Atherdee, or Ardee, 12 m. S.W. of Dundalk. See the Gaol, once an extensive fortress, gloomy and yet venerable. Ch., a mass of ruins except the chapel; a high wall encircles it, and its solemn appearance is much increased by the lofty trees which shade the sepulchral heaps that surround its mouldering walls. See Castle Guard, supposed by some to have been a sepulchral monument, perhaps a mote or meeting-place for the chiefs and people, 90 feet high, circumference at base 600, 140 at summit, with remains of two concentric octagonal buildings: the trench wide and deep, well planted. At Millextown, see ancient Ch. with gable end at some distance, reported to have been blown there in a gale of wind!
Carlingford, 7 m. E. of Dundalk, of great antiquity, seated on a bay 3 m. in length, capable of receiving the largest vessels; but yet so full of rocks as to be extremely dangerous. But even these rocks are advantageous to the epicurist, for here he will find the finest green-finned oysters, long so celebrated among the lovers of good eating. When first founded, it consisted entirely of castles, or fortified mansions, erected for the protection of the English Pale against the incursions of the unconquered northern Septs. The principal Castle has been attributed to King John, or perhaps to De Courcy; very well situated to defend a narrow pass at the foot of the mountains close by the sea, where only a few men can march abreast, as there are most dangerous rocks washed by the sea on one side, whilst the other consists of lofty mountains almost impassable. The Castle itself is now a mere mass of ruins, triangular in its shape, and seated on a solid rock, with walls 11 feet in thickness. On the S. side enough remains to mark the ancient apartments. The view from it is extremely fine, with the ocean on one side, and on the other the lofty mountains of Mourne, which present a sublime spectacle. At the S. side of the town are the picturesque ruins of an ancient Dominican Abbey, founded by De Burgh, earl of Ulster, in the 14th century. Of this abbey little remains but the Ch., whose ivyed towers and battlemented walls present a very interesting object, much heightened by the surrounding romantic mountain scenery. See the lime-quarry, ¼ m. distant, at the foot of a high mountain, mixed with basaltes, crystallizations of pyrites, shells, &c. From the situation of the town, the sun is lost several hours behind the hills after sunrise and before sunset.
Castle Bellingham, 7 m. S. of Dundalk, is seated on an extensive but shallow bay; pleasant village, with good Inn. Good station for the sportsman, plenty of aquatic wild fowl. See at Greenmount, curious earth-works on summit of hill, with a tumulus: prospect extensive.
Drogheda, 18 m. S. of Dundalk, (partly in Louth, partly in Eastmeath, being divided by the Boyne) is also a county of itself. Here are 9 Catholic chapels, 2 Friaries, 2 Nunneries, and 1 Ch. (St. Peter's) elegantly finished, near which, in churchyard, see remains of ancient castle. The view on approaching the town is beautiful; house of the Catholic primate a striking object. Harbour good; trade extensive; supply of fish excellent. See Tholsel, a handsome edifice. St. Mary's, now a mere mass of ruins, with the exception of a roofed chapel, which is used for divine service; but it deserves notice for a lofty arch at the S. end, which marks the former splendour of the edifice. Bevrac Mount, a large artificial tumulus, stands about 600 yards distant. It appears to have been one of the large Raths raised in ancient times. The town is interesting for the part it bore in the Irish wars; and sustained a memorable siege in Cromwell's time. Near it is a thin blue stone, shaped like the bottom of a boat, on which many of the Catholics believe St. Dennis sailed over to France. Ascend the Boyne 2 m., and visit the field of battle where William conquered, and where Schomberg fell, also Walker the patriotic defender of Derry. The view of the scene from a rising ground, looking down upon it, is extremely fine. Mark the vale losing itself amidst bold acclivities; on the right the Obelisk on a rising ground, a noble pillar and judiciously placed. Let the tourist place himself at its foot, and recall the events of past times! Then proceed further 9 m. W. of Drogheda, where is a beautiful wooded glen celebrated as the route through which King William's army marched to the ford in the Boyne water on the eventful 1st of July, 1690. The scenery around is highly interesting. Collon village, 6 m. distant, must not be omitted by the statistical tourist, as an instance of what can be done in Ireland by modern improvement. The exertions of Mr. Foster, in this place, have been well appreciated by Mr. Wakefield, who describes it as delightfully situated amongst hills, whilst the extensive plantations of its benevolent founder are conspicuous in every direction for many miles. Mr. W. adds, that this domain commands a prospect of singular magnificence; the immediate foreground, looking N.E., consists of a declivity of tilled land bordered on each side by beautiful plantations; and the eye, then passing over some miles of country, catches a view of Carlingford-bay, forming a watery expanse of great extent, and of the coast stretching to a considerable distance, with the mountains surrounding the bay, and those of Mourne, still higher, and which have a blacker appearance. The blue colour of the bay, contrasted with the yellow tint of the sandy beach by which it is bordered, the Carlingford mountains in the vicinity, and the more elevated dusky ones of Mourne, stretching inland in the form of an immense amphitheatre, form, in Mr. W's opinion, a spectacle grand and magnificent. The village, when he visited it, consisted of about one hundred neat houses, all whitewashed; with a Ch. surrounded by trees, and a river running through it, over which there is a stone bridge; the whole much enlivened by a bleaching-green on its banks. All this, together with a cotton manufactory, has been the labour of 40 years. It is highly worthy of notice, and is easily accessible by the good roads in its vicinity. The botanist