28 Old Ruins to Explore in Louth

This is one of the most striking Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland and can be viewed for miles around. Located on a rocky hilltop, it commands wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. The Castle is believed to have been built in 1236 by Lady Rohesia de Verdun after the death of her husband. Together with a deep moat, its strong walls rendered it virtually impregnable. A secret passage once connected the castle to a round tower outpost.

This is the most prominent structure today in the townland. The castle overlooks the N33 and the River Dee and is an imposing feature in the landscape visible today from a number of surrounding roads including the N52 and N33. It was built in the 15th century, standing at a strategic point between the River Glyde, River Dee, Ardee and the Irish Sea. It is similar to, although taller than, the ten-pound castles built under Henry VI. It is locally associated with the Taaffe family.

According to tradition, Saint Brigid was born at Fochard Muirtheimne, about 450 AD. The place was later known as Fochard Bríde. The site is of ancient origin and would seem to have begun during her lifetime. Brigid's cult grew to a status second only to that of Patrick, and to the Irish she was known as Mary of the Gael.

St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church is located on West Street, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. Designed by J. O'Neill and W.H. Byrne and built in the French Gothic style of local limestone ashlar in 1884. The church is famous for its tall west gable, rose window and for containing the national shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett. It is one of the most notable buildings on West Street in the town centre of Drogheda. The building from 1793 was partly incorporated into the present building.

A majestic rectangular three-storey building dates from the 15th/16th century. Its most unusual feature is the corbelled roof, similar to the technique used for the Newgrange chamber roof, which is on the third storey. This castle was damaged in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 but was later repaired by a Captain Brabazon. It is now a National Monument.

This is a fortified three-storey town house belonging to a wealthy merchant family in the centre of Carlingford.This castle, variously called a fortified house or tower house, derived its name from the license to mint coins granted to Carlingford in 1467 by Edward IV. However, the present tower comes from later, either the 15th or 16th century. It is believed to have housed one of Carlingford's wealthy merchant families.

The Tholsel was a name traditionally used for a local municipal and administrative building used to collect tolls and taxes and to administer trade and other documents in Irish towns and cities. Towards the end of the 18th century the term tholsel was typically swapped for Market House with many of the administrative functions of the original tholsel transferring to another dedicated local council or government building such as a court or sessions house.

Townley Hall is a magnificent Georgian mansion built just over 200 years ago on a hilltop setting. Today it is surrounded by 60 acres of rolling parkland overlooking the Boyne Valley, very close to the site of the famous battle. The house is now owned by the School of Philosophy and Economic Science, a registered charity based in Ballsbridge Dublin, who use it as a residential study centre.