Neil Jackman is an experienced archaeologist and a director of Abarta Heritage, a company that provides interpretation and information about Ireland’s heritage sites. Neil writes extensively on Irish archaeology and heritage, and authors the popular blog, Time Travel Ireland.

www.abartaheritage.ie

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

COUNTY LOUTH

1 Carlingford

2 Proleek Megalithic Tombs

3 Castleroche

4 Mellifont Abbey

5 Monasterboice

6 Drogheda

COUNTY MONAGHAN

7 Clones

COUNTY CAVAN

8 The Cavan Burren

9 Lough Oughter

10 Shantemon Stone Row

COUNTY LONGFORD

11 Granard Motte and Bailey

12 The Corlea Trackway

COUNTY WESTMEATH

13 St Munna’s Church

14 Fore Abbey

15 The Hill of Uisneach

16 Athlone Castle

COUNTY MEATH

17 Loughcrew Cairns

18 Kells

19 Rathmore Church

20 Trim Castle

21 Bective Abbey

22 The Hill of Tara

23 The Hill of Slane

24 Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre

25 Brú na Bóinne

26 Fourknocks Megalithic Tomb

COUNTY OFFALY

27 Durrow Abbey

28 Clonmacnoise

29 Lemanaghan

30 Birr Castle

COUNTY LAOIS

31 Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural Museum

32 Aghaboe Abbey

33 Heywood Gardens

34 Timahoe Round Tower

35 The Rock of Dunamase

36 Emo Court

37 Killeshin

COUNTY KILDARE

38 Castletown House

39 Maynooth Castle

40 Kildare

41 Old Kilcullen

42 Moone High Cross

43 Castledermot

COUNTY WICKLOW

44 Russborough House

45 Seefin Passage Tomb

46 Powerscourt House and Gardens

47 Glendalough

48 Baltinglass Abbey

49 Rathgall Hillfort

COUNTY CARLOW

50 Carlow

51 Duckett’s Grove

52 Haroldstown Dolmen

53 Huntington Castle

54 Ballymoon Castle

55 Ballyloughan Castle

56 St Mullin’s

COUNTY KILKENNY

57 St Mary’s Church

58 Kilkenny

59 Dunmore Cave

60 Knockroe Passage Tomb

61 Kilree Monastic Site

62 Kells Priory

63 Newtown Jerpoint

64 Jerpoint Abbey

65 Kilfane Church

66 Woodstock House and Garden

67 Duiske Abbey

COUNTY TIPPERARY

68 Roscrea

69 Monaincha Abbey

70 Kilcooley Abbey

71 Holy Cross Abbey

72 Athassel Abbey

73 The Rock of Cashel

74 Fethard

75 Ormond Castle

76 St Patrick’s Well

77 Cahir Castle

COUNTY LIMERICK

78 Lough Gur

79 Kilmallock

80 Darby’s Bed

COUNTY WEXFORD

81 Ferns

82 Enniscorthy Castle

83 New Ross & the Ros Tapestry

84 Dunbrody Abbey

85 Tintern Abbey

86 Loftus Hall

87 Hook Lighthouse

COUNTY WATERFORD

88 Lismore

89 The Towers of Ballysaggartmore

90 Gaulstown Dolmen

91 Mount Congreve

92 Waterford City

93 The Copper Coast

94 Ardmore

COUNTY CORK

95 Doneraile Park

96 Bridgetown Priory

97 Labbacallee Wedge Tomb

98 Youghal

99 Camden Fort Meagher

100 Blarney Castle

Site Maps

Glossary

Useful Websites

Bibliography

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My first thanks must go to my family, especially my wife Róisín Burke, who was of immeasurable help with this publication; it simply would not have been possible without her unceasing support and forbearance. Thanks are also due to Róisín’s parents, Bartley and Philomena, whose keen interest and enthusiasm are a constant source of inspiration and energy. I am very grateful to Dr Conor Ryan who assisted with the research and who compiled the maps used in this volume. I would also like to thank The Collins Press for their support throughout this project.

