Dún Ailinne

Prehistoric Iron Age enclosure on Knockaulin Hill, County Kildare – ceremonial seat of the ancient kings of Leinster.

Dún Ailinne is one of the three largest prehistoric enclosures in Ireland, set on the hill of Knockaulin in County Kildare, southwest of Kilcullen. The circular earthwork covers roughly 13 hectares and dates to the Iron Age, though it remained in use through the medieval period. From the surface there is almost nothing to see – no standing stones or walls, just gentle undulations in the grass. Archaeological excavations revealed circular timber structures associated with ceremonial gatherings of the Leinster kings. In Irish mythology the hill was the seat of the kings of Leinster. Visiting requires imagination, but rewards with unusual quiet.