Kells

The town of Oldcastle was the 18th century creation of the Naper family, who received parts of the Plunkett estate following the cromwellian wars. Due in part to the continuation of a Gaelic way of life, the area, suffered badly during the Great Famine (1845-‘9) in comparison with richer, more arable areas in the southern part of  Meath. The poorest inhabitants were obliterated by starvation and emigration. Nonetheless, land patterns still visible today reveal a strong attachment to pastoral farming of ‘Gaelic Culture'.

Patrick's Hill forms part of the Loughcrew complex of Neolithic passage tombs. There are several fine examples of cairns and standing stones.

This inland lighthouse, located just outside Kells, was designed by Henry Aaron Baker designer of the King’s Inn, Dublin for Thomas Taylour, First Earl of Bective, in memory of his father (also Sir Thomas Taylor) in 1791 and provided work during the time of a local famine. As a large monument visible from miles around, it was also a symbol of Lord Headfort’s wealth and power as one of the senior Anglo-Irish landlords.

St Colmcille's House probably dates from the early 9th century and is characteristic of an oratory from that period. Access to the monks' sleeping accommodation aloft is by a (modern) ladder. The Oratory is kept locked.

St. Colmcille's House is open for visitors upon request (please contact the Kells Courthouse Tourism and Cultural Hub beforehand to arrange a visit, and give 24hrs notice)

There was an ancient games played at modern day Teltown that predate the Olympics in Greece. The games held every year brought people from all over Ireland to compete over the course of three days. Mythology says that the games originated as a tribute to Taillte, the former wife of a slain Fir Bolg King. She remarried to a Tuatha Dé Danann. She became foster mother to Lugh. She chose her burial site at Teltown and requested that the trees be cleared to make space for her funeral games. Lugh honoured his mother with the inaugural Táilteann games when she died on the first of August.