Irish Military Museum & Park Irish Military Museum, Starinagh, Collon, County Meath, Ireland +353 41 9819501 info@irishmilitarymuseum.com VISIT WEBSITE The Irish Military Museum offers a fascinating insight into Irish participants' involvement in both World War One (WW1) and World War Two (WW2), as well as other military conflicts in world history. The museum recreates in stunning detail examples of trenches of World War One as well as displays of the highly motorized conflict that was World War Two. It also houses one of the finest collections of WW2 Allied and Axis vehicles and deactivated weapons ever assembled in Ireland. Things to do Guided tour packages Talks/Workshops can be tailored to suit your groups needs Costumes available to hire Learn to drive a tank Family Park, petting zoo & playground Located minutes off the M1 Exit 12 (Dunleer/Collon) Watch out for their Living History Weekends when the museum comes alive with historical re-enactments, you'll be guaranteed a unique and exciting experience! Visit Website for more information. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Funtasia Waterpark Funtasia Theme Park | Drogheda, Lagavooren, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland +353 41 9898000 VISIT WEBSITE There are over 200 different water-based activities for you and your family to enjoy at Funtasia Waterpark . Defy gravity on the thrilling water slides like the Boomerang and Super Bowl. Explore Pirate's Cove play area, just make sure you keep an eye out for the giant pirates head, it will dump 500 litres of water on unsuspecting people below. For the smaller boys and girls there's a toddlers area with shallow water, spray cannons and little water slides. You can also enjoy over 15 different activities in Funtasia Theme Park . Choose from the Skyclimb aerial assault course, bowling, crazy golf, soft play areas, and all the fun of the fairground. There's something for the whole family to enjoy. Walk in welcome, or book discounted tickets online. Visit Website for more details on activity opening times and to book online tickets. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Hill of Slane Hill of Slane, Slane, County Meath VISIT WEBSITE The Hill of Slane rises 158m above the surrounding countryside and can be seen from the Hill of Tara, 16km away. A well-preserved tower is to be found among the ruins of a Franciscan Monastery, dating from 1512, itself built on site of a monastery founded by St. Erc, a follower of St. Patrick. The ruins of a college, built to house four priests, four lay brothers and four choristers, also remain. These were built by the Flemings (Barons of Slane from the 11th – 17th Centuries) for Franciscans; the family coat of arms can be seen on the west wall of the college quadrangle. Thirty years after its foundation, the monastery was dissolved by King Henry VIII, its land and wealth appropriated. In 1631, the Flemings restored the monastery. It became home to Capuchins monks, who in turn, were driven out in 1651 by Oliver Cromwell. The Coming of Christianity Similarly to Tara, the Hill of Slane's mythology predates the arrival of St. Patrick. According to the Dinshenchas the burial mound atop the hill is the resting place of one of Ireland`s earliest kings; Sláine. He was the leader of the Gálioin, a division of the Fir Bolg. St. Patrick himself almost followed in the exact footsteps of the Milesians when he brought Christianity to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland a year before this journey and settled in Co. Down with his followers. In the year 433 Patrick set sail from Down on a journey that would change Ireland forever. He landed at Inbher Colpa, just as Amergin had done more than a thousand years earlier, and sailed up the Boyne. Patrick chose the Hill of Slane to announce his arrival in the Boyne Valley and Ireland. As the druids prepared to celebrate the Feast of Tara, St. Patrick celebrating Easter lit the Paschal Fire in direct defiance of the pagan ritual. The fire was observed from the Hill of Tara and the druids told King Laoghaire that unless it was extinguished that same night, it would never be put out. The King was outraged, but every time he and his druids challenged St. Patrick with their magic they were defeated. Eventually, and reluctantly, the King and his followers converted to Christianity. St. Erc, who was the only person to pay due homage to St. Patrick during the stand-off, founded a monastery on the Hill of Slane. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Magdalene Tower Rope Walk, Magdalene Street, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland VISIT WEBSITE Magdalene Tower is all that now remains of the once important Dominican Friary. It is the belfry tower of the friary which Lucas de Netterville, then Archbishop of Armagh, founded in about 1224. The tower itself is of 14th-century construction. It was here that O'Neill and the other Ulster chiefs acknowledged their submission to Richard II, King of England in 1367. In 1412 its Abbot, Father Bennett, was the peacemaker in the conflict between the people on either side of the river Boyne leading to the uniting of the town. The tower was located near to the now demolished St. Sunday's Gate and was located just inside the northern walls of the town. