Day One1 SwallowStudios

00353(0)429746614 www.lizchristy.com

DiscoverMonaghan’slivingcraftheritageatSwallowStudios,justoutsideCastleblayney.MeetLizChristy,oneofIreland’sleadingexponentsoftraditionalhandweavingandwatchherdemonstratingthisancientcraftonahandloom.InspiredbyMonetandthelocallandscape,hergorgeousrangeofhandwovenscarvesincludesonededicatedtoMonaghan’sfamedpoet,PatrickKavanagh.

DrivetoLaraghVillage-25mins

2 StPeter’sTinTabernacleChurch

00353(0)878957680 www.facebook.com/laraghheritagemonaghan

ExplorethetranquilbeautyofLaraghvillageandthetangibleremindersofits19thcenturyheyday,when700employeesworkedinJamesMcKean’sflaxmill.Visittheuniqueandatmospherictinchurchhebuiltin1891,nowlovinglyrestored.Severalworkers’cottagesremaintoo,asdoesthebarracksandschoolhouseandLaraghHouse,whereMcKeanlived.

DrivetoBroomfield-10mins

3 MeetingHouseFarmShopandCafé

00353(0)429743997

Lunchinanotherbeautifullyrestoredoldchurch,TheMeetingHouseFarmShopandCafe,innearbyBroomfield,whichservesawiderangeofhomemadedishes,includingturkeyfromtheirownfreerangefarm.Glutenfreesoupsandbreadsandvegetariandishesareavailable.Locallyproducedfoodcanbeboughtatthefarmshopifyou’rethinkingofapicnic.

DrivetoCarrickmacross-15mins

4 CarrickmacrossCivicCentreandLibrary

00353(0)429661148 www.monaghan.ie/library

Enjoyavisittothestate-of-the-artnewCarrickmacrossCivicCentre.TheTourismInformationPointhaslotsofoptionsforvisitstotheareaandthelibrary’slocalhistorysectionhasmanybooksonthetown.AquickflickthroughPatrickKavanagh’sautobiographicalnovel,'TheGreenFool',willsetyouupnicelyfortheheritagetraillater.There’sWi-Fiandthechancetoprintboardingpassestoo!

5 CarrickmacrossWorkhouse

00353(0)429664540 www.carrickmacrossworkhouse.com

FewplacescanbringIrelandofthepasttolifemoreevocativelythanthebeautifullyrestored1841CarrickmacrossWorkhouse.Followthestoryofthe38teenagegirlssentfromheretoAustraliaattheheightofTheGreatHunger,AnGortaMór.Themassfaminegravesherewerethefateofmanyleftbehind.Monaghan’sNeolithicpastcanbeexploredatthe‘LifeandDeathExhibition.’

6 CarrickmacrossHeritageTrail

00353(0)429661148 Downloadfromwww.monaghantourism.com/images/pdfs/ carricktrail.pdf

NopoetevokedtherurallifeofIrelandasmemorablyasPatrickKavanagh.BasedinthenearbyvillageofInniskeen,Carrickmacrosswashislocaltownandfeaturesofteninhisautobiographicalnovel,‘TheGreenFool’.ThetownislittlechangedfromKavanagh’sday,sothistrail,whichvisitslocationswithstrongconnectionstothepoet,isafascinatingwaytogettoknowCarrickmacross.

DinnerintheCourthouseRestaurant,Carrickmacross

7 CourthouseRestaurant

00353(0)429692848 www.courthouserestaurant.ie

Housedinaneleganttownhousebythetown’scourthouse,thisisoneofIreland’sfinestrestaurants.AwardedaMichelinBibfor2017,itservesdeliciousfoodinastonewalledroomoverlookingCarrickmacross’smainstreet.

