A quick drive away from Dublin lies the quaint 18th Century village of Slane. There, the breathtaking landscape is dominated by the legendary Hill of Slane, which stands at 158 metres. Apart from being a spectacular sight, the Hill of Slane tells a story that can be traced back to pre-history.
The name of Slane was given to the hill after Sláine, the king of the Fir Bolg – a mythological race that used to inhabit Ireland. He is said to have been buried on the hill after dying at Druim Fuar, which became known as Dumha Sláine in his memory. In 433CE St Patrick is believed to have lit the first Paschal fire on the Hill of Slane, in direct defiance of the pagan kings at Tara, and the Hill remains important in Christian history with a fire being lit there every Easter. The remains of the 16th Century Slane Abbey still stand on the hilltop and are a popular destination among pilgrims.
Dagobert II, heir to the throne of a Merovingian kingdom, is known to have been exiled to Slane for eighteen years. Not being one to sit around idly, old Dagobert married a Celtic princess before returning to France to claim his crown in 674CE. Five years later, Dagobert II succumbed to the destiny of many Merovingian kings by getting killed in a hunting ‘accident’ and being recognised as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
The Saint Patrick’s “Equinox Journey” is an extraordinary 135-mile equinox alignment from Millmount in the east to Croagh Patrick in the west, and passing through the town of Kells and Cruachan Aí: one of the largest archaeological complexes in the world. If you’d like to impress your significant other with a romantic view, get yourself to Millmount overlooking the Boyne in Drogheda at around March 23rd for the mother of all equinoctial sunsets.
