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Top ten historical sites to visit in Ireland - SEE PHOTOS

By
CATHY HAYES,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Saturday, March 19, 2011, 7:11 AM
Updated Saturday, March 19, 2011, 7:11 AM

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Newgrange
Newgrange


4. Ceide Fields, County Mayo

The Ceide Fields are a Neolithic landscape which date back to 5000 B.C. They are the oldest known field systems in the world. Their name "Ceide Fields" literally means "fields of the flat-topped hill".

The field system was discovered under some bog. The rocks delineating the field system was originally discovered by a school teacher cutting for turf in the bog in the 1930s. It took over 40 years to unravel the true significance of the fields. Fields, houses and tombs had been concealed under the bog for thousands of years.

5. Clonmacnoise, County Offaly

Clonmacnoise is one of Ireland's most important monasteries and is located on the banks of the River Shannon. It was founded in 545 by Ciaran of Clonmacnoise. Until the 9th century it had very strong ties with the Kings of Connacht.

Its strategic location also helped it to be become a center of religion, learning, craftsmanship and trade. Together with Clonard it is one of the most famous in Ireland and continues to be visited by scholars from all over Europe.

6. Jerpoint Abbey, County Kilkenny

Jerpoint Abbey is a well-known Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century. It's most famous asset is its sculptured cloister arcade with unique carvings.

It was constructed in 1180 by Donogh O'Donoghoe, the King of Osraige and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The monastery thrived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII.

7. Blarney Stone and Blarney Castle, County Cork

Six miles northwest of County Cork, Blarney Castle and the Blarney stone date back to 1446. The castle is a medieval stronghold on the River Martin. Although earlier fortifications were built on the same spot what is left standing today dates back to the MacCarthy dynasty, King of Desmond.

The castle and the stone are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland. Legend has it that if you kiss the Blarney stone you will have the "gift of the gab" meaning clever, flattering or coaxing talk".

8. Kilkenny Castle, Killkenny City

Killkenny Castle is certainly one of Ireland's most impressive fortresses. The castle dates back to 1191 and stands with three tall towers.
Although some of the stone has been replaced the original was built by William Marshal, the 1st Earl of Pembroke to control the crossing point on the River Nore.

The castle is now run by the Office of Public Works and sits in the midst of beautiful parkland.

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7 Comments

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EireinAmerica | Mar 21, 2011, 02:32 PM EDT
Yes, PolinDeB, When I think of Brian Cowen, when I think of what has become of the party of De Valera, I just get incensed. Their destruction of Tara was on par with the atrocities of Victorian Brits in Ireland.

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PolinDeB | Mar 20, 2011, 07:38 PM EDT
Strangely it was Fianna Fail who destroyed Tara, putting the M3 motorway through her pristine archaeological landscape and acutally embedded one of her greatest Monuments, Rath Lugh. Bru Na Boinne, ie, Newgrange is further under threat as the Slane By-pass(close to the newest discovered monument in the landscapes), the Lenister Oribital and an upgraded N2 are planned to skirt the Tara/Newgrange Archaeological areas rather than avoiding them by moving North of Navan and Slane. St Patrick couldn't destroy the feelings Irish people have for Tara and their commitment to the old laws which lasted until mid 1600's. Fianna Fail destroyed it against the wishes of the people but it can be righted. Using the Lenister Orbital to re-route the M3 from the Valley would take less than 8 kms of motorway.

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mjdocdougherty | Mar 19, 2011, 05:33 PM EDT
Portia 777 like Seralit I would like to know more about any sources and other materials that survived in the oral tradition of the ancients and their beliefs and social order and traditions in law. Your passion is palpable and knowledge of Ireland's ancient history and culture is a gift to those with whom you share it. There is however regarding Patrick excellent scholarship that has come to prominence recently that Patrick was not supported by Rome had never studied there ( his Latin in "Confessio" ) would not have been the form of the language taught in the Roman Vatican) Neither was he supported vigorously by and was also demoted from Bishop in the later years of his life by his "elders" in the British Church for to much acceptance and familiarity with the old religionists None of my "quibbles" on Patrick's educational lineage should be read as an apologetics's rewriting of the destruction and desecration of the treasures and spiritual tradition of Tara, a loss greater than we can likely imagine.

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curranart | Mar 19, 2011, 12:42 PM EDT
Well said Portia777. Little do people know that Newry and Donegal get mention in the earliest books for having the earliest Taras In Ireland, a fact that has been wiped out by the English history of the planters that now resides here.

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Searlit | Mar 19, 2011, 10:57 AM EDT
Where can we learn more about the ancient texts of Ireland, Portia777? Were they written in Ogham? I know something about the Brehon Laws which provided for housing of Journeyers, and shelter-less people at the crossroads. Ireland's early government seemed to be a city-state Democracy, like the Greeks whose written history was saved from destruction, during the Dark Ages, by Irish Monks.

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Portia777 | Mar 19, 2011, 09:49 AM EDT
The true story of our past goes back a lot more than mentioned above.Before her destruction, Ireland was the most advamced civilisation on Earth with the most advanced Justice system too. How we have been destroyed over the years.

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Portia777 | Mar 19, 2011, 09:46 AM EDT
That is His story for you, written by the men of god after they burned all our sacred books at Tara. I still wonder why we celebrate the life of a man named Patrick/Patriarch who was sent from Roma to burn and destroy Tara and her children. No mention either of Roma/Vatican giving the free people of Eire to the British as slaves in order to destroy the religion of Tara with its sacred books on love and peace. No money in that of course but there is in paying money to the men of god.

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