Wicklow & The East
Avoca, one of Co.
Wicklow’s many enchanting villages, has been the setting for films and TV
programs such as the long-running international series “Ballykissangel.”
Head just over 10 miles south of Dublin and you are in Co. Wicklow. Aptly
described as The Garden of Ireland, Wicklow is a blend of verdant
coastal and mountain scenery, quiet country lanes and tree-shaded walking
trails, flower-filled glens and meandering rivers, sloping hills and sandy
seascapes.
Even the placenames of County Wicklow sound alluring — from Lugnaquilla to Sally Gap, Devil’s Punch Bowl, Glenmalure, Glen of the Downs, and Shillelagh. If the scenery imparts a déjà vu feeling, it is because Co. Wicklow is the home of Ardmore Studios (at Bray) and has provided settings for many films including “Braveheart,” “Excalibur,” “Michael Collins,” “Far and Away,” “Angela’s Ashes,” and "P.S., I Love You." In particular, the small village of Avoca has drawn more than its share of exposure as the location of the recent BBC-TV series “Ballykissangel,” and the Irish village setting for some episodes of CBS-TV’s “Murder She Wrote” in the 1990’s.
In contrast, Co. Kildare, to the west of Dublin, is the hub of Ireland’s horse-breeding and racing country, with vast panoramas of open grasslands and limestone-enriched soil. Stud farms dot the countryside and racing takes place regularly at three Kildare tracks — Punchestown, Naas, and The Curragh, home of the annual Irish Derby.
The remainder of Ireland’s East Coast is devoted to two northerly counties, Louth and Meath, edged by the meandering waters of the historic River Boyne. The river’s banks are lined with landmarks from almost every phase of Ireland’s past — the prehistoric passage tombs at Newgrange, and the legendary Hill of Tara, seat of the Irish High Kings, as well as monuments from the early days of Christianity.
This part of Ireland’s East coast is also home to Carlingford, an enchanting medieval town on the shores of Carlingford Lough.
To learn more about the delights of Co. Wicklow and the East of Ireland, click the following links:
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