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We finally we able to make our return trip to Ireland after a four year break!  On this visit we focused on some new areas that the children (13 and 10 years old) had not seen.  We started our visit in what is known as Ireland’s Ancient East.  A lot of accommodations that were available for visitors in 2020 (and before) have gone by the wayside.  Thankfully we were able to find a gem just outside of Navan called “The Mews”.

Trim

One highlight of the greater Dublin area is the medieval town of Trim.  Trim is a good place to spend an entire day, or if you are one who likes to linger, it makes a nice two day visit as well.  While parking can be a bit hard to find in the summer, always check the car park next to the castle first.  We also found a great car park behind James Griffin’s pub on High Street that cost €2.  From either spot you can begin your day at Trim Castle, Ireland’s largest Norman Castle.  Everything below was here and an active part of local life in the early 1200s.

Trim Castle

Construction began on the castle in 1170s along the banks of the River Boyne.  At the time, the river was deep enough to allow ships to sail all the way from the Irish Sea to the town.  While it is tempting to take advantage of the free admission to the castle grounds, I would recommend purchasing the tour of the Keep (the central tower).  This visit was my first time taking the tour (the children were too small previously) and I thought it made the visit even more impressive.  Access to the Keep is only through the guided tour.  We purchased our Heritage Card here and much to my surprise (and pleasure) the interaction ended in Irish!

The Yellow Steeple

After visiting the castle I would recommend making the short walk across the footbridge next to the castle car park to visit the Yellow Steeple.  This is all that remains of the bell tower from St. Mary’s Abbey.  The Abbey was established in the 12th century.  In the late middle ages it became a major pilgrimage site due to a miracle attributed to the 14th century statue of the Virgin Mary that was housed in the abbey.  The tower takes it’s name from the yellow hue the tower can take on during sunset (it’s striking to see).  It is believed that this tower was the tallest building in medieval Ireland.  The abbey was destroyed after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries and this is all that remains today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next to the tower is a building known as Talbot Castle.  The oldest portion of the castle served as either dormitory space or the refractory for the abbey before becoming a private resident of the Talbot family.  Later, the castle served as a school as the local school and educated the future Duke of Wellington.

The Sheep Gate and Trim’s Town Walls

From the Yellow Steeple it is a short walk to the last standing gate from Trim’s medieval town walls.  Originally there were five gates that allowed access to the walled town, of those the Sheep Gate is all that now remains remains.  At the time it wall built the gate structure would have been twice as tall as what you see now.  The Sheep gate allowed access to and from the area known as the Porchfield.  This was an agricultural area used by the people of Trim.

The gates to the town would have been closed from 9 PM each evening until 4 AM the next morning.  In addition to using the gates as protection, town gates were used to collect fees when people brought goods to be sold in the town.

In the photo above, you can see Sheep Gate to the left hand side.  All of the land you see in front of the gate was known as the Porchfield.  This land was farmed by the people of Trim.  The Porchfield extended from the town walls all the wall to the medieval buildings you can see in the distance (Newtown Trim).  The hedgerow that extends out the front of the gate follows the medieval road that took people from Trim to Newtown Trim.

Newtown Trim

About the year 1200, a new town was built down the down river from the castle.  Known as Newtown (or Newtown Trim),  some impressive buildings have been left from that time.  Walking from the Sheep Gate you can follow the River Walk along the River Boyne for about 20 minutes until you reach the buildings.  On your left will be the Porchfield, which can have some pleasant wild flowers in the summertime.  As you proceed up the path from the river the first buildings you will see are the remains of the abbey attached to the cathedral.

St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral

When it was built this is believed to have been the largest church in Ireland outside of Dublin.  Though never originally designated a cathedral, that was it’s intention and for a time it’s function.  It is thought that this was the first gothic church built in Ireland.  Even if it is not the first in Ireland, it is still one of the oldest gothic churches in Europe.

Newtown Parish Church

This parish church is the most scenic of the sites in Newtown.  It is most famous for the tomb known as the “Jealous man and woman”.  The tomb is actually the resting place of Sir Lucas Dillon and contains some really impressive stone work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Priory of St. John the Baptist

The final building from Newtown Trim that you will reach is the Priory of St. John the Baptist.  To reach this from the river walk you need to cross St. Peter’s Bridge (or Newton Bridge).  You do need to be alert as you will be sharing the bridge with traffic.   The bridge is noteworthy since it was building between the 13th and 15th century depending on which source you cite.  Either way, it is medieval and contemporary to the rest of Newtown Trim.

The priory was founded in 1202 for the Augustinians.  Included in the complex were hospital buildings, of which you can see the foundations in the grassy areas outside of the larger main buildings.  When you enter the gate from the road you will see a corner turret that remains from an exterior wall that was built in the 15th century.  If you are adventurous (like my son) you can actually climb up inside. The 15th century tower house that was was added to the end of the nave closest to the road is also very prominent.  While not as extensive as many Irish monasteries, these remains do have those fairly unique features.

If you would like to start at Newtown Trim and work your way back toward Trim Castle there is a nice (but not large) car park across from Marcie Regan’s pub.  The car park is on the north side of St. Peter’s Bridge and within site of the Priory of St John the Baptist.  To the right of the car park is an attractive path that leads to the Newtown Parish Church.

