If you want to experience the fascinating Old Ireland and do so as a day trip that is only an hour’s drive north of Dublin, schedule a visit to the Boyne River Valley, which was designated as a World Heritage Site in December of 1993.
Here are just some of what you can arrange to see in Boyne Valley, Ireland:
You can easily imagine being in the middle of the bloody Battle of the Boyne where the Protestant British broke the Catholic resistance and established Protestant rule over all of Ireland and Britain. Visit in the summer on a Sunday afternoon for their “living history” demonstration where characters in 17th-century costumes re-create the 1690 cavalry charge across the metal Oldbridge at a full gallop and give musket-firing demos.
The ancient spirits can be eerily felt as you visit the archaeological site with the grass-covered burial Megalithic Passage Tombs at Knowth and Newgrange. They are older than the Egyptian pyramids and have managed to be preserved through these thousands of years. The mind-boggling grassy mound at the 5,000-year-old Newgrange is 250 feet across and 40 feet high and is surrounded by dozens of “kerbstones,” each being approximately nine feet long and each weighing five tons. The square window above the doorway is placed to illuminate with natural sunlight the tomb’s sacred deep inner burial chamber for 17 minutes during the winter solstice. You can actually tour the inside of Newgrange and go down the 60-foot narrow passageway that leads to the cross-shaped central chamber.
Slane Castle, the ancestral home of Lord Mount Charles, was built on 1,500 acres of land in 1785 by three different architects.
The Monasterboice Monastic Site was founded in the 6th century by St. Buithe and is the best example of an early Christian site in the entirety of Ireland.
The Cross of Muiredach is Ireland’s most decorative High Cross, and the West Cross is the tallest High Cross at more than seven meters high.
There’s a great example of a Round Tower and a Sun Dial that is possibly the earliest example that exists in Ireland.
The Hill of Tara is where the ancient kings claimed their thrones, and where St. Patrick preached the sermon that converted the then pagans to Christianity. Aerial views show mystifying circles and lines, and among the hills is the Mound of Hostages, which was a Bronze Age passage grave from 2500 BC, along with ancient sacred stones and a war memorial.
Considering that the sights described above are within a 30-minute drive of each other, you should be able to see the entire region in just one day when you arrange for a day tour from Dublin. A friendly and professional driver will transport you in comfort through the remarkable Boyne Valley Ireland, where you can take in the history of each destination and relax as you move from place to place.