I am also deeply grateful to the various landowners, private and state, who allowed me access to these incredible places. Particular mention must be given to the kind support of the Office of Public Works (OPW), especially the OPW tour guides who surely must rank as the most accomplished in the world for their ability to weave a story. Thanks are also due to the National Monuments Service, National Museum of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland for all their assistance and inspiration.

To compile a guidebook such as this, particularly one focused on Ireland’s archaeological and historical sites, involves standing on the shoulders of a myriad of giants. To all the archaeologists, historians, academics, writers, geographers, scientists, bloggers, storytellers, seanchaithe, recorders, researchers, guides and enthusiasts who compiled all of the bedrock of infor-mation upon which the story of Ireland is built, I am eternally grateful for all of your work and genius. Any errors or omissions in this work are entirely my own.

The head of the southern high cross at Castledermot, County Kildare

INTRODUCTION

The tomb of Pierce Fitz Óg Butler, Kilcooley Abbey, County Tipperary

Around practically every corner on Ireland’s eastern coast you can discover millennia of history and archaeology, dating back to the first days after the glaciers released their frozen grip on the country at the end of the last Ice Age. Fáilte Ireland’s new concept, Ireland’s Ancient East, helps visitors to explore counties Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Longford, Westmeath, Meath, Kildare, Offaly, Laois, Carlow, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Tipperary Wexford, Waterford and the eastern parts of Limerick and Cork. Each of these counties has its own unique story to tell. From the wild majesty of the Wicklow Mountains, to the plains of Kildare, the bogs of the midlands and the lush green pastures of Tipperary, you can discover the fascinating story of the people who shaped these landscapes and who, in turn, were shaped by the land. This region holds some of the world’s finest examples of prehistoric ingenuity and religious practice. Ireland is also internationally famous for the wealth of early Christian monasteries that are so prevalent across this region, with their intricate high crosses and soaring round towers. Ireland was altered by successive waves of peoples arriving from across the seas, from the farmers who brought agriculture to these shores and forever changed the landscape over 5,000 years ago, to the Vikings who arrived as raiders before going on to establish Ireland’s first secular towns and cities, and the Anglo-Normans who constructed massive castles and sprawling abbeys. Ireland’s story is soaked with drama and intrigue, not least in the tumultuous years of the seventeenth century, when a series of wars, famines and rebellions tortured the land. The years that followed saw the great estates of Ireland established by the new power in the country, the Protestant Ascendancy. The sense of injustice in the years that followed would lead to further hardship that eventually led to the road to independence and the modern state of Ireland.

Ireland is a landscape imbued with unique stories and tales, where you can encounter an authentic cultural experience and be inspired by the landscape, life and people of the island. This guidebook suggests 100 archaeological and historical places to visit to help you to explore the story of Ireland. The sites are numbered according to their geographic location, with Site 1 (Carlingford) being the most northerly, and Site 100 (Blarney Castle) being the most southerly. I have further broken Ireland’s Ancient East into sub-regions for ease of navigation, and each entry has a table containing practical information and coordinates about the sites. The great difficulty when compiling a book such as this is choosing which sites to include and which to omit, as there are thousands of incredible places waiting to be discovered in Ireland’s Ancient East. These sites are some of my personal favourites, and are a mix of large, well-known attractions like the Rock of Cashel (Site 73) and hidden gems such as Gaulstown Dolmen (Site 90). These ancient ruins, mighty fortresses and great houses in all their splendour still resonate with echoes of the past.

1 CARLINGFORD

COUNTY LOUTH

Nestled between Slieve Foye and the majestic beauty of the Mourne Mountains, Carlingford in County Louth is an atmospheric town that still retains its medieval character. Carlingford was founded at the beginning of the thirteenth century by Hugh de Lacy (the younger son of the Hugh de Lacy who constructed Trim Castle). He began by constructing a strong castle on an outcrop of rock that overlooked the Carlingford Lough, and soon afterwards a settlement began to flourish in the shadow of the fortress.

