Lia Fáil, Standing stone on the Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland

Lia Fáil is a grey-brown stone pillar with a coarse, weathered surface and a slightly rounded top, thickest around the middle and tapering a little upward. It stands upright at the centre of a flat circular setting of rectangular grey slabs laid radially like wheel spokes. It bears no visible inscription.

Tradition connects the stone with the arrival of mythical tribes in pre-Christian times. For centuries it served as a symbol of royal power during coronation ceremonies of Irish high kings.

The name Fál is of obscure origin; from it the Tuatha Dé Danann called Ireland Inis Fáil, "island of Fál", and the stone became Lia Fáil, "Stone of Ireland". The name Fianna Fáil, borne by a political party and by the national army's cap badge, derives from the same word.

Visitors reach the monument through marked paths across the Hill of Tara grounds. The location sits roughly 28 miles (45 kilometers) north of Dublin in County Meath.

The stone's original name, Fál, had an obscure meaning; from it the Tuatha Dé Danann called Ireland Inis Fáil, "island of Fál", and the stone itself became Lia Fáil, "standing stone of Ireland". The name Fianna Fáil, borne by a modern Irish party, echoes this old name for Ireland.