Destination Ireland - Summer 2021 - Destination Focus
Newgrange
The night before the Battle of the Boyne , King William of Orange was hit by Jacobite artillery fire while out on a reconnaissance mission .
Fortune favoured King Billy that July evening as he only suffered a flesh wound before going on to take victory in the most famous battle to have ever taken place on Irish soil .
Had the hit been fatal , the course of Irish history would surely have taken a very different path with Catholic King James and his French allies looking to regain the English crown that William had secured in the Glorious Revolution two years prior .
The Battle of the Boyne Centre in Oldbridge was my first port of call as I took to the hills of the Royal County to enjoy the Boyne Valley drive .
The centre is located in the recently restored Oldbridge House and tells the history of that famous battle of July 1690 as both kings commanded their armies in person . William had 36,000 men and James had 25,000 - the largest number of troops ever deployed on an Irish battlefield .
The Visitors Centre inside Oldbridge House is a mine of information regarding the battle , with many of the weapons and army uniforms remaining on display , while a simple but effective audio / visual guide explains how the battle was won and lost with a large interactive map of the area showing how William ’ s army proved victorious .
Following the exhibition you can take a stroll through the core battle site and Oldbridge Estate along any of the walking trails , where orientation panels and maps are located at the start and access points to the walks .
An enjoyable stroll then took me around the old town of Drogheda followed by lunch at Brú restaurant , which overlooks the broad Boyne river beneath , before heading back on the Boyne Valley trail .
And just a stone ’ s throw from the Battle of the Boyne site sits another important piece in the Irish history jigsaw .
Newgrange or Brú na Bóinne dates back to 3,000BC and is probably Ireland ’ s top tourist attraction and one of the most significant Neolithic sites in the world . Arriving at the Newgrange visitors centre , you ’ re likely to be waiting an hour at least , as tour numbers are limited due to the size of the ancient site inside .
The wait allows you time to ramble through the various exhibitions and video shows explaining the history , age and significance of Brú na
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