FREE HOLIDAY GUIDE & MAP Discover Boyne Valley 2016 Birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East discoverboynevalley.ie If you are Culturally Curious or just wish to Escape and Explore you won’t be disappointed in the Boyne Valley – the Birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East. Imagine the rituals that took place in the passage tombs at the dolmens found throughout the Boyne Valley. Get off the beaten track and explore at Loughcrew and Brú na Bóinne! Be inspired in locations like Kells and Tara where Ireland’s famous illuminated manuscripts and jewelled chalices were created. Hear the tales of invasion and rebellion of medieval Ireland at Trim, visit the Medieval Museum or try something different on a Medieval River Tour. Sit back and relax while you literally float through time! See the castle from the waters of the River Boyne as it was built and positioned to protect the land and its occupants. There is an engaging authenticity to life in the local, bustling towns and villages of the Boyne Valley. Take in a festival, immerse yourself in the Arts. Visit, relax and unwind in the great estates and gardens.....wherever you go you will encounter moments to treasure and will feel refreshed and revitalised. Sample the fruits of the lush, green landscape in award winning restaurants, cute tea-rooms, homely B&B and formal dining halls. Join a Boyne Valley Gourmet Cycle to meet the food producers and get a real sense of ‘place on a plate’. And after your day’s discovery relax in your choice of quality assured accommodation with lots of variety on offer. Welcome to the Boyne Valley Birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East Loughcrew Cairns “The Boyne is not a showy river. It rises in County Kildare and flows gently and majestically through County Meath and joins the sea at Drogheda in County Louth some 112 kilometres later. It has none of the razzmatazz of its sister, the Shannon. It’s neither the longest river in Ireland, nor does it have the greatest flow. What is does have, and by the gallon, is history. In fact, the Boyne Valley is like a time capsule. Travel along it and you travel through millennia of Irish history, from passage tombs that pre-date the Pyramids, to the Hill of Tara, seat of the High Kings of Ireland, all the way to the home of the First World War poet Francis Ledwidge in Slane. It’s the Irish equivalent of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. And you can choose to explore it by car, bicycle, kayak, or by strolling along its banks and the towpaths of the navigation canals that run alongside from Navan to Oldbridge.” Frances Power - Editor, Cara, the Aer Lingus inflight magazine - Boyne Valley Feature, October/November 2014 Pg 68-78 Cara magazine is available online at issuu.com discoverboynevalley.ie Contents Ireland’s Ancient East 05 Walking & Cycling 19 Where is the Boyne Valley 07 Boyne Valley Garden Trail 21 Adventures & Activities 09 Boyne Valley Drive 23 Guided Tours 12 Boyne Valley Drive Map 25 Music, Arts & Culture 13 Boyne Valley Drive Sites 27 Festivals & Events 15 Towns and Villages 29 Spirits of Meath 17 03 Angling 33 Horse Racing 35 Golf 37 Crafts 39 Where to Stay 43 This brochure is printed by Meath Tourism Ltd., Co. Meath. Eating Out 49 We acknowledge the images on these pages noted are reproduced courtesy of the respective photographers: pg 13 Drogheda Arts Festival - Jenny Matthews; pg 27 Trim Castle, pg 28 Knowth and Hill of Tara - Copter View Aerial Productions; Pubs & Night Clubs 51 pg 31 Baltray Shipwreck - Picture Ireland; pg 39 Bee Free Clothing- Gareth McGaughey; pg 43 The d Hotel - Viadotas Maneikis Photography. 04 The Birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East Your journey of discovery starts here 05 Hill of Tara To tell the story of Ireland’s Ancient East we must start at the beginning... 5,000 years ago in the Boyne Valley. The Birthplace We present to you 5,000 years of Europe’s history in a lush green, compact and of Ireland’s accessible landscape... It’s easy to take it all in, To go at your own pace, To dip in or delve in, Ancient East To meet great people and listen to stories told by the greatest storytellers in the world, Take the time to experience the Boyne Valley a unique and diverse place that has inspired for thousands of years and the birthplace of Ireland’s Ancient East. Discover tombs older than the pyramids at Brú na Bóinne and the birthplace of Samhain on the Hill of Tlachtga. Be moved at monasteries such as Mellifont Abbey, explore a Viking museum at Trim Castle, brave a battleground at the famous Battle of Boyne or test your own bravery on the legendary Cú Chulainn rollercoaster. Discover the stories of a time of contrasts, the time of empire, rebellion, innovation and industry. The spirit of the past is wonderfully alive in the Boyne Valley today. It is full of mystery and excitement, humour and adventure. Your tour through Ireland’s Ancient East will be