Race Around Ireland is a non-stop bicycle race which traces a route around the coastline of Ireland . The event was first run in 2009 and is a qualifying event for Race Across America , the most famous race in the world of ultra marathon cycling.
87-507: The route varies only a little from year to year and has, since its inception, begun and finished in County Meath . In 2017 the finishing riders completed a 2,212 km route which included approximately 22,000m of total climbing. The event is open to solo riders as well as teams of two, four and eight competitors riding in relay. Riders decide their own rest and nutrition strategy and the winning solo riders will typically spend up to 22 hours
174-588: A calendar system. However, a writing system would not be developed until the 1st century BC, with the emergence of Ogham . The arrival of the Celts to Ireland around 500 BC heralded the beginning of the Iron Age and the establishment of most of what would define Gaelic Irish culture for millennia; including Primitive Irish , Irish mythology , Celtic paganism and an early form of the Gaelic calendar . The ancient monuments of
261-682: A fulacht fiadh and mounds of burnt soil and stone. Farming was established in the area during the Neolithic period. This provided a surplus of time and resources which was spent constructing great stone monuments to the dead, such as passage graves , court cairns and wedge tombs . There are hundreds of surviving examples of these dotted across the landscape, however, the most famous Neolithic monuments in Ireland are those at Brú na Bóinne – Newgrange , Knowth and Dowth . These tombs were constructed prior to 3,000 BC making them older than Stonehenge and
348-461: A chief who was elected by members of their extended family. Due to a lack of extensive written historical records prior to the 5th century AD, the early history of Meath is murky and largely mythologised. Irish legend purports that the title of " High King of Ireland " stretches back millennia, however, it is today known that the Hill of Tara did not become a seat of power until the early centuries AD. In
435-557: A day in the saddle. Riders are entitled to a support vehicle and riders must complete the course within a specified time as a finisher. The time limit in 2017 for solo men was 132 hours and for women 144 hours. The fastest winning solo ride in Race Around Ireland history was recorded by Christoph Strasser in 2013. The Austrian rider completed the 2,209.1 km route in 93 hours, 16 minutes at an average speed of 23.69kmh. Nicole Reist of Switzerland made history in 2017 by becoming
522-475: A few kilometres upstream from Newgrange and the site of the famous Battle of the Boyne , Slane Castle in its existing form was constructed under the direction of William Burton Conyngham , together with his nephew The 1st Marquess Conyngham . The reconstruction dates back to 1785 and is principally the work of James Gandon , James Wyatt and Francis Johnston. Francis Johnston was also the architect responsible for
609-520: A fire in the castle caused extensive damage to the building and completely gutted the eastern section facing the River Boyne. The castle reopened in 2001 after the completion of a ten-year restoration programme. In 2003, a cannon associated with the castle was found in the nearby River Boyne . Since 1981, the grounds of Slane Castle have been used to host rock concerts. The natural amphitheatre has an 80,000 person capacity. The concerts were launched by
696-432: A lack of temperature extremes. Met Éireann records the climate data for Meath from their station at Dunsany , situated 83 m (272 ft) above sea level. The average maximum January temperature is 7.3 °C (45 °F), while the average maximum July temperature is 19.6 °C (67 °F). On average, the sunniest months are May and June, while the wettest month is October with 87 mm (3 in) of rain, and
783-400: A mix of clay, sand and gravel which were deposited by glacial melt-water. In the north of the county near the border with Cavan, a small series of drumlins were formed from boulder clay . Loughs typically form in between the poorly-drained inter-drumlin areas, however unlike in neighbouring Cavan and Westmeath, Meath has no sizable loughs, other than Lough Sheelin , on which the county shares
870-461: A small coastline in its westernmost tip. Meath is largely flat and much of the county lies below 100 m (330 ft) above sea-level. The minor hills in the far west of the county at Loughcrew , and in the north at Carrickleck are the only upland areas of any significance. Slieve na Calliagh , at just 276 m (906 ft) in height, is the highest point in the county, making it the second lowest county top in Ireland. Carrickleck Hill, near
