New stamps get Royal treatment

20 April 2017

The set of four stamps, released by An Post today (Thursday, April 20th), feature the Hill of Tara, Eamhain Mhacha (Navan Fort) in Armagh, Rathcroghan in Roscommon and the Rock of Cashel. The set and a First day Cover, designed by Source Design, are available at leading post offices, the stamp counters at Dublin’s GPO or online at irishstamps.ie

Ireland’s Royal Sites were used by ancient Kings and other Irish royalty for coronations, ceremonies and gatherings. Archaeological investigations show that the sites were culturally significant thousands of years before recorded history. Ancient monuments, including Neolithic burial mounds, standing stones and cairns date back thousands of years and tell us how important these places were through millennia.

Ireland has six key Royal sites which can be found be found in Ulster, Munster, and Connaught with the remaining three in Leinster. These include Dún Ailinee in Kildare and Hill of Uisneach in Westmeath, traditionally regarded as the epicentre of Ireland where all the provinces meet.

The Hill of Tara was the seat of the Kings of Meath and also the seat of the Irish High Kings. Eamhain Mhacha was the royal site for the Kings of Ulster. Rathcroghan (meaning ringfort of Cruachan), an archaeological site near Tulsk in Co. Roscommon, was the meeting place for the Kings of Connaught.  The Rock of Cashel, the base for the Kings of Munster, is today one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ireland.