The town developed rapidly during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and many of the striking buildings listed here date to that period. The town entered a steep decline, however, throughout the seventeenth century, a turbulent time in Irish history of war, famine and plague. The town was overshadowed by near neighbours Dundalk and Newry, which quickly developed into bustling urban centres, while Carlingford stagnated. This decline, however, served to protect the historic structures of the town, as there was little development here, ensuring that today it is a wonderfully atmospheric place to visit.

The Tholsel in Carlingford

King John’s Castle at Carlingford was established by Hugh de Lacy around 1200. It was later named after King John who took the castle in 1210. It is essentially a D-shaped enclosure with a large curtain wall and projecting towers. It appears to have undergone regular alterations throughout the later medieval period, but by the late sixteenth century it seems the castle had already become derelict as it was described as being ‘in a wretched condition’. The Office of Public Works (OPW) began conservation works on the castle in the 1950s and more renovation works are currently ongoing.

A view across the harbour to King John’s Castle at Carlingford

The remains of Carlingford’s Dominican friary date back to the early fourteenth century. The Dominicans were invited to establish a foundation in Carlingford by the powerful Richard de Burgo. The friary followed the usual convention of a Dominican establishment, with a cloister, church, dormitories, refectory and kitchen, and a small mill on the stream that runs alongside the site. Today you can still see the nave-and-chancel church with a fine tower. The friary reflects the turbulent times during the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries when raids on such monastic sites were common: the buildings were fortified and battlements were added to make the site more defensive, including a machicolation above the entrance. The site was dissolved during Henry VIII’s reign in 1540, but Dominicans returned to the site in the late seventeenth century. You can access the interior of the site and explore the nave-and-chancel church, and the partial remains of the residence block.

Carlingford’s Dominican friary

The Tholsel is the only surviving medieval gateway into Carlingford, and probably dates from the fifteenth century. Originally this would have been a three-storey structure, but it was modified in the nineteenth century and is now two storeys with a modern slate roof. This gateway would have given access to the main street at the eastern end of the town, with a levy being paid at the gateway before any goods could be brought in. There is very little of the medieval town walls left today. There is a short section just southeast of the Tholsel, and another at Back Lane at the north-west end of Carlingford.

The Mint is located on the main street, a short walk from the Tholsel. It is a fortified townhouse that dates to the fifteenth–sixteenth centuries. The name ‘The Mint’ presumably derives from a 1467 charter that granted Carlingford permission to strike its own coins; however, it is more likely that this structure is simply the well-built and defended townhouse of one of Carlingford’s prosperous merchants during the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. The decorated limestone windows are a notable feature of this building. Each one bears a unique design.

Taaffe’s Castle is another good example of a fortified medieval Irish townhouse. As it is positioned close to the harbour front, it was probably the home of a wealthy merchant, and is likely to have also served as a well-protected warehouse for their goods. The usual layout of a fortified townhouse from this period is to have all the public business conducted on the bottom and lower floors, with the upper floors as the residence. The name is likely to derive from the powerful Taaffe family, who became Earls of Carlingford in the middle of the seventeenth century.

The Church of the Holy Trinity is an early nineteenth-century Church of Ireland place of worship that has many clues of medieval structures that may have originally been on the site. The pointed doorway on the south wall appears to be from the seventeenth century or perhaps slightly earlier, and the church is attached to a tall three-storey crenellated tower that may originally date back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The eighteenth- and nineteenth-century renovations make the origins of this site a little unclear, but it is still well worth dropping in as the church was leased to the Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust and is now a visitor centre, which hosts concerts.

Carlingford is certainly worth a trip to enjoy the atmospheric medieval streets and breathtaking scenery. There are a number of superb heritage sites nearby, particularly Castleroche (Site 3).

Local folkloric tradition suggests that you will be married within the year if you can throw a small pebble back over your head and it lands on top of the capstone without rolling off.

