| Hill of Ward | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 90 m (295 ft) |
| Prominence | 50 m (164 ft) |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Location | |
| Location | County Meath, Ireland |
| Range | Meath Hills |
The Hill of Ward, also known as the Hill of Tlachtga, is a hill in County Meath, Ireland. During medieval times it was the site of great festivals, including one at which winter fires were lit at Samhain, the precursor of the modern Halloween (October 31). It is associated with the figure Tlachtga, a druidess in Irish mythology who is said to have given birth to triplets on the hill.
The Hill of Ward is the site of an Iron Age ringfort, which was in later times associated with the Kings of Mide of and of Munster. The hill featured in Irish stories of Tlachtga and her father Mug Ruith, who was said to have ridden his flying machine roth rámach over it. In 1168 High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair held a massive assemblage at the site.
The hill got its English name from a landowner, Ward, who had been evicted from his land during the invasion of Oliver Cromwell in 1649. The land was given to a Roundhead soldier. The Ward family whose ancestors were landowners of the hill and of whom the hill was named after are living in County Meath today.