957-497: A unified Kingdom of Mide ( Meath ), a name derived from the Old Irish meaning "middle". The first annalistic mention of a " High King of Ireland " or " Ard-Rí " was Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid , King of Mide, who died in 862 AD, having achieved many victories against both the Norse and the kingdoms of Ulster. Later historians would retroactively apply the title of "High King" to
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#17330851645781044-405: Is Ireland's third-least forested county and remains well below the national average of 11% forest cover. Historically, Meath was extensively forested, but experienced a near total deforestation between the 16th and 18th centuries. Although it has rebounded in recent years, the low forest cover compared to other counties can be explained by the lack of a significant commercial forestry industry within
1131-656: Is Meath's dominant geographic feature and is synonymous with the county, having defined its history and culture over millennia. The two most prominent tributaries of the Boyne are the Leinster Blackwater , which has its source in Cavan and flows south for 68 km (42 mi) before joining the Boyne at Navan, and the Enfield Blackwater , which has its source in Kildare and flows north for 25 km (16 mi) before joining
1218-540: Is a UNESCO -designated World Heritage Site . The earliest known evidence of human settlement in the county is the Mesolithic flints found at Randalstown north of Navan, which were uncovered during the construction of the tailings pond for Tara Mines in the 1970s. These flints have been dated to 9,500 BC and are one of the earliest traces of pre-historic humans in Ireland . The excavation site at Randalstown also revealed other evidence of hunter-gatherer society, such as
1305-507: Is predominantly made up of Lower Carboniferous limestone , which underlies approximately 75% of the county. These were laid down following the erosion of mountain ranges which formed due to the closure of the Iapetus Ocean . The eroded mountains became basins in which limestone sediments and carbonate mud were deposited. The oldest rocks in the county are Ordovician in age and are found in thin layers near Slane and at Stamullen , while
1392-447: The 8th-most populous , with a total population of 220,826 according to the 2022 census . The county town and largest settlement in Meath is Navan , located in the centre of the county along the River Boyne. Other towns in the county include Trim , Kells , Laytown , Ashbourne , Dunboyne , Slane and Bettystown . Colloquially known as "The Royal County", the historic Kingdom of Meath
1479-458: The Boyne and Delvin rivers, making it the second shortest coastline of any coastal county. The county town, Navan, is the largest settlement in Meath, and is situated on the River Boyne in the middle of the county. Navan is approximately 50 km (31 mi) from Dublin and 140 km (87 mi) from Belfast . Owing to the fertile agricultural plains along the Boyne valley, which dominate
1566-605: The Clann Cholmáin dynasty meant that both Magnus and Art Ua Máel Sechlainn were also vying for the kingship of Meath. To circumvent this problem, Henry defined the borders of Meath as they had been in 1153 and ignored all subsequent subdivisions. In March 1172 he granted control of Meath to de Lacy on the condition that de Lacy could personally retain the kingdom with near total autonomy if he could conquer it. Shortly after Henry left Ireland, Hugh de Lacy invaded Meath, setting up countless motte and bailey fortifications throughout
1653-547: The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly . The county town is Navan, where the county hall and government are located, although Trim , the former county town, has historical significance and remains a sitting place of the circuit court . County Meath was divided under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 into the rural districts of Ardee No. 2, Dunshaughlin, Kells, Meath, Navan, Oldcastle, Trim, and Edenderry No. 3, and
1740-452: The Egyptian pyramids . The site is believed to have been of religious significance and is decorated with megalithic art . Newgrange, the largest pre-historic tomb in Ireland, is most famous for its alignment with the equinoxes , when sunlight shines through a ' roofbox ' and floods the inner chamber. In constructing the tomb the early settlers displayed an advanced knowledge of astronomy and
1827-517: The Farmers' Party returning 6 and 1 TDs respectively in the 1920s and 1930s. No other party would win a Dáil seat in Meath until 2011, when Peadar Tóibín was elected to Meath West for Sinn Féin. Meath East and Meath West return 6 TDs to the Dáil. In the most recent general election in 2020 , Sinn Féin won 2 of the 6 seats, Fine Gael won 2, and Fianna Fáil and Aontú both won 1 seat each. The voter turnout at
