Ancient Ireland: Explorer's and Traveller's Guides

Book cover: Discovering the Boyne Valley by Noel French. Sunburst behind a standing stone, megalithic mound beyond.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


Book cover: Ireland's Ancient East by Neil Jackman. A Guide to Its Historic Treasures, carved tomb under a pointed arch.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: Powerful Places in Ireland by Elyn Aviva and Gary White. Standing stones in a field with hawthorn tree.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: Ancient Ireland: An Explorer's Guide. Grass-covered passage mound under a blue sky with clouds.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: Exploring Ireland's Middle Kingdom by Valerie Pakenham. Guide to the ancient kingdom of Meath.Exploring Ireland's Middle Kingdom: A Guide to the Ancient Kingdom of Meath by Valerie Packenham. This is the first guide to explore exciting places across the four counties of the old Middle Kingdom, beginning in time with the great Stone Age monuments at Brú na Bóinne until the present day. It takes in historic towns and castles, abbeys and churches, gardens and follies, pristine lakes to swim in and hills to climb. Illustrated throughout, it is divided into 8 sections, each with its own map. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: The Modern Antiquarian by Julian Cope. A pre-millennial odyssey through megalithic Britain.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


Book cover: The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany by Aubrey Burl. Standing stone against a dramatic sky.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: Secret Sights: Unknown Celtic Ireland by Rob Vance. Warm-lit ancient stone-carved face on dark background.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: In Search of Ancient Ireland by Carmel McCaffrey and Leo Eaton. Stone steps among craggy rocks, PBS companion.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


Book cover: Field Guide to Megalithic Ireland by Anthony Weir. A CD-ROM with over 600 photographs of Irish prehistoric sites.Field Guide to Megalithic Ireland by Anthony Weir. Originally 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.


Book cover: The Traveller's Guide to Sacred Ireland. Ancient stone figure standing in a green field.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. Purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk


Book cover: Antiquities of the Irish Countryside by Seán P. Ó Ríordáin. Fifth edition, portal tomb photograph.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


Book cover: Sacred Places Europe, 108 Destinations by Brad Olsen. St Peter's, Greek temple and standing stones.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 Tours books page with Newgrange book cover showing the interior stone slabs of a Neolithic passage.

Back to top