An Irish Sunset on the Ancient Royal Hill of Tara

We who would be kings! Sometimes, as a photographer of Ireland's ancient monuments and beautiful landscapes, the stars align and conditions are favourable for a memorable photograph. I had been wandering around the Hill of Tara in County Meath, ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland, and as the sun was heading for the horizon I caught a glimpse of a truly beautiful scene.

I walked around the eastern perimeter of the monument known as An Forradh – The Royal Seat – to see if I could get the sun to line up with the Lia Fáil, the standing stone atop the mound which was said to scream when the rightful king placed his foot on it. I had taken some shots with a zoom lens, but I quickly realised a wide-angle photo might also work.

So I swapped lenses, for a very wide one, and captured this photo, which has become one of my all-time personal favourites of the Hill of Tara. I love that the clouds were catching the golden light of the sun on their verges, and the way the grass in the foreground is part illuminated, part in shadow. And those little flowers give it a sense of summertime beauty, and growth, and for a moment it might have seemed like I was capturing Tara as she had been in the glorious days of the high kingship.

There are two people standing at the Lia Fáil, and I can only imagine what sort of wish they were making together as they touched the stone. What a special moment for them, standing where ancient kings had stood, watching that glorious sunset!

The light was magical.