NAVAN

Irish An Uaimh urban district and county seat of County Meath, Ireland. It lies at the confluence of the Rivers Boyne and Blackwater. The Great Motte, an imposing earthwork 52 feet (16 m) high, is on its western outskirts. The town was walled and fortified by Hugh de Lacy and later became an outpost of the English Pale (territory). At Donaghmore are remains of a 13th-century Celtic church and a round tower. Navan is a shopping and market centre; it manufactures furniture, carpets, and woolen goods. Lead and zinc deposits, discovered in 1970, are exploited nearby. Just northwest of Navan is Teltown Hill, site of an ancient royal residence, one of four built by the Irish king Tuathal. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 3,411.