Navan Fort History

Navan Fort is a hilltop enclosure and ritual site at Navan, County Armagh, Ireland. Navan Fort is also known by its ancient Irish name, Emain Macha. It was constructed around 95 BC, and it is recorded in the Ulster Cycle and other Irish legends as the capital of the northern Irish province of Ulster.

Navan Fort is recognized archaeologically as one of a group of Irish ‘royal sites’, including Tara and Dun Ailinne, whose most unusual architectural feature is an enclosure bank placed outside a ditch, in contrast to the normal defensive arrangement of the bank within a ditch. The site was excavated by Dudley Waterman between 1963 and 1971.

Evidence was recovered of the Neolithic occupation, and one of two earthworks in the enclosure, known as Site A, was used in both the Bronze Age and the early Medieval period.

The second, more substantial mound comprising Site B measured 45 m in diameter, standing 5–6 m high; this was the focus of the most interesting activity on the hill. A Bronze Age settlement under this mound, dating to c. 700 BC, comprised an enclosure containing a circular house and an outer stockade. The house was rebuilt several times on the same spot, and it produced an amount of important Bronze Age and Iron Age material, including such high-status objects as part of a scabbard.

The most extraordinary find was the skull of a Barbary ape, which must have come from Spain or North Africa and might well have been seen as a suitable gift for a king. Around 100 BC the house was dismantled and replaced by an enormous circular structure 40 m across and composed of 5 concentric rings of wooden posts.

At the center, a massive post, shown by dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 95 or 94 BC and measuring perhaps 12 m high, was the focus of a passageway between the timbers. The structure may have been roofed, but it is unlikely to have been residential in nature.

Not long after its construction the building was filled in with stone, the protruding timbers destroyed by fire, and the whole mound covered with several meters of earth and turves. This action appears to have been the deliberate ending of a ritual site rather than the result of the attack.

The immediate surroundings of the site are strongly associated with power and ritual; they include the ritual pool at King’s Stables and four decorated trumpets found below a hill at Loughnashade. The great earthwork known as the Dorsey, 27 km south of Navan Fort, was constructed at the same time as the central post and may mark the territorial boundary of Ulster.

Navan Fort Location

Navan Centre and Fort Address: 81 Killylea Rd, Armagh, County Armagh BT60 4LD, United Kingdom. Get help with directions:

Navan Fort Map

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Kilbrittain Castle History

The oldest castle in Ireland, Kilbrittain Castle was built in 1035 by Cian, grandson of Brian Boru, the high king of Ireland. Since then, it has been home to many ruling families: McCarthy, De Courceys, and Stawell, to name but a few.

For the first time in many hundreds of years, it is now owned by the Cahill O Brien family, who have opened it to visitors to come and stay and dine (if they wish) in the oldest almost genuine medieval castle in Ireland.

As you step into the entrance hall, once the guard room where battles were planned, you can climb the spiral stairs to the gallery and enjoy the feeling of grandeur experienced by the ruling families during the plantation of Ireland.

Visit Kilbrittain Castle

Historic Kilbrittain Castle is not just a hotel. It is a fascinating place where you can enjoy the warmth and hospitality of an Irish family. Each bedroom is en-suite, has been furnished with the visitor’s comfort in mind, and is unique in character.

Kilbrittain Castle is located just 15 minutes from Kinsale (the historic Spanish town with cobbled streets, gourmet pubs and restaurants, and shops full of curios and antiques) in the heart of West Cork. It is also 35 minutes from Cork Airport.

Kilbrittain Castle Map

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Erosion over the years had become a very serious threat to the castle which was in imminent danger of being undermined by tidal forces and could have resulted in the destruction of this historic landmark.

The excavated site revealed the remains of a manor house, once adjoining the castle tower, which proved very interesting to a group of archeologists.

Explore also the Blarney Stone – one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland.

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Blarney Castle History

The present Blarney Castle is the third castle to be built on the site. The first, in the 10th century, was wooden. In about 1210, this was replaced by a stone structure. In 1446, another stone structure was built by Cormac MacCarthy giving today’s castle.

Blarney Castle is one of Ireland’s most visited sites. Located near Cork, it is easily reachable and it is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year. But it isn’t the castle that attracts so many visitors yearly, but the Blarney Stone which is said it gives the gift of words to anyone who kisses it.

The Blarney Castle currently stands in ruins and as a stand-alone objective, it is not worthwhile visiting.

Blarney Stone – The Stone of Eloquence

The Blarney Stone is probably the most famous tourist attraction in Ireland. It is of ancient history and many fables have sprung up as one might expect of such a famous artifact.

The most common fable is that if you go to Blarney Castle and climb the narrow ancient castle stairs and lean backward and downwards out of the battlements holding onto iron bars set in the castle wall, you will be able to kiss the Stone and become endowed with the “gift of Blarney”.

The stone was actually built right into the walls of Blarney Castle in the 15th century by Cormac McCarthy, one of Ireland’s greatest warriors. Because of its location as part of the castle walls, tourists are forced to assume the awkward position to reach it.

Many legends surround the origin of the stone. Some stories tell of the stone being brought to Ireland during the Crusades and that it may have Biblical connections. Another story tells of a witch who revealed the secret powers of the stone to the castle owners after they had saved her life.

The stone itself is said to grant the power to persuade with the gift of gab.

Of course, it is a matter of opinion whether the stone helps make one more eloquent when it is kissed, but the names of many of the stone’s visitors, and their abilities to accomplish great things, make an impressive list.

Later, Winston Churchill was a visitor and was able to convince both his countrymen and the world that they could stand up to and defeat Adolf Hitler in WWII.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, an American of Irish descent, also kissed the landmark and later convinced enough people to vote for him, making him the first Roman Catholic president in the history of the United States.

Nelly Bly, an early female journalist, gained fame by traveling around the world. One of her first stops was at the Blarney Stone. As the story goes, she was able to talk her way out of almost all situations during the rest of her trip.

Finally, an American businessman named Milton Hershey stopped by the stone during a trip to Europe. He went on to convince the world that his little chocolate confections called “kisses” were worth buying by the millions.

Blarney Castle Visitor Info

Opening Times

The Blarney Castle is open all year around as follows:

Monday to Saturday:
In May: 9.00 -18,30
Jun to Aug: 9.00 -19,00
In Sept: 9,00 -18,30
Oct to Apr: 9.00 am to sundown

Sundays:
Summer: 9,00 – 17,30
Winter: 9,00 – to sundown

Ticket Info:
A ticket will cost: 12 € adults, 10 € Students and Seniors, 5 € Children (8-14 years, 30 € Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children)

Contact details:
Tel: 00 353 21 438 5252
Email: info@blarneycastle.ie
Official page: blarney castle.ie

Blarney Castle Location

Blarney Castle Address: Blarney, Cork, Ireland.
Geographic Coordinates: 51.92903376346703, -8.57109010219574
Get help with directions using the map provided below:

Blarney Castle Map

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