| The Land of Leinster
By Malcolm Rogers
Malcolm Rogers travels to the midlands and east coast of Ireland.
Leinster is the most populous region of Ireland, including as it does,
Dublin. Apart from the capital, however, Leinster is not an overly-visited
part of the island, probably because it has no glamour pieces like the Cliffs
of Moher or the Ring of Kerry. But breathtaking sights there are aplenty,
with the added bonus that if you’re looking for ‘old Ireland’ or ‘undiscovered
Ireland’ you’re likely to find it here in the eight counties which make
up the ancient province.
Originally called Cúige Laighean, the modern name Leinster derives from
the Irish ‘Laighin’, one of the original ‘free races’ of Ireland, with a
bit of Norse in there too — ‘stadir’, probably meaning farm or homestead.
And as the Norsemen found, all those years ago, these fertile lands have
much to offer by way of diversion.
The eight counties of the East Coast and the Midlands have evidence of habitation
by man for over 5000 years. The great megalithic passage graves at Newgrange
and Knowth in Meath and the Proleek Dolmen at the start of the Cooley Peninsula
are amongst the oldest buildings and structures anywhere in the world. Looking
at these amazing constructions long enough, and an amazing realisation will
dawn on you — this ancient society must have had a civil service. The logistics
of getting all those stones in one place, feeding and looking after all
the workers required to do the work — well, there must have been a Mr. O’Brien
or the like in charge of all the paperwork. Stone-age man in Leinster had
a very sophisticated society, and everywhere from Faughart in Louth to Kinnitty
in Offaly are ruins and curios the like of which you’ll find in few other
places.
When those Johnny-come-latelys the Christians arrived in Leinster they went
about their task of re-shaping the county with gusto. In every county monastic
ruins can be seen — most spectacularly at Glendalough, Monasterboice, Clonmacnois
and Mellifont Abbey. These are truly amongst the most awe-inspiring religious
sites of Europe.
The golden age of early Christian Ireland, when the monastic schools attracted
students from all over Europe and in turn sent missionaries to bring the
Gospel to distant lands, is still to be found in the solitude of places
like St Kevin’s monastery at Glendalough or by the River Shannon at Clonmacnois.
The latter was visited by Pope john Paul II on his visit to Ireland, and
he is reported to have been ‘profoundly moved’ by the experience. You’ll
likely find yourself in agreement with the late Holy Father.
At Kells a stone oratory and round tower still remain, part of the original
monastery where the famous Book of Kells was created more than a thousand
years ago. The round tower was to protect the monks and their precious things
from the Vikings, but little did the people of Leinster realise history
had another shock up its sleeve.
The Vikings merely made a nuisance of themselves; the arrival of the Normans
in 1169 changed Irish society forever. They revolutionised the governance
of the land, changed the language, and a transformed the landscape. The
latter is still highly evident today. You can’t go far in Leinster without
seeing forts, fortified houses, motte and bailey fortifications and the
great castles of Trim, Maynooth or Kinnitty. Leinster even boasts what is
reputedly the most haunted castle in the world, Leap Castle in Clareen,
Co. Offaly.
But it wasn’t all bloodshed and mayhem in days of Leinster yore. Opulent
living existed side by side with the hardship of your average person. Castletowm
House at Celbridge, built by William Connolly, is regarded as the finest
house in Ireland. Equally magnificent is Russborough near Blessington, the
miniature palace built by the Earl of Milltown in 1742. With its fine gardens
overlooking Lough Ennell, this is the equal of any grand house in these
islands, and to employ that somewhat overworked phrase, is Well Worth A
Visit.
Not far away is the great Gothic revival castle of Tullynally, home of Lord
Longford. If you only came to Leinster to visited the gardens of Tullynally,
your journey would have been worthwhile.
If stately homes are your thing, you’ve come to the right place – Emo Court
in Co. Laois, Powerscourt in Wicklow and Kilruddery in Co. Meath are all
exceptional places and make wonderful days out. And of course you can’t
visit Leinster without paying your respects to ‘Ireland’s uncrowned King’,
Charles Stewart Parnell. Avondale was the home of the man who terrified
the British, but was unseated through love of a woman. Surrounded by splendid
woodlands and lawns, this place is perfect for strolling through as you
ponder on the vicissitudes of political life and the history of Ireland.
Sporting Leinster
Leinster is a haven for those favourite sports of Ireland – angling, equestrian
pursuits, golf, hill-walking and boating.
The region is an angler’s paradise, with all species of coarse fishing available.
Pike fishing is a major attraction in the Midlands, and top class lough
and river brown trout angling is available. The principal fisheries are
the Shannon and its tributaries, the head-waters of the Erne system, the
Barrow, the Meath and Laois lakes, the Royal and the Grand Canals, the Midlands
Lough, the rivers Boyne, Liffey and Dee, and the upper reaches of the Nore.
The Wicklow beaches are where to head for good shore angling.
If the horses are more your thing, you can choose from the Punchestown Races,
or meetings at Naas, Navan, Bellewstown, Kilbeggan and Layton. And of course
the Curragh in Kildare hosts the Irish Derby, while Fairyhouse is the home
of the Irish Grand National. If you want a behind-the-scenes view of the
industry you can visit the National Stud in Kildare. Take along the kids
and explain to them that horses are old-fashioned cars.
If you want a more hands-on approach — no pun intended – there are some
50 AIRE approved equestrian centres in the region which provide expert tuition
for experienced and novice riders. Trekking over a variety of terrains is
available.
Golfers are similarly spoilt for choice, with the region now boasting some
of the best golfing facilities in the world. The K Club in Kildare is the
venue for the Ryder Cup in 2006 — so if you want to be included in the European
team you should start practising now. And where better to do it than in
any of Leinster’s fairways to heaven.
Boating holidays on the Shannon have long been a popular pastime for visitors
from all over the world. But Leinster can also boast some choice cruising
along the Barrow, canal boating along the Royal or Grand Canals, or sailing
in Carlingford Lough or off the Wicklow Coast. Canoeing takes place on the
Liffey, but if you’re a bit iffy about the Liffey, or indeed canoeing in
general, you could try sail-boarding on the Midland or Blessington Lakes.
But you don’t need to do anything as complicated as taking up a sport to
enjoy Leinster. You can stroll along the banks of the Grand Canal in Co.
Laois, or take one of the many walking routes into the Slieve Blooms. In
Co. Louth you can walk for hours in the Cooley Mountains and watch amazingly
aerobatic ravens tumbling through the sky, or see peregrine falcons feed
their young.
In Co. Longford you can visit the imposing St. Mel’s Cathedral (Mel Gibson
is named after this very saint) or visit the beautiful heritage town of
Ardagh. In Co. Westmeath you can visit Athlone, birthplace of John McCormack
or take a hike through Goldsmith country. There’s scenery here the equal
of anything in Europe, restaurants and hotels to please the most exacting
epicurean, and a wealth of history in the region to provide an interesting
backdrop to any holiday.
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