Launch of Tara guidebook celebrates 25 years of Discovery project

An informative and entertaining guidebook on Tara by Mairead Carew will be launched by Professor George Eogan, renowned expert on the archaeology of county Meath, on the Hill of Tara  this evening, during Heritage Week. The guidebook, which is richly illustrated, is full of fascinating facts, observations and insights into one of the most important archaeological sites in Ireland.
Have you ever wondered who built Tara and why and if prehistoric people worshipped the stars there? Was there really a boy-king discovered and an Egyptian princess buried in a tomb with the Ark of the Covenant? Was the famous Niall of the Nine Hostages the ancestor of the historical kings of Tara and was the ninth century Queen Lann of Tara dangerous to know? Did Queen Victoria wear the Tara brooch? Was it just Irish people or did Romans come to live on the Hill of Tara? You will find the answers to these questions and much more in this book, written by Mairéad Carew, a cultural historian, archaeologist and author of ‘Tara and the Ark of the Covenant’.
‘Tara The Guidebook’ is an initiative of The Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland, which has been carrying out research at Tara since its foundation 25 years ago.  This is the second guidebook in the current series. The first ‘Dún Aonghasa The Guidebook’ was very well received and has been reprinted a number of times. The 25th anniversary celebrations have focused on advocating the intrinsic value of rich heritage of archaeology and history to modern Irish society, enabling people to become the custodians of their own landscapes and creating a vibrant community of scholars to interpret these landscapes.
The launch will take place on Thursday 25th August at the Hill of Tara Visitor Centre at 6.30pm and will be followed by refreshments at Maguires Café. It will be a cultural evening featuring music (Odhran O Casaide and others, DIT Conservatory), song and poetry. The book will be widely available for €10. To book a place, contact Linda Shine at LindaShine@DiscoveryProgramme.ie.