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#17330851645781914-519: The Parliament of Ireland and Meath was officially divided in two. The act was intended to allow a more effective administration in both counties, particularly in Westmeath, which England had lost control of. A new shire town at Mullingar was established along with four new baronies , while Trim retained its status as the shire town of Meath. Despite the general loyalty of the " Old English " of Meath to
2001-506: The Social Democrats hold 1. There are 11 independent councillors. Council elections are held every 5 years, with the next election due to be held in June 2029. The 2024 Meath local elections had a voter turnout of 48.0%, a very slight decrease of 0.1% on the 2019 election . The highest turnout was at Kells (55.0%) and the lowest was at Trim (43.9%). The council has three representatives on
2088-557: The Twelve Apostles of Ireland . During the golden age, the monasteries of Meath were associated with several of Ireland's most famous artefacts, which are considered to be among the finest examples of Insular and medieval Christian art in existence. As knowledge of the importance and wealth of the Irish monasteries became more widely known, they began to attract the attention of Vikings , who were raiding throughout Britain and Ireland in
2175-506: The province of Leinster . Historically, the kingdom and its successor territory the Lordship of Meath included all of the counties Meath, Fingal and Westmeath as well as parts of counties Cavan , Longford , Louth , Offaly and Kildare . The seat of the High King of Ireland was at Tara . The archaeological complex of Brú na Bóinne in the north-east of the county is 5,000 years old and
2262-403: The urban districts of An Uaimh ( Navan ), Ceannanus Mór ( Kells ), and Trim . The rural districts were abolished in 1925. The urban districts became town councils in 2002. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014. County Meath is within four Dáil constituencies : From 1923 to 1937, and again from 1948 to 2007, there was one Meath constituency. From 1937 to 1948 the county
2349-519: The " Golden Age of Irish Christianity " lasted for several centuries. Irish Scholars preserved invaluable Latin texts and Gaelic monasteries developed into centres of learning which attracted theologians from across Europe. These monasteries sent missionaries to northern and central Europe to re-ignite Christianity and Latin tradition in areas where it had lapsed following the fall of the Western Roman Empire . One of Ireland's national nicknames, "
2436-631: The 2016 general election was 61.5% in Meath West, and 63.4% in Meath East. The county is part of the 4-seat Midlands–North-West constituency for elections to the European Parliament . The county is colloquially known by the nickname "The Royal County", owing to its history as the seat of the High King of Ireland . It formed from the eastern part of the former Kingdom of Mide but now forms part of
2523-539: The 30th anniversary event at Slane Castle. Harry Styles performed on the 10th of June 2023. Celtic Woman filmed their second DVD at Slane Castle, called Celtic Woman: A New Journey in August 2006, and in 2001 U2 filmed the DVD U2 Go Home: Live From Slane Castle , which was released in 2003. They also recorded their 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire , there while taking up residence for
2610-575: The 400s, Niall of the Nine Hostages , King of the Uí Néill , conquered southward from Ulster and established a kingdom in Meath. As was commonplace in Ireland at the time, the achievements of Niall and his sons were propagandised and mythicised by bards to such an extent that much of what is known about them is considered fictional. Nevertheless, the dynasty of the Uí Néill had become firmly established in
2697-476: The 8th century. The most distinctive feature of Irish monasteries, their round towers , were built in response to these Viking raids. Eventually, the Vikings established kingdoms and founded Ireland's first cities along coastal areas, including in neighbouring Dublin . The High Kings and lesser kingdoms waged near-continuous war with these Norse-Gael settlers for over two centuries. In 1166, Diarmait Mac Murchada
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2784-468: The Boyne , which was fought near Oldbridge in 1690, ending in the defeat of James II and his flight to France . It is the only county in Leinster to have Gaeltacht regions, at Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib , and is also one of only two counties outside of the west of Ireland to have an official Gaeltacht (the other being County Waterford ). Meath is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and
2871-632: The Boyne Valley were assimilated into Celtic culture and mythology, with Cú Chulainn said to have been conceived at Newgrange. Furthermore, tradition states that Sláine mac Dela , of the Fir Bolg , cleared the forest at Brú na Bóinne and built the monuments, becoming the first High King of Ireland. It was during the Celtic period that Meath was divided into 8 túatha , the primary political unit of Celtic Ireland . The túatha were independent petty kingdoms ruled by
