Drogheda Attractions
Drogheda (Droichead Atha, "Bridge of the Ford") lies on the northeastern Irish coast on the River Boyne, at the point where it is crossed by the N1 shortly before its outflow into the Irish Sea.
With its port and its various industries - cement works and steelworks - it is a considerable industrial center.
In 911 the Danes captured the little town, which occupied the site of an earlier settlement at a ford, and developed it into a well-defended stronghold. Later the Anglo-Normans built a bridge and fortified the settlements on both sides of the river. In the 14th and 15th centuries Drogheda was one of the four principal towns of Ireland, with the right of coining and, from 1465, a university. Thereafter until the 17th C. Parliament met in Drogheda several times. In 1649 the town was taken by Cromwell's forces, and in 1690, after the Battle of the Boyne, it surrendered to William of Orange's troops.
The town of Drogheda has an active arts scene with annual Samba festival every summer, several theatres as well as a municipal art gallery and visual arts centre.
Drogheda has become a popular location for people who work in Dublin to buy a house. This has caused the expansion of the transport infrastructure, addition of two large shopping centres and another pedestrian bridge.
With its port and its various industries - cement works and steelworks - it is a considerable industrial center.
In 911 the Danes captured the little town, which occupied the site of an earlier settlement at a ford, and developed it into a well-defended stronghold. Later the Anglo-Normans built a bridge and fortified the settlements on both sides of the river. In the 14th and 15th centuries Drogheda was one of the four principal towns of Ireland, with the right of coining and, from 1465, a university. Thereafter until the 17th C. Parliament met in Drogheda several times. In 1649 the town was taken by Cromwell's forces, and in 1690, after the Battle of the Boyne, it surrendered to William of Orange's troops.
The town of Drogheda has an active arts scene with annual Samba festival every summer, several theatres as well as a municipal art gallery and visual arts centre.
Drogheda has become a popular location for people who work in Dublin to buy a house. This has caused the expansion of the transport infrastructure, addition of two large shopping centres and another pedestrian bridge.
Millmount Museum
On the south side of the Boyne river, in Drogheda, beyond the bridge at the end of Shop Street, Millmount Fort (National Monument) was built over a passage grave like Newgrange in the Boyne Valley. Fortified in the 12th C., it continued in use as a fort until 1800.
Lower downstream the river is spanned by the Boyne Viaduct, a fine example of railroad engineering (1932), built virtually inside its 1851-55 predecessor.
Lower downstream the river is spanned by the Boyne Viaduct, a fine example of railroad engineering (1932), built virtually inside its 1851-55 predecessor.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 14:30 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 17:30 |
Disabled
Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
Guides
Guided tour included with admission.
St Lawrence's Gate
The town of Drogheda had originally 10 gates, of which only one, St Lawrence's Gate (National Monument) in St Lawrence's Street, survives. It has two massive round towers with a loopholed connecting wall, a vaulted arch on the upper level and a barrel vault on street level, all crenellated, enclosing the low entrance passage.
St Peter's Church
At the corner of St Peter's Street and William Street in Drogheda, stands the handsome St Peter's Church (by Francis Johnston, 1748; Church of Ireland), which has fine Roccoco plasterwork in the interior.
On the right hand side of West Street, the continuation of St Lawrence's Street, the neo-Gothic St Peter's Church (RC) was built in memory of Sir Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh, who was executed at Tyburn in London in 1681. His embalmed head is in a reliquary in the church.
On the right hand side of West Street, the continuation of St Lawrence's Street, the neo-Gothic St Peter's Church (RC) was built in memory of Sir Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh, who was executed at Tyburn in London in 1681. His embalmed head is in a reliquary in the church.
Tholsel
At the end opposite to St Lawrence's Gate on St Lawrence's Street, on the left, is the old Tholsel (Town Hall), a domed building which is now occupied by a bank.
Drogheda Surroundings
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Old Mellifont Abbey
The Old Mellifont Abbey was founded in 1271. The ruins include remnants of some of the original buildings, including glazed tiles from the church laid in the chapter-house.
Baltray, Ireland
4mi/6km northeast of Drogheda, at Baltray, is a championship golf course. There is also good bathing from a sandy beach 3mi/5km long.
Bettystown, Ireland
Southeast of Drogheda, in Meath county, are the seaside resorts of Bettystown and Laytown. Both have beaches 6mi/10km long.
Clogherhead, Ireland
1.25mi/2km beyond Termonfeckin we come to Clogherhead. On the north side of the promontory which ends in Clogher Head lies the little harbor of Port Oriel, with lovely sandy beaches.
Dunleer, Ireland
In Dunleer, 5mi/8km northwest of Clogherhead, is the Rathgory Transport Museum, with a fine collection of veteran and vintage cars.
Fourknocks
Inland from Gormanston, between the R108 and R152, can be seen the important prehistoric site of Fourknocks (1800-1500 B.C.: National Monument), consisting of a large passage grave and two smaller burial mounds. The large grave has a number of scribed stones, including one which depicts a face, drawn in a few simple strokes - the clearest representation of a human face in prehistoric Ireland.
Gormanston, Ireland
South of Laytown, on the N1, Gormanston, a mansion of 1786, is now occupied by Franciscans. In the park, on the east side of the house, are an extensive system of walks and a "tea-house" of clipped yew hedges.
Laytown, Ireland
Southeast of Drogheda, in Meath county, are the seaside resorts of Bettystown and Laytown. Both have beaches 6mi/10km long.
Maiden Tower
To the east of Drogheda, at Mornington on the Boyne Estuary, stands a lighthouse of the Elizabethan period known as the Maiden Tower (a reference to the Virgin Queen).
Monasterboice, Ireland
Monasterboice (Mainistir Buithe, "St Buithe's Abbey"), an early monastic site celebrated for its crosses, lies near the Irish east coast, 6mi/10km northwest of Drogheda on the R168.
Monasterboice Monastic Site
(Near Drogheda)
A little-known saint, St Buithe, founded a monastery in Monasterboice about the year 500. In 1097 the round tower was gutted by fire, destroying the monastic library. The monastery survived only until the beginning of the 12th C. Within the old graveyard at the Monasterboice monastic site are preserved two churches, a round tower and three high crosses (all National Monuments), together with two early gravestones and a sundial.
Termonfeckin, Ireland
2mi/3km north of Baltray, Termonfeckin boasts a three-story tower house (15th C: National Monument) which has a fine spiral staircase and an unusual vaulted roof, constructed in exactly the same fashion as the vault of Newgrange, 4,000 years older. Beside St Feckin's Church is a richly decorated high cross (10th C: National Monument): on the east side a Crucifixion, on the west side Christ in Glory, on the other sides geometric designs and interlace.
