Tour Guide

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Last week, after having photographed J’s beautiful wedding in Mullingar (photos coming / blog post coming – I promise) I had an extra day off. A friend of mine had his brothers in town, so I volunteered to take all 3 of them up to visit New Grange Passage Tomb in the rain. I’ve written about this place before (see link above) and am always fascinated when I take other people up here.

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My plans, however, were foiled by the typical Irish weather. It was slightly cloudly when we left, and by the time we took the hour drive up to the Boyne Valley, it was sprinkling… Just after lunch, it started raining. While we were up at the monument itself (it is open and there is NO protection from the elements) it started lashing rain. Thankful I had remembered umbrellas and my multiple raincoats, I had to laugh as Matthew popped up his umbrella and started with his rendition of “Singing in the Rain” in a Glasgow Accent.

Cancelling the idea of going to Knowth and Tara (posts behind each link here), I took the guys up to Trim Castle just in time for the rain to clear – and for me to find out that we missed the last tour of the gorgeous keep and grounds.

The good news, however, is that the guys are never deterred – and we went to the pub I knew about in Trim -where the owner promptly came forth and regailed the guys with tales of Trim, expounded about the locals that were extras in Braveheart, showed off tons of movie memorabilia in the hallway and really salvaged the day out. In the end, despite the lashing rain and getting soaked – we had a great time, and a few laughs.

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Slane Abbey Ruins

Looking up the hill at the ruins

The Hill of Slane towers 158 metres (521ft) above the surrounding landscape. On one side of the hill is a ring structure and mound, the other the remains of a monestary which was in use between 1100 – 1750’s. The cemetery remains in use today.

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In ancient mythology, the Fir Bolg king Sláine (Slane) was said to have been buried here. In Christian history the hill became established as the place where St. Patrick lit the first paschal fire in 443 AD in direct defiance of the High King Logaire who forbid any other fires while a festival fire was burning on the Hill of Tara.

St Patrick statue at Abbey ruins

According to legend, Logaire was so impressed by Patricks devotion that, he allowed St. Patrick to continue his missionary work in Ireland. It is somewhat more certain that Patrick appointed a bishop of Slane, Saint Erc on this location around 435 AD.

Hill of Slane Abbey Panorama

On a clear day, from Slane hill you can see the mounds of New Grange and Knowth, with the town of Drogheda and the Irish Sea beyond.

View out the window

To the North the view extends as far as Slieve Gullion (well into Northern Ireland), and to the South as far as the Sugarloaf Mountain in Wicklow.

Abbey and Castle ruins hill of slane

More photos from the full set are up on flickr.

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