Usually on our tours of Ireland we stop at Sligo on the way North. The original church was founded by Maurice Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare, for the Dominicans in 1252. It was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1414. Then it was rebuilt in 1416. Unfortunately, it was destroyed again...
This is a village in Strathearn, Perthshire. Definitely worth a stop on any tours of Scotland. The present House of Gask dates from 1801, but the ruins of an earlier house are in the grounds. The name Gask refers to the nearby Gask Ridge. There are nearby remains associated...
This sits near the village of Ennis, and if you are passing on any tours of Ireland, you may want to stop. The Abbey sits on the shore of Lough Killone and was founded around the same time as Clare Abbey (around 1189). Interestingly the ruins include...
This is another hidden gem for any tours of Scotland. It is an area situated in Perthshire named after a local inn. Garth Castle is the attraction for us. The tall keep , built on the edge of a precipitous ravine in the bed of the Keltney Burn...
This abbey is in Killarney National Park, which is generally worth seeing on any tours of Ireland. Muckross Abbey is more correctly described as the Friary of Irrelagh. It is said to occupy the site of a church destroyed by fire in 1172. The site is absolutely beautiful. It...
This is an old Scottish town worth looking at on any tours of Scotland. On the high ground overlooking the town is Castle Law. This is a timber laced fort of the Iron Age. It was excavated at the beginning of this century and yielded a bronze brooch. The...
This is 8 miles south of New Ross and worth a look on any tours of Ireland. The abbey was founded in 1182 by Hervey de Monte Marisco, Marshal to King Henry the Second. He donated the abbey to the monks of Buildwas, in Salop, Shropshire. In turn...
A great spot to visit on any tours of Scotland. Its near Caithness. This castle was the holiday home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, since 1952. It was previously known as Barrogill Castle. The castle stands near the most northerly sea by the mainland of Britain, and overlooks...
This is a castle overlooking the city of Belfast, with panoramic views. It sits on the site of a much older Viking fort. If your tours of Ireland take you North the castle is worth looking at. The current castle was built in 1867 by the third Marquis...
This is a village in West Lothian. It sits on the estuary of the Forth and was once an important seaport. Definitely a good stop on any tours of Scotland. It is dominated by a castle, which has a strong oblong tower, and a circular staircase that was...