Athboy —County Meath

17km West of Navan on the N51 stands the town of Athboy, the medieval creation of the Plunkett family. Replaced during the Cromwellian plantations by the Blighes. Overlooking the town of Athboy is the Hill of Ward where the great Celtic Feast of Samhain (1st November) took place every three years. Although the annals record the feast was held as late as 1168 (when the last Gaelic High-King of Ireland, Rory O'Connor, presided), it was in pagan times that the celebrations were at their wildest with the druids offering sacrifices and burning victims on Samhain Eve. To this day the feast of Halloween (Oiche Shamhna) is celebrated all over Ireland on the night of 31st October, with the younger generations initiating the old Celtic customs. As from Tara and the other Celtic hill-forts, the view from atop the hill is spectacular.