley

www.skryne.com