The Hill of Tara has been important since the late Stone Age, when a passage tomb was built there…read more However, the site became truly significant in the Iron Age (600 BC to 400 AD) and into the Early Christian Period when it rose to supreme prominence - as the seat of the high kings of Ireland. All old Irish roads lead to this critical site. St Patrick himself went there in the fifth century. As Christianity achieved dominance over the following centuries, Tara's importance became symbolic. Its halls and palaces have now disappeared and only earthworks remain. On sight to see is the Lia Fáil - the great coronation stone. Gayle and I came here on a bus tour and spent maybe an hour or so on site. Our tour guide (Mary Gibbons) was superb, with lots of information and dry humor provided. Judging by the Irish Goddess calendar made and sold here, this area remains a place of spiritual opportunity.

We visited Hill of Tara with Mary Gibbons tour and it was spectacular on a clear day. Views for…read moremiles. Amazing history. A just a very powerful experience overall. Highly recommend.

Confession: we had a hard time finding this place and got lost quite a bit, even with our GPS…read more Kind of a bummer, but maybe you will be luckier.

If you aren't Irish, you may not of heard of the Battle of the Boyne. It took place in 1690 but let…read moreme assure you, we are still talking about it - feel free to bring the subject up in pubs. It was a seminal battle that pretty much altered the course of Irish history, between Protestant King William III and his father-in-law, the Catholic King James II. The contestants were playing for the Irish, English and Scottish throne. The battle, won by William, helped ensure the continuation of Protestant supremacy in Ireland. You can find out more at the Battle of the Boyne centre, which has original and replica 17th Century weaponry displays, a battlefield tour and a laser battlefield model and, for the more genteel amongst you, a tea pavillion and a walled garden.

One of the best locations around Drogheda for a walk. One can walk out from Drogheda along the lit…read moreand newly surfaced footpath on the south shore of the Boyne. or drive to the Battle of the Boyne centre, park in the car park, and walk around several fields and along the old canal. Great place to take your dog but keep them on a lead and pick up after them. There's a tea pavilion which serves the usual tea / coffee and cake, and light lunches. A very pleasant way to spend a few hours and enjoy a walk in the countryside.

We only visited the Newgrange site. It was absolutely stunning. The visitor center is closed and…read morethe bus system is a little slow but eventually we got there. Our guide gave a talk and explained what we were about to see inside but was a bit short and impatient with us once we entered the tomb. The tours are timed precisely and there was a group right behind us so she hurried us along. We went with a tour group so everything was arranged ahead of time. Outside you can walk around the ruin. The scenery is beautiful all around. I'd love to see it again but tickets are difficult to get without a lot of planning. It's a must see site if you get the chance.

This is a fascinating archeological sight and if that were the only item being rated, it would…read moreclearly be five stars. However, the facilities and buses were very old and run down. Some of the outside stairways were closed due to crumbling concrete and metal railings were rusty with peeing paint. I would rate the facilities as two star. The tour of the mounds was fascinating. We only got to see two of the three since one was closed. The highlight was Bu na Boinne where we were taken inside and shown a recreation of the Summer Solstice. The tour guides were excellent and we enjoyed the the hours long tour. Back at the main facility, we had lunch. There was a choice of quiche and other prepared dishes that are reheated for you. Service was excellent and I would rate the food as three stars. It got the job done by keeping you from being hungry. It was a bit sad to see such a national treasure as this in such a rundown state. Someone or some government should step in and bring it back to its former glory. Even in its current sad state, it is well worth the trip to see it.

This is a the landmark that you can see from quite some way as you enter Trim…read more Unfortunately once you get closer you can see it is surrounded by litter and has a strong aroma of urine. Shame really. When we were there there was also a lot of broken glass, one piece which stuck firmly into my husbands shoe, so be aware if you are walking dogs here. It's a shame, as there is a lovely walk around the castle and down by the river. As the rest of Ireland seems to be remarkably quite litter free, this was a sad sight.

The Yellow Steeple is an obvious landmark - tall, gracefully pointing, it is aptly named because of…read morethe colour in the evening sunlight. Originally the steeple was the belfry tower of the Augustinian Abbey of St Mary.

It's really cool place to visit. The place is a Cistercian abbey on the River Boyne in Bective,…read moreCounty Meath, Ireland. The abbey was founded around 1147. Is in ruins but some areas are really well preserved. It is very quiet, the 5 times I've been there I think I've seen 10 people and That was too many haha! So it's very relaxing and inspiring. I always take my dog, so he can run all over the place. It is good that is very clean and well cared. It's great location for photographs.

Interesting place. We saw this on a trip out to the Boyne and the hill of Tara…read more Founded in 1142 by St Malachy of Amagh the abbey is on the banks of the river Mattock (near Drogheda- pronounced like drow-eh-da- stress on the drow, at least the way our tour guide said it) There's not much left, but it's lovely and makes for a great photography opportunity. It's haunting. The octagonal lavabo (1200) for washing (purification) is unusual- the monks washed their hands here before eating. The visitor center has an interesting exhibit on the work of masons.

Mellifont was the first Cistercian abbey to be built in Ireland, founded in 1142 on the orders of…read moreSaint Malachy, the Archbishop of Armagh. Sadly, little of the original Abbey remains, save a octagonal 13th-century lavabo, where the monks washed their hands before dinner - and this in a time when hygiene was not a top priority, even for men of God. There is a visitor's centre, and guided tours on request, but the abbey is only open to the public from May to September.

Trim Castle is the oldest and most well preserved Norman-Anglo castle in Ireland. Built in 1172 by…read moreHugh de Lacy. The tour was given by Jimmy who was very captivating and he described the history of the buildings. There were models inside of the changes that took place in the castle. We followed thru very narrow circular stairs that take you to the top. We saw spectacular views of the buildings and the countryside. This was where they did filming of the 1995 movie Braveheart. Which was about Scotland but filmed in Ireland.

Trim Castle, located in County Meath, Ireland, is Ireland's largest and best-preserved Anglo-Norman…read morecastle. It was constructed over a 30-year period starting in 1172 by Hugh de Lacy. Trim Castle was strategically built to guard the inland passage from Dublin to the northwest. Also....Trim Castle served as a prominent filming location for the 1995 film "Braveheart," directed by and starring Mel Gibson.