Exploring Ireland's Ancient East: The Hill of Slane, Co. Meath

This mythical hill in County Meath is steeped in legend and lore - its prominent location and commanding views over the Boyne Valley and beyond made it one of the most important sites in the ancient east of Ireland.

 

Inis Cealtra, the "Holy Island" in Lough Derg, Co. Clare

Inis Cealtra became known as "Holy Island" during the middle ages, when the monastery was one the most frequented pilgrimage sites in Ireland. But the island was already considered a sacred place in pagan times.

 

Magical Places: St. Berrihert's Kyle and Holy Well, Co. Tipperary

Hidden deep in the Glen of Aherlow at the foot of the Galtee Mountains lies the enchanted and mysterious St. Berrihert's Kyle and Holy Well. 

 

Magical Places: The seven churches of Glendalough, Co. Wicklow

The valley of Glendalough is a raving beauty in the heart of the Wicklow mountains, an enchanted and spellbinding place. Scattered throughout the valley are the remains of seven early medieval churches and one of the most important monastic sites of Ireland. 

 

Magical Places: The secret of the lost town of Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny

On the banks of the River Nore lie buried the remains of the medieval town of Newtown Jerpoint. The ancient ruins hold an arcane secret: local lore has it that none other than St. Nicholas found his final resting-place inside the small church graveyard here.

 

Magical Places: The Tomb of the Jealous Man and Woman, Newtown Abbey, Co. Meath

Hidden away in a small church on the grounds of an Augustinian Priory on the banks of the River Boyne you'll find the wondrous tomb of a medieval knight and his Lady,  locally known as "the Tomb of the Jealous Man and Woman". 

 

Magical Places: The Fairy Hill, Carbury, Co. Kildare

Carbury Hill in County Kildare is one of the most important sites in Irish Mythology and history. The prominent hill overlooking the surrounding countryside is also called the "Sidh Neachtain" or "the Fairy Mound of Neachtain", the royal residence of Neachtain, the King of Leinster.

Magical Places: Timoleague Friary in West Cork

Built on the site of an earlier monastic settlement the imposing ruins of Timoleague Friary sit on the banks of the Argideen River where it flows into Courtmacsherry Bay.

Magical Places: Inchagoill, the Island of the Foreigner, Co. Galway

Legend has it that there are 365 islands scattered on Lough Corrib, one for each day of the year. One of those is Inchagoill Island or "Inis An Ghaill", the "Island of the Foreigner". Tucked away on that little sacred Isle are ancient monastic ruins and a mysterious stone with the oldest surviving inscription in roman letters ever found in Ireland. 

Magical Places: The Abbey of the Four Masters, Co. Donegal

The Franciscan Friary overlooking scenic Donegal Bay is best known for "The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland" or the "Annals of the Four Masters" - one of the most important records of the history and mythology of Ireland that was compiled and written down here. 

 

Cycling around Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, Co. Galway

The Arans - three windswept islands off the west coast of Ireland, on the edge of Europe.  Inis Oírr is the smallest of the three and a great way to explore the island is by bicycle. Join me on a bike trip around Inis Oírr - a place of peace and tranquility.

Sligo Abbey - the Fires and the Shadows

Irish history is full of terrifying and violent events - invasions, battles, raids, enslavement, pestilence, famines,  pillages, blood and thunder. The Dominican Friary of the Holy Cross in the heart of Sligo town has seen all of the above.

Under bare Ben Bulben's head: in Drumcliffe, Co. Sligo

...lies the final resting place of William Butler Yeats, one of the great poets of the twentieth century. Four months before he died he wrote the famous poem 'Under Ben Bulben', describing the graveyard at Drumcliffe as his chosen burial place. That's where he wanted to return to: the place of childhood memories.

 

Drumcliffe graveyard

Killarney National Park in Co Kerry

A mixture of rugged mountains, moorland, gardens, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and the most extensive area of native woodland remaining in Ireland give Killarney National Park a unique wild beauty. Located on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, just outside the town of Killarney, it was the first National Park created in the Republic of Ireland.

Magical Places: Bonamargy Friary in Ballycastle, County Antrim

Tucked away between the golf course and the beach in Ballycastle on the beautiful Antrim Coast, lie the ruins of haunted Bonamargy Friary.

A walk around Ardmore, Co Waterford

A few impressions of Ardmore - a little seaside village on the south-east coast of Ireland, where the Celtic Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Join me on a stroll around town with its ancient sacred sites, medieval monuments, colourful houses, down to the beautiful beach and up the surrounding cliffs. 

 

View over  Ardmore Bay

Magical Places: Timetravelling in Ardmore, Co Waterford

Ardmore (Aird Mhór, meaning "Great Height" in Irish) isn´t just a quiet little seaside village in County Waterford. It´s also a very mysterious place, steeped in ancient history, full of legend and with many a mystical site to explore.