an experience in living history in a special place where magical things happen. Enjoy! discoverboynevalley.ie 06 Dundalk R178 R171 R178 to Belfast Carrickmacross Skeagh L Upper R162 N2 R165 M1 R179 N3 R165 Tallenstown N52 Kingscourt R166 Bailieborough Castlebellingham R178 R171 R191 R196 R165 Ballyjamesduff R162 Ardee R164 Drumcondrath R170 R166 Virginia Dunleer R170 Mount Nugent R194 Nobber e R132 R195 L Ramor R De N2 R194 Mullagh R169 Clogherhead R154 Moynalty N3 Collon M1 N52 Castletown Kilpatrick R168 L Sheelin Oldcastle R132 Carnaross Carlanstown Rathkenny Mellifont R166 R394 R Loughcrew Blackwater R162 Ballinlough Drogheda Rahaghy Wilkinstown Hill of Mornington Slieve na Slane Battle of R167 Callaigh R163 The Boyne Slane Castle Dowth Drumone Kells Gibstown Kilberry R163 Knowth R195 Crosskeel Slane Bettystown Coole Newgrange Donore R132 ne R147 R oy B R B Brú na Kilskyre R164 la c Bóinne Julianstown Cortown k w (Access to Newgrange and Laytown a R152 R150 Castlepollard M3 t Dunmoe Castle Knowth via Visitor Centre) L Lene Fordstown er Clonmellon Donaghmore Round y Tower & Church Duleek RBellewstow Nann n R395 Rathmore Navan N2 Bohermeen Gormanston L Derraghvaragh Ballinlough R153 R150 N51 Solstice Arts Centre R132 N52 Hill of Ward Tlachtga Kentstown Balrath Stamullen Athboy R108 Balbriggan Rathcairn Dunderry Ardcath Delvin R127 N51 Bradán Feasa yne R122 R Deel Bo Rathfeigh Stonyford R R152 Crookedwood R154 Robinstown Skryne Naul Skerries ford Clonalvy rd R Bective Kildalkey Trim Castle Hill of Tara Tara R394 M1 R128 N52 Kilmessan R127 Trim R130 R122 L Owel Dunsany R155 Ballivor Ballyboghil N1 Mullingar R154 Rush R156 Kiltale Dunshaughlin Laracor Ashbourne R129 ne R161 y Drumree oyo Portraine Bo R159 Ratoath R125 R108 RBR R Deel Ratoath C.C. R oyal Can Summerhill R155 al Rathmoylan R125 R160 M2 R130 N4 Batterstown M4 R158 Malahide R161 R154 Swords Clonard Longwood R156 N1 N6 M3 N52 R108 R400 M6 N4 R125 Dublin M1 N2 N4 Dunboyne Clonee R121 Airport Moyvalley M4 Kilcock Rochfortbridge R157 Howth Castlejordan ne Enfield oy R401 B N3 R148 R R402 Maynooth Tyrrellspass M4 R405 R408 Leixlip Lucan R407 N4 Carbury R403 Dublin R406 M50 R400 Edenderry Dublin Bay R403 Straffan R120 R402 R401 R405 Dun Laoghaire © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. Licence number 2015/31/CCMA Meath County Council Getting Here & Getting Around Europcar Academy Street Navan, Co Meath / Europcar offers a high quality car rental service at two locations in the Boyne Valley, as well as locations at all Internation- Unit 10a Newgrange Business Park, Drogheda, Co Louth al Airports in Ireland. europcar.ie Tel +353 (0) 1 812 2880 E [email protected] John Evans Coach Hire Coach operator, 14, 22, 30 & 50 seater buses, offering a first class service at low prices, call for a quotation. Kentstown, Navan, Co. Meath Tel +353 (0) 41 982 5351 / (0) 87 252 8954 Holtons Coaches Ltd Tours and airport transfers, coach and mini bus hire, outings, day trip, tours. Small/ large groups, keen rates, call for a Cloneycavan, Ballivor, Co. Meath quote. Covers Enfield area. Tel +353 (0) 46 954 6471 / (0) 87 253 8848 E [email protected] 07 Dundalk R178 R171 R178 to Belfast Carrickmacross Skeagh L Upper R162 N2 R165 M1 R179 N3 R165 Tallenstown N52 Kingscourt R166 Bailieborough Castlebellingham R178 R171 Where is the R191 R196 R165 Ballyjamesduff R162 Ardee R164 Drumcondrath R170 R166 Virginia Dunleer Boyne Valley? R170 Mount Nugent R194 Nobber e R132 R195 L Ramor R De N2 R194 Mullagh R169 Clogherhead R154 Moynalty N3 Collon M1 N52 Castletown Kilpatrick R168 L Sheelin Oldcastle R132 Carnaross Carlanstown Rathkenny Mellifont R166 R394 R Loughcrew Blackwater R162 Ballinlough Drogheda Derry Rahaghy Wilkinstown Hill of Mornington Slieve na Slane Battle of R167 Callaigh R163 The Boyne Slane Castle Dowth Drumone Kells Gibstown Kilberry R163 Knowth R195 Crosskeel Slane Bettystown Coole Newgrange Donore R132 Belfast ne R147 R oy B R B Brú na Kilskyre R164 la c Bóinne Julianstown Cortown k w (Access to Newgrange and Laytown a Dunmoe Castle Knowth via Visitor Centre) R152 R150 Castlepollard M3 te L Lene Fordstown r Travelling to and throughout the Boyne To Belfast Clonmellon Donaghmore Round y Sligo To Cavan To Derry Tower & Church Duleek R Nann Valley has never been easier. Just 20 Navan Bellewstown N2 R395 Rathmore N2 N3 Bohermeen Gormanston minutes north of Dublin International Only 20 minutes from L Derraghvaragh Ballinlough R153 R150 Dublin Airport N51 Solstice Arts Centre R132 Hill of Ward Tlachtga Stamullen Airport in the North East of Ireland, the N52 Kentstown Balrath Balbriggan Boyne Valley Athboy R108 Boyne Valley can boast a unique and Delvin Rathcairn Dunderry Ardcath M1 N51 R122 R127 M3 Bradán Feasa yne M2 R Deel Bo Rathfeigh Stonyford R R152 enviable location at the hub of four M6 M4 Crookedwood R154 Robinstown Skryne Naul Skerries major motorways – the M1, M2, M3 and ford Clonalvy Galway M50 rd M7 Dublin R Trim Castle Bective Hill of Tara M4.