County Louth Tourist Attractions List of sites and attractions in County Louth

What a pleasant surprise, up in lackluster Louth: A charming, tiny medieval village with castle ruins right on the bay, excellent eateries, and pedestrian-friendly lanes filled with colorful shops, cafes, and pubs.

The megalithic dolmen at Proleek, located in the legendary Cooley Peninsula, is one of the finest examples in Ireland, and is widely photographed and documented. Access to the dolmen is through the grounds of a hotel, and then across a golf course, but it is well worth a visit. Nearby is a wedge tomb, or gallery grave.

The Proleek dolmen, or portal tomb, consists of a chamber which faces towards the northwest. The giant roof stone, which measures 3.8m by 3.2m, is estimated to weigh about 30 tonnes or more, and is supported on two portal stones, each about 2.3 metres high. The archaeological term portal tomb is derived from the belief that the two large upright stones act as a portal or doorway into the burial chamber. It has been suggested the dolmen may once have been covered with a cairn of stones, but no evidence of this can be found. One of the support stones is buttressed by a modern stone and concrete support.

Dundalk is situated in one of the most historic scenic and historical parts of Ireland, the Boyne valley is only 15 minutes drive away. Its coastline on the Irish Sea and the amenities of Carlingford Lough are complimented by outstanding hill and rural topography which attract both local and visitors interest. Today’s Dundalk retains the linear characteristics of a medieval town, although there is evidence of pre-historic and early Christian settlements. The town is now the sixth largest conurbation in Ireland in population and is strategically located on the East Coast half-way between Dublin and Belfast, the two largest cities on the island, linked to them by high-speed rail and soon to both, by motorway.

Ardee is a small, typical Irish, town divided by the River Dee. According to the legends Ardee is founded on the spot where Cú Chulainn defeated his friend Ferdia in a duel that lasted four days. The mound in which Ferdia was buried is disappeared, but a definitely not prehistoric standing stone marks the site, while a statue shows Cú Chulainn carrying the dead body of Ferdia.

Drogheda (pronounced /ˈdrɒhədə, ˈdrɔːdə/) (Droichead Átha in Irish, meaning "Bridge of the Ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km (35 mi) north of Dublin. Drogheda is the largest town in Ireland, recently surpassing its neighbour Dundalk. The town hosts the annual Samba festival every summer, where Samba bands from around the world converge on the town for a week of drumming and parades. It is also home to the Calipo theatre company which specialises in multi-media productions and has achieved considerable success in Ireland and abroad.

(6,783 Yards / Par 73) A championship links which can be enjoyed by every category of golfer. Baltray's demands are stern but its rewards are many not the least in the fun and enjoyment it evokes and the sense of freshness that prevails.

Old Mellifont Abbey, founded by Saint Malachy in 1142, was Ireland's first Cistercian Monastery. Its foundation marked the introduction into Ireland of the European monastic way of life. Its most unusual feature is the octagonal lavabo from the 12th century, c1210. The visitor centre houses an interesting exhibition, which includes fragments of carved stone masonry, recovered from the Abbey during excavation. Access to site by stone stairway (14 steps with a single handrail), pathways have a gravel surface - visitors are advised to wear suitable footwear due uneven terrain. The Visitor Centre is fully accessible for visitors with disabilites.

Monasterboice is known for its remains of the monastic settlement founded by Saint Buite in the fifth century. The remains consist of an old graveyard, two churches, three sculptured crosses, two early grave slabs and a sundial. The South church is the older of the two and it still has the remains of the chancel arch. The smaller church is situated beside the Round Tower and has no trace of a chancel. The Round Tower is about 100ft high. It is now missing its upper part and conical cap. The door is six feet above ground level and is approached by a modern flight of steps The cross nearest the graveyard entrance is Muirdeach's Cross, an outstanding example of high crosses of the Early Christian period in Ireland. It is a monolith, 17ft high.

The Belfry of St. Magdalene's Abbey built in 1224 by Lucas De Netterville, Archbishop of Armagh. It was here in March 1394 that Richard II received the submission of the Ulster Chieftains English Novelist William Makepeace. Thackery has written of his visit to the site in 1842.

One of the few purpose-built monasteries to be developed in Ireland in recent years was for the enclosed Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. The nuns have been in Drogheda, Co Louth, since the early 18th Century. The new building won an award from the Architectural Association of Ireland in 1999. Retreats are held regularly in the monastery which also sells craft work.

Saint Peter's is one of the finest Gothic Revival churches in Ireland. The interior has been extensively restored in recent years. The church was built as a memorial to Oliver Plunkett, a 17th century Archbishop of Armagh who was martyred at Tyburn in 1691. Saint Oliver's major relics including his preserved head are displayed for veneration in the church. Saint Peter's has been designated a place of pilgrimage for the Holy Year of 2000AD, where the Jubilee Indulgence may be gained. A booklet on the relics of Saint Oliver Plunkett, 'Until the Storm Passes', is available from the church.