Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [479]
Sleeping & Eating
Kells Hostel ( 046-924 9995; The Carrick; dm from €18; ) Right in the centre of town and close to the bus stop and shops, this makes a convenient base for the surrounding sights. There’s a large basic kitchen and lounge, three- to eight-bed dorms and lots of local info on display.
Teltown House B&B ( 046-902 3239; teltownhouse@eircom.net; Teltown; s/d €50/100; ) This lovingly restored old stone farmhouse is full of character and history, with period-style rooms and an incredibly warm welcome. The farm was the location of the Irish equivalent of the Olympic games 2000 years ago, and 2000 years before that, rock art was carved on stones that still stand next to the B&B. Teltown House is 6km southeast of Kells, east of the N3 at the Silver Tankard pub.
Headfort Arms Hotel ( 046-924 0063; www.headfortarms.ie; John St; s/d from €95/160; ) Family run and right in the town centre, the Headfort Arms has 45 comfortable, modern rooms with classic styling. Rooms in the charming old building have the most character, but there’s wi-fi throughout and a small spa for indulgent treatments.
Vanilla Pod ( 046-924 0084; Headfort Arms Hotel, John St; mains €17-28; 5.30-10pm daily & noon-3pm Sun) Bright and modern but rather soulless, this restaurant in the Headfort Arms Hotel is independently run and features an ambitious bistro-style menu. The food is well-prepared and sourced locally, but for the best deal aim for the set three-course dinner at €21.95.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann ( 01-836 6111) has services from Kells to Dublin (€12.70, 90 minutes, hourly) via Navan. There are also buses to Cavan (€11.80, 45 minutes, hourly).
Return to beginning of chapter
AROUND KELLS
Hill of Lloyd Tower
It’s easy to see why this 30m-high tower on the Hill of Lloyd became known as the ‘inland lighthouse’. Built in 1791 by the Earl of Bective, in memory of his father, it has been renovated, and has fantastic views from the top. Access can be arranged by appointment through the Kells Heritage Centre ( 046-924 7840; €20 minimum charge), or you can just enjoy the views and a picnic in the surrounding park.
The tower is 3km northwest of Kells, off the Crossakeel road.
Crosses of Castlekeeran
Lost in the ruins of an ancient hermitage are the Crosses of Castlekeeran. They’re not overly impressive in themselves – three plainly carved, early-9th-century crosses (one in the river) – but there’s something invitingly peaceful about the quiet, overgrown cemetery that surrounds them. The ruined church in the centre has some early grave slabs and an Ogham stone (rock slab inscribed with Ireland’s earliest form of writing).
To get to the crosses, head through a farmyard about 2km further down the Crossakeel road from the Hill of Lloyd tower.
Return to beginning of chapter
LOUGHCREW CAIRNS
With all the hoopla over Brú na Bóinne, the amazing Stone Age passage graves strewn about the Loughcrew Hills are often overlooked. There are 30-odd tombs here but they’re hard to get to and relatively few people ever bother, which means you can enjoy this moody and evocative place in peace.
It’s well worth making the effort to get to the three hills, Carnbane East (194m), Carnbane West (206m) and Patrickstown (279m) – although the last has been so ruined by 19th-century builders that there’s little to see other than splendid views of the surrounding countryside.
Like Brú na Bóinne, the graves were all built around 3000 BC, but, unlike their better-known and better-excavated peers, the Loughcrew tombs were used at least until 750 BC. As at Newgrange, larger stones in some of the graves are decorated with spiral patterns. Some of the graves look like large piles of stones, while others are less obvious, their cairn having been removed. Archaeologists have unearthed bone fragments and ashes, stone balls and beads.
The cairns are west of Kells, along the R154, near Oldcastle.
Carnbane East
Carnbane East has a cluster of sites; Cairn T ( 049-854 1240; www.heritageireland.ie; admission