Proleek Portal Tomb, County Louth

Just a short distance away is a fine example of a wedge tomb. This is a later monument than the portal tomb, and was probably constructed towards the end of the Neolithic period, some time around 2,500 BC.

The castle is nearly triangular in shape, with a projecting tower at the north-east angle. It is protected on three sides by the precipitous slope that surrounds it, with the entrance on the eastern side guarded by a deep rock-cut ditch. A wooden drawbridge would have led to the interior of the castle through the two massive D-shaped towers. The drawbridge may once have had additional protection from outworks or a barbican gate but no clear above-ground remains of that can be seen today.

The gate towers of Castleroche

The towers are rounded at the front in the defensive style of the time with a number of arrow loops at varied levels to allow the archers defending the gateway to loose murderous volleys on the attacking enemy. The towers also have four storeys at the rear, which would have provided accommodation and living space for the garrison of Castleroche.

When you look at the outside of the castle you may notice there are a number of rectangular cavities regularly spaced along the wall near the top. These are ‘putlog’ holes, and are evidence that wooden battlements or hoardings once hung over the side of the castle walls, similar to those that once surrounded the mighty keep of Trim Castle, in County Meath (Site 20). From these wooden hoardings, defenders would have been able to fire arrows and throw stones down onto anyone attacking the walls, adding to the castle’s already formidable defences.

Like Dublin Castle and Kilkenny Castle, Castleroche seems to have been a ‘keepless’ castle, so there was no central defensive tower to retreat to in the event of the walls being breached. This appears to have become the defensive fashion of the mid thirteenth century, and instead of a keep there would have been a great hall. In the case of Castleroche, the great hall was located on the southern side of the castle (to the left as you enter through the towers).

The gate towers

Castleroche and surrounding landscape

This castle still exerts a power and dominance over the landscape today. It has to be one of the most impressive heritage sites in Ireland.

Mellifont Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in Ireland, known to the Cistercians in Ireland as the ‘mother house’, a base from which the community expanded, adding more and more institutions (known as ‘daughter houses’) across Ireland. The name Mellifont comes from the Latin Fons Mellis, meaning ‘Fount of Honey’.

The Cistercian Order was founded by St Bernard of Clairvaux in Burgundy, central France, in 1098. St Bernard believed that the other monastic orders had become dissolute and undisciplined, and he founded the Cistercians as an austere and hard-working order who focused on a life of prayer. Inspired by his zeal, St Malachy of Armagh, the Irish saint and friend of St Bernard, founded Mellifont Abbey in 1142 with a group of Irish and French monks.

The surviving section of the cloister at the rear of the lavabo

The abbey was extremely successful from its earliest stages and it developed rapidly. Monks from Mellifont were dispatched to found ‘daughter houses’ around Ireland. Within just five years of the foundation of Mellifont, in 1147, a daughter house had already been established at Bective in County Meath (Site 21) and within twenty years the Cistercians also had establishments in Connacht, such as the one founded at Boyle, County Roscommon in 1161. It is recorded that at least twenty-one abbeys were founded by monks from Mellifont.

The Cistercian community in Ireland faced a grave crisis following the Norman invasions in the late twelfth century. Irish Cistercian institutions such as Mellifont became embroiled in a power struggle with the Cistercian establishments that came from England following the invasion. The outcome of what became known as ‘The Conspiracy of Mellifont’ was a dramatic reduction in the powers and number of monks allowed for Mellifont. Despite these restrictions, Mellifont remained one of the richest monastic institutions in Ireland due to its huge holdings of rich agricultural land in Meath and Louth.

