County Meath

Meath, known as the Royal County as it was once the territory of the High Kings of Ireland, is the country’s heritage capital, with an abundance of historic monuments confirming the ancient importance of the region.

The Boyne Valley is one of Ireland’s most interesting areas to visit. Massive megalithic tombs and passage graves at Newgrange, Dowth, Knowth and Loughcrew, the Royal site at the Hill of Tara, castles or monastic houses at Trim and Bective, and great houses of the 16th and 17th centuries, are all vivid reminders of a glorious past. A prosperous agricultural county with some of the best land in Ireland and noted for its fine horses and cattle, Meath has rich pastureland watered by the scenic Rivers Boyne and Blackwater and their tributaries.

History and Heritage

Some of Ireland’s most important historic sites and monuments are located within Meath and most of the important aspects of Irish history from prehistoric times are associated with the county.

Newgrange, Brú na Bóinne, ranks along with the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Eqypt as a designated World Heritage Site but at over 5,000 years old is the oldest of them all.

The rich legend of the Boyne, with Fionn MacCumhall and the Salmon of Knowledge, is still told today. At Trim is the greatest of the Anglo-Norman castles in the country, while near Kells are the ruins of the 9th century monastery founded by the monks from Iona in Scotland. The world famous Book of Kells was completed around that time.

Sites to see

Bru na Boinne interpretative centre, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Battle of the Boyne site, Hill of Tara, Hill of Slane, Trim Castle, Kells Heritage Centre.

Sports and Leisure

As a sporting location, the county has a great deal to offer. National Hunt and Flat racing is regularly held at Fairyhouse (home of the Irish Grand National) and Bellewstown (for over 300yrs).

Laytown is a unique event where the horses race on the beach while Proudstown Park in Navan is regarded as one of the finest possible tests for National Hunt horses, with an uphill finish similar to Cheltenham.

Meath’s waterways are rich in aquatic life and the salmon and trout are recognised as among the finest in Ireland. Angling, boating, canoeing and horseriding are all popular in Meath which is also home to some of Ireland’s finest golf courses.

Eat, Drink and Stay

Meath is also rich on the food and drink front. There is a large number of top class restaurants in the county that includes Bacchus at the Coastguard (Bettystown), Caldwell’s (Dunboyne), The Ground Floor and Vanilla Pod Restaurants (Kells), Adam & Eve’s, The Loft and Hudson’s Bistro (Navan) and Franzini O’Brien’s in Trim.

There’s no shortage of atmospheric pubs either. The likes of Ryans in Navan, Scanlons of Kilberry and O’Connell’s in Skryne near Tara are just a sample of what’s on offer.

B&Bs are also in plentiful supply to meet the demand for overnight accommodation in one of Ireland’s most visited counties.

Festivals

May: Navan Choral Festival

June: blue bJeans Festival, Athboy Loughcrew Garden Opera, Oldcastle

July: Kells Heritage Festival, Kells

August: Le Cheile Arts & Music Festival, Oldcastle Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival

September: Laytown Strand Racing, Laytown

Sept/Oct: O’Carolan Harp Cultural & Heritage Festival, Nobber

Things you have to see or do

Passage graves – at Dowth, Knowth, Newgrange and Loughcrew Cairns near Oldcastle

Bru na Boinne interpretive centre – designed to present the archeological Heritage of the Boyne Valley

Battle of the Boyne site – historical battle site between two kings

Francis Ledwidge Museum – Slane

Hill of Tara – and its interpretive centre

Trim Castle and Slane Castle – examples of Anglo-Norman castles

Bective Abbey – founded in 1150 by Murchadh O'Melaghin, King of Meath

Loughcrew and historic gardens – beautiful gardens at Loughcrew, Oldcastle

Kells Heritage Centre – a new vibrant visitor attraction loacted in the Heritage Town of Kells

Useful links

Ireland’s East Coast & Midlands www.eastcoastmidlands.ie

Meath Tourism www.meathtourism.ie

Heritage Ireland www.heritageireland.ie

Ecology www.community.meath.ie/sonairte