2958-516: The Boyne at Donore. In the east of the county, both the River Nanny and the Delvin River flow to the Irish sea, with the latter demarcating the border with County Dublin. As of 2017, there is a total of 13,326 ha (32,929 acres) of forest cover in the county, representing 5.7% of the total land area. This is an increase from just 11,200 ha (27,676 acres) (4.8%) in 2006. Nevertheless, Meath
3045-467: The Cavan border, is the second highest peak in Meath, at 173 m (568 ft). The Hill of Tara is located south of Navan and, although just 155 m (509 ft) in height, is the most prominent feature in the local topography, commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding area. There are eighteen historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes, and
3132-594: The God Dian Cecht so that the Tuatha Dé Danann could bathe in it and be healed, allegedly healing all mortal wounds except decapitation. However, with the arrival of Christianity in Ireland , and the policy of Christian reinterpretation for traditionally pagan sites, the well is now more commonly referred to as Our Lady's Well. Prior to the 1688 overthrow of the House of Stuart , Slane Castle had been in
3219-408: The High King. Máel Sechnaill's claim to the kingship was challenged by Boru in 1002 at the Hill of Tara. The Meath king requested a month-long truce to rally his subordinates to his side, which Boru accepted, however, Máel Sechnaill was quickly abandoned by his northern Uí Néill kinsmen. Having failed to raise enough troops to challenge Boru, he was forced to abdicate, thus ending the hereditary right of
3306-574: The High-King's coalition army to oust the Normans, however, their forces were routed during an unsuccessful siege of Dublin. Fearing that Strongbow was growing too powerful and might set up his own independent kingdom in Ireland, Henry II of England landed in Ireland in October 1171 to establish control over both the Irish and the Normans. Henry's campaign in Ireland was largely successful and he managed to reign in
3393-713: The Holy See and declared himself the head of the Church in England , and subsequently refused to recognise the Roman Catholic Church 's vestigial sovereignty over Ireland. For this reason, and also to address England's waning power in Ireland, Henry proclaimed the Kingdom of Ireland in 1542, with himself as its monarch. The following year, the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act was passed by
3480-626: The Irish kingdoms in the Nine Years' War in 1603. With Ireland subdued, the English pursued a series of Penal Laws restricting the rights of Catholics, which were accelerated following the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Slane Castle Slane Castle ( Irish : Cáisleán Bhaile Shláine ) is located in the village of Slane , within the Boyne Valley of County Meath , Ireland . The castle has been
3567-515: The King of Mide. In the late 10th century, the Dalcassians to the south, led by Brian Boru , consolidated their hold over Munster , with Boru establishing himself as King of Munster . The ascendancy of this longtime rival kingdom posed a serious threat to High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill , so the two leaders met at Clonfert in 997 and agreed upon a truce, whereby Boru was granted overlordship of
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3654-504: The Normans as well as a few Irish kingdoms which also submitted to him. Most crucially, he retained the city of Dublin, and Baron Hugh de Lacy was made its bailiff. Henry's appointment of de Lacy was intended to act as a counterbalance to Strongbow. However, in order to achieve this, de Lacy would need a strong holding on Irish soil and it was decided that the Kingdom of Meath was to be granted to de Lacy. This grant posed an issue for Henry as
3741-656: The Pale while other areas – which were inhabited by both the Gaelic Irish as well as Normans who were once loyal to the Crown – were now outside the control of the authorities in Dublin. The papal bull Laudabiliter of Pope Adrian IV , issued in 1155, recognised the Angevin monarch as Dominus Hibernae (Latin for "Lord of Ireland"). When Pope Clement VII excommunicated Henry VIII in 1533,
3828-409: The Uí Néill septs. The feud was eventually resolved, and as part of the resolution, it was decided that the position of King of Tara would alternate between the northern and southern Uí Néill septs. The title alternated between the two septs for over 500 years, with every second king travelling south from Ulster for an inauguration ceremony at Tara. By 740, Domnall Midi of the Clann Cholmáin dynasty,
