14 Iconic Buildings to Explore in Louth

Ardee Castle is significant for being the largest fortified medieval Tower House in Ireland.The Castle was built in the 15th century by John St. Leger and served as a stronghold for the defence of the Pale. Ardee Castle is the largest fortified medieval Tower House in Ireland or Britain. The castle was originally built by Roger de Peppard in 1207, but not much is left from the original walls.

Athclare Castle is typical of defensive residential architecture of the period. This sixteenth-century tower house was built by the Barnewell family and later extended in the seventeenth century, the plain extension is distinguished by the stocky tower to the east. Athclare has been extended and adapted in the centuries since its construction and is classified as a site of National social historical importance by the Irish National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

A majestic house which was built by Sir Henry Titchbourne, Marshal of the Army in Ireland, and Governor of Drogheda. It is believed to be the finest example of Irish domestic architecture to survive from the Restoration. Inside the impressive house the walls are adorned with excellent family portraits, as well as a superior collection of the works of many famous Irish artists of the early part of the 20th-century. It is one of the earliest unfortified major houses built in Ireland.

Carlingford Heritage Centre is located in a beautifully restored Medieval Church which has been a vital part of Carlingford's historical landscape since the 13th century. Discover Carlingford’s heritage and experience the history of the region. Visitors can learn about the village from its foundation to its prosperous years and right through to modern day. The historical exhibition is embellished with maps, drawings, illustrations and so more.

Dún Dealgan Motte is a motte and National Monument in Dundalk, Ireland. Some legends claim the site as the birthplace of Cú Chulainn, and it is here that he bases himself in the Táin Bó Cúailgne. The Annals of the Four Masters places a battle here in 500 AD. The house was rebuilt in 1850 by Thomas Vesey Dawson as a country retreat, but fell into disrepair and was bought by the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society to be used for a museum.

Dunmahon Castle is a four storey tower house with a vaulted ceiling over the ground floor. The stairs are in the north eastern corner, with the garderobes in the north west of the tower. It is situated on farmland near Gibston. It can be seen from the M1 motorway and from the Dublin to Belfast railway line.

A majestic castle which was located on the southern shores of Carlingford Lough. It consists of an enclosed courtyard with two rectangular towers at the entrance and two-storey buildings within. The eastern half of the castle was added in 1261 ad and included a number of rooms and probably a great hall.

Magdalene Tower is a landmark located at the highest point of the northern part of Drogheda, County Louth, in Ireland. The tower itself is of 14th-century construction. It springs from a fine Gothic Arch, above which there are two further storeys connected by a spiral staircase.

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.

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.

A majestic building which is set up to commemorate the poet Patrick Kavanagh who is regarded as one of the foremost Irish poets of the 20th century. It tells the story of Inniskeen’s most famous son, Patrick Kavanagh, in a new and exciting way using immersive and interactive techniques to engage and inspire visitors.

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.