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Explore Louth: Heritage Trail Driving Routes Various Locations in County Louth VISIT WEBSITE Why not take the road less travelled and discover Louth's Heritage. Situated at the top of Ireland's Ancient East, the Explore Louth Heritage Trail is a self drive tour along picturesque coastline and through scenic countryside. County Louth has a wealth of heritage just waiting to be explored. This self drive tour may be completed in a day as one loop, or enjoyed at a relaxed pace and explored as smaller driving routes. The route can be travelled in any direction and from any starting point. Route 1 takes in historic Drogheda and Louth's coastal villages. Route 2 uncovers Dundalk, Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula. Route 3 explores Ardee, mid Louth and the Boyne Valley landmarks. Download the illustrated Heritage Trail Map below, or pick one up from the local tourist offices and start exploring! Explore Louth Heritage Trail Map 2019 .pdf Download PDF • 4.61MB How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Terms & Conditions Terms and Conditions of Use / Legal Disclaimer Use of this Website Access to and use of this website is provided subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use (this document) which you should read carefully. By accessing this website you hereby accept same. While Visit Louth has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information on the pages of this site it can accept no legal liability in respect of any inaccuracy or incompleteness in such information. Visit Louth is NOT responsible for the contents of any off site pages referenced or linked to. Privacy Policy Visit Louth respect your right to privacy and comply with our obligations under the relevant Irish and European Data Protection Acts. The purpose of stating our web site privacy policy is to outline how we deal with any personal data provided to us while visiting this web site. If you are not happy with any element of the policy set out below you should refrain from use of this web site. To view the Visit Louth web site privacy policy click here . Disclaimer and Waiver of Liability Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided on this website is accurate and up-to-date. If you notice any errors or omissions please let us know as soon as possible. It is our policy to respond and correct errors within 7 working days of receiving accurate and verified information. Visit Louth and its employees or agents assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up-to-date nature of the information provided on the web site at this time and do not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. The site sometimes links to external sites over which Visit Louth has no control and accepts no responsibility. Any links from this website to external websites are provided as a matter of convenience only. They should not be taken as an endorsement of the contents or practices of those external websites.

St. Peter's Church of Ireland St. Peter's Church of Ireland, Peter Street, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland VISIT WEBSITE St. Peter’s Church of Ireland is built on a site which has been a centre of worship at least since the founding of the town of Drogheda itself. Although there may have been a Celtic Church here in earlier times, the dedication to St. Peter suggests that it was an Anglo-Norman foundation as Celtic Churches were not usually dedicated to Biblical Saints. The first church on the site was probably built about the same time as Old Mellifont Abbey, as the remains of some of the original tiles and mouldings found on the site are similar to those found at Mellifont. Medieval Church of St. Peter The Church of St. Peter’s was an important ecclesiastical centre, being used as a Pro-Cathedral for Armagh Diocese for several centuries. The Primates of Ireland of the time lived either in Termonfeckin, Dromiskin or Drogheda, and very seldom visited the Northern part of the Diocese because of the unsettled state of the country. The medieval church was evidently a very large building. It contained six chapels – St. Anne’s (the principal one, which at the time supported two chaplains), St. Martin’s, St. Patrick’s, St. Peter’s, St John the Baptist’s and St. George’s. The Siege of Drogheda - Oliver Cromwell During the Siege of Drogheda in 1649 Cromwell’s Parliamentary forces burned the steeple of the church in which about 100 people had taken refuge. Perhaps appalled at this act of savagery and desecration, and other such atrocities committed during his campaign in Ireland, Cromwell’s army donated £10,000 for the repairs of St. Patrick’s, Armagh, St. Patrick’s, Dublin, and St. Peter’s, Drogheda. The Medieval Font The magnificent font, which stands by the door at the West end of the church, is the only surviving relic of the Medieval church still in use. The Organ The organ, for which the Corporation of Drogheda gave £300 in 1771 (a not inconsiderable sum of money at that time), was built for the Church by John Snetzler in London. The Churchyard Within the churchyard of St. Peter’s can be found many interesting and varied funerary monuments. Of these, perhaps the most interesting and visited is a “cadaver stone” taken from the tomb of Sir