3915-482: The Uí Néill to the title of High King. Although they remained Kings of Meath, the power and prestige of the southern Uí Néill would never recover. Traditional accounts of the arrival of Saint Patrick and Christianity to Ireland are centred on Meath and its legendary High Kings. Folklore states that he travelled to the kingdom to light a Paschal Fire on the Hill of Slane , in defiance of High-King Lóegaire mac Néill , who
4002-487: The barony boundaries in County Meath which continuously changed from the 16th to 19th centuries were last finalised in 1807. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". The largest barony in Meath is Kells Upper, at 49,552 acres (201 km2), and the smallest barony is Dunboyne, at 16,781 acres (68 km2). Townlands are
4089-646: The centre of Ireland and they proclaimed themselves the Kings of Tara and Kings of Uisnech . The Uí Néill dynasty subsequently divided into two septs, the Northern Uí Néill who remained in Ulster, and the Southern Uí Néill who now ruled over several small, disjointed kingdoms established throughout modern-day Meath, Westmeath and Dublin. Following the split, a series of internecine conflicts erupted between members of
4176-486: The constitutional position of the lordship in Ireland became uncertain. Following Henry's split with the church, the Tudors heralded the end of monastic Meath. Church Lands which comprised roughly one-third of the county were seized and granted to Protestant English statesmen and soldiers as a form of payment. Monasteries were suppressed and their treasures were either looted or scattered by Irish scholars to protect them. Meath
4263-611: The county is part of the Mid-East Region – a NUTS III entity – which is in turn part of the level II NUTS entity – Eastern and Midland Region . Meath County Council is the local authority governing County Meath. It has 40 councillors, and the county is divided into divided into six local electoral areas , each of which also forms a municipal district: Ashbourne (6), Kells (7), Laytown–Bettystown (7), Navan (7), Ratoath (7) and Trim (6). Fine Gael currently hold 11 seats, Fianna Fáil hold 9, Sinn Féin hold 6, Aontú hold 2, and
4350-639: The county, Meath's landscape is largely rural in nature. However, it is also one of the most densely populated counties in Ireland, with a population density of 94 people per km2. Centuries of exhaustive harvesting and reclamation for agriculture have severely reduced the extent of bogland in the county, especially in comparison to the neighbouring Midland counties. However, small areas of bogland survived, such as Jamestown Bog, Girley Bog and Killyconny Bog, and are currently protected as either Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). The River Boyne, at 112 km (70 mi) in length,
4437-443: The county. Meath is one of the smallest contributors to the national timber supply, and over two-thirds of Meath's forests are broadleaf – the highest of any county – as opposed to more commercially viable conifers . Additionally, three-quarters of forests within the county are privately owned. Under Köppen climate classification , Meath experiences a maritime temperate oceanic climate with cool winters, mild humid summers, and
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#17330851645784524-431: The driest month is June with 67 mm (3 in). Humidity is high year-round and rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. A number of synoptic stations which record rainfall are located throughout the county. The driest parts of the county are in the east and south, while the wettest are in the west. Julianstown near the east coast receives 781 mm (31 in) of rainfall per year, while Oldcastle in
4611-450: The earlier Kings of Tara, although there were no contemporary references to either the Kings of Tara or Mide being referred to as Ard-Rí prior to the 9th century. During the reign of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill in the 970s, the fort of Dun-na-Scia near Lough Ennell became the permanent royal residence, thereby creating two seats of power within the kingdom – one for the High King and one for
4698-588: The eastward side of the castle demesne , directly between the River Boyne and the village's Church of Ireland church in Slane, lay the ruins of St. Erc's Hermitage , a 15th-century multi-storey chapel, and with some 500 metres westward of St. Erc's Hermitage an ancient well can also be found. In one of the central texts of Irish mythology , the Cath Maige Tuireadh , this well is said to have been blessed by
4785-462: The eighth-largest in terms of population. It is the second-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, and the third-largest in terms of population. Meath borders seven counties – Dublin and Louth to the east, Westmeath and Offaly to the west, Kildare to the south, and Cavan and Monaghan to the north. Meath's coastline stretches for roughly 20 km (12 mi) along the Irish Sea between
