Page 248 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

246  IRELAND REGION B Y REGION

9 Monasterboice
Road map D3. Co Louth.
@ to Drogheda. n 041 983 7070.
Open daily.
Founded in the 5th century
by an obscure disciple of
St Patrick called St Buite, this
monastic settlement is one of
the most famous religious sites
in the country. The ruins of the
medieval monastery are
enclosed within a graveyard in
A fisherman’s cottage on the Cooley Peninsula a lovely secluded spot north of
Drogheda. The site includes a
7 Dundalk Carlingford is an interesting roofless round tower and two
place to explore, with its pretty churches, but Monasterboice’s
Road map D3. Co Louth. * 32,000.
£ @ n Jocelyn St (042 933 5484). whitewashed cottages and greatest treasures are its
( Fri. ∑ dundalk.ie ancient buildings clustered along 10th-century High Crosses.
medieval alleyways. The ruins of Muiredach’s High Cross is the
Dundalk once marked the King John’s Castle, built by the finest of its kind in Ireland, and
most northerly point of the Normans to protect the entrance its sculpted biblical scenes are
Pale, the area controlled by to the lough, still dominate the still remarkably fresh. They
the English during the Middle village. The Holy Trinity Heritage depict the life of Christ on the
Ages (see p136). Now it is the Centre, which is housed in a west face, while the east face,
last major town before the medieval church, traces the described in detail opposite,
Northern Irish border. history of the port from Anglo- features mainly Old Testament
Dundalk is also a gateway Norman times. scenes. The cross is named
to the magnificent countryside Carlingford is the after an inscription on
of the Cooley Peninsula. The country’s oyster the base – “A prayer
County Museum is housed capital, and often for Muiredach by
in an 18th-century distillery in holds an oyster whom this cross
the town. In three exhibition festival in August. was made” – which
galleries it gives an imaginative The lough is a Detail from a tomb in is perhaps a refer-
history of the county, from the popular water- Monasterboice graveyard ence to the abbot
Stone Age to the present day. sports centre too, of Monasterboice.
and in summer you can embark The 6.5-m (21-ft) West Cross, also
E County Museum on cruises around the lough known as the Tall Cross, is one of
Jocelyn St. Tel 042 932 7056. from the quayside, where the largest in Ireland. The carving
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat. there is a marina. has not lasted as well as on
Closed 1 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. 7 The Carlingford Adventure Muiredach’s Cross, but you can
Centre organizes walking tours, make out scenes from the Death
plus sailing, kayaking, canoeing of Christ. The North Cross,
8 Carlingford and windsurfing. features a Crucifixion and a
carved spiral pattern.
Road map D3. Co Louth. * 1,500.
@ n Old Railway Station (042 937 Environs
3033). Carlingford Heritage Centre: A scenic route weaves around
Dundalk St (042 937 3454). the Cooley Peninsula, skirting the
Open 10am–12:30pm, 2–4:30pm coast and then cutting right
Mon–Fri. Carling ford Adventure through the mountains. The
Centre: Tholsel St (042 937 3100). section along the north coast
Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri. is dramatic: just 3 km (1.8 miles)
∑ carlingfordheritagecentre.com northwest of Carlingford, in the
Slieve Foye Forest Park, a
This is a picturesque fishing corkscrew road climbs to give
village, located between the a gorgeous panoramic view.
mountains of the Cooley The Tain Trail, which you can
Peninsula and Carlingford Lough. join at Carlingford, is a 30-km
The border with Northern Ireland (19-mile) circuit through some
runs through the centre of this of the peninsula’s most rugged
drowned river valley, and from scenery, with cairns and other
the village you can look across to prehistoric sites scattered over
the Mountains of Mourne on the the moorland. Keen hikers will Round tower and West High Cross
Northern Irish side (see pp288–9). be able to walk it in a day. at Monasterboice
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p302 and pp321–3

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