Ancient Ireland
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The History of Dunseverick Castle
Read more: The History of Dunseverick CastleUlster’s hidden treasure There are few more iconic sites than the lone, solitary stones of a once great castle standing tall above the sea. Dunseverick, as it is known today, is but a shadow of its former glory. Now a National Trust site, all that remains are but a few stone walls displaced along a…
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Dún Ailinne
Read more: Dún AilinneLeinster’s Ancient Hillfort Even from a young age, we have an in-built desire to outdo one-another. We view the greatness of our homes relative to those of our neighbour’s. When one upgrades their driveway, everyone else will publicly praise yet inwardly resent it. You only have to look at the great skyscrapers which line our…
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Hillforts
Read more: HillfortsIrish Hillforts – What do we know? As you walk around any modern city, nearly always your eyes will be drawn to the architecture. The style, scale, and shape of the buildings captures our attention, eliciting emotions and leaving an enduring impression. I have had the privilege of visiting many cities around the world and…
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Life in the Iron Age
Read more: Life in the Iron AgeA day in an Irish Hillfort Life in the Iron Age is hard for us to picture today. With some 1,500 years of history in between, it’s difficult to underestimate the great social chasm that time lays between us and our ancestors. And yet, for any who have the eyes to see, all around us…
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Mythology and History of Rathcroghan
Read more: Mythology and History of RathcroghanIreland’s Ancient Metropolis Little inspires the imagination as vividly as walking through the ruined remains of a once thriving metropolis. Seeing the great stones of buildings, the hills and walkways where our ancestors would have stepped, or just the sense of scale of a place which has fallen so far from its place of greatness.…
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Mount Sandel
Read more: Mount SandelIreland’s Ancient Beginnings Tracing our family history has become one of the most popular pastimes across the world. This is particularly true for the many millions (estimates vary between 50-80million) of people claiming Irish ancestry. Meticulous detective work reveals all sorts of fascinating personal histories tracing back generations to their roots. But what about 400…
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Newgrange Passage Tomb
Read more: Newgrange Passage TombThe Ancient Whodunnit The world record for the heaviest weight ever lifted by a human is a staggering 2.4 tonnes. With years of training, specialized dieting, and intensive preparations, this is the greatest weight a single human has ever lifted. And yet, the Newgrange passage tomb consists of a colossal 97 stone slabs, all weighing…
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Navan Fort
Read more: Navan FortUlster’s Ancient Capital Few today ever question the choice of Belfast as Northern Ireland’s capital. But this is a very recent phenomenon; for Belfast is one of the most recent cities in the world to become a nation’s capital, having only claimed this status with the partition of Ireland in 1920. In fact, while Belfast…
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The Giant’s Ring
Read more: The Giant’s RingBelfast’s Neolithic Roots When we look at the ancient stone monuments, thousands of years old, which dot our landscape, it is difficult to truly comprehend what we are seeing, never mind comprehend their significance. There’s no questioning that they have inspired generations of writers, artists, and thinkers: with fantasy genres full of scenes centred around…
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The Hill of Tara
Read more: The Hill of TaraIreland’s Historical Scar Historical landmarks can, in themselves, become symbols and even metaphors for an entire historical period: whether it’s the Coliseum in Rome, the Parthenon in Athens, or the Pyramids in Egypt. These sites take on a character beyond the mere stones and presence they embody, becoming immortalized in the myths, legends, and histories…
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