Edmond Goldyng and his wife Elizabeth Fleming. It is built into the churchyard wall, east of the present building and shows two cadavers enclosed in shrouds which have been partially opened to show the remains of the occupants of the tomb. Helen M. Roe in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquities, 1969 estimates that a date for the tomb would seem to fall within the first quarter of the 16th century. A fine tombstone stands over the grave of John Duggan, late private in the 17th Lancers and survivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava and the battles of Alma and Sevastopol during the Crimean campaign. Duggan was a Drogheda man who had a somewhat chequered military record: on his discharge from the Army he was employed as Sexton in St. Peter’s where he served from c1773 until his death in 1881. The Present Day A fire happened in May 1999, which severely damaged the interior of the church. The Select Vestry decided not only to repair the damage caused by the fire but to also undertake a complete restoration of the building. The stonework of the tower, which had always given problems since the day the church was built, has been completely restored and upgraded. Provision has also been made to allow the Church to be used by the wider community in Drogheda for the appreciation of the musical arts. An open area has been constructed at the front of the church, giving the town a 450-500 seat superlative performance space, using the building’s superb natural acoustics, while all the while remaining first and foremost a living, active place of Christian worship. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Explore Louth with our downloadable maps and guides. Plan your adventure with detailed trails, town maps, and visitor guides to make the most of your trip. Visitor Information Maps and Downloadable Guides Boyne Valley Brochure View Boyne Valley Camino Map & Guide View Boyne Valley Driving Map View Brigid's Trail Map and Guide View Carlingford Lough Greenway Map View DRAWDA Urban Art Trail Map View DRAWDA Urban Art Trail Map including Stories View Discover Ardee leaflet View Drogheda Historical Map View Drogheda Visitor Guide View Explore Louth Heritage Trail View Heritage Trail Dromiskin View TFI Local Link Bus Route 188 View Visit Louth Map & Guide View

Find the best ways to get to County Louth. Whether you're traveling by car, bus, or train, our guide makes reaching Ireland’s smallest county easy and stress-free. HOW TO FIND US Getting to Drogheda Louth is located midway between Dublin and Belfast. Getting here is easy as Louth is only 20 minutes from Dublin Airport and just 1 hour From Belfast. A first class modern transport network linking Dublin with Belfast passes directly through the principal towns of the county, Drogheda and Dundalk. Getting here by Air: A number of International Airlines operate regular flights to Dublin and Belfast. Louth is only a 20-minute drive from Dublin Airport and an hour and half from Belfast International Airport. www.dublinairport.com www.belfastcityairport.com (George Best City Airport) www.belfastairport.com Getting here by Ferry: The Dublin Ferryport is 30 minutes drive to Louth, The Dun Laoghaire Ferryport is an hour's drive via the East Link Toll Bridge. The port of Larne is 2 hours drive and Rosslare Port is less than 3 hours drive. Getting here by Bus: Bus Eireann : www.buseireann.ie LoCall 1850 836 611 (Customers calling from outside of the Republic of Ireland can telephone +353 1 836 6111 Bus Eireann Drogheda: 041 9835023 | Bus Eireann Dundalk: 042 9334075 Translink operates in conjunction with bus Eireann and have greatly increased the number of services and range to and from Dublin Airport, so that you can now travel from the airport to most parts of the country with ease and in comfort. Expressway services on Dublin/Belfast operate via Dublin Airport. Dundalk/Drogheda/Dublin Airport/Dublin is Route 100 / 100X Drogheda/Balbriggan/Dublin – Route 101 operate via Dublin Airport at 20 minute intervals on weekdays – 24 departures both directions. Matthews Coach Hire ltd : Operate a regular and affordable commuter service operating between Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin and also Bettystown-Laytown and Dublin. Mattthews coach hire is a member of coach Tourism Council of Ireland and it specialises in Coach Tours, Coach Hire, Bus Tours and Private Coach Hire all over Ireland. All of its vehicles are Bord Failte approved ensuring your journey is a pleasant and relaxing experience. For further information: Phone: 042 9378188 / Lo cal: 1890 2520 40 | Email: info@matthews.ie | Web: www.matthews.ie Getting here by Rail: Iarnrod Eireann: www.irishrail.ie Operates frequent 'Enterprise', Inter-City and regular services on the Dublin/Belfast line to Drogheda and Dundalk. For further information on the train services visit their website or contact the appropriate number below: Dublin + 353 (0)1 836 6222 (If calling from outside Republic of Ireland +353 1 8366222 ) Drogheda + 353 (0)41 983 8749 Dundalk + 353 (0)42 933 5521

