For any travel junkie, Ireland ought to be on their bucket list and rightly so because of the country’s overabundance of historical sightings and monuments. Forget about Dublin’s history-rich St. Patrick’s Cathedral or the once-infamous Kilmainham Gaol, Ireland has tons and tons of other unique, history-rich prehistoric sites.
If you are set to tour the Emerald Isle soon and would love to explore her best-kept historical gems, be sure to choose from the following six historic places in Ireland:
1. The National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology
Make a date with the remarkable Dublin museum. Not only does it house thousands of rare ancient treasures and artefacts, most of whom showing how far the country has come. It also has an impressive collection of finest native-origin gold items of any museum across the planet, safe for Athens. Galway Tour Company help you as your travel guide.
Mostly, treasures housed in the museum include those of different ages dating from as far as 2200 to 500 BC, the Bronze Age, and early Christian relics. With finds spanning 9,000 years of human inhabitation, the facility is a perfect library of information and indeed a superb starting point for your voyage across the vast country. Admission to the museum is absolutely free!
2. Newgrange, County Meath
Now a UNESCO world heritage site, Newgrange is short drive northwards along the coast to Bru Na Boinne. The passage tomb is over an acre-sized passage mound, but well-surrounded by 97 expertly-curved kerbstones. It dates back to 3200 BC and reportedly has cremated remains buried deep under massive stone basins where one can only access via a narrow passage.
Newgrange in the Boyne Valley is a no ordinary prehistoric monument; not because it’s older than the Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids. That aside, Newgrange – Europe’s largest assembly of primeval megalithic art, teaches a lot about its social-economic, religious and funerary roles. There’s a lot to learn by merely visiting the prehistoric megalithic, and it will certainly be worth your time.
3. Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary
It is a remarkable fortress, but don’t be mistaken – Rock of Cashel isn’t rock built as someone might lie to you. This 4th Century marvel isn’t as pristinely kept as you would hope, thanks to the Cromwellian army laying siege in 1647.
However, all of its four edifices have their somewhat original look and feel, pretty much like its architecture which continues to withstand tourists who besiege it every year. Everything aside, this manifestation of the 12th-century Romanesque architecture is well worth a visit.
4. Ceide Fields, County Mayo
It is hard to imagine how ingenious men and women of the Neolithic were, especially with a structure that has stood from 5000 BC. But the Ceide Fields being the oldest recorded field systems across the world has lots of fascinating finds for any history junkie.
5. Hill of Tara, County Meath
Near River Boyne stands the Hill of Tara, another extraordinary archaeological marvel. The complex structure is tucked in-between Navan and Dunshaughlin and hosts a plethora of monuments and lots of historical information. The Mound of Hostages, the oldest archaeological site, dates to 2500 BC, even as the hill itself is 500 feet high.
6. Leap Castle, County Offaly
Your round trek on the off the beaten path should end right at the prehistoric structure that, many regards as the most haunted castle in Ireland. Leap Castle is historically important but has witnessed some of the most appalling acts over the years. If you are a daredevil and wouldn’t mind a little adrenaline rush, ensure to visit and learn a bit about its sordid history.
For better guides, you may consider using the much-referred Dublin Tour Company for your comfort and serenity.
