20 Attractions to Explore Near Dangan Castle

A Corinthian column, 75 feet high, was erected in honour of the Duke of Wellington at the corner of the Fair Green in Trim. The inscription reads “This column was erected in the year 1817 in honour of the illustrious Duke of Wellington by the grateful contributions of the people of Meath.” The monument was erected on this site because Wellington resided nearby while M.P. for Trim.

Trim Castle is the largest, best-preserved & most impressive Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland. It was built In 1172, shortly after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland. King Henry II granted his baron Hugh de Lacy the Kingdom of Meath, along with custody of Dublin. Over a period of 30 years, it was built by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter as the caput of the Lordship of Meath. The Irish Government currently own and are in charge of the care of the castle.

The Sheep Gate is the only surviving gate of five that once provided access to Trim. The town wall and its gates were built in the 13th or 14th century. Sheep Gate may have been so named as a toll was charged here for sheep being brought in to be sold at market. The gate was the southeastern entrance to the town, and is located just north of the River Boyne. Sheep Gate survives as a stone archway.

Trim Castle is a popular spot, few visitors realise that there is a wonderful River Walk adjacent to the castle that is one of the nicest strolls in Ireland. The route is popular with locals. This tranquil river walk commences at Trim Castle and finishes at the ruins of the 13th century town of Newtown, providing a glimpse of life in Trim in the Middle Ages.

St. Mary's Abbey in Trim, County Meath, Ireland is a former house of Augustinian canons dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The abbey was situated on the north bank of the River Boyne, opposite Trim Castle, on land given to St. Patrick who is often credited with founding the abbey. The abbey was a prominent pilgrimage site, famous for the healing power of its statue of the Virgin Mary, until its dissolution under Henry VIII during the Reformation.

Trim Cathedral, is an Anglican building in the town of Trim in County Meath. Although austere in appearance on the outside, the building is a gem on the inside. Previously the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath, it is now one of two cathedrals in the United Dioceses of Meath and Kildare which is part of the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.

BRÚ Brewery was founded in Meath in 2013 with the intention of creating brews for all tastes. It is named after Brú Na Boinne (Newgrange), which is a Stone Age monument located in the Boyne Valley in County Meath. The brewery was established in 2013 by local lads Dave O’Hare and Daire Harlin with the aim to make tasty craft beers.

Bective Abbey was founded in 1147 for the Cistercian Order by Murchad O'Maeil- Sheachlainn, King of Meath. It was Ireland's second Cistercian Abbey. The remains now visible at the Abbey date mainly from the 13th to 15th centuries. They include the church, chapter house and cloister. It is a protected structure and recorded on the register of National monuments of Ireland.

Dunsany Castle is situated on an estate that comprises of marsh, wood and farmland with the River Boyne running along the back of the land. It is located in the village of Dunshaughlin, 6 miles from Trim. It is a grey stone castle built over 4 floors with four crenellated main towers. The castle is surrounded by a protective wall and has three entrances one with a gatehouse lodge and stewards house.

Killeen Castle is one of only two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses in Ireland. The course measures over 7,700 yards from the back tees. The substantial investment in the drainage at the time of construction has given a course that is payable 365 days a year. Killeen Castle Golf Club offers the ultimate championship golfing experience.

The Lia Fáil is a stone at the Inauguration Mound on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland, which served as the coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland. It is also known as the Coronation Stone of Tara. According to legend, all of the kings of Ireland were crowned on the stone up to Muirchertach mac Ercae, c. AD 500.

This was once the ancient seat of power in Ireland – 142 kings are said to have reigned there in prehistoric and historic times. As Christianity achieved dominance over the following centuries, Tara’s importance became symbolic. Its halls and palaces have now disappeared and only earthworks remain. Tara forms part of a larger ancient landscape and Tara itself is a protected national monument under the care of the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Irish Government.

Donore Castle is a tower house and National Monument in County Meath, Ireland. The castle has three storeys, and measures 7.3 × 6.3 m at the base, and is 12 m (39 ft) tall with rounded corners a projecting round tower at the corner housing a newel stairway. One of the Castle's defenses is a murder hole situated at roof level above the entrance door. There are also carved heads of a king and bishop above the doorway.

Skryne Castle is a 3-storey, 12th-century structure, located in lush countryside and just a short distance from the legendary Hill of Tara. The castle is currently available to rent on a self-catering basis. The building is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a nun who disappears silently when spotted, and a tall man and his hunting hound were rumoured to walk the grounds too, although they have not been seen in recent times.

The Hill of Ward is a hill in County Meath, Ireland. During medieval times it was the site of great festivals, including one at which winter fires or bone fires were lit at Samhain, the forerunner of the modern Halloween. It is associated with the figure Tlachtga, a druidess in Irish mythology who is said to have given birth to triplets on the hill.

Athlumney Castle is a tower house and fortified house and a National Monument in Navan, Ireland. The motte at Athlumney was built in the years after 1172 when Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath granted the title of Baron Skryne to his ally Adam de Feypo; he in turn granted Athlumney to a relative Amauri de Feipo, who built the motte. The older part of Athlumney Castle is a tower house built in the 15th century.

This majestic stone castle was founded in the early thirteenth century. The castle was built at the junction of two streams and became the home of the Fitzgerald family before its expansion by Sir John Fitzgerald in the 15th century. It became the seat of power for the FitzGeralds, the earls of Kildare, as they emerged as one of the most powerful families in Ireland. Now a main attraction in this area and attracts a lot of tourists to this history.

The National Science and Ecclesiology Museum at Maynooth is a science museum and museum of ecclesiology, located on the joint campus of St Patrick's College, Maynooth and Maynooth University, Ireland. It is an institution of the college, having begun as an ecclesiological museum. The museum holds various artefacts from the history of science in Ireland.

Donadea Forest Park is situated in northwest Kildare and comprises of approximately 243 hectares of mixed woodland. It is part of the old Aylmer family estate. There are many historical features including the remains of the castle, walled gardens, church, tower, ice house, boat house and Lime Tree Avenue.

The first Manor house was built by the Normans in the 12th Century and many castles were built on the site throughout the Middle Ages. The castle was extensively damaged in the 1641 rebellion, then rebuilt in 1773, and gothicised in 1827 by the architect Sir Richard Morrison. By the mid 1800s the Donadea estates were one of the largest in Co. Kildare, amounting to almost 16,000 acres.