Bird Watching Various Locations in County Louth VISIT WEBSITE There is something of interest here all year round. April is the month when many of the winter species leave for their breeding grounds further north and summer species arrive to breed here in Ireland. The arrival of Swallows and Terns is the signal of the start of spring. The accompanying chorus of songbirds, and hopefully sunny weather, makes for a different birding experience to winter. Where to Watch Birds in Louth: Baltray Louth Nature Trust, a voluntary, non-profit organisation established in 2008, is a conservation group formed to protect the county's natural resources and to aid in promoting awareness of, and interest in the landscape, wildlife, flora and fauna of Co. Louth. They have embarked on managing the Little Tern Conservation Project at Baltray in collaboration with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Council. Little Terns are Ireland's rarest breeding seabirds which nest at only a few sites in Ireland. They require protection as the birds nest on the beach, leaving their chicks and their eggs vulnerable and in need of protection from dogs, walkers, various natural predators and other disturbances. Visit Louth Nature Trust facebook page for more details on the project. Carlingford Lough Carlingford and its environs is an ideal place to watch birds, both for beginners and for experts. The combination of habitats include a wide area of mudflats and sand-flats in Carlingford Bay, the Lough's estuary, beaches of both shingle and sand to the south, mountain and woods in the surrounding countryside, hedgerows, reed beds, marsh, streams and small ponds along the shore. Dundalk Bay As well as being a beautiful, scenic area, Dundalk Bay is one of the most important places in Ireland for migratory coastal birds, known collectively as waterfowl. Many species of birds carry out the most extraordinary spring and autumn migrations, in order to take advantage of rich (and otherwise underexploited) seasonal food resources available in summer (only) in cold, northerly countries. They then fly back south to spend the winter in warmer, more southerly countries (such as Ireland!). Swifts and Swallows are familiar migrants that perform the opposite migration, coming here each spring from their wintering areas in southern Africa. Birds found on or around Dundalk Bay during the winter may have spent the summer, and bred, in arctic Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen/Svalbard, Scandinavia or Russia. Dundalk Bay is therefore internationally important as it supports significant populations of wild birds from across a large swathe of the northern hemisphere. Bird Observatories/Hides Dundalk Bird Observatory and information point was opened in May 2012 and is located at Soldiers Point on the Navvy Bank. It is a two storey observatory which allows views of the bay from an elevated platform and the information points highlight the importance of this area which is both an EU Special Area of Protection and a Special Area of Conservation. Dundalk Bay is the most important area in the Country for migratory birds, playing host to 68,000 birds from all over northern Europe and Canada which winter here. The observatory is open to the public from Monday to Friday 10am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm. Saturday opening is from 10am to 12noon. The Oscar Merne memorial bird hide is located at Lurgangreen. To get there from Dundalk take the R132 (Old Dublin Road) in the direction of Castlebellingham. Parking at The Coachmans is avavilable. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club Laytown & Bettystown Links Golf Club, Golf Links Road, Mornington, Bettystown, County Meath, Ireland +353 41 9827170 links@landb.ie VISIT WEBSITE Laytown and Bettystown, a traditional links with undulating fairways, riveted bunkers and fast greens, is situated on the south bank of the River Boyne in the seaside village of Bettystown, with views of the Cooley and Mourne mountains. The course was first played in the 1880s but the club was not formally in the existence until 1909. The course has produced some of Ireland's best golfers, notably Ryder Cup golfers - Des Smyth and Philip Walton, and top class amateurs include Declan Brannigan and John McGinn. In 2004, the Leinster open Seniors Competition was hosted here. Visitors are very welcome to play on this beautiful Golf Links - golf clubs, buggies & caddies are available for hire. Visit Website for more information. How to find us Previous Item Next Item

My Streets - Walking Tours of Drogheda Various Locations in Drogheda, County Louth +353 87 7073548 mystreetsireland@gmail.com VISIT WEBSITE My Streets enables individuals who have experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of 'their' town through the provision of necessary training and support. The unique tours provide a mixture of local history and personal insight from a guide who has experienced the streets of their town first hand, making for an informative and entertaining experience suitable for all interests and ages. The programme offers benefits to all involved; the tour guides who receives professional training, support and earning potential, the local town which has its underappreciated gems revealed and the tourists who receive an informative, insightful tour. The project has been running successfully in Drogheda since 2014. Tours are offered 7 days a week, Visit Website to find out more and to book a tour. How to find us Previous Item Next Item