It was probably due to this vast ownership of prime land that Mellifont was one of the first of the Irish monastic sites to be dissolved in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Mellifont became the private fortified home of Sir Edward Moore, and it was here that the famous Treaty of Mellifont, which ended the bloody Nine Years’ War, was signed in 1603. Later, Mellifont played host to William of Orange, who established his headquarters here during the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

On the site there is not much of the original abbey left standing. However, excavations have revealed the foundations of many of the buildings, so it is easy to get a good sense of the size and layout of this important abbey. Mellifont became the standard format for all Cistercian abbeys in Ireland, and many other monastic orders were influenced by the layout. The cloisters were positioned at the south, and were surrounded by a range of domestic and spiritual buildings, with a cruciform church to the north. The site is certainly worth visiting for its famous lavabo. This building dates to the early thirteenth century. Octagonal in shape, it served as the ritual washroom, where the monks would wash their hands before entering the refectory for meals. Excavations have revealed fragments of lead pipe that brought the water into the central fountain. The interior was decorated with delicate images of plants and birds. A number of fragments of the fine architectural features are on display in the visitor centre.

The name Monasterboice derives from Mainistir Bhuithe (‘Buithe’s Monastery’), as a monastery is thought to have been founded here by St Buithe in the sixth century. Over time it flourished and grew in both size and prominence. However, today all that is visible is the very heart of the monastery, with a fine round tower and three high crosses, one of which is arguably the finest high cross in Ireland.

As well as the early medieval high crosses and round tower, there are the remains of two small stone churches. These probably date to the late medieval period. Within one of the churches is a small bullaun stone. This stone with a circular hollow may have been used as a rudimentary holy water font during the early days of the monastery, or perhaps as a large version of a pestle and mortar, maybe to grind herbs, ore for metallurgy, or pigments for manuscript illustration.

Annotated image of the eastern face of the South Cross, known as Muiredach’s Cross

The round tower is approximately 28 metres (92 ft) tall. The iconic Irish round towers are thought to have been primarily constructed as bell towers as they are known as cloigh teach in Irish, which translates as ‘bell house’. They would have been visible for miles around, and as such would have acted like a signpost to pilgrims on the route to Monasterboice. The round tower here is said to have housed the monastery’s library and other treasures; unfortunately, records state that it was burned in 1097.

The South Cross is arguably the finest example of a high cross in Ireland. It probably dates to the early tenth century, as it is very similar to the West Cross at Clonmacnoise, which has been dated to c. 904–916. Like the Clonmacnoise example, the South Cross at Monasterboice also bears an inscription, asking for ‘a prayer for Muiredach’. It seems likely that this refers to a Muiredach who died in 924. He was the abbot of Monasterboice, and the vice-abbot of Armagh. He was also the chief steward of the powerful southern Uí Néill dynasty, making him an important and influential figure in both religious and secular Ireland. The cross is simply one of the most important and visually stunning examples of early medieval sculpture in the world.

Detail of one of the panels of the South Cross. On the left, Eve tempts Adam in the Garden of Eden; on the right, Cain slays Abel

The West Cross is the tallest high cross in Ireland, standing at an imposing 6.5 metres (21 ft) tall. Thanks to its size, it also has the largest number of figure sculpture panels of any high cross. As on the South Cross, these panels are beautifully carved with depictions of biblical stories from both the Old and New Testaments.

The North Cross stands within a small fenced area at the very northern boundary of the site. It is much plainer than the South and West Crosses, though it is still worth a look as it has some lovely carvings. Next to it is an interesting sundial, which would have marked the passing of time for the monks of Monasterboice, indicating the canonical hours of 9 a.m., 12 noon and 3 p.m. In this fenced area, some other architectural fragments from the site are on display.

It is a short (ten-minute) drive from here to Mellifont Abbey (Site 4), another beautiful and fascinating site.

The town of Drogheda was founded in the late twelfth century by the Norman Lord of Meath, Hugh de Lacy. He chose to locate it at the narrowest part of the River Boyne to allow easy development of both banks of the river. Drogheda spans two dioceses, as the northern bank of the Boyne is in the Diocese of Armagh and the southern bank in the Diocese of Meath. De Lacy founded a church on each bank, St Peter’s north of the river and St Mary’s to the south. Situated near the mouth of the River Boyne, Drogheda was perfectly placed to become one of Ireland’s most important ports during the medieval period, and the town grew wealthy through trade.

