Failte Ireland Buyers Guide for Group and FIT Organisers

DAY 5

The bones of Christian saints and ancient kings rest side by side at

, founded in 544 by St Ciarán. This site by the

River Shannon has withstood raids by unruly Gaels and plundering Norsemen during the centuries, but also managed to produce

some impressive sacred texts along the way.

Allow 45 minutes for this experience

Move from round towers to regal battlements at

Athlone Castle .

The fortress was built in the 13th century in honour of a visit by

King John of England, who never arrived! Don’t emulate the monarch, though: the keep and walls of this historic site now house a

lively museum and are not to be missed.

Allow 1½ hours for this experience

Lunch in Athlone

Let the past light your way at the

Hill of Uisneach

, Ireland’s “mythological and sacred” centre, where even today the pagan

fire festival Bealtaine is celebrated to herald in the summer. An ancient belief suggests that rocks from Uisneach were used in

the construction of Stonehenge. From rocks to bog next as you move on to the

Corlea Trackway ,

surrounded by wild terrain.

This bog road was built from oak beams in the iron age, some say to carry cargo, others for sacred ceremonial purposes. Follow

in the footsteps of our most distant ancestors when you reach this structure that has lasted through the millennia.

Allow 1½ hours – 2 hours for this experience

If you have more time:

Visit

St Mel’s Cathedral, Longford .

Destroyed by fire early on Christmas Day in 2009, the cathedral

has been spectacularly rebuilt, that some say is now nothing short of spellbinding.

Allow 30 minutes for this experience

Dinner & Overnight County Meath

DAY 6

Start your day at

Loughcrew Cairns

the unsung stars of Ireland’s Neolithic era, and explore the Cairns’ ancient artwork, the Hag’s

Chair and hear the legend of a witch.

Allow 1½ hours for this experience

Next, and in the middle of a swathe of pristine green fields lies a site that touches at the very heart of Irish history, the

Hill of Tara

–

a place with a 5,000-year history, ancient seat of Ireland’s High Kings and capital of the mythical god-like race of Tuatha Dé Danann.

Allow 45 minutes for this experience

Equally haunting are the passage tombs and sweeping vistas of your next stop: the UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites around

Brú na Bóinne

. Admire the views with a light lunch in the Visitor Centre, before you enter this treasure trove. Once you’ve come to terms

with the archeological feat that is Newgrange, discover the artistry and secrets of the nearby Great Mound of Knowth, which also

dates to 3000BC.

Allow minimum 2 hours for this experience

Keep the monastic theme going at

Monasterboice

, founded in the late 5th century by St Buithe. The big draw here is the

magnificent Muirdeach’s High Cross: divided into panels decorated with vivid and lively scenes. There are 124 figures on the cross,

but only one appears in headgear – see if you can find Goliath in his conical hat, as well as the few other bearded characters, Adam,

Cain, Moses and Saul.

Allow 45 minutes for this experience