Tara Hill

Thanks to www.NorthWexford.com for the article.

Tara Hill boasts the most fantastic views - the whole coast beyond Courtown can be seen from here. Saint Kevin's is the small and lovely church in the village, popular for weddings as it has a charm all of its own.Tara Hill is a dominant feature of the district.    

The views which are obtained on the way to the summit marked by a cairn- is unsurpassed, affording as it does an exquisite panorama of sea and land.

Saint Caemhan or Kevin or Cavan, as the name is variously spelt is the Patron Saint of Tara Hill. His commemoration day is 12th June. The site of the old church which was founded by him may be seen at Kilcavan, beside the Public Road, at the north side of the hill under a cliff.

Tara Hill (833 feet) is over 400 million years old and was formed from molten rock. It is a blue/grey colour and is very hard. During the Ice Age the hill was buried under a huge sheet of ice. This gave it its rounded appearance. The soil on the upper parts is shallow and acidic.

Heather and furze are the natural vegetation. Furze was invaluable to the hill dwellers in times past as they relied on it for fuel. It was also used in small bundles to form a foundation for the thatch. The Irish name for Tara Hill was Torchill. Perhaps wild boars roamed about in oak forests in the distant past.

Today much of the hill is planted with conifers. From the top you can see Gorey and there are excellent views of the coast. There are pleasant walks among the trees and if you are lucky you might see a squirrel or even an owl.

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