Louth, Ireland's smallest county, situated midway between Dublin and Belfast is a place where thousands of years of history and myth combine with undulating valleys and mountains. From the Cooley Peninsula with its heather clad mountains sweeping down to Carlingford Lough in the north, to the beautiful Boyne Valley with its internationally famous Neolithic passage tombs, and the medieval town of Drogheda, in the south of the county.

Local Attractions in Dundalk & Louth include:

A Little History and a Little Folklore

Dundalk is situated at the northern end of County Louth on Ireland’s east coast and lies midway between Dublin and Belfast, because of it’s strategic position on the route from the north brought it under repeated attack over many centuries. The Scotsman Edward Bruce was among many who took Dundalk. He stormed Dundalk in 1315 and captured the town. He proclaimed himself King of Ireland from a nearby hill on 1st May 1316. Between 1560 and 1650 the town was besieged no less than six times. In the 18th Century its fortifications were dismantled. Today Dundalk is a prosperous industrial town with many good shops and tourist attractions and capital of County Louth. Only two of the ancient monuments still remain:- the bell tower of St. Nicholas’ Church which dates back to its foundation in 1207 and a 15th century tower from a Franciscan monastery built in 1240. An old mill still stands in Seatown. Kincora House is also in Seatown where the artic explorer Sir Francis McClontock was born. Dundalk has two patron saints, St Brigid, also the patron saint of Ireland who is said to have been born at Faughart (about 2 miles north of Dundalk) and who remains the object of veneration and pilgrimage and Oliver Plunket of whom there is a reliquary in the old church of Ballybarrack ( about 1 mile south of Dundalk.)

There are many folklore stories particularly of Cuchullain who was born Setanta, son of Lugh of the long arm and Dechtire. One day as Setanta played with his hurley on his way to King Conchobar’s banquet, the kings hound was set free to guard the castle. When the hound tried to attack Setanta, it is said he gave one swing of his hurley and slew the great hound. The most famous saga relates to Tain Bo Cuailgne which means the Cattle Raid of Cooley. The Tain tells us how Queen’s Maeves armies of Connaught tried to capture the brown bull of Cooley.

The famous Proleek Dolmen (over 11 feet high and with a capstone weighting more than 40 tons) is located at Ballymascanlon. It is said that a wish is granted to all those who can throw a pebble so that it lands and stays on top of the capstone of Proleek Dolmen.