Faughan Hill facts for kids

Faughan Hill is a small but important hill in County Meath, Ireland. It's located about five miles northwest of Navan. Even though it's not very tall, only 90 meters (about 295 feet) high, it stands out. This is because the land around it is very flat. This makes Faughan Hill a key landmark in the area. The hill is privately owned by several families, including the Moriarty, McCabe, Dunne, and English families. Because it is private land, it is not open to the public. The very highest point of the hill belongs to the Moriarty family.

What Makes Faughan Hill Special?

Because the land around Faughan Hill is so flat, the hill is the most noticeable natural feature nearby. This means it's easy to spot and acts as a landmark. Historians, who study the past, and folklorists, who study traditional stories, believe the hill's name comes from fraughan berries. These are small, dark berries that were recorded as growing all around the hill during the Middle Ages, a long time ago.

A King's Resting Place?

According to an old Irish legend, a famous Irish king named Niall of the Nine Hostages is buried on Faughan Hill. Niall was known as an Árd Rí, which means High King of Ireland. He was also an ancestor of a very important group of families called the Uí Néill. The legend says he is buried in a secret cave somewhere on the hill.

Nearby Village and History

At the bottom of Faughan Hill is a small village called Greetiagh. This village has its own piece of history. In 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the local police station in Greetiagh was attacked. It was burned down by Irish republicans, who were fighting for Ireland's independence from British rule.

How Faughan Hill Has Changed

For a long time, Faughan Hill was covered in trees. It even had a special open path through the middle, used for hunting. However, in 1962, the McCabe family cleared away these trees.

Later, in the 1970s, Sean Dunne started a large quarry on the southern side of the hill. A quarry is a place where stone or sand is dug out of the ground. This quarry was closed for a while but then reopened in the 1990s and again in the 2000s. More recently, a tall telecommunications mast has been put up on the hill. This mast helps provide phone and internet service to a large area around Faughan Hill.