Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [488]
INFORMATION
The tourist office ( 042-937 3033; www.carlingford.ie; 10am-5pm, closed Tue Oct-Mar) is in an old train station right next to the bus stop on the waterfront.
SIGHTS
Holy Trinity Heritage Centre
The heritage centre ( 042-937 3454; www.carlingfordheritagecentre.com; Churchyard Rd; adult/concession €3/1.50; 10am-12.30pm & 2-4pm Mon-Fri) is in the former Holy Trinity Church. A mural shows what the village looked like in its heyday, when the Mint and Taafe’s Castle were right on the waterfront, and a short video describes the village history and explains what has been done to give it new life in recent years.
King John’s Castle
Carlingford was first settled by the Vikings, and in the Middle Ages became an English stronghold under the protection of the castle, which was built on a pinnacle in the 11th to 12th centuries to control the entrance to the lough. On the western side, the entrance gateway was built to allow only one horse and rider through at a time.
King John spent a couple of days here in 1210 en route to a battle with Hugh de Lacy at Carrickfergus Castle in Antrim. It’s suggested by some that the first few pages of the Magna Carta, the world’s first constitutional bill of rights, were drafted while he was here.
Other Sights
Near the tourist office is Taafe’s Castle, an imposing 16th-century tower house that stood on the waterfront until the land in front was reclaimed to build a short-lived train line. The Mint, near the square, is of a similar age and has some interesting Celtic-inspired carvings around the windows. Although Edward IV is thought to have granted a charter to a mint in 1467, no coins were produced here. Near the Mint is the Tholsel, the only surviving gate to the original town, although it was much altered in the 19th century, when its defensive edge was softened in the interests of letting traffic through.
West of the village centre are the remains of a Dominican friary, built around 1305 and used as a storehouse by oyster fishermen after 1539.
Carlingford is the birthplace of Thomas D’Arcy McGee (1825–68), one of Canada’s founding fathers. A bust commemorating him stands opposite Taafe’s Castle.
ACTIVITIES
For a wide range of activities including sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, rock climbing and archery contact the Carlingford Adventure Centre ( 042-937 3100; www.carlingfordadventure.com; Tholsel St).
Carlingford is the starting point for the 40km Táin Trail, which makes a circuit of the Cooley Peninsula through the Cooley Mountains. The route is a mixture of surfaced roads, forest tracks and green paths. For more information contact the tourist office.
Much of the Cooley Peninsula is protected and is home to various species of birds including godwits, red-breasted mergansers, buzzards, tits and various finches. Ask at the tourist office for information on the Cooley Birdwatching Trail.
You’ll also find information on angling tours at the tourist office, or try www.carlingford.ie.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Almost every weekend from June to September, Carlingford goes event crazy: there are summer schools, medieval festivals, leprechaun hunts, homecoming festivals and anything that’ll lure folks in off the M1. The mid-August Oyster Festival is a favourite.
SLEEPING & EATING
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to food and accommodation in Carlingford, but it’s a popular spot and can be crowded during summer, especially at weekends; book well in advance.
Carlingford Adventure Centre ( 042-937 3100; www.carlingfordadventure.com; Tholsel St; dm/s/d €20/25/50) Popular with school groups taking activity courses, the rooms here are often booked up; things can be quieter outside term time. The dorms are pretty simple with four to six beds, but there are some doubles with private bathrooms on the second floor.
Belevedere House ( 042-938 3828; www.belvederehouse.ie; Newry St; s/d €50/100; ) An excellent deal, the rooms at this