Photos: (Center) Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, 6th century monastic settlement; and (clockwise from top left) Powerscourt Gardens, Co. Wicklow; St. Fiachra’s Garden at the Irish National Stud, Co. Kildare; visitors meet a horse at the Irish National Stud, Co. Kildare; and entrance to Bru na Boinne visitor centre at Newgrange, Co. Meath.

Co. Wicklow

Glendalough, Laragh (tel. 0404-45325), is the most celebrated historic site in this area. Nestled in a glaciated valley between two bodies of water (the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake), Glendalough has a well-chosen name. In the Irish language, Gleann Dá Loch literally means “valley of (the) two lakes.” It was here in the 6th century that St. Kevin founded a monastery that would become a leading center of learning for all of Europe, with thousands of students from Ireland, Britain, and the continent. Glendalough flourished until the 15th century, when it was plundered by Anglo-Norman invaders. Although much of the monastic city is in ruins today, the site includes a visitor centre with exhibits and an audio-visual that tells the story of St. Kevin and his many successor-abbots including St. Lawrence O’Toole. Guided tours of the grounds will show you the remains of a nearly perfect 103-foot round tower, hundreds of hand-carved Celtic crosses, and a variety of churches including St. Kevin’s own chapel, a fine specimen of an early Irish barrel-vaunted oratory with a miniature round belfry. Open daily. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie

Powerscourt House & Gardens, Enniskerry (tel. 01-286-7676). For over 60 years, this 47-acre garden has been the epitome of County Wicklow’s reputation as the home of Ireland’s most beautiful and lush greenery. It is a fine example of an aristocratic garden with Italian and Japanese themes, plus herbaceous borders, ornamental lakes, splendid statuary, and decorative ironwork. The centerpiece of the grounds, an 18th century Georgian House, offers a range of exhibits, guided tours, a dozen shops, and a café with indoor and outdoor seating. In addition, the grounds hold a pet cemetery, a wildlife park, and a waterfall, the highest in Britain and Ireland, which tumbles downward from a 400-foot high cliff. Open daily. Web site: www.powerscourt.ie

Wicklow Mountains National Park, off the Green Road, about 1.5 miles from the Glendalough Visitor Centre, near the Upper Lake parking area. This park, one of six national parks in Ireland, covers much of upland Wicklow and contains 49,421 acres of land including large areas of mountain blanket bogs and the Glendalough Wood Nature Reserve. The park provides protection for the landscape and wildlife, from rare orchids to the peregrine falcon. Open daily. Web site: www.wicklownationalpark.ie

Avondale House and Forest Park, Rathdrum (tel. 0404-46111), set beside the Avonmore River, Avondale is the birthplace and former home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), one of Ireland’s great political leaders affectionately called “the uncrowned king of Ireland.” The house, built in 1779, is filled with Parnell memorabilia and furnishings. The main attraction is the surrounding 500-acre estate, with an internationally acclaimed arboretum, forest walks, and sign-posted nature trails. Developed as a training school for the Irish Forest and Wildlife Service, the park is considered as the catalyst and testing ground of modern Irish forestry. Open daily Mid-March – October. Web site: www.coillte.ie

Avoca Handweavers, Avoca (tel. 0402-35105), is the oldest handweaving company in Ireland, dating back to 1723. Housed in a cluster of white-washed stone buildings, this enterprise invites visitors to take a walk-through tour to observe all stages of production — from wool preparation, spinning, carding, and dyeing, to the actual weaving process. The adjacent mill shop stocks the results — travel rugs, blankets, bedspreads, and more (See Smart Shopping). Open daily. Web site: www.avoca.ie

Mount Usher Gardens, off N 11, Ashford (tel. 0404-40116), dating back to 1886, is a “must stop” for garden enthusiasts. Set on 20 acres beside the River Vartry, Mount Usher is a paradise of over 5,000 types of plants, trees, and shrubs from all over the world, blending familiar species such as rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, eucalyptus, and palms, with the exotic, such as Burmese jumpers, Chinese spindles, and North American swamp cypress. Water plays an essential part of the layout, with cascades and bridges, visible in just about every section. Open daily mid-March – October. Web site: www.mount-usher-gardens.com

Kilruddery House and Gardens, Bray (tel. 01-286-2777), is picturesquely ensconced between Bray Head and the Little Sugar Loaf Mountain (1,120 feet). The seat of the Earl of Meath since 1818, the original part of the house dates back to 1820, with many additions including a 19th century Victorian Conservatory that was modeled after the Crystal Palace in London. The gardens are even older, dating back to the 1680’s, laid out in French style. The core of the garden is a pair of canals that connect the house at one end and an avenue of lime trees at the other. On one side, there is a series of radiating walks flanked by hedges of beech, hornbeam, and lime. On the other is a sylvan theatre and a great circular pool enclosed by high hedges. The tableau is completed by an extensive natural rock garden. House open daily in May – June. Gardens open daily in April – September. Web site: www.killruddery.com

