Discover Alone
“Crosses judging your outfit”
Monasterboice is where the early Christians really went to town, lads. Right in County Louth, north of Drogheda, this monastic settlement was the real deal back in the day. It’s a national monument now, which means if you spit, you’re probably in trouble. The Irish name is Mainistir Bhuithe, which sounds like a sneeze you can’t quite finish. The village and the civil parish take their name from this very spot. You walk up and you see these massive high crosses, carved with such detail it makes my eyes water. The story goes that a monk got his head chopped off here over a disagreement with his bishop. A bit dramatic, but then again, we’ve all had bad days with our bosses. It’s quiet now, just the ruins and the wind, but you can still feel the energy. Don’t be late, the stones are watching.
Photo: Kevin King, CC BY 2.0
Then Tom went looking for the oddest places around it.
Stop 2 · A few steps on
Round Tower
“Slippers lose to stone”
Monasterboice round tower lost a bet with a priest who claimed he could climb it in his slippers. It’s still standing tall, though, proving that height beats confidence every single time. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.
This Round Tower, despite its ruined upper portion, is one of the tallest in Ireland, its present height being c. 30.5m. It is built of roughly coursed slabs and blocks of greywacke. This is a fine example of a typically Irish early medieval free-standing…
From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record LH021-062006Photo: Willard Rome, CC BY-SA 2.0
More about Round Tower →
Stop 3 · 5 minutes down the road
Pedunculate Oak
“Wave or get cursed”
Pedunculate Oak in County Meath says there’s a curse on anyone who doesn’t wave to it first. It’s got long acorns and an even longer memory for rudeness from passersby. Go now, before it gets famous.
Recorded as: Pedunculate Oak. Species: Quercus robur. Recorded age: 150 - 200 years.
From the Tree Council of Ireland, Heritage Trees of Ireland record 507Photo: Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, Public domain
More about Pedunculate Oak →
Stop 4 · A 10-minute spin away
Townley Hall
“Olympus but chill”
Townley Hall’s gate lodge has an imaginary fan club of Greek gods who love its miniature temple vibe. The portico is stonework perfection that makes the forest park feel like Olympus. Stand there long enough and someone will hand you a laurel wreath.
Detached three-bay single-storey stone gate lodge, built c. 1820. Tetrastyle pedimented portico to north on Greek Doric columns. Pitched slate roof, lead ridge, cut stone raking cornice to north forming pediment to portico, cast-iron gutters on corbelled…
From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 13902412Photo: JP, CC BY-SA 2.0
More about Townley Hall →
Stop 5 · Hop back in the car, 20 minutes
Moneyveg Tower
“Divorce call location”
Moneyveg Tower was built off a bargain that nobody could quite explain back then. It’s a folly for people who like looking important without doing much work. Ideal spot for a dramatic phone call about your divorce.
Freestanding tower, dated 1837. Circular-plan. Random rubble stone walling, ashlar limestone dressing, battered base plinth, crenellated parapet supported on ashlar limestone machicolations. Roof hidden by parapet. Loop and balistraria window openings, ashlar…
From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 13901815Photo: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0
More about Moneyveg Tower →The whole day on one map
See everything else around Monasterboice →
Over a million places across Ireland and Britain, all free. Explorer Tom has a story for nearly every one.