Louth Ireland

After it served as the seat and castle of the medieval and later Protestant primates of Armagh until 1656, Termonfeckin turned to be the site of an early Irish monastery dedicated to St. Feckin. There stands at present only the high cross of this monastery in St. Feckin’s churchyard. The Church of Ireland parish church is listed in this to a design by Francis Johnston built in 1792. The Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, designed by William Hague and erected in 1883, situates at the southern boarder of this village. The fifteenth century tower house, Termonfeckin Castle has connections to the Brabazon family.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Armagh, church, Francis Johnston, Immaculate Conception, Ireland, Roman Catholic Church, St. Feckin, Termonfeckin, Termonfeckin Castle, William Hague. Comments: 2

This busy manufacturing centre at the head of Dundalk Bay, is the county town of Louth. There is a 2 km. long racecourse to the north in Dundalk where greyhound racing is conducted twice every week. Salmon and trout hunting is possible on the River Fane and other streams. Further, there is facility for golfing at Blackrock, horse riding information and pony-trekking. Louth Foxhounds (a type of hound used to chase fox) and Dundalk Harriers (a type of hound used to chase hare) are very common in the district. Other entertaining events like Tennis, squash, dancing, cinemas, etc. also are possible. Every year an international theatre festival is organized here. The forest park at Ravensdale is an ideal place for walking and nature trials.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Blackrock, Dundalk, Dundalk Bay, Dundalk Harriers, forest park, Louth Foxhounds, Ravensdale, River Fane. Comments: None

This ancient and historic town is on the River Boyne that separates the counties Louth and Meath at this point. It is a renowned industrial centre too. Despite Drogheda being 4 miles away from the coast, it is a notable port with a fine harbour formed at the tidal mouth of River Boyne. This town is home to Oliver Plunkett’s head and one of Ireland’s best Samba bands. This bustling town full of young people is still rich in ancient history. McPheals Pub is worth visiting for some lively crack and a guaranteed good night out - Gerry Larkin is indispensable if you enjoy excellent live acoustic music, dont forget the summer festival, Samba.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Drogheda, Ireland, Louth, McPheals Pub, Meath, River Boyne, Samba. Comments: 1

This village which is famous for fishing with Port Oriel a harbour and pier constructed in 1885 is located along the coast north of Drogheda. Visitors can walk along the rocky cliffs of the headland to the south of the harbour. The Glaspistol Castle, a 16th century tower house built by the Dowdalls stands just half a mile south of the village.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Clogherhead, Dowdalls, Drogheda, Glaspistol Castle, Port Oriel. Comments: None

Blackrock is a small seaside village located three miles south of Dundalk, famous for its local resort particularly for children. This place is also used to board on sails during low tides when the water recedes leaving the coast very shallow. There is an excellent view of a complete range of the Carlingford mountains at the north side of Dundalk with houses and cottages clustred along the long the coast and mountain sides. You will get buses from Dundalk or car from the latter or Dublin road that is close to the Fairways Hotel to reach this place.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Blackrock, Carlingford, Carlingford mountains, Dublin Road, Dundalk, Fairways Hotel. Comments: 2

Ballymascanlon situates just a mile to the east of the roundabout of the N1 with the main road to Carlingford. Its name derived after from Scanlon, son of Fingin chief of Ui Meith who died in 672. The descendant of Ui Meith commands the credit of having defeated the Danes in Dundalk bay in 833. During the Norman-English period the Ballymascanlon district lying northward to Carrikarnon was donated by Hugh de Lacy to Mellifont Abbey, and after all the monasteries were dissolved in the 16^th century, this property was reached in the hands of the Moores, the grantees of the monastic properties of Mellifont abbey. In the second half of that century, this property came under the custody of the earl of Tyrone, Hugh ONeill for a short period, with the remains of its tower house that had been destroyed long ago.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Ballymascanlon, Carlingford, Carrikarnon, Danes, Dundalk, Hugh ONeill, Mellifont Abbey, Moores, Scanlon, Tyrone, Ui Meith. Comments: None

Ardee is the capital town of the rich agricultural countryside of mid-Louth. It was named after the Irish, Ard Fhirdia, a shallow place in the river Dee. Cuchulainn fought with his friend Ferdia and killed him at his place in the course of the Tain Bo Cuchulainn. The Norman knight Gilbert de Pippard is attributed with the foundation of the town. The Pepper families are his descendants. He also obtained a grant of the barony of Ardee from Prince John in 1185 and was instrumental in the construction of the motte-castle on the eastern part of the town known as Castleguard today. History of the walls that surround the town of which only a few remains are left today goes back to the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Ard Fhirdia, Ardee, Castleguard, Gilbert de Pippard, Louth, motte-castle, river Dee, Tain Bo Cuchulainn. Comments: None

This town thrived during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, but the growth of Newry town nearby resulted in the decline of Carlingford that was accelerated during the 18^th century. The Newry Ship canal worked as was a by-pass when voyaging from Louth to Newry. Modern technology has enabled the preservation of the medieval features of this place and Carlingford is one of the Heritage Towns in Ireland today. Winning of the National Tidy Towns competition in 1988 has boosted the scheme for the preservation and development of its medieval features, simultaneously facilitating every possible amenity for visitors including hotels, guesthouses, an adventure sentre, a yachting marina, seasonal festivals and summer cruises around Carlingford.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: adventure sentre, Carlingford, Heritage Towns, hotels, Ireland, Louth, National Tidy Towns, Newry Ship, Newry town, seasonal festivals, summer cruises, yachting marina. Comments: None

Formerly Gernonstown this village consisting of large country houses with lands surrounding them and situates 7 miles south of Dundalk on the N1 roadway. These manors are largely owned by the Bellingham family descendants of a captain in Cromwell’s army who received a grant of the confiscated lands of the Gernons of Gernonstown in the 1650’s. The castle once stood where, at present, stands the Bellingham Castle Hotel, an early 18^th century construction which was earlier the home of Bellinghams that underwent major remodeling later. Further renovations include the tower tutters and the gateway. You can access the river Glyde from the ground of this hotel. Also there are Widows Almshouses, cottages and boarding houses constructed by the Bellingham family in this village, perhaps to the deisgn of William Vitruvius Morrison. Also you find a roadside crucifix that was designed from a royal oak blown down in 1902.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Town. Tags: Bellingham, Bellingham Castle Hotel, Castlebellingham, Dundalk, Gernons, Gernonstown, river Glyde, tower tutters, Widows Almshouses. Comments: None