|
Area Guide - History and
Heritage
For every dreamy schoolboy in
Ireland, the River Boyne is a name that resonates with history and
adventure. It was on the banks of this famous river that the Celtic
chieftan Brian Boru defeated the Danish in a decisive battle that
returned the east of the country to native rule. It was also by this
river that Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic armies
of exiled James II of England in 1690. In fact this whole area just
north of Dublin is soaked in stories and myths that predate the
pyramids.
Nowhere can you get a better
cross-section of the best of Ireland's Historic monuments than in
the Boyne Valley.
We recommend you supplement your trip with
a visit to Dublin. Located close to Kiltale House & Cottage, the
capital city is a virtual treasure-trove of historic sites not least
Trinity College, Christchurch and the
GPO.
 Newgrange |
- Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth & The Visitor
Centre:
The passage tomb of
Newgrange, built over 5000 years ago, is one of the most
famous prehistoric monuments in Western Europe and is
unquestionably one of Ireland's most important archeological
sites. It is neighboured by the passage graves of Knowth and
Dowth, all of which were erected before the Pyramids of Egypt.
A visit to these sites can be supplemented by a visit to the
Bru na Boinne visitor centre. Please note that access to the
sites is via the visitor centre only. |
|
|
| |
|
 Trim
Castle |
- King John's Castle, Trim:
Standing proudly and
defiantly on the banks of the river Boyne, Trim Castle is the
largest Anglo-Norman Castle in Europe. The castle dates to
1172 when Hugh de Lacy began it's construction. To this day,
the castle forms a hugely impressive and powerful site, still
dominating the Heritage town of Trim. Sections of the hugely
successful film Braveheart starring Mel Gibson were filmed
here. Also located in Trim is the Trim Visitor Centre housing
an exciting multimedia exhibition which paints a vivid picture
of the historical background of the magnificent medieval ruins
of the town. |
|
|
| |
|
 Hill of
Tara |
- The Hill of Tara:
Located just a pleasant
drive from Kiltale House & Cottage, the Hill of Tara has -
through it's legends and the imagination of the Irish people -
taken on mythic proportions. The site has attached to it a
wealth of history and legend as the ancient spiritual and
political capital of Ireland. On a clear day, it is said that
features in half the counties in Ireland can be seen from atop
Tara. Sitting on top of Tara is the most famous of Tara's
monuments - Ireland's ancient coronation stone, 'The Stone Of
Destiny'. Also located there is the Mound of the Hostages - a
megalithic passage tomb which is the oldest monument on the
hill of Tara, dating to about 2,500 BC. |
|
|
| |
|
 Loughcrew |
- Loughcrew Cairns:
Loughcrew Cairns are another
of the hidden gems of the Boyne Valley. The Cairns are a group
of passage tombs in a magical setting dating from the
Neolithic (c. 3,000 B.C.). Cairn T, one of the largest in the
complex, has impressive examples of prehistoric art and is
also the site of the famous hag's chair. |
|
|
| |
|
 Columcilles Oratory, Kells Slane
Castle |
- Monastic Kells & Manorial
Slane:
Located close to the
premises and well worth a visit is the Heritage town of Kells,
a small market town built adjacent to the River Blackwater in
the North of County
Meath.
It
is famed for it's monastic
influence and contains a whole host of historic remains - most
famously it's high crosses and its well preserved round
tower, dating from Viking times and standing an impressive 35
metres high. Sacred vessels and the Book of Kells were kept in
the tower and it was from here that the Book of Kells was
stolen in 1007.
A short drive will take you to the
manorial village of Slane which offers attractive restaurants,
pubs, antique and craft shops while it's castle is home to
Lord Henry Mountcharles and is famed for it's annual rock
concert on the castle lawns. Just to the North of the village
lies the Hill of Slane, one of the most historic sites in
Ireland and reputedly the place where St. Patrick, Patron
Saint of Ireland, lit the first Paschal Fire in the country in
the year A.D. 433. |
|
|
| |
|
Trinity
College |
- Trinity College & Dublin:
Founded in 1592, the oldest university in Ireland has
long been at the heart of Dublin's history and continues to be
a popular tourist attraction as well as university for almost
10,000 students. The campus is a complex of many unique
buildings, the most interesting of which are the Printing
House, dating back to 1740, and the Dining Hall.
One
of the major attractions for visitors is the Book of Kells
which contains a Latin text of the four gospels decorated by
Irish monks in the year 800 AD. The book is included in an
exhibition called The Book of Kells, Picturing the Word which
places the work in its historical context. After seeing the
book in the specially designed Treasury room, visitors can
look at the Long Room which at 65 metres long contains 200,000
of the library's oldest books.
Also worth seeing in
Dublin is the GPO, one of the great civic buildings of
Dublin's Georgian era and a central location in the 1916
Easter rising. The bank of Ireland was home of the Irish
Parliament in the 18th century while the custom house is the
city's most spectacular Georgian building. Of course, no trip
to Dublin would be complete without a trip to the famed
Guinness Brewery, founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759 and at
one time, the largest stout producing brewery in the world.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- Also Worth a
visit:
Echo Gate:
The echo gate can be found off the Dublin road on
the south side of the river Boyne. If one shouts across the
river to the ruined Victorian friary at Newtown, one's words
will be returned in a perfect echo. Voices are reflected back
by the walls of the monastery on the north side of the river,
which was founded circa 1206 by Simon De Rochfort for the
Canons Regular of St. Victor.
Tomb of the Jealous Man and
Woman:
Situated at the old church at Newtown is the tomb of
Sir Lucas Dillon where he and his wife, Lady Bathe lie. They
are known as the jealous man and woman who locals believe possess
a mysterious cure for warts.
Rathcairn Gaeltacht
Where you can experience set-dancing, traditional music
sessions, singing, sean-nós dancing and ceili's all play
their part in making Rathcairn a place where visitors become
familiar faces.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
