By Barry Coughlan
Ireland’s natural beauty is world renowned, but sometimes the small fry gets forgotten in the rush by overseas visitors to cover the well known tourism attractions of which Ireland has a-plenty.
Dublin is one of the smallest counties in Ireland but in terms of visitor numbers and spend, it is the biggest. In terms of square mileage, though, the dubious prize for being the smallest is county Louth.
That suggests there isn’t much happening there to attract tourists, whose financial contribution is crucial to the Irish economy month on month, year on year.
Time was when Louth may have been the forgotten county or one of the least well known to overseas visitors at any rate.
The perception that Louth was merely a place to pass through – think Drogheda and Dundalk en route to Newry and the remainder of County Down, one of the Six Counties under British control -is a thing of the past. Or at least it won’t be a thing of the future given the huge ongoing effort to place the county firmly on the tourism map.
It has a very significant part to play in the Ireland’s Ancient East program developed by Fáilte Ireland as a branded visitor experience encompassing the rich heritage and cultural assets on offer in the midlands/eastern half of the country, providing a counterbalance to the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast.
Louth fits neatly and perfectly into that plan of telling the ‘Ancient’ story through immersive visitor experiences, activities, local heritage and culture.
The big population centers are Drogheda (38,000) and Dundalk (37,000), accounting for 60 per cent of the 128,000; the rest are scattered in smallish populations throughout this tiny coastal county.
Ardee, with 4,500 is the next biggest township and there are dozens of others with populations of in and around 1,500 including one of the jewels in Louth’s crown, Carlingford.
The opportunity for Carlingford has never been greater in the context of emerging tourism trends. The town and extended areas have the capacity to deliver across a range of experience categories from outdoor activities, green destinations to intriguing local interpretations of the 5,000 year story of Ireland’s Ancient East.
The recent success of Louth County Council in raising backing under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund to develop Carlingford as a sustainable tourism town also represents a significant milestone for the town.
This will provide immediate impetus for a range of key actions already identified by stakeholders and this new focus harnesses all existing built and natural heritage assets to position the town as the hub for outdoor and adventure activities on the trail.
The town of Carlingford is nestled in the natural backdrop of Slieve Foy, the Mourne Mountains and the inlet of Carlingford Lough extending out to the Irish Sea. It is also ideally positioned as an idyllic outdoor recreation haven along the Ancient East.
Located in the Cooley Peninsula, the town has preserved its rich medieval character and possesses all the natural, cultural and historical ingredients of an international visitor destination. Indeed it has previously been named as a European Destination of Excellence.
First occupied by the Normans in the 12th century, the town is still uniquely distinguishable by its medieval layout of narrow streets and laneways which are accentuated by an abundance of historical buildings, most notably King John’s Castle and Carlingford Priory.
Carlingford’s medieval heritage core is enveloped by its bountiful natural assets in all directions that have inspired generations of visitors to explore and experience a variety of outdoor pursuits and leisure activities amidst an unrivalled picturesque setting.
The arrival of Carlingford Adventure Center 30 years ago, followed by the development of its SKYPARK -Ireland’s largest adventure park – in 2014 has created a new activity and outdoor adventure focus for the town which supplemented the diversity of the outdoors offering in the Cooley Mountains and water-based recreation in Carlingford Lough.
Carlingford Marina’s construction in the 1980’s has formed an essential port for berthing vessels while the emergence of Carlingford Lough Ferry in 2017 opened the destination up to a new cross-border market from its Northern Ireland hub in Greencastle in County Down. With the addition of the Carlingford to Omeath Greenway and its extension to Newry, there’s more than enough to be getting on with, as they say here in Ireland!
Drogheda is seen more and more as an extension of Dublin as house-hunters, squeezed by astronomical property prices in the capital seek better value in the neighboring counties.
But Drogheda is a town also packed with history and the remnants of Cromwell’s time here is seen throughout its narrow, hilly streets. Visit the towering St Laurence’s Gate and go see to St Peter’s where in this French Gothic Church you will find St Oliver’s severed head.
This is a somber, morbid reminder of the religious persecution that scars Ireland’s past. The preserved head of the saint lies within an intricate shrine that resembles both an ornate cage and an oversized golden crown.
Oliver Plunkett, a 17th-century Irish martyr, became Ireland’s first new saint in nearly 700 years after being canonized in 1975. In 1997, he was deemed the country’s patron saint for peace and reconciliation.
At the heart of Dundalk town stands an imposing gothic design pro-cathedral, inspired by a chapel at King’s College in Cambridge, England and named after St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
The church features beautiful stained glass windows, and the chancel window behind the altar depicts some Irish Saints, including St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Dympna, St. Malachy, St. Ita, St. Columba, St. Oliver Plunkett and St. Fanchea.
The beautiful and very special village of Blackrock in Co. Louth is south of Dundalk nestled on the shoreline of Dundalk Bay, with the Cooley Peninsula to the north and the Viking settlement of Annagassan to the south.
Over the years it has been a popular seaside village with an ancient fishing heritage and a tradition in hospitality dating back to Victorian times. The village has grown and developed to become a destination offering something for everyone from day-trippers and holidaymakers to adventurers. Its protected and world renowned Wetlands and bird sanctuaries are a huge attraction for all nature lovers.
Ardee has its very own Baroque Festival, a celebration of music from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which takes place each November in the historic market town and this year’s event is attracting widespread interest.
But any self-respecting Irish county will offer more than one festival associated with music and dance. Louth is no different and details of what’s on in the coming months are available on www.eventbrite.ie/d/ireland–louth/festivals.
For details of other tasty things to do in County Louth try out www.visitlouth.ie whilst enjoying the “Wee County.”