Irish myths and legends

In this itinerary, you’ll find some of the island’s best-know legendary locations, spread across a large geographical area. It can be enjoyed in one trip via Dublin, or can be split up into shorter trips via main access points.
 
Whichever way you plan your itinerary, visitors will get the chance to see the places where these fabulous stories of warriors, lovers, ghosts and lost children are said to have unfolded. These are often out-of-the-way spots – remote castles, hilltop dolmens and beach caves – so pack good walking shoes and waterproofs. Even magical quests need a bit of planning!
 
This is a sample itinerary offering suggestions and ideas for planning trips. Please contact your local Tourism Ireland representative for further information.

Day 1 - Approx 217km

Morning

Your first stop is at the very heart of Ireland’s Ancient East – the Hill of Uisneach, in County Westmeath. This is the burial place of the Earth goddess Ériu and of the Sun god Lugh. It was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland and was said to have been visited by Ireland’s mythic hero Finn McCool and St Patrick. In short, it is the centre of all Irish mythology and where the massive glacial erratic known as The Catstone divides Ireland’s four provinces. Visit by guided tour only, at 1pm on Wednesday to Sunday, May to September (Sundays only in April and October). The tour is 3km and two hours max. The hill is private property and no dogs are allowed.
 
Lunch
After all that fresh air, you’ll have worked up an appetite. Try lunch at Wineport Lodge in Athlone, on the shores of Lough Ree. For group bookings, call +353 90 6439010 or email lodge@wineport.ie.
 
Afternoon
The River Boyne, your next stop, meanders past more of Ireland’s Ancient East’s highlights on its way to the Irish Sea. It’s said to have been created by the goddess Boann and was once home to the legendary Salmon of Knowledge. This legendary fish was caught and cooked by Finn McCool (yes, him again) for his master, but the boy accidentally tasted the fish first, acquiring all the knowledge in the world. On the banks of the river sits the imposing Norman bulk of Trim Castle in County Meath. The largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, Trim has been everything from a private home to a film set (Mel Gibson’s Braveheart was filmed here). It’s open from 10am-5pm March to September, but opening times are shorter in the winter. All groups must be pre-booked, and you should allow 1-2 hours for a visit.
 
Overnight
Stay at Trim Castle Hotel just beside the castle. You can eat there, or at the Stockhouse restaurant a two-minute walk up the street, for steaks, pasta and fish.

 

Day 2

113km

Morning 
Still in County Meath, start your day at Brú na Bóinne – one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in the world. It’s dominated by three passage tombs, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, which are thought to be even older than the Pyramids at Giza. This landscape is closely linked with the Tuatha Dé Danann, an ancient supernatural race who ruled Ireland before the coming of the Celts. Access is only through the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre and groups of 15 or more must be pre-booked. Coach parking is available on site. Call +353 41 9880300 or email brunaboinne@opw.ie.
 
Lunch 
Stop off in the nearby village of Collon in County Louth and enjoy warm hospitality and great food at No. 3 Old Bar and Restaurant.
 
Afternoon
Take a short detour to see Kildemock's Jumping Church, where it’s rumoured the walls jumped to exclude the remains of an excommunicated man. And pass through the small town of Ardee, County Louth, where Cú Chulainn and his beloved foster brother Ferdia fought a four-day battle that was immortalised in the great Irish epic, Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Brown Bull of Cooley). There's a bronze sculpture in the town to commemorate the tale.
 
Next stop is the Cooley Peninsula – a rocky region steeped in legend that forms a natural border between counties Louth and Down (in Northern Ireland). Stop at the Proleek Dolmen, beside Ballymascanlon House Hotel (free to visit). To get a wish granted (or maybe to marry within the year, versions vary), throw a stone (or maybe three) so it lands on the capstone. It is three metres high and weighs about 35 tons – no wonder it took a giant to carry it here (a Scot named Parrah Boug McShagean was the sturdy builder).
 
Head for the charming medieval town of Carlingford, where you can wander the narrow streets, browse in the quaint shops and galleries and soak up some of the atmosphere of this former Viking port. You can even introduce yourself to Ireland’s Last Leprechaun Whisperer, Kevin Woods, who’ll tell you about the time he found gold coins in a stone wall on Ghan Road, which enabled him to communicate  with “Carraig”, the elder of the 236 surviving leprechauns.
 
Overnight
Stay the night in Ballymascanlon Hotel. You can either eat in the hotel or head out to enjoy local Cooley lamb and Carlingford oysters in the award-winning Ghan House restaurant.

Day 3

157km

Morning 
You’re entering County Down now – dominated by the stern grandeur of the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland’s highest mountain range. This is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, but if you love a good story, you’ve come to the right place. Author CS Lewis used this region as the inspiration for his fantasy land of Narnia and there are weird and wonderful sights at every turn. Take the Cloghmore Stone, for example. Scientists will tell you the 40-ton granite boulder standing on a mountain ridge 1,000ft above the little village of Rostrevor is a deposit from the ice age. But locals know the work of a giant when they see it. They’ll tell you the tale of Finn McCool who flung it at another giant during an argument. Whichever version you choose to believe, everyone’s agreed that the views are spectacular.
 