4872-527: The family following the Williamite Confiscations in 1701. Around that time, the family moved their main ancestral seat south from County Donegal in west Ulster to Slane. The present owner of the castle is Henry Conyngham, the 8th Marquess Conyngham - the eldest son of Lord Conyngham is Alex, Earl of Mount Charles. In 1984, Irish band U2 took up residence at the castle to write and record their album The Unforgettable Fire . In 1991,
4959-582: The family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on land first purchased in 1703 by Brig.-Gen. Henry Conyngham . It holds the Slane Festival within its grounds, with the Irish Independent claiming in 2004 that "Slane today is the kind of internationally recognised venue that can claim even Madonna 's attention". Its sloping lawns form a natural amphitheatre. On
5046-692: The family, Charles Conyngham, renamed the village in his own honour as Mountcharles (pronounced locally in South Donegal as 'Mount-char-liss'). The family also controlled an extensive estate in West Donegal, especially in The Rosses district. The association between the Ulster-Scots Conynghams and the Slane Estate in County Meath dates back over 300 years, ever since the property was taken by
5133-403: The first woman to lead home all the solo finishers. County Meath County Meath ( / m iː ð / MEEDH ; Irish : Contae na Mí or simply an Mhí , lit. ' middle ' ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland , within the province of Leinster . It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to
5220-572: The gothic gates on the Mill Hill, located to the east of the castle. The Conynghams are originally a Scottish Protestant family, who planted in Ireland in 1611, during the Plantation of Ulster in County Donegal . With that, the family asserted control over lands around the village of Tamhnach an tSalainn , near Donegal Town in the south of County Donegal . Concurrently, the then head of
5307-468: The government in Dublin, the introduction of new Anglican English settlers, seen as more reliable by the English government, undermined the power of the Anglo-Norman aristocracy who had remained overwhelmingly Catholic following the Reformation . Although there was a fervent anti-Catholic sentiment in England at this time, no punitive laws were enacted out of fear that they would provoke further rebellion. However, this changed following England's victory over
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#17330851645785394-405: The highest concentration of zinc per square kilometre on Earth. The ubiquity of these minerals gave rise to the term " Irish-type " lead-zinc deposits, which is a descriptive term for lead-zinc deposits hosted in carbonate rocks. Meath's landscape was shaped during the Last Glacial Period , which ended 11,700 years ago. The soils of the county are mostly derived from glacial till , consisting of
5481-446: The kingdom. de Lacy made the ecclesiastic centre of Trim his stronghold, constructing a huge ringwork castle defended by a stout double palisade and external ditch on top of the hill. With de Lacy now at the border of Ua Ruairc's outermost settlement of Kells, a parlay was arranged and the two leaders met on the Hill of Ward for negotiations. During these negotiations, a dispute erupted and de Lacy's men killed Ua Ruairc. Both sides blamed
5568-427: The land of saints and scholars ", is in reference to this period. Patronage of the Church was also used as a political tool to project wealth and prestige in Irish kingdoms until the 16th century. Successive High Kings and Kings of Meath supported the establishment of prominent religious settlements and institutions, such as Kells and Clonard Abbey , the latter of which taught Ireland's most significant saints, dubbed
5655-560: The late 6th century AD Christianity had supplanted Celtic Paganism in every corner of the island. In a similar manner to how the Celts assimilated prehistoric traditions into their beliefs, many Celtic pagan beliefs and festivities were adapted to Celtic Christianity , such as Samhain , which became Halloween , and Imbolc , which became St. Brigid's Day. By the 7th century a network of monasteries and religious settlements had been set up throughout Ireland and Western Scotland , supported by local kings and chieftains. Beginning at this time,
5742-400: The lordship followed over the next century. The Lordship was formally shired in 1297 into the County of Meath. Following this, Meath developed into the largest and wealthiest shire in Ireland, with the eastern portion characterized by well-populated market towns, nucleated villages and a strong commercial focus on labour-intensive cereal cultivation, with one English official noting that Meath