Russborough House, Blessington (tel. 045-865239), is one of Ireland’s finest Palladian-style big houses. Built in 1741-1751 for the Earl of Milltown, the house is furnished with European antiques, porcelain, silver, and tapestries, with some noteworthy stucco ceilings by Lafranchini brothers. It is also the home of the Beit art collection, displaying paintings by Vernet, Guardi, Bellotto, Gainsborough, Rubens and Reynolds. Open Sundays and bank holidays in April and October; daily May - September. Web site: www.russborough.ie

Wicklow’s Historic Gaol (Jail), Wicklow Town (tel. 0404-61599), is Wicklow Town’s main attraction, well sign-posted on Kilmantin Hill. Built in 1702, this museum depicts the conditions of Irish jails prior to the prison reforms of the late 18th century. The displays also illustrate how prisoners, both guilty and innocent, tried and untried, lived their daily lives, the events that led to over 50,000 people being sent as convicts to Australia, and the contributions these Irish people made to their new land. Open daily April – October. Web site: www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com

Co. Kildare

Irish National Stud, Tully, Co. Kildare (tel. 045-521617), is the main attraction of County Kildare – Ireland’s prime “horse country.” This sprawling horse farm is set on 958 acres of prime grasslands, established in 1945, to provide a government-sponsored prototype of ideal horse farm conditions, for others to emulate throughout the land. Some of Ireland’s most famous horses have been bred and raised on these grounds, and visitors are welcome to watch the horses being exercised and groomed. A tour, which takes approximately 40 minutes to an hour, includes a visit to the Sun Chariot Yard which houses the mares and foals, the Foaling Unit, the Stallion Paddocks, Saddler Shop, and the Forge. A converted groom’s house serves as the setting for a horse museum with exhibits on equine pursuits in Ireland from the Bronze Age to the present. A visit to the National Stud includes admission to two distinctive gardens. The adjacent Japanese Gardens, laid out between 1906 and 1910 to symbolize the Life of Man in 20 different stages from Oblivion to Eternity, are considered among the finest in Europe. The configuration includes cherry blossoms, bonsai trees, and other exotic plantings, as well as a tea house and a miniature Japanese village. The newer garden, known as St. Fiachra’s Garden, is named in honor of the 6th century Irish monk who is the patron saint of gardeners. Designed to recreate the serene environment that inspired the spirituality of the 6th and 7th century monastic movement in Ireland, this garden is a natural oasis of woodlands, waterfalls, and wetlands, along with aquatic plants, islands, and greenery of all types. Unique features include a sunken oak forest, filled with 5,000-year-old bog oak from the Bog of Allen; 1200 tons of rocks and boulders from the west of Ireland; a splendid statue of St. Fiachra seated on a lakeside peninsula; and three replicas of early monastic cells or beehive huts.
Even if your interest in horses is minimal, it is worth the drive to Kildare just to relax in this serene setting. Open daily mid-February to mid-November. Web site: www.irish-national-stud.ie

St. Brigid’s Cathedral, The Square, Kildare, Co. Kildare (tel. 045-521229), is reputed to be the site where St. Brigid (Ireland’s second patron saint after Patrick) founded a unique “double monastery” in 480AD — one part for nuns, one part for monks, ruled jointly and equally by an abbess and abbot-bishop. The cathedral, dating back over 750 years and restored in 1996, has many interesting monuments including a round tower, started in the 6th century and completed in the 11th century. It is 108 feet high with stone 20 feet in diameter at its base. There are five stories inside, each connected by ladders. Open daily, May - October. Web site: www.kildare.ie/local-history/kildare/kildare-cathedral.htm

Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare (tel. 01-628-8252), the largest Palladian style country house in Ireland. It was built c. 1722 for the then-speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Connolly). Distinguishing characteristics include a long gallery, with Venetian chandeliers; an 18th century print room; and a fine collection of 18th century furniture and paintings. Open daily April - November. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie

Larchill Arcadian Gardens, Dunshaughlin Road, Kilcock, Co. Kildare (tel. 01-628-7354), are the sole surviving example in Ireland or England of a mid-18th century-style garden known as a ferme ornée (ornamental farm garden). The focus is a circular walk through a landscaped parkland, decorated with 10 follies, resting areas, gazebos, beech avenues, a Greek temple and a lake with island fortress. Open Tuesday-Sunday during June – August; and weekends in September. Web site: www.larchill.ie

Counties Louth & Meath

Newgrange, off N 51, Donore, Co. Meath (tel. 041-988-0300), is considered one of the finest Stone Age archeological wonders of Western Europe. Built between 3500 B.C. and 2700 B.C (making it older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge), this huge mound of quartz and granite was used as a tomb in which Stone Age men buried the cremated remains of their dead. It is 36 feet tall, with over 200,000 tons of stone including a 6-ton capstone, and other stones weighing up to 16 tons each. It covers almost one full acre of ground. To gain access to the site, follow the signposts to Brú Na Bóinne – The Boyne Valley Visitor Centre, and register with the reception desk personnel for a 1-hour guided tour (maximum of 25 persons). Note that in the summer, the tour wait can be up to three hours. When your tour begins, you will be transported from the visitor centre by minibus. The guide will take you down into the site itself, to see remnants of stone implements and fine examples of primitive carved stone artwork.There is also plenty to do at the centre, and some visitors are content to get their experience of Newgrange indoors and forego the on-site tour. The exhibits, range from a 7-minute introductory audio-visual to a walk-through replica of Newgrange that includes a simulation of the winter solstice. Two other prehistoric passage graves are nearby, Knowth and Dowth. Knowth is also open for tours but Dowth is still under excavation. Allow at least a half-day here, if you want to do it all. Newgrange is open all year; Knowth, from May to October. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie 