Near Trim

Bective Abbey

Bective Abbey (located half way between Trim and Navan on the Navan Gate Road) was founded in 1147 as the second Cistercian abbey in Ireland (as a daughter house of Mellifont Abbey).  Heavily fortified during it’s use, a tower house was added after Henry VIII forced it’s closure.  Though Trim castle was used in Braveheart, this is the location where I walked in and immediately pictured a scene from the film (it was used for some interior castle scenes).  I find that this impressive ruin is a great stop to fill the afternoon between a transatlantic flight arrival and check-in time at your accommodation.

SIDENOTE:  On this visit, we left the airport (at 11:25 AM), ate lunch at the nearby Balreask Bar and Restaurant and then visited Bective Abbey.  We arrived at the abbey at 1:45 PM on a Tuesday and had the place to ourselves until 2:30.  Even after the arrival of two buses it wasn’t crowded.

Newgrange

Newgrange is part of the Brú na Bóinne tomb complex and is the one things I would say you absolutely should not miss on a visit to Ireland.  Older than the pyramids in Egypt or Stonehenge, the magnificent tomb of Newgrange dates to about 3200 BC.  The most impressive example of a Neolithic passage is stunning each time I visit.  Access is only available through guided tours that are purchased at the visitor center.  I do recommend booking online in advance of your visit.  Though is it much nicer to visit in good weather, I have visited in the rain and it was no less memorable.  In addition to Newgrange, your ticket can include a visit to Knowth which will give you an even better idea of the different art and architectural characteristics of this complex.

SIDENOTE: On this visit we booked 9 AM tickets.  I would recommend this if it is feasable.  When we arrived in the carpark about 8:50 AM there we only a few cars.  When we arrived at the doors we were among the first 10 people in line.  We were placed on the 9:45 tour of Newgrange and Knowth, which only had eight people in the group!

 

 

 

 

Knowth

The Abbey of Kells

Kells, County Meath (not to be confused with the larger Kells Priory in Co. Kilkenny) was originally an Irish royal site.  About 550, St. Colmcille is said to have founded a religious settlement here as well.  In the 800s, some of his followers arrived from Iona to “refound” the monastery, the remains of which can be seen in the churchyard of St. Columba’s Church (Church of Ireland).  It is believed that building was completed by the end of the 800s and the religious relics from Iona were relocated to the abbey in Kells, becoming the primary Columban monastery.  The site today contains three high crosses and the base of a fourth as well as a round tower.  There is also a sundial located in the complex.  Just outside the churchyard walls is the 9th century oratory known as St. Columb’s House.  It is believed that the boundary of the monastery followed the current street layout: Church Lane to the north, Church Street to the east, Cannon Street to the South, and the Circular Road the west.  In addition to the older items listed above, there is a 12th century bell tower in the churchyard.

Monastic building in the churchyard:

9th century: Cross of St. Patrick and St. Columba, St. Columb’s house, possibly the other crosses
10th century: Round tower
12 century: the bell tower
12th-15th century: the sundial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fore

I had wanted to visit Fore for a long time, but this was the first time it fit into my schedule.  Located near Castlepollard in County Westmeath, Fore Abbey was founded by St. Feichín in 630 and then re-founded as a Benedictine house in the 12th century.  The place became famous as a pilgrimage site known for the Seven Wonders of Fore.  As you examine the site you can try to find the seven wonders (there is a map next to the car park):

1. The anchorite in a stone
2. The water that will not boil
3. The monastery built on a bog
4. The mill without a stream
5. The water which flows uphill
6. The tree which will not burn
7. The stone lintel raised by the saint’s prayers.

The oldest building on the site is the 10th century St. Feichín’s Church (the 7th Wonder), which is the first building on the slope above the town car park.  The nave dates to the 10th century but the chancel was added about 1200.  Inside the church are some nicely carved cross slabs as well as a 13th century font.

 

 

Further up the slope is the Anchorite’s Church (the 1st Wonder).  The chapel is an addition to the anchorite’s cell which was inhabited until the 1600s.  The gate to the church is in a pasture and one of the resident horses was clearly irritated by our presence (we yielded the ground to the horse).  Despite the irritated horse and the church being locked, it wouldn’t keep me from doing it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next to the car park is Tobernacogany.  This enclosure contains the well (the 2nd wonder) as well as a rag tree which is the 6th wonder.

From the car park is nicely manicured path which in addition to having some very nice stone picnic tables, will take you past the 4th and 5th wonders.

The path takes you to the 3rd Wonder, the monastery.  The main gate is still standing which I love.  The only other place I have seen one of these gates in at Glendalough.  While much of the interior of the monastery is not accessible, you are still able to visit the cloisters around which the monastery was built.  Much of the remaining structures date to the 15th century including the two towers which were included as part of the town walls, though there are still some pieces of 13th century construction standing.

Up a small hill behind the monastery building is a Columbarium.  These were used to house doves and served as a supply of meat for the monks.

After our visit, the children bought some ice cream at Ned’s Forge (which sells coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods as well) while we sat outside the Abbey House bar and enjoyed a drink on a nice sunny day.  The pub also has a small shop and sells petrol.  It makes a nice, low cost day out.

 

Outside Navan

We stayed at a wonderful Airbnb called The Mews just outside of Navan,  within walking distance of the house is the Old Kilcairn Cemetery.  I was interested in visiting St. Stephen’s Church which celebrated mass for the first time in 1192.  Though it is now a ruin it is still worth a visit.  A short trip up the road you can visit the intricately decorated font from this church which is now housed inside the current Johnstown Church

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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