OvernightAccommodation

8 ShirleyArmsHotel

00353(0)429673100 www.shirleyarmshotel.ie

ThisA4starboutiquehotelisrightintheheartofCarrickmacross.Relaxintheloungebarandenjoyamealintheirpopularrestaurant.Thereareplentyofpubsinthevicinitytoenjoyifyoufancysomenightlife,includingafavouriteofPatrickKavanagh’s-Shevlin’s

Day TwoDrivetoInniskeen-20mins

9 PatrickKavanaghCentreandtour

00353(0)429378560 www.patrickkavanaghcountry.com

BornandraisedontheoutskirtsofInniskeen,thegreatIrishpoetPatrickKavanaghimmortalisedthelocallandscapeanditspeopleinverse.Thevillagehasbarelychangedsincethatday.Inaconvertedchurchinwhosegroundsheisburied,isanexhibitionandaudio-visualtheatrededicatedtothepoet.Groupscanbookforaperformancetourofthearea,packedwithstories,poemsandlocalhistory.Self-guidedtoursarealsoavailable.

LunchatthePoet'sRest,Inniskeen

10 Poet’sRest,Inniskeen

00353(0)871367090

Enjoydelicious,heartyhomemadefoodlikeIrishstewandvegetablepieandanalldayIrishbreakfastatthischarmingcottagerestaurantattheentrancetothePatrickKavanaghCentre.Theyalsoofferhomemadedesserts,cakesandsconesandqualityteasandcoffees.

DrivetoBrehonBrewhouse-10mins

11 BrehonBrewhouse

00353(0)868230914 www.brehonbrewhouse.ie

BasedatadairyfarmamidstMonaghan’srollingdrumlinsashortdistancefromPatrickKavanagh’sInniskeen,thistraditionalcraftbrewerycelebratesthepoetwithitsaward-winningStonyGreyIndiaPaleAle.Takeatourofthebrewery,samplesuperbbeersandenjoythebestofcraicwithownerSeamusMacMahon,oftheclanwhoonceruledMonaghan!

12 MonaghanWayWalkatthePatrickKavanaghCentre

00353(0)429378560 www.patrickkavanaghcountry.com

ExplorethecountrycelebratedinPatrickKavanagh’spoetryinthisfour-milestretchofthe40-mileMonaghanWay,fromthepoet’svillageofInniskeentoCullaville.Followtherouteofadisusedrailway,bythebanksoftheRiverFane,throughthebeautifulfarmlandunchangedsinceKavanagh’stime,crossingtheborderintoCullaville,withitsatmosphericformerrailwaystation.Youcanorganiseamini-bus(groups)orcabbacktoInniskeen,adriveofabout15minutes.

DrivefromInniskeentoCullaville-25mins

13 TiChulainnCulturalActivityCentre

AcentralhubofthebeautifulRingofGullionareaofSouthArmagh,

TíChulainnismuchmorethanaculturalcentre.Thestartingpointoftoursaroundthearea’sspectacularscenery,italsohasfirstclassaccommodationandcanarrangepackagesforwalkersandcyclists.It’sinMullaghbane,notfarfromO’Hanlon’s(theBridgeBar),probablyIreland’soldestbar,whichhasatraditionalmusicsessiononFridaynights.

DrivetoCamlough-20mins

14 DinnerattheYellowHeifer

(028)30830505 www.theyellowheifer.co.uk

Thisaward-winninggastropubintheSouthArmaghvillageofCamloughisahugefavouritewithlocalsandvisitorsalikefordeliciousandgreatvaluefood.Atmosphericandwelcoming,it’sagreatplaceforlunch(ThursdaytoSundays)anddinner.

Day ThreeDrivefromMullaghbanetoSlieveGullionForestPark-10mins

15 SlieveGullionForestParkDrive

(028)30313170

SlieveGullion,themountainattheheartoftheRingofGullion,WesternEurope’smostspectacularring-dykeintrusion,issorichinancienthistory,uniquegeology,mythsandlegendsandbreathstoppingscenery,it’shardtofiteverythingintoonetour.Takethespectacularloopdrivearoundthemountain,hikeuptothehighestpassagetombinIrelandandtakeadipinLoughCalliaghBerra,whereawitch’scurseturnedthehairofthelegendaryFionnMacComhaillwhite.

