Dublin North & the Boyne Valley
FULL DAY - 8 HOURS
The fertile Boyne Valley in County Meath was settle during the Stone Age and became the most important centre of habitation in the country, Today’s tour will allow you to look back at the way of live of these people and at how this landscape has played an integral part of Irish history. We depart the city and travel north to Newgrange.
Brú Na Bróinne (Newgrange)
Newgrange (c 3,200 B.C.) is the best-known monument of the World Heritage Site of Bru na Boinne, predating the ancient pyramids by 400 years and Stonehenge by 1000. The passage tomb is surrounded by 97 kerb stones; the most impressive is the large entrance stone which is covered in swirls and designs. Inside the large mound there is a long passage leading into a chamber which branches off three ways. The corbelled roof inside the burial chamber it still watertight and supports an estimated 200,000 tonnes of cairn. The cremated remains of the dead were laid on large stone basins inside the chamber which usually were accompanied by grave goods.
At dawn on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year (December 21st), a shaft of sunlight enters the chamber of Newgrange through a specially designed opening over the doorway which illuminates the Chamber.. On December 21st 1967, Professor MJ O'Kelly was the first person in modern times to see this now world famous event.
Burial Chambers close by include:
Knowth
The passage tomb complex lies to the west of Newgrange. The large mound covers two passage tombs placed back to back which is surrounded by 127 massive kerbstones. Outside this large passage tomb there are eighteen small tombs over three hundred decorated stones make up Knowth which represents the greatest concentration of Megalithic art in Western Europe. Recurring motifs on these stones include, circles serpentine forms and spirals. One of the most impressive features of Knowth is the corbelled roof in the eastern tomb ascending to a massive height of almost 6m.
Dowth
Dowth is the least well known of the other two although it compares in size. The mound is surrounded by a kerb of 115 stones and has two tombs facing westwards. On the 21st of December, the rays of the setting sun illuminate this passage and circular manner in manner similar to the winter solstice at Newgrange.
Just down the road we travel to the site of....
The Battle of the Boyne between King William III and his father-in-law, King James II, was fought on 1 July 1690 (11 July according to our modern calendar).
Both kings commanded their armies in person. William had 36,000 men and James had 25,000 - the largest number of troops ever deployed on an Irish battlefield. English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Danish and Huguenots (French Protestants) made up William's army (Williamites) while James's men (Jacobites) were mainly Irish Catholics, reinforced by 6,500 French troops sent by King Louis XIV. At stake were the British throne, French dominance in Europe and religious power in Ireland.
Our Tour continues on to....
Drogheda is one of Ireland's oldest and most historical towns. Its history extends back to the arrival of the Celts in Ireland, c200BC. Drogheda is associated with an extraordinary number of significant events in the history of Ireland - The Battle of the Boyne, St Oliver Plunkett, Poynings Law, Cromwell's Siege and the surrender of the Irish Chieftains to the English King.
From Drogheda we travel north to.....
The historic ruins of Monasterboice are of an early Christian settlement situated north of Drogheda, just off the N1. It was founded in 520 AD by St. Buite. The ruins include a Round Tower and, most famous are the three High Crosses. These crosses date back to the 10th Century. Of the same time are the West and North Crosses, which also show great craftsmanship, but have been weathered over time. The Round Tower is 35 metres tall and is in incredible condition. It was built for the monks as a safe haven against the attack of the Vikings, who settled centuries before the defeat by the King of Tara, Domhnall, in 989 AD. Monasterboice was burned in 1097 AD. From the top of the Round Tower a remarkable view can be seen for many miles, even up to the Mourne Mountains.
Detour (a) From Monasterboice we can drive west to
Slane is an estate village with fine Georgian houses in a most pleasant area of the Boyne. It is a very ancient and historic town. This district has for many years contained many large manors and castles: few are still used as dwellings but most of them are in ruins. The north side of the Boyne, beyond, Newgrange is dominated by the majestic Slane Castle. The castle was created in the late 18th century for the Marquis of Conyngham. It is now the venue for one off the biggest outdoor concerts of the Irish music calendar.
Above Slane village is the Hill of Slane, where the first Easter fire was lit by St. Patrick in 433 to symbolise the arrival of Christianity. The act was in direct defiance of Laoghaire, the Celtic King of Ireland. The hill was also the site of a monastery and church which was raided in turn by the Vikings, the Normans, and Cromwell’s troops. Today the church tower gives a panoramic view of the Meath countryside.
The Hill of Tara: This ancient site, and one of Ireland's premier attractions, was the symbolic seat of Ireland’s High Kings until the 11th century. Ring forts can be seen but unfortunately some were damaged by English searching for the Ark of the Covenant. It once had religious importance but this faded in Christian times.
Trim Castle, the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, was constructed over a thirty year period by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter. Hugh de Lacy was granted the Liberty of Meath by King Henry II in 1176 in an attempt to curb the expansionist policies of Richard de Clare, (Strongbow).
Construction of the massive three storied Keep, the central stronghold of the castle, was begun c.1176 on the site of an earlier wooden fortress. This massive twenty-sided tower, which is cruciform in shape, was protected by a ditch, curtain wall and moat.
Detour (b) From Monasterboice we can drive south to
Picturesque village of Malahide, with an abundance of beautiful cafes and restaurants this beautiful village is cushioned between the Marina and Malahide Castle.
Malahide Castle is very unique in Ireland because the Talbot family managed to keep control of the castle for 791 years. The Talbot family began their reign in 1185 and ended in 1976 despite a short interlude, 1649 to 1660, while Cromwell marched through Ireland. The lands and harbour of Malahide were granted to Richard Talbot in 1185, one of the knights who arrived in Ireland with Henry II in 1174. According to Burke's Peerage, Richard Talbot or de Talbot was the common ancestor of the Lords of Malahide and of the Earls of Shrewsbury.
From Malahide we continue to the golden beaches of Portmarnock here we find two top Golf Courses one which is famous for its world class golf course which formally opened on December 26 1894, while another links course, opened in the 1990s, was designed by German golfer Bernhard Langer. That golf course and its accompanying hotel are built around the former home of the Jameson distilling family. Anne Jameson's son was Guglielmo Marconi (she married Giuseppe Marconi), who invented the wireless and carried out the first transatlantic Morse code transmission in 1902 from Nova Scotia, Canada to England.
We meander around the coast to Howth, is a fishing and yachting port, and popular suburban resort on the north side of Howth Head. Its attractions are easily appreciated, particularly at the coast. Howth Head gives fine views of Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains or Boyne Valley beyond. In the bay is the rocky bird sanctuary and monastic island of Ireland's, to which boat trips may be taken in summer. Cliff paths lead around the coastline, through Howth village and its ruined abbey, and past Baily Lighthouse. The 15th-century Howth Castle is inland, partly ruinous, but with fine rhododendron gardens. A small, but impressive, transport museum can be visited near the DART railway station, featuring Howth's famous open-topped tram. Howth's pubs, hotels and fish restaurants make it a pleasant stopping point for a bite to eat.
Our Journey continues on along the coast to Dublin passing Clontarf site of a famous battle between Brian Boru and the Vikings 1014AD. Just as we head into town we pass the Bram Stoker Dracula Museum.
Either detour will complete your tour with interesting countryside and historical monuments, however if you would like to take in specific areas or sites of interest we are more than happy to talk to you about your tastes. This is a sample tour and any aspect or all of this tour can be changed to suit your needs.