5829-413: The most powerful branch of the southern Uí Néill, had conquered or subdued all neighbouring clans in Meath, and the Uí Néill were recognised as their suzerain . Domnall was now in possession of both Tara, the seat of the Uí Néill, and the Hill of Uisneach , which held symbolic significance as the geographical centre of Ireland . Having secured his power in the heart of the island, Domnall now presided over
5916-408: The most prominent Anglo-Norman families, who were meant to act as England's viceroys in Ireland, no longer followed English laws or customs. English authority continued to retreat eastward until Trim, Athboy and Kells were the outermost settlements of The Pale , an area centred around Dublin where English law was still obeyed. This situation meant that by the 1500s part of County Meath was within
6003-524: The other, with the Irish annals reporting that Ua Ruairc was " treacherously slain ". By 1175, de Lacy had conquered the entire territory, executing Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn that year. He expanded existing settlements into charter towns throughout Meath, including Trim, Athboy, Kells and Navan; and he married Rose Ní Conchobair , the High-King's daughter, in order to cement his claim as Lord of Meath. Hugh de Lacy died in 1186 and several informal divisions and feuds among de Lacy's descendants over control of
6090-412: The possession of the Flemings , Hiberno-Normans who had aligned themselves with the Jacobites in the War of the Grand Alliance , and thus after the Williamite victory, their property was chosen for confiscation. Christopher, 17th Baron Slane (1669 – 14 July 1726; created The 1st Viscount Longford by Queen Anne in 1713), was the last Fleming Lord of Slane. Overlooking the River Boyne , just
6177-480: The previous decade had been a tumultuous time in Meath. There were four rival heirs to the kingship and each claimant held a different part of the kingdom. The strongest claim came from the King of Breifne, Tigernán Ua Ruairc , who – through conquest, marriage and an alliance with the church – had subsumed almost all of eastern Meath into his kingdom by the time of the Norman arrival. Strongbow also had nominal claim to Meath as King of Leinster. A war of succession within
6264-446: The smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland, there are approximately 1,634 townlands in the county. Historic town boundaries are registered as their own townlands and much larger than rural townlands which, within County Meath, are typically small in size, ranging from just 1 acre to 2,681 acres, with the average size of a townland in the county (excluding towns) being 356 acres. For statistical purposes at EU level ,
6351-433: The south, Offaly to the southwest, Westmeath to the west, Cavan to the northwest, and Monaghan to the north. To the east, Meath also borders the Irish Sea along a narrow strip between the rivers Boyne and Delvin , giving it the second shortest coastline of any county. Meath County Council is the local authority for the county. Meath is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by land area, and
6438-502: The southern half of the island. The Kingdom of Leinster immediately rebelled against Boru and allied with the Norse Kingdom of Dublin . Mide and Munster formed a defensive alliance and, after a series of campaigns throughout 998–999, crushed the forces of Leinster and Dublin, which both became vassals of Munster. Boru now believed that Munster was the most powerful kingdom in Ireland and therefore he, and not Máel Sechnaill, should be
6525-574: The then Earl of Mount Charles (popularly known for several decades as Henry Mount Charles or Henry Mountcharles; since March 2009, he has been known as The 8th Marquess Conyngham ), the owner of the castle. Performers who have headlined Slane concerts since 1981 include The Rolling Stones , U2 , Guns N' Roses , Metallica , Red Hot Chili Peppers , Queen , David Bowie , Neil Young , Bryan Adams , Bob Dylan , Bruce Springsteen , Robbie Williams , Madonna , R.E.M. , Foo Fighters , Celtic Woman and Oasis . On 28 May 2011, Kings Of Leon headlined
6612-410: The west receives 1,002 mm (39 in). The annual precipitation at Dunsany is 847 mm (33 in). Snow showers generally occur between November and March, but prolonged or heavy snow events are rare. Although frost is common in the central and western areas of the county, temperatures typically fall below 0 °C (32 °F) on just a few days per year. The lowest ever temperature in Meath
6699-491: The youngest rocks are of Paleogene age, and were formed as a result of volcanic activity. These are found in small dykes and sills throughout the county. Crustal stretching beneath Ireland during the Carboniferous allowed fluids to infiltrate through faults in the rock, and extensive mineralisation occurred. Most notably, zinc-bearing Sphalerite and lead-bearing Galena were deposited in vast quantities, giving Ireland
