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Top 5 historic locations in Ireland

The GPO, Dublin

The GPO (General Post Office) was the headquarters of the 1916 Easter Rebellion when Irish rebels, led by Padraig Pearse, of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) proclaimed Ireland a Republic by issuing the Proclamation of the Irish Republic signed by seven members of the army council; Thomas J. Clarke, Sean Mac Diermada, Thomas McDonagh, P.H. Pearse, Eamon Ceant, James Connolly and Joseph Plunkett  and declaring war on the occupying British Forces from that moment onward.

A short bloody battle took place in different locations throughout Dublin mainly. The British forces attacked the GPO and Pearse and his followers surrendered. They were all executed by the British and, although the Easter Rising was generally deemed a failure by commentators at the time, it ultimately led to formation of a Free State Government some five years later and the Republic of Ireland that we know and live in today.

Today, the GPO is still a fully functional post office, in the centre of O’Connell Street, the main thoroughfare of Dublin City. It stands close to the Dublin Spire and an original copy of the Proclamation can be viewed there.

 

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle is one of the most visited historic attractions in Ireland and its importance in Irish history cannot be understated. It is forever associated with the various repressive English occupiers of Ireland over the space of nearly 800 years.

The castle was built by King John in 1204, replacing a wooden structure that was deemed to insecure for English occupation. It was almost totally destroyed by the great fire of 1684 in which a lot of central Dublin building were wiped out. The castle was gradually rebuilt and became the headquarters of the much hated British administration in Ireland until the 1916 Rising that saw the castle attacked and gradually lose its status during the follow-on War of Independence. The last of the British occupiers left in 1921 and Dublin Castle became a centre for records and administration for the new  Free State government of Ireland.

Today the castle is use to house the Irish Revenue Commissioners and other state bodies. It is also used for ceremonial occasions such as entertaining visiting heads of state. Located just off Dame Street, many rooms in Dublin Castle are open for public viewing and guided tours take place daily.

 

Beal na mBlath, Clonakilty County Cork

Beal na mBalth is one of the most famous locations in Irish history. It was here in August 1922 that Michael Collins, one of the most charismatic leaders in the history of Ireland and Commander in Chief of the National Forces, was killed in an ambush whilst on a tour of inspection of the Free State troops in his native Cork.

Collins had negotiated deal that saw Britain give Ireland independence in 26 of the 32 counties with the Six Counties of Northern Ireland remaining under British Rule. These counties were the original Plantation counties, occupied mostly by Scots as part of the plantation exercise carried out to bring Ireland further under the control of the English. This brought about civil war between Collins and his old comrades, led by Eamon De Valera, who fought for all-Ireland Government. 

Collins stubborn insistence on taking a journey that was unnecessary and dangerous overruled the advice of his own experienced comrades by stating that he would never be killed by his own native people of Cork had fatal consequences on that August evening as he was fatally wounded in an ambush.

Beal na mBlath is situated between the small village of Crookstown and the village of Cappeen on the R585 on the main Cork - Killarney Road (N22) about 70km west of Cork city. The nearest large towns are Macroom and Clonakilty in which a statue of "The Big Fella" as he was known was erected. The site of the ambush has a large memorial in place and volunteer guides will provide the interested visitor with detailed information of the event.

Michael Collins, the film was released in October 1996, directed by Neil Jordan and starring Liam Neeson as Collins, along with Julia Roberts, Aidan Quinn and a host of notable Irish actors. It caused controversy and divided critics in its portrayal of the events of the time and of Collins himself. Jordan claimed that he set out to make a movie based as closely as possible on true events but primarily as a means of entertainment.

 

The Battle of the Boyne, Oldbridge, Drogheda, County Louth

The Battle of the Boyne, in 1690, was the end game in a war between the Catholic King James and Protestant King William of Orange, who had deposed James in 1688. The battle, won by William, was a turning point in their feud and ultimately helped ensure the continuation of Protestant supremacy in Ireland with ramifications right up to this day.

The battle took place on July 1st 1690, just outside the town of Drogheda at Oldbridge. The armies stood on opposing sides of the River Boyne. William's forces easily defeated those of James who led an army of mostly raw recruits. The symbolic importance of this battle has made it one of the best-known battles in British and Irish history. It is a key part in Ulster Protestant Folklore and is still commemorated today, principally by the Orange Order Institution on the 12th of July, the day that James forces surrendered.

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Vinegar Hill, Enniscorthy, County Wexford

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 against British occupation of Ireland had many significant battles in different parts of the country but the Battle of Vinegar Hill was an on the 21st June 1798 was especially important. 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside the town of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, the largest camp and headquarters of the Wexford United Irish Rebels. It marked a turning point in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, as it was effectively the last stand in a nationwide campaign by the rebels to hold and defend ground against the British military. The battle was actually fought in two locations: on Vinegar Hill itself and in the streets of nearby Enniscorthy town.

The British, led by General Lake were determined to crush the rebellion once and for all but was met with stout resistance from the Irish led by William Barker. Nonetheless, the insurgents were overcome by the sheer numbers of the British, which were more than 20,000 in total between Enniscorthy and Vinegar Hill. The Irish were also poorly armed against the superior equipped British. The battle is remembered for the awful atrocities committed by the British after the surrender of the rebels when defenseless women and children were butchered.

Today, memorials at different location around Vinegar and the town of Enniscorthy, mark what was one of the bloodiest battles ever in the long history of British occupation in Ireland. 

 

About the Author

Seamus Maguire is a 54-year old businessman who lives in Collon, County Louth, Ireland with his wife Brid and two boys Dominic and Ciaran. He writes about Ireland as a hobby but with a serious passion and extensive knowledge. He runs a website called Look Around Ireland, www.lookaroundireland.com, which provides detailed information and interactive virtual tours of all the highlights that Ireland has to offer to the visitor. On his website, there is a specific section called the Ireland Travel Guide, http://www.lookaroundireland.com/ireland-travel-guide.php, which is a very useful detailed travel tool for the first time visitor to Ireland.

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