will receive much pleasure from the inspection of the very fine collection of indigenous and exotic shrubs which Mr. Foster has collected round his comfortable mansion. See also Curwen's Letters, vol. ii. p. 292. Observe the Ch. tower, of chaste Gothic architecture; the curious winter garden. In a romantic valley, 5 m. W. from Drogheda and about 1½ m. from the banks of the Boyne, stand the once massy but now dilapidated ruins of Mellifont Abbey, founded for Cistertian monks, by O'Carrol prince of Uriel, in the 12th century, and a spot of great interest in the history of the English invasion of Ireland; for here died, and now lies interred, Dervorgilla, daughter of O'Malaghlin, king of Meath, a second Helen, who being married to Tigernach O'Rourke prince of Brefinny, was basely ravished by Mac Murrogh king of Leinster, who was in consequence forced to fly from his dominions, and sought that succour from Henry II. which led to the subjugation of the island. At the Dissolution it was given to Sir Edward Moore, who made it a castellated residence; but it afterwards became a ruin, and within the last fifty years has suffered extremely. The most curious part is a remnant of an octagonal baptistery. See Hoare, p. 242. Monasterboice, a village about 3 m. from Drogheda, has a good specimen of the ancient round towers, 110 feet in height and 51 in circumference, with walls of the thickness of 3 feet 6 inches. The door is at present only 6 feet from the ground; and it appears to have contained six stories, from the stones that project in the interior. The tower itself is built of a slaty stone, frequent in the hills in the vicinity; but the door is cased of freestone. Its summit is already in decay. Near it are the ruins of two Chapels; also two very curious crosses, the largest 18 feet in height, with a variety of sculptures. A good view is given by Grose. See Hoare, p. 237. Torfeckan village stands near the sea, and about 3½ m. from Drogheda. It was once a place of some importance, though now a paltry village, with nothing remarkable but some towers of its ancient Castle, fast falling into decay; and connected with some ruins of an Abbey founded for nuns in the 12th century. Till within these few years the Castle had been habitable, and was a frequent residence of the Archbishops of Armagh, to which see it belongs. See ruins of Glasspistol Castle.
Dundalk, 40 m. N. of Dublin, is one of the most ancient towns in Ireland, claiming an early foundation from its bay and harbour on the Irish Channel.—Being at the very extremity of what was called the "English Pale," it often became exposed to hostilities, and presented a mass of castles and towers, for the purposes of defence, of which some remains may still be traced. See the remains of an ancient monastery for Crouched Friars, since turned into an hospital: also some ruins of a house of Gray Friars, of which a curious square tower still remains; the prospect from its summit is rich and extensive. Notice the Market-house. Inquire for Dundalk cambrics. See handsome seat of Lord Roden, with curious antique portraits of Hen. VIII. and Anne Bulleyn; spacious gardens; extensive well wooded demesne. See Court-house, Gaol, Barracks, and Charter School. Town irregular, yet neat; many of the houses displaying considerable taste and elegance. About a mile westward, on the summit of a hill, seen for several miles along the great north road, and commanding a most extensive prospect of the Mourne and Carlingford mountains, are some remains of a fine old Danish station and rath; a little below which, the tourist will notice the ruins of an old Ch. or Chapel, enveloped in ivy, and pointing out a Catholic cemetery of great sanctity. On the side of the hill stands the Castle of Castletown, an ancient edifice with towers and battlements, but partly repaired and habitable, forming the offices to a more modern mansion close to it. This castle was taken and sacked in the 14th century by Edward Bruce; and there are some apparent vestiges of those times in earth-works on the side of the hill, towards the river. The village itself is small, and contains nothing else deserving of notice. Balrichan is a peninsula, about 2 m. from Dundalk, containing several curious antiquities; some Druidical remains; ruins of a Castle with subterraneous cave; the Giant's load, a massy stone 12 feet long, 6 feet square, resting on three uprights; Mount Albani, an earthen camp, with a tumulus: also Castle Rath, and the tower of Ballug. At Bellurgan, see the park. Piedmont, a beautiful residence of Lord Clermont; ruins of old Ch. and several Castles. Carrickasticken has several raths, or sepulchral mounts. Fanghar, 2 m. N., has curious artificial mount, composed of stones and tarras, 60 feet high. At Killincool, on the Atherdee road, a fine old Castle, with numerous vaults and secret passages. Lurgan Green, a smart agreeable village; and a few miles N., see the Jonesborough mountains, in all their native wildness. Near them is Ravensdale, romantically seated on the rise of a mountain, with fine hanging-woods on every side. On the summit of a rocky hill, 4 m. S., curious rath at Miltown; and, close to the frontier of the English Pale,—in appearance and situation very much resembling Bolsover Castle in England,—stand the majestic ruins of Roche Castle, now in a state of demolition, the victim of Cromwellian policy. It is well situated for defence; and the builder having adopted the form of the precipice on which it stands, for additional security, its form approaches near to a semicircle in the interior, though on the outside it more resembles a triangle. Its greatest length is 80 yards; its breadth at the broadest part is 40. At one corner is a lofty tower, once august but now in ruins. The view from it is not only extensive, but extremely fine.
Dunleer, 10 m. S. of Dundalk, is a decayed village, but with good inns, being on the high north road; may be made a station for many of the objects in this vicinity.
Louth, 7 m. S.W. of Dundalk, is now but a decayed village, though giving name to the county; once famous for an Abbey and Priory, but all vestiges swept away.