Drogheda’s walls were built between 1234 and 1424, and enclosed a total area of 113 acres. These walls were most severely tested in the seventeenth century. The year 1641 saw a large rebellion in Ireland. In November that year a large rebel army besieged Drogheda, though it was eventually repulsed. The walls were strengthened following the siege, but in 1649 Drogheda faced a far greater threat. After the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell brought his veteran New Model Army to Ireland to smash the Irish rebels. The first town he attacked was Drogheda, as he needed a secure port to ensure his army could be supplied through the winter. The town was defended by four regiments made up of soldiers of the Irish Catholic Confederation and English Royalist soldiers who had fled to Ireland following their defeat in England. Cromwell commanded a force of approximately 12,000 men, and his naval forces blockaded the harbour. Instead of surrounding the town with his army in an attempt to starve the defenders into surrender, Cromwell chose to concentrate his forces on the southern side of the town to unleash a swift and savage attack in one place. His artillery pounded the walls at two points near the Duleek Gate (near St Mary’s Church) and opened two breaches in the walls. He sent a message to the commander of the defending garrison, Sir Arthur Aston, demanding his surrender.

Aston refused, in the hope that the Earl of Ormond, who was stationed nearby with 4,000 troops, would come to their rescue. His hopes were not to be realised. At 5 p.m. on 11 September, Cromwell launched simultaneous assaults on both the breaches. Though the defenders fought bravely, they were short of gunpowder and ammunition. They were pushed back and eventually their defence collapsed. The remnants took refuge in Millmount Fort while Cromwell’s forces quickly pushed into the town. Cromwell was enraged at the sight of the corpses of so many of his men and ordered that no quarter be given to the defenders. The 200 or so in Millmount Fort were persuaded to surrender on the promise of their lives. However, when they were disarmed they too were butchered. Sir Arthur Aston was horrendously killed, reportedly beaten to death with his own wooden leg. Other defenders who sought refuge in the steeple of St Peter’s Church were killed when Cromwell’s men set fire to the steeple. The last of the defenders were either killed or taken prisoner and transported to Barbados. The Massacre of Drogheda still resonates today as one of the darkest days in Irish history.

St Laurence’s Gate in Drogheda

You can discover more of the story of the siege and its aftermath in the excellent Millmount Museum, located within the old fort. This was originally the site of a Norman motte and bailey. During the Napoleonic Wars in the early nineteenth century, a Martello tower was constructed on the site to protect Drogheda from French ships.

Drogheda has a wealth of other fascinating historical buildings, including St Laurence’s Gate. This was originally a thirteenth-century barbican gate with an arched entrance flanked by rounded towers. The enormous five-storey-high gate towers over the eastern side of town. A twin gate on the west side of town was demolished in 1808. St Laurence’s Gate is the sole survivor of the thirty towers and gates that once lined Drogheda’s walls.

St Peter’s Church (now the Church of Ireland parish church) was originally founded by Hugh de Lacy and given to the Augustinian canons of Llanthony Prima in Monmouthshire, Wales. The church flourished, along with the town, through the medieval period, and by the sixteenth century it contained six chapels. After the siege of Drogheda, Cromwell’s forces contributed funds for the repair of the church. However, by 1747 the old medieval church had become dilapidated and was demolished to make way for a new church. There are a number of fascinating gravestones and effigies in the churchyard. Perhaps the most striking is the remarkably ghoulish tomb of Sir Edmund Goldyng and his wife, Elizabeth Fleming. This tomb effigy dates from the earlier half of the sixteenth century. It is known as a ‘cadaver tomb’ and depicts the decomposing bodies surrounded by their burial shrouds. Rather than simply being slightly gruesome and terrifying, it is intended to make the observer consider his or her own brief mortality.

