This year in addition to celebrating the traditional Summer Solstice greeting of the dawn on the longest day of the year, there will be other events at the Hill of Tara including a very special event at 2pm to publicise the Solar Alignment at the Mound of the Hostages.

The Arms Around The Mound event at the Mound of the Hostages, Hill of Tara, is intended to draw attention to the solar alignment at the mound especially now, at a time when it is undergoing necessary archaeological investigations. The alignment is similar to the Winter Solstice alignment at Newgrange in effect and though no less important, it is far less well known.

The Mound itself is the second oldest astronomical observatory in the world after Newgrange and the most important monument on the hill, with references in Gaelic mythology to the Ui Neill clan.

The event in many ways has similiarities with the Human harp event in september, 2007 at Tara; in that, by means of a family friendly and fun event, one can draw attention to an issue. In this case, the importance of the Mound astronomically etc.