Failte Ireland - Ireland Buyers Guide 2018

Carlingford’s Peninsula is next and aim straight for the Heritage Centre , found in the beautifully restored medieval church of the Holy Trinity. Starting from 850AD, you can uncover the incredible story of Carlingford from its Viking beginnings to the present day, before soaking up the views from the hillsides. Allow 1 ½ hours for this experience. If you have more time: When it comes to grisly relics, none is more legendary than Saint Oliver Plunkett’s preserved head in St Peter’s Church Drogheda – a must visit in this Louth town and part of the ever popular historical walking tour. Allow 30 minutes for this experience Dinner & Overnight Louth DAY 7 Sprinkled with lakes and beautiful scenery, County Monaghan is one of Ireland’s lesser explored counties but is full of hidden gems. For starters, it’s also the site of one of Ireland’s most delicate and intricate crafts – lace making. Here at Carrickmacross Lace in the 1820s Mrs Grey Porter of Donaghmoyne introduced it as a way for local women to make money. Since then, industry flourished and the lace became a favourite of royalty, from Queen Victoria to Princess Diana. The lovely, hand-stitched lace is still a prized possession today. Allow 45 minutes for this experience Onwards to lovely Lough Oughter and Killykeen Forest Park , where anglers, hikers, walkers and cyclists can breathe in the absolute beauty of this Cavan spot. There are more incredible landscapes, too, when you move onto the Cavan Burren UNESCO. Geopark in Blacklion. This time, though, it exudes a rather prehistoric atmosphere. And rightly so: fossils from a coral sea 350 million years ago have been found in the limestone, while human habitation can be traced back to Neolithic times.With five walking trails through this exceptional landscape, you can explore at your own pace, or step into the past with a guided tour from one of the very knowledgeable Geopark guides. Allow 2 hours for this experience If you have more time: Drop into the Patrick Kavanagh Resource Centre dedicated to Inniskeen’s most famous son, poet Patrick Kavanagh, and take in a tour of Kavanagh Country. Allow 45 minutes for this experience Depart for Dublin Note:  A list of Storytellers – ‘’Ways to engage with the Stories of Irelands Ancient East’’, as well as story driven itineraries are available, please contact businessdevelopment@failteireland.ie 86 Fiddle Player, Co. Cavan Seafood Platter