Hill of Slane
The Hill of Slane is an impressive site that towers 158 metres above the surrounding area. From this beautiful hill magnificent views of the Boyne Valley and beyond are afforded on a clear day. Eastwards are the Neolithic mounds of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, the town of Drogheda and the Irish Sea, while the view northwards extends as far as the Mourne Mountains in County Down and southwards as far as Wicklow and west to the midlands.

In Christian history the Hill became established as the place where St. Patrick lit the first Paschal Fire in direct defiance of the pagan kings at nearby Tara. Patrick's first convert Erc, became the first bishop of Slane. Whatever early buildings were on Slane Hill have disappeared and the present buildings of a church and college date from the Restoration of 1512.

The first monks to occupy the college were the Franciscans and later in 1631 the Capuchins came but within twenty years they were expelled by Cromwell.

There is a motte which stands on the western side of the Hill, shielded from view by trees, it is possibly Norman in origin.

There is an interesting story concerning a certain Dagobert II, heir to the throne of a kingdom called Austrasie in eastern Gaul (France) who was exiled to Ireland after his father's death in 656 AD. Dagobert is said to have grown into a man at the "Monastery of Slane"