Historic Boyne Valley

Our reason for staying in Drogheda, near the Boyne Valley, was because we had tickets to visit Bru na Boinne, a Neolithic necropolis consisting of many different sites. I know I repeat myself when I state that this was another historical place I was excited to see in Ireland. I've not yet seen the pyramids of Egypt, but with this site pre-dating the pyramids, I am completely enraptured with the historical significance of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated within a bend in the River Boyne. Brú na Bóinne is famous for the spectacular prehistoric passage tombs of Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth which were built circa 3200 BC. These ceremonial structures are among the most important Neolithic sites in the world and contain the largest collection of megalithic art in Western Europe. In order to see these tombs, a booked tour was required, and it does not include visiting Dowth. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, entrance into the Tombs was not allowed.

We visited Knowth first, a place that was reminscient of the burial tombs we loved in Korea. . It consists of a large mound and 17 smaller satellite tombs. The mound is about 40-feet high and 220-feet in diameter. Over 200 decorated stones were excavated here. Many of the motifs are spirals, diamonds and serpentiform. Crescent shapes, and the oldest known illustration of the moon in history is found at Knowth.

Newgrange is the main monument in the Brú na Bóinne complex. It is a passage tomb that pre-dates Stonehenge and the pyramids.  The cruciform passage goes one-third of the way into the mound. It is aligned on the winter solstice sunrise.

The Hill of Slane was our next stop in the Boyne Valley. According to legend, the Hill is where, in the year 433, St. Patrick, in defiance of the Pagan King (at the Hill of Tara about a mile away), lit the first fire on the spring equinox - a privilege and show of power reserved for the druid King. Upon attack, the King was charmed by St. Patrick and his white robed priests, and though he did not convert to Christianity, he allowed Patrick and his followers to remain and establish their religion in the area. The ruins of a Franciscan Monastery, dating from 1512, are seen on the Hill of Slane, and include a statue of St. Patrick.

Not far from Slane is the site of the Old Millifont Abbey. Mellifont Abbey was the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland, created in 1142. The most extraordinary architectural feature is the two-story octagonal lavabo - the place where the monks would wash before eating or performing other functions. It later became a private residence and then was used as headquarters for William of Orange during the Battle of the Boyne.  Orange was the Protestant King who overthrew the Roman Catholic King James II, a significant event for Protestants in Ireland. As we were leaving the ruins, a couple arrived planning to take wedding photos - admittedly, a perfect setting for such.

With just two days remaining until our flight back home, we drove to Dublin, where we would complete our two-week trip to Ireland.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland that is variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares an open border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. In 2021, its population was 1,903,100, making up about 27% of Ireland's population and about 3% of the UK's population. (This is according to Wikipedia.) Our brief travel through the north part of Ireland was seamless in terms of any political divisions that exist therein. Nevertheless, my limited knowledge and understanding of the complex issues surrounding the "Potato Famine" and the "Troubles", did shed light on some of the artwork, graffiti, and spoken sentiments of people heard throughout our 2-weeks of travel around the beautiful island.

Our introduction to Northern Ireland came from a self-guided tour of  Dunluce Castle ruins. The medieval castle had it's beginnings in the 13th century. Even the ruins exhibit what must have been the grandeur of the place. And there couldn't be a more beautiful coastline location!

I was excited for our next stop, the intriguing Giant's Causeway adds an additional artistic form to mother nature's extensive portfolio. A rainstorm fell on us as we hiked the upper trail, but it didn't deter us from enjoying the remainder of the hike. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an area of about 40,000 basalt columns that were formed by a volcanic eruption. The tops of the columns form hexagonal shaped stepping-stones that disappear into the sea. The legend is that this causeway was formed as the result of a fight between an Irish giant and a Scottish giant. The giant's foot (rock) can be seen in one of the photos below. Other notable features are the tall organ pipes, and the chimney stack on a cliff in the distance.

From the Giant's Causeway, the next stop on our way to Dublin, on Thursday, September 9, 2021, was a tourist site made famous by it's appearance in the HBO series, "Game of Thrones". This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century as an impressive approach to the entrance of their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. 

We drove through one of the oldest cities in all of Ireland, Carrickfergus, which became an inhabited town shortly after 1170, when Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy invaded Ulster and built Carrickfergus Castle. The castle, is known as one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland. A short walk around the town took us to St. Nicholas's Church where I admired the Celtic Cross Tombstones. I like the idea that the circle around the cross represents the celestial sphere.

It was evening when we drove into Belfast and checked into our hotel. An evening stroll gave us a glimpse of some of Belfast's architecture, and abundance of international cuisine. We filled our stomachs with Chinese food before drifting off to sleep that night. One thing I remember finding funny were the tiny bottles of Coke, which we were served in Belfast. I even saved two of them to bring home and place fresh cut flowers in - and yes, the waiter thought I was a bit crazy for doing so. I had to explain to him that we were from Texas - where everything is BIG.

In the morning we drove to Islandmagee, just north of Belfast to do The Gobbins Walk. The Gobbins is a cliff-face path in Northern Ireland's Coastal Causeway, which runs across bridges, past caves and through a tunnel. The cliffs are recognized for their rich birdlife and important geology. The walkway was created by an Irish railway engineer named Berkeley Deane Wise. He designed and built the path as a tourist attraction for the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company. The path first opened to the public in 1902, and has been described as having a beauty that baffles all description. To walk the Gobbins was another one of the things I was most excited to do while in Ireland, and it was an incredible experience (though not as challenging or scary as I had anticipated).

Having some time to spare that afternoon, we decided to go to the Titanic Museum in Belfast. It ended up being much more interesting than I had imagined. The impressive museum is built on the very spot that the Titanic was constructed. And it is the only museum which we have visited that includes an informational roller coaster ride inside!

From Belfast, we drove about one and a half hours to the Drogheda area where we called it a day.