6786-577: Was "as well inhabited as any shire in England". Many of the Lordship of Ireland's judges, barristers and government officials such as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland , Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland hailed from the county. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, English power diminished significantly in Ireland for three primary reasons. Firstly, there
6873-529: Was a reconsolidation and resurgence in the power of the Irish kingdoms which had been shattered during the Norman invasion. Secondly, the onset of the Black Death devastated nucleated settlements such as walled Anglo-Norman towns but had a significantly smaller impact in more sparsely populated Gaelic kingdoms. Lastly, and of most concern to the English crown, the gradual gaelicisation of the Normans meant that many of
6960-814: Was banished from Ireland by the High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair for the abduction of Lady of Meath Derbforgaill ingen Maeleachlainn , wife of Tigernán Ua Ruairc , King of Breifne . Mac Murchada returned with Norman allies and landed at Bannow in Wexford in 1169, after which they conquered northward throughout 1169–70, initiating the Norman Invasion of Ireland . In response, the High King assembled an alliance which included King Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn of Meath as well as soldiers from Connacht , Breifne and Dublin along with their respective kings. They confronted Mac Murchada's forces at Ferns and an agreement
7047-463: Was further sub-divided into Meath and Westmeath in 1542. The county took its present boundaries in 1977, when much of Drogheda was transferred to County Louth . Meath has an abundance of historical sites, including the Hill of Tara , Hill of Slane , Newgrange , Knowth , Dowth , Loughcrew , the Abbey of Kells , Trim Castle and Slane Castle . The county was also the site of the seminal Battle of
7134-493: Was invaded by Tyrone and its allies in 1539 who raided as far south as Navan, which was razed to the ground. King Conn O'Neill had been recognized as " King of our realm in Ireland " by Pope Paul III and was encouraged to expel Protestant influence from the island. However, the conflict stoked an unexpectedly swift reaction from the typically lethargic Dublin government, and Tyrone was defeated by Lord Deputy Grey and forced to sue for peace in 1541. Henry had broken away from
7221-403: Was on the nearby Hill of Tara celebrating a pagan festival. Patrick was then summoned to the king's court and so impressed Lóegaire with his teachings that he was allowed to continue preaching Christianity across Ireland. While Christian missionaries were documented in Ireland long before the time of Saint Patrick, and accounts of his activities are heavily shrouded in myth, what is known is that by
7308-554: Was reached whereby Mac Murchada was acknowledged as king of Leinster, in return for acknowledging Ruaidrí as his overlord and agreeing to send his foreign allies away permanently. However, Mac Murchada breached the agreement and enlisted more Normans to his side before continuing his conquests, capturing Dublin in 1171 and forcing the capitulation of Magnus Ua Máel Sechlainn. Following Mac Murchada's death in May 1171, Strongbow succeeded him as King of Leinster and, once again, Magnus joined
7395-497: Was recorded in December 2010, at −13.3 °C (8 °F). Summer daytime temperatures range between 15 °C (59 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F), with temperatures rarely going beyond 25 °C (77 °F). As with rainfall, the sunniest areas of the county are located along the coast. The climate gets progressively duller and wetter inland due to the convective development of clouds over land. The county's geological landscape
7482-520: Was the seat of the High King of Ireland and, for a time, was also the island's fifth province . Ruled for centuries by the Southern Uí Néill dynasty, in the late 1100s the kingdom was invaded by the Anglo-Norman conqueror Hugh de Lacy , who ousted the Uí Néill and established himself as the Lord of Meath . This lordship gradually diminished in size before being formally shired as County Meath in 1297, which
7569-589: Was within the Meath–Westmeath constituency. Between 1923 and 2007 a total of 31 general elections and by-elections were held. Following the demise of Cumann na nGaedheal in the 1930s, national politics in the Meath and Meath–Westmeath constituencies was dominated by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour Party. During those years, the Meath and Meath–Westmeath constituencies returned a total of 106 TDs to Dáil Éireann , of which 54 were from Fianna Fáil, 34 from Fine Gael and 11 from Labour; with Cumann na nGaedheal and
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