The Battle of the Boyne, Oldbridge, Drogheda, Co. Meath, tel. 041-980-9950, is the historic site of a major turning point in Irish history – the Battle of the Boyne of 1690, with King James II opposed by his son-in-law King William of Orange. Both kings commanded their armies in person; William had 36,000 men and James had 25,000 - the largest number of troops ever deployed on an Irish battlefield.  English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Danish and Huguenots (French Protestants) made up William's army (Williamites) while James's men (Jacobites) were mainly Irish Catholics, reinforced by 6,500 French troops sent by King Louis XIV.  At stake were the British throne, French dominance in Europe and religious power in Ireland. The Williamites prevailed – and the rest is history. The site includes a visitor centre in Oldbridge House with exhibitions and a 15-minute A/V depicting the battle, and full-scale replicas of 17th century artillery and military equipment. Outside there are walled gardens and optional self-guided walks on battle sites and along the Boyne River. From June through September, living history reenactments take place on the grounds. Open daily, year-round. Web site: www.battleoftheboyne.ie

Trim Castle, Trim, Co. Meath (tel. 046-943-8619), is a sprawling stone fortress, recognized as the finest and largest Norman castle in Ireland. Started in 1173 and completed in the 13th century, this structure has scarcely been modified except for recent restorations before it was opened to the public in 2000. The centerpiece of this site is a massive three-story keep with a 20-sided tower, cruciform in shape, originally protected by a ditch, moat, and curtain wall, some of which still stands. If this castle looks familiar, that is because it was featured in the epic movie, “Braveheart.” Access is by guided tour only. Open daily Easter – October, and on weekends rest of year. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie 

Hill of Tara, off the main N 3 Road, Navan, Co. Meath (tel. 046-902-5903). Perched 300 feet above the surrounding countryside, this impressive site has been a key element of Irish history and legend since the late Stone Age when a passage tomb was constructed here. Tara is best known, however, as the seat of early Irish high kings and great open-air assemblies in the centuries just before and after Christ. By the end of the 6th century, the Tara monarchy had become the most powerful in Ireland. Little remains of Tara’s former glory today except grassy mounds and earthworks that were used for ritual and burial purposes. Guided tours of the site are available on request. There is also a visitor center where you can watch the audio-visual show called “Tara, Meeting Place of Heroes” shown continuously. Open daily May – October. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie

Slane Castle, Slane, Co. Meath (tel. 041-982-4163), dating back to the late-18th and early-19th centuries, this castle was built for the Conyngham family and was considered one of Ireland's most beautiful inhabited castles until it was almost destroyed by fire in 1991. Happily, it has been restored under the direction of its present occupant, Lord Henry Mountcharles, who has recently reopened the castle to the public for guided tours. At the heart of the house is a Gothic Revival ballroom with ornate plasterwork, saved from the flames. To finance the restoration, Lord Mountcharles has been staging huge summer open-air rock concerts on the 22 acres of grounds in front of the castle, starring a diverse collection of international talent. Tours of the castle are available early-May to early-August only, Sunday-Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. Web site: www.slanecastle.ie

Old Mellifont Abbey, Tullyallen, Collon, Co. Louth (tel. 041-982-6459) was Ireland’s first Cistercian monastery, started in 1142 by St. Malachy of Armagh. Nestled in a peaceful setting beside the Mattock River, this foundation grew so extensively that it became known as “The Big Monastery.” Not too much remains of the abbey today, except for remnants of a 14th century chapter house, several arches of Romanesque design, and a 13th century octagonal lavabo. Open daily May - September. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie

Monasterboice, off N1 (Dublin-Belfast Road), near Collon (no phone). Dating back to the early 6th century, this monastic site is best known as the home of a huge monument, known as Muiredach’s Cross. One of the most perfect specimens of a high cross in Ireland, this 17-foot-tall cross can be traced back to 922. It is ornamented with sculptured panels of biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The grounds also contain a round tower, two early grave-slabs, and an early Irish sundial. Open daily.

Medieval Carlingford — the northern tip of County Louth is home to the picturesque medieval town of Carlingford, nestled beneath Slieve Foy, the highest peak of the Cooley Mountains, and across the water from the Mountains of Mourne. With its cluster of narrow streets, lanes, and historic old stone buildings including castles, fortified town houses, an abbey, town gate, and mint, Carlingford is a delight to walk around. The town’s heritage centre, housed in a restored medieval church, traces Carlingford’s origins from Norman times. Information: Carlingford Tourist Office, Dispensary Building, Carlingford, Co. Louth (tel. 042-937-3033). Web site: www.carlingford.ie

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