Pass through the small, but surprisingly haunted fishing village of Newcastle, where locals tell tales of a ghostly dog, a weeping woman in black and a female spirit known as a banshee who walks the harbour and is said to herald death with her keening cry.  
 
Lunch
Stop for lunch in The Poacher’s Pocket in Comber, also home of the famous Comber Early potato, which boasts EU Protected Geographic Indicator (PGI) status.
 
Afternoon
On the shores of Strangford Lough is a fairytale garden, created by an extraordinary woman. Edith, Lady Londonderry, wanted her garden at Mount Stewart to be a series of outdoor rooms, filled with vibrant colours and plants from around the world.  She was also fascinated by ancient Irish myths, which is why you may come across Tír na nÓg, the family burial ground, as you stroll around the gardens. It was named after the mythical land where no one ever grows old.
 
Overnight
Stay in the city-centre Hilton Belfast or the new Titanic Hotel Belfast, housed within the Drawing Offices of Harland & Wolff at the heart of the city’s Titanic Quarter. Then pick one of Belfast’s fine restaurants, such as OX or Tedford’s Kitchen for dinner.
 

Day 4

86km

Morning
With two airports, Belfast city is an equally good starting point for this itinerary as Dublin. From Belfast, simply follow the Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast up to Cushendun. You're in Game of Thrones^® territory here. The Cushendun Caves, where the Red Priestess Melisandre gave birth to a sinister shadow baby, are just a short walk from the harbour. Cushendun is very pretty to wander around and get a little air, browse the shops and stroll by the sea or the Glendun river. 
 
This stretch of the Antrim coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty so sit back and enjoy the views. Stop off in the pretty harbour town of Ballycastle, a departure point for ferries to Rathlin Island. If you have the time, include a visit to this stunning island, with its quaint “upside-down” lighthouse and impressive seabird colony. You’re also very near the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge (pre-booking is essential here and visits usually take about 1 hour 30 minutes). 
 
Lunch
Pop into the The Cellar Restaurant in Ballycastle where seafood is a speciality.
 
Afternoon
Some passion, violence and death now. Dunseverick is a lonely ruin on a promontory where Deirdre and her lover Naoise landed from Scotland, fleeing the wrath of King Conor. They thought it was safe but no, Naoise was murdered and Deirdre forced to marry horrible King Conor, becoming Deirdre of the Sorrows and taking her own life. Still, King Conor got his comeuppance, felled by a petrified brain from a slingshot. It's an easy walk from the small car park, and it's free of charge.
 
You can either drive or walk from Dunseverick to the Giant's Causeway, where mystery hangs thick in the air. Actually seeing those 40,000 basalt columns up close is extraordinary. Some claim it is a geological quirk, but, of course, it was really formed by warring giants. Finn McCool built stepping stones to Scotland to sort out his Scottish adversary, Benandonner, who ripped up the route. Pre-book tickets for groups, and be aware that the stones can be slippery, so wear good shoes.
 
Overnight 
Stay in the Portrush Atlantic Hotel. You’re just a short drive from Harry’s Shack on Portstewart Strand, where seafood is as fresh as it gets. Finish off the night with a drink in the Harbour Bar in Portrush.
 

Day 5

115km

 
Morning
Our first stop is the ruin of Banagher Church in County Londonderry, which has a nave that was built in about 1100 (entrance is free). This small, tranquil spot is said to be the last resting place of St Murrough O’Heaney, who not only founded the church, but also trapped the last serpent in Ireland. It didn’t go without a fight – the locals say that the swirling sea currents off the coast are caused by the evil creature still churning away.
 
Stop off in Derry~Londonderry, one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe and the place where the Causeway Coastal Route meets the Wild Atlantic Way. A guided walking tour of the walls offers a great overview of this ancient city’s history, and takes roughly one hour. Groups should book ahead.
 
Lunch
Cross Derry~Londonderry’s Peace Bridge and enjoy tasty food and craft beer in the Walled City Brewery in Ebrington Square.
 
Afternoon
Then it’s a 40-minute trip by ferry from Magheraroarty harbour in County Donegal to Tory Island where you’re likely to be welcomed personally by the King of Tory Island, Patsy Dan Rodgers. Tory was once home to Balor, a one-eyed giant and lord of the supernatural race known as the Formorians. Take a walk around the island (it’s 4km long and 1.2km wide – no cars are allowed) and visit Balor’s Fort, as well as enjoying the fabulous views and some birdwatching. This Irish-speaking region feels so remote and restful that the atmosphere is sure to refresh the spirit.
 
Overnight
The Óstán Radharc Na Céibhe has 12 rooms but there are also a number of B&Bs on the island if your group is larger.
 

Want to use this tour?

This is a sample itinerary to offer suggestions and ideas for planning trips. You can contact your local Tourism Ireland representative here for further information.  Please note, any mention of specific product on this itinerary is meant to be used only as an example and does not represent an endorsement of that product by Tourism Ireland.