Tara Hill, County Wexford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tara Hill
Torrchoill
Tara Hill, from the northwest
Highest point
Elevation	253 m (830 ft)
Prominence	198 m (650 ft)
Listing	Marilyn Village
Geography
Tara Hill Location in island of Ireland
Location	County Wexford, Ireland
OSI/OSNI grid	T205623
Topo map	OSi Discovery 62

Tara Hill, also called Torrchoill in Irish, is a special hill and a small village in County Wexford, Ireland. It's close to the Irish Sea. Even though it's only 253 meters (about 830 feet) tall, it stands out in the area. From the top, you can see amazing views of the Wexford coastline, from Courtown harbour to Castletown.

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Where is Tara Hill Located?

Tara Hill is a high spot on Ireland's southeast coast. It's surrounded by flat fields and homes. A small village sits right in the middle of the hill.

Tara Hill is about 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from Gorey Town Centre. It is also about 107 kilometers (66.5 miles) from Dublin.

Life in Tara Hill Village

Tara Hill village has some useful places for people living there. It has a church and a primary school called St. Kevin's. A local shop that sold groceries closed in 2018. Now, a drumming school uses that building.

Nearby villages include Castletown, Ballymoney, and Courtown. Gorey is a bigger town close by. It has many shops and restaurants.

Tara Hill is easy to reach from Dublin. You can use the M11/N11 road. There is also a train station in Gorey that connects to Rosslare Europort.

Understanding Tara Hill's Geography

Tara Hill is known as a "Marilyn." This means it's a hill that stands out a lot from the land around it. It's important not to confuse it with the more famous Hill of Tara in County Meath. That hill is only 159 meters (522 feet) high.

At the very top of Tara Hill, there's a stone pile called a cairn. From here, you can see Gorey, Courtown, and other nearby places. You can also see the beautiful North Wexford coast. Even though it's only 253 meters high, it looks very tall in the area. You can even see it from Gorey Town Centre.

A Look at Tara Hill's History

Saint Caemhan, also known as Kevin or Cavan, is the special saint of Tara Hill. His old church was at Kilcavan, on the north side of the hill.

In 2009, people in Tara Hill and Ballymoney started to collect old memories. They wanted to write a book about the area's history. They held a "Minding Memories" night. Locals shared stories from the 1940s and 1950s, and even earlier.

People remembered Spencer's Hall, where dances were held. You can still see its old foundations. They also talked about Clince's Hall, which was used for dances and a table tennis club. It is now a private home.

Many people recalled how farming helped families make money and get food. Tara Hill Church was also used as a school until a new school was built in 1939. People remembered going to Gorey for the cattle fair on Fridays. They also talked about different grocery stores in town.

Some local stories even mention seeing strange lights in the woods of Tara Hill. This adds to the legend that the area might be haunted!

Visiting Tara Hill: Tourism

If you want to visit Tara Hill, there are places to stay. These include Tara Hill Lodge and Hillside House Bed & Breakfast. The Seafield Hotel & Spa Resort is also nearby in Ballymoney.

The area has lovely beaches like Clone Strand and Ballymoney Beach. Tara Hill also has two main walking trails. The Red Slí an tSuaimhnis trail starts from Tara Hill cemetery. The Blue Slí na n-Óg trail starts from the Ballinacarrig parking place, also known as the Crab Tree. This trail goes up the higher parts of Tara Hill.

Schools in Tara Hill

St. Kevin's National School is located right in Tara Hill Village. This school teaches children from junior infants up to 6th class. The school often takes students on trips to Tara Hill and Glendalough. It even has its own vegetable garden!

Sports and Recreation

The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club is called Castletown Liam Mellows. It's located very close to Tara Hill, on the border with Castletown.

Religion in Tara Hill

St. Kevin's Catholic church is located at Kilcavan Lower in Tara Hill.