The ‘cadaver tomb’ of Sir Edmund Goldyng and his wife Elizabeth Fleming

St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in the town was built in the nineteenth century and it contains the shrine to the Catholic martyr St Oliver Plunkett. He was born at Loughcrew near Oldcastle in County Meath in 1625, during the penal times. He trained abroad to become a Catholic priest and returned to Ireland to become Primate of Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh. He established a number of schools and a Jesuit college in Drogheda, as the Penal Laws had begun to relax. However, King Charles II grew increasingly paranoid about a possible Catholic plot to assassinate him and demanded that the Penal Laws be once again strictly enforced. St Oliver went into hiding, as he was accused of conspiring with the French, but was arrested and taken to England, where he was tried for treason. King Charles II ignored many pleas for leniency, and St Oliver was found guilty. He was taken to Tyburn where he was executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered. He was the last Catholic martyr to die in England. His head became a sacred relic. In the twentieth century, it was placed in a shrine within the church, where it remains a revered, if somewhat grisly, reminder of his sacrifice.

7 CLONES

COUNTY MONAGHAN

The round tower of Clones, with the stone shrine in the foreground

The market town of Clones in County Monaghan developed from an early monastery founded by St Tighearnach in the sixth century. The monastery became an Augustinian foundation after around 1140. Though much of the original monastery has been lost, echoes of Clones’ early roots can still be discovered in the town. An early medieval high cross stands in the ‘Diamond’, at the centre of the town. This cross is unusual in that it is actually fragments of two different tenth-century crosses mounted together, hence its distinctive look. The shaft that comprises the lower section is intricately carved with biblical scenes on its faces and geometric ornament on its sides. Though weathered, some of the depictions can still be discerned: Old Testament scenes adorn the western face, and New Testament the eastern face. The head of the cross depicts more Old Testament scenes on the western face, with the Crucifixion on the eastern face.

In the old graveyard there is more evidence of the early monastery: a 23-metre (75-ft) round tower stands proudly amidst the tombs. The round tower is thought to date to some time between the tenth and twelfth centuries. An unusual gabled stone shrine, shaped like a miniature church, stands nearby. It is carved from a single block of sandstone, with a very worn figure wearing a mitre on the eastern ‘gable’. This shrine may have originally housed the relics of St Tighearnach himself, though it dates to at least 500 years after his time. It was moved to its current position in the eighteenth century to cover a burial vault. The graveyard has many fascinating tombstones from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many bear a depiction of a skull on the reverse, known as a memento mori: a grisly reminder of our mortality and fleeting time on earth.

Other monuments in Clones include the remains of a medieval church known as ‘The Wee Abbey’. This stone church is likely to date from the twelfth century, and it was originally dedicated to Ss Peter and Paul. More evidence of Clones’s medieval past is to be found in the large motte-and-bailey castle on the western side of the town. Historical records state that it was built in 1212 as part of the Anglo-Norman campaigns in the region.

8 THE CAVAN BURREN

COUNTY CAVAN

The wooden walkways of the Cavan Burren

This remarkable upland limestone plateau is part of the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. The Cavan Burren has a visitor information point, leading to a number of superb walks along well-made paths and boardwalks offering stunning views over the landscape. Here you will encounter an array of megalithic tombs, including the Giant’s Grave, a large and well-preserved wedge tomb that dates to around 2500 BC. The tomb has two burial chambers and, interestingly, has a large amount of cup-and-ring rock art. It is said to be aligned with the rising sun at the winter solstice. The remains of other monuments, including a small promontory fort and later eighteenth- and nineteenth-century settlements, mean that the Cavan Burren is an absolutely perfect blend of breathtaking scenery and heritage.

The source of the River Shannon at the Shannon Pot can be visited nearby. This deep pool is formed by the confluence of a number of underground streams. In legend, the Shannon was formed when Sionnan, a granddaugher of the God of the Sea, Manannán Mac Lír, travelled to the Shannon Pot to catch the Salmon of Knowledge. The salmon didn’t take kindly to this and in outrage it caused the waters of the pool to spring up and overwhelm her, drawing her down into the depths of the pool to drown. Once unleashed, the waters of the pool continued to flow and created the mighty river that still bears the doomed Sionnan’s name. Recent water-tracing experiments have shown that several of the streams that sink on Cuilcagh Mountain flow underground to join the Shannon Pot, the furthest of which is a stream that sinks into the Pigeon Pots in County Fermanagh, making that arguably the true geographical source of the River Shannon.

