Ancient Ireland: Explorer's and Traveller's Guides

Discovering the Boyne Valley by Noel French. The Boyne Valley is a place of history, myths and legends. This rich valley is home to some of Ireland's most famous heritage sites and monuments - Tara, Newgrange, Kells and the Battle of the Boyne site - but there are many others including Trim Castle, Loughcrew, Monasterboice and Mellifont which are major attractions in their own right. A landscape of passage tombs, sacred hills, monastic ruins, bloody battlefields and heritage towns - no wonder the Boyne Valley is considered the birthplace of Ireland's Ancient East. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Ireland's Ancient East: A Guide to Its Historic Treasures by Neil Jackman showcases one hundred sites across Ireland's Ancient East, from Carlingford in County Louth, through the Boyne Valley of County Meath, into the heartlands of Tipperary and Kilkenny before ending up in Cork. Visit sites such as Clonmacnoise, Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel, as well as a large number of hidden gems like Athassel Priory in Tipperary, Gaulstown Dolmen in Waterford and Loughcrew Passage Tombs in Meath.

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Powerful Places in Ireland by Elyn Aviva and Gary White is not your usual guidebook. It is not about visiting places, it's about experiencing them. Ireland is a magical place, bright and shining, misty and mysterious, filled with powerful sites. You could say, most of Ireland is a powerful place. Boyne Valley Powerful Places included in the book: Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Hill of Slane, Hill of Tara, Monasterboice, Balgeeth Sheela-na-gig, Fourknocks and Loughcrew

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Ancient Ireland: An Explorer's Guide by Robert Emmet Meagher and Elizabeth Parker Neave. Travel guidebook to Ireland's antiquities, passage tombs, ring forts, castles, Neolithic settlements, and monastic sites. The book includes overviews of prehistoric, Celtic, early Christian, and early medieval times.

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The Modern Antiquarian : A Pre-Millennial Odyssey Through Megalithic Britain by Julian Cope. This book is an eight-year odyssey in search of prehistoric Britain. Over 300 sites have been photographed and their relationship with the landscape explored. Although essentially a travel book, the essay section of The Modern Antiquarian examines our prehistoric beginnings through the evidence of our megalithic remains and their surroundings, in order to help us reconcile where we are Right Now. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany by Aubrey Burl. The spectacular stone circles of western Europe have intrigued viewers through the ages. This book explores their ancestry, methods of construction, and eventual desertion.

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Secret Sights : In Search of Celtic Ireland by Rob Vance. Illustrated guide to the legend and archaeology of ancient Ireland, both in Celtic and pre-Celtic times. It is written for off-road explorers, those who prefer their own method of interpretation rather than the coffee and souvenirs of the interpretative centre.

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In Search of Ancient Ireland by Carmel McCaffrey and Leo Eaton. This book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history - Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity is myth and legend with little basis in reality. The truth is more interesting. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Field Guide to Megalithic Ireland by Anthony Weir. Originaly sold as a CD-ROM, it is now available as a Download With over 600 photographs of Irish prehistoric sites including megalithic tombs, phallic pillars, stone rows, stone circles, cross pillars, ogam stones, bullauns and sweathouses. The core of the CD-ROM is a county by county gazetteer with directions and map references of hundreds of sites.

The Traveller's Guide to Sacred Ireland: A Guide to the Sacred Places of Ireland Through Her Legends, Folklore and People by Cary Meehan. The sites are described county by county within each of the four provinces of Ireland. This excellent guide book includes megalithic sites, Celtic sites and early Christian sites.

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Antiquities of the Irish Countryside by Seán P. Ó Ríordáin. First Published in 1942, Fifth Edition revised by Ruaidhrí de Valera 1979. This booklet is not intended for specialists in archaeology. Its purpose is to give some answer to the questioning man in the street, who asks the archaeologist for a simple explanation of some monument which he has noticed in the countryside and which is, in all probability, a typical example of a class of antiquity widespread throughout Ireland. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Sacred Places Europe: 108 Destinations by Brad Olsen. Combining current trends, academic theories, and historical insights, this travel guide brings European spiritual locales into perspective by explaining the significance of each sacred site. The cultural relevance, history, and spirituality of each site are explained, creating a moving and artistic travel experience. Each destination with selections spanning more than 15 countries throughout Europe is accompanied by maps and directions. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Boyne Valley Private Day Tour

Immerse yourself in the rich heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley with our full-day private tours. Visit Newgrange World Heritage site, explore the Hill of Slane, where Saint Patrick famously lit the Paschal fire. Discover the Hill of Tara, the ancient seat of power for the High Kings of Ireland. Book Now