CHEAP HOSTELS IN IRELAND

Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne
County Meath


The three main prehistoric sites of the Brú na Bóinne Complex, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, are situated on the north bank of the River Boyne 50 km north of Dublin. This is Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art. The monuments there had social, economic, religious and funerary functions.

Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park covers an area of 10129 hectares. Three large lakes comprise 24% of the total area. It contains areas of woodland, moorland and freshwater ecosystems in an Atlantic environment. The park also includes part of the highest mountain range in Ireland, rising to a height of 840 metres.
The park is centred around Muckross House, which dates from 1843 and is used as a museum and visitor centre. however, occupation of the area stretches back to the Bronze Age, with copper mines surviving from this period. Another important era is the Early Christian period when the island of Innisfallen became home to the monks of St Fionan, who were responsible for the "Annals of Innisfallen",a major source of information on the early history of Ireland.

Northwest Mayo Boglands
The blanket boglands of North West Mayo comprise three main areas of bog, I.e., those at Owenduff, Owenboy and Glenamoy. Owenduff bog is centred on the Owenduff River catchment, while Owenboy bog lies in a broad open valley on the eastern edge of the Mayo blanket peats. Glenamoy bog is situated in an exposed maritime site. All of these bogs contain well developed complexes of pools, lakes,streams and flushes. In addition, they house many rare plant species such as the moss Homalothecium nitens.

Clonmacnoise
This is an area of both natural and cultural significance.
The property is located alongside the river Shannon, a major routeway of national importance and the largest river in both Ireland and Britain. The cultural remains consist of an ecclesiastic foundation. A monastery was founded here in 548-9 by St Ciaran. The remains of eight religious buildings survive representing various styles of architecture spanning the period from the 10th to the 17th centuries. Two highly decorated stone crosses from 9th and 10th centuries survive along with very fine examples of ornately carved graveslabs spanning 8th to 12th centuries.
The area also preserves a rich and varied environment.
This includes a glacial landscape of eskers, semi-natural woodlands and large tracts of bogland, and the river callows. Those in turn support a variety of plant and animal life including many rare species.

Western Stone Forts
There are up to forty large stone forts spread throughout the western counties of Ireland. They span a period of time from the Bronze Age through to the Medieval Period. The forts are of dry-stone construction,with massive walls of large quarried blocks of stone.
The forts display a variety in both form and location. They can be found on hilltops, plains or perched on a cliff edge as at Dun Aonghasa on the westernmost extremities of Europe. They vary also from single to triple enclosures with a variety of assiociated structures and field systems. However, what they have in common is the massive nature of their masonry.