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For the second time in two years gardai are investigating vandalism to the Lia Fail, the 5 thousand year old standing stone on the top of the Hill of Tara, which is a national monument.

It was the inauguration Stone for the Kings of Tara and was meant to "roar" when touched by the rightful king.

The destruction was spotted by OPW staff this morning.

Overnight somebody poured green and red paint all over the top of the stone and it is now nearly completely covered in it.

In June 2012 the stone was damaged when hacked off pieces of it with an axe.

This attack has been condemned by the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan who said: "This act of mindless vandalism, on one of our premier archaeological sites, is truly shameful."

He asked for anyone with information to contact gardai.

A spokesman for gardai in Navan, who are at the scene carrying out a technical examination, asked "that anyone with information on whoever was responsible would contact us or phone the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111".

Visitors to the Hill today have been shocked at the sight.

Sinead Rooney had travelled from north London and it was her first time on Tara.

“It is so disrespectful. Where is the humour in this? You wonder what satisfaction there is in having done this,” she said.

She was with her aunt Anne Quinn who was very disappointed and said: “I wanted this to be a special day, it was her first time at Tara. To see the state of it now is just disgusting.”

“This is an act of cultural vandalism,” said Ian Doyle, archaeologist and head of conservation with the Heritage Council yesterday.

He said local people and others, “have a close relationship with the Hill of Tara and this is an assault on their sense of pride and the respect, love and affection they have for it.”