The wedge tomb known as the Giant’s Grave

The Cavan Burren is well signposted from the village of Blacklion and it is free to access. The Shannon Pot is also well signposted from the Cavan Burren, and can be found at coordinates 54.23693, -7.92216.

Lough Oughter (from the Irish Loch Uachtar, meaning ‘Upper Lake’) is a beautiful patchwork of water separated by small islands and drumlins. It is a spot much loved by fishermen, but it is also home to a wonderful array of archaeological and historical gems. Perhaps most famous of these is the stunning Clogh Oughter Castle. It was originally constructed in the early thirteenth century – around 1220 – by William Gorm de Lacy, son of Hugh de Lacy (of Trim Castle) and Rose O’Connor (daughter of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht). He chose the site at Lough Oughter to dominate the region and overshadow the local O’Reilly clan. When the de Lacy family fell foul of the Crown, Clogh Oughter Castle was captured by William Marshal’s forces, who joined with the O’Reillys. The O’Reillys controlled the castle for the next four centuries, until the turbulent seventeenth century. The castle became a prison for a number of years; it is where Owen Roe O’Neill died in 1649. He had been the key figure of the Confederate Wars of 1641, and won a vital victory at the Battle of Benburb in 1646, where he routed a Scottish Covenanter army under the command of General Monro. There are conflicting stories surrounding his death at Clogh Oughter. Some say he died from an illness or as the result of infections in an old wound; others say that he was poisoned by a priest. Local tradition suggests that he was buried nearby at the church on Trinity Island. Clogh Oughter Castle was the very last Irish stronghold to fall to Cromwell’s forces. It was bombarded by cannon until the garrison finally surrendered. Archaeological excavations in the late 1980s revealed some grisly evidence of the siege, as the remains of some of the victims were discovered. One unfortunate was found buried where he fell under a pile of rubble from the bombardment. The castle is accessible by boat, which can be hired locally in Killeshandra. For a great viewing point for the castle, park in the small car park at the end of a narrow road at 54.01687, -7.45851, and then walk through the forest track to the shore.

Another monument on the shores of Lough Oughter is the Gartnanoul Court Tomb. Set within the lovely Killykeen Forest Park, this ancient tomb was constructed over 5,000 years ago. The tomb is located at 54.0148, -7.49200. To get there, travel north from Killashandra on the R201. After a series of sharp bends on the road take the right turn onto the L1509. Continue down this small road and stay right to come to a large sign for the Coillte Forest Park. Go past this and continue on the track for a couple of hundred metres until reaching a small lay-by on the right. Park here and follow the track for around 50 metres to the tomb.

Gartnanoul Court Tomb

The stone row at Shantemon consists of five stones aligned north-west to south-east. They are graded in height, with the smallest at the north-western end (approximately 50cm or 19½ inches tall) and the tallest at the south-east (approximately 2 metres or 6.6 ft tall).

Though there is a significant number in Ulster, stone rows and alignments are more common in the south-west of Ireland, particularly in counties Cork and Kerry. They generally date to the Bronze Age, between 1700–800 BC, and are occasionally found in association with stone circles. They may have had an astronomical function because, like the example at Shantemon, they tend to be sited on prominent slopes or hilltops; unfortunately, however, the true purpose for these enigmatic monuments remains unknown. Similar monuments are found across Britain as well as in parts of Scandinavia and northern France.

This site is imbued with folklore and tales of the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill. It is said that the four tall stones are Fionn’s fingers and the low stone his thumb (indeed, the site is signposted ‘Finn’s Fingers’).

The cobweb-strewn path to Shantemon Stone Row

Shantemon Stone Row, shrouded in mist