THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HIDDEN HIBERNIA

MYSELF and my research team — basically my dog Walter — have been looking at some of the lesser-visited areas of Ireland. We all enjoy the Guinness Storehouse, the Giant’s Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher... but there’s more to the country than that.

My top tips would include the Rock of Dunamase, about 7km east of Portlaoise in Co Laois, which was first coveted by Bronze Age settlers. They were the first to set about fortifying the sentinel, followed by the usual suspects — Celts, Vikings, Normans, Cromwellians, Elizabethans etc.

The Rock is a stony encapsulation of Irish history. The first definite evidence of occupation goes back to the Vikings in the 9th century, although the cartographer Ptolemy knew about it in the 2nd century.

The Rock stands 150ft, so not exactly the Matterhorn, but it still affords impressive view across the midlands towards the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Today the limestone outcrop is a wonderfully evocative collection of ruins, with its own mythology. Local legend insists there is treasure hidden hereabouts. Regrettably it’s guarded by the hell-hound Bandog, a dog with enormous jaws and flaming mouth and eyes. Mind how you go, now.

My other top tip goes to the wonderful, Georgian city of Armagh and its two cathedrals, both called St Patrick. In having two cathedrals with exactly the same name, Armagh is probably unique in the world of religion. If you’re not sure why this situation has arisen, you evidently haven’t been paying attention these last 400 years or so. The Catholic cathedral is a few minutes walk north-west of the centre, on a hill overlooking the city. Impressive in its proportions, the place is richly decorated — a far cry from when work had to be stopped in the mid-19th century because of the Famine. Most of Ireland’s deceased Catholic Primates are buried in the grounds.

The Church of Ireland cathedral has the prime position on a hill dominating the city. A string of buildings have occupied the site; a few remnants date back to the 11th century. In a church stuffed full with ecclesiastical bling and historical knick knacks, a shiel-na-gig with ass’s ears clearly stands out.

This is said to be King Midas, but locally it’s believed to be Queen Mhacha (or Macha), after whom the Ard Mhacha is named.

If you’re into cathedrals, you’ll scarcely do better anywhere.