Meath & Offaly

OFFALY Slieve Bloom Mountains

This is where the hills really are alive. The wonderful thing about the Slieve Bloom Mountains - besides being the most unspoilt and uncongested in the country - is that you’ll find trails to suit every ability from the experienced hiker to the casual stroller. Whether you take on the long-distance Slieve Bloom Way or opt for one of the shorter looped trails, you’ll be rewarded by spectacular views stretching across the midlands of Ireland and on a clear cloud free day you can see the four highest points of each of Ireland’s four provinces.

Lough Borra Discovery Park

Transformed from its previous incarnation as a commercial bog where peat was harvested to heat homes around the country, today Lough Boora Discovery Park is home to countless species of birds and wildlife, fish-filled lakes and a permanent exhibition of huge outdoor sculptures. These sculptures give the park an other-worldly feel, created using the old industrial materials of the bog such as locomotives, rail-line and timber, all crafted into magnificent works of art.

Conmacnoise Monastic Site

The site is entered through the visitor centre, where a number of crossslabs are displayed. Multi-lingual guided tours of the site are available and there are also exhibitions that deal with the flora, fauna and landscape of the region. But you don’t have to be a history buff to simply enjoy the peace and tranquillity of Clonmacnoise, nestling as it has done for centuries past, on the banks of the majestic Shannon. No visit to Offaly would be complete without a visit to this most special of destinations - even Pope John Paul II stopped by when he visited Ireland back in 1979.

Moneygall

The people of Moneygall will never forget the day the

44th President of the United States, Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama visited their village, his Irish ancestral home. President Obama’s late mother Ann Dunham was a descendant of the Kearney family who left Moneygall after the Famine to build a new life in New York in 1850. Maybe you fancy a visit to Ollie Hayes’ Bar in the Main Street like Mr President did, or view the President’s ancestral home where the Kearney Family left from in 1850 and view the old school house where the shoemaker’s family were educated. You can also call into the nearby Barack Obama Plaza Visitor Centre.

MEATH Loughcrew Gardens

If you’re looking for the perfect mix of history, beauty and fantasy Loughcrew Estate & Gardens in Oldcastle is a magical experience that will be right up your street.

The gardens themselves are a breath-taking spectacle of 17th and 19th Century landscaping and pleasure gardens. Take a walk through the central area made up of approximately six acres including a lime avenue, extensive lawns and terraces, a magnificent herbaceous border and physic border. There’s also a medieval motte and St. Oliver Plunkett’s family church and Tower House within the gardens.

Spire of Lloyd

Ireland’s only inland lighthouse was built by the first Earl of Bective in 1791 in memory of his father Sir Thomas Taylor. This mock lighthouse gives panoramic views of five counties. Booking is essential.

Hill of Tara

Explore Ireland’s ancient spiritual and political capital at the Hill of Tara. For well over 2,000 years royalty occupied Tara and the Five Ancient Roads of Ireland converged here, linking Crúachan, Rathcroghan in Co. Roscommon, Eamain Macha, NavanFort in Co. Armagh and Dún Ailinne. The views of the surrounding countryside and rich pastureland are stunning. The hill is located 15 minutes from Navan off the N3.

Rock Farm Slane

Rock Farm is an activity enthusiast’s dream. Take a spin out by bike, explore by foot or hit the river by kayak, it’s a great way to take in the beauty of the Boyne Valley and get a healthy dose of fresh air too. Rock Farm Slane Electric Bikes are also part of the Electric Escapes network. Or you can take part in guided walking tours of the Slane Castle Estate and Demense Woods.

Solstice Arts Centre

Meath’s entertainment hub, Solstice Arts Centre offers an exciting range of artistic strands including drama, music, comedy, arts and theatre, incorporating both established international and national and new artists in their events. Check out their online offerings until the centre fully reopens again.