Dawn Arrington grew up in Arizona but her pilgrimage as a druid has brought her to the Hill of Tara on her first visit to Ireland.
"For druids, this is like the Holy Land," she said. She is one of dozens of druids, pagans, Christians and others from around the globe who believe that Tara is a sacred place and who have gathered there to mark the summer solstice.
Later today, Dawn and her fiance, Partholon, will marry in a druidic "hand- fasting" ceremony. They have been camped at the bottom of the hill since earlier this week and have met many other druids and pagans who are drawn to the hill because of their spiritual beliefs.
Sitting around the ashes of a camp fire was Deborah Mulraine and her 10-year-old son Conan from Downpatrick, Co Down.
Deborah is also a pagan and said she wore purple because it was a "spiritual colour".
Hundreds more are expected throughout today; many will make private visits to the former seat of the High Kings of Ireland and others will take part in the various ceremonies organised as part of the Summer Solstice Festival at Tara.
Ceremony co-ordinator Annette Peard, a member of the Queen Tephi of Tara Grove of Druids, said: "There are different groves doing ceremonies from dawn to the sunset fire ceremony.
"There are other folk who are coming who have nothing to do with the druids. The hill of Tara is special and sacred to many people and the druids have always considered it sacred."