Southeast of Slane there are the three most prominent barrow graves in Ireland. You may not want to miss these on any tours of Ireland. The most notable is the passage grave of Newgrange. The site is assumed to be roughly 4,500 years old. The hill of round stones...
Waterford is most famous for its Crystal. It will be mentioned on any tours of Ireland as such. But the city has a fascinating history. It is set on the South bank of the River Suir and was founded by the Normans. Right on the quay is the ancient...
Narrow Water Castle is at the bottle neck of the Newry canal which runs into Carlingford Lough. It was built after the restoration of King Charles the second to protect the commercial town of Newry and its strategic hinterland of Down, Armagh, and Louth. Carlingford is a...
One of the great historical counties in Ireland is Meath. It is home to Tara, seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Even more ancient are the Megalithic graves of “Brugh Na Boinne”, the most famous of which is Newgrange. Cutting across the county is the River Boyne,...
This tapering headland of gentle landscapes scattered with ancient ruins and quiet villages is perfect for a circular tour. The “Ring of Hook” route begins south of New Ross at Dunbrody Abbey, the ruins of a 12th century Cistercian church, but Ballyhack is another good...
Kilkenny, County Kilkenny Before the Normans came in the 12th century, Kilkenny’s houses clung to the 6th century monastery of St Canice and the settlement was the capital of Ossory, a sub-Kingdom of Leinster. But the strategic possibilities of the hilltop site where quickly grasped by...
Drogehda, County Louth This close packed town, with its old buildings clustered in 13th century streets, retains a medieval feel. Two towns were founded on either side of the River Boyne by the Anglo-Norman Hugh de Lacy. In 1412 they were united by charter to become...
Looking north across the Boyne, Slane is a pretty sight. The main road sweeps down beside a ruined church to a long, narrow bridge, and beyond that, on a hillside, rises the well-planned 18th-century village. The octagonal focal point where the roads meet at its...