LunchattheSyngeandByrnecafé,SlieveGullionCourtyard.

16 SyngeandByrnerestaurant

(028)30262553 www.syngeandbyrne.com

InthischarmingVictoriancourtyard,youcanenjoyarelaxingmealofartisanfare,includingwonderfulpies,quiches,baguettesandpastries,orjustdropinforaspecialitycoffeeorhotchocolatetothisatmosphericcafé.

17 RingofGullionHandcraftsandArt

07828569235 https://en-gb.facebook.com/ROGHA

TheuniquebeautyandheritageoftheRingofGullionprovidestheinspirationforatalentedcollectiveofartistsandcraftspeople.Fromceramicsandwoodturningtofineartsandglasswork,theircreativitywillbringanotherdimensiontoyourtrip.Workshopscanbepre-bookedandsomecanbevisitedintheirstudios.Theyhaveapop-upshopatTíChulainnonSundaystoo(from1pmto5pm).

18 Politicaltour

(028)3889391

AttheheartoftheNorthernIrishTroubles,SouthArmaghbecameafocalpointofglobalinterest.Butitshistoryofconflictgoesbackmuchfurther.Ontoursaroundthisbeautifulcountryside,discoverthelocalresistancetotheAnglo-Normans,theimpositionofthePlantationandthepenallawsandmore.FromMoyraCastle,fromwhichtheEnglishfoughttosubduetheGaelicclans,toCamlough,homeofhungerstrikerRaymondMcCreesh,SouthArmagh’stumultuouspoliticalhistoryisoneofthemostfascinatinginIreland.

YoucanarrangeatourofthepoliticalhistoryofSouthArmaghwithlocalguides,suchasCúChulainnPolitical&HistoricalToursorDesMurphy.

DrivefromTiChullaintoCreggan-10minsDrivefromSlieveGulliontoCreggan-25mins

19 CregganPoetTrail

(028)30861025

AwalkthroughSouthArmagh’sfolkloreandculturallife,beginningintheremarkablechurchyardofCregganParishChurch.FromthegraveyardwherethreeofIreland’sgreatestGaelicpoetsareburiedandthefamousburialvaultoftheO’Neill’s,thisgentleloopwalkbringsyoutoRocheCastle,Glassdrummond,thesiteoftheO’Neill’scastle,andHearty’sFolkCottage.

*Alltraveltimesareapproximates.

CulturalConnectionsItinerary

Shared Waterways, Shared Landscapes

WelcometoSharedWaterwaysSharedLandscapes

TheSharedWatersandLandscapesofCentralMonaghanandSouthArmaghofferaperfectlocationtorelaxandspendthreedaysuncoveringmanyculturallyrichexperiencesinbeautifulandsometimessurprisinglocations.

Thiscarefullyplanneditineraryiseasytofollowandincludeseverythingyouwillneed.Withrecommendedaccommodationandagreatvarietyofplacestoeatanddrink,you'llfindoutaboutthepeople,stories,traditionsandheritageoftheselushlandscapes.

Castleblayney

Annyalla

Crossmaglen

Creggan

Cullyhanna

Newtownhamilton

Belleeks

Bessbrook

Lislea

Mullaghbane

Forkhill

Hill ofFaughart

Jenkinstown

Carlingford

Inniskeen

Blackstaff

COUNTY MONAGHAN

UNITED KINGDOM

IRELAND

COUNTY CAVAN

COUNTY MONAGHAN

COUNTY LOUTH

Carrickmacross

Kingscourt

Louth

Skyhill

Meigh

Jonesborough

Newry

Dundalk

Lisdoonan

Donaghmoyne

Shantonagh

Broomfield

Laragh

1

2

3

11

19

14

4-8

15-16

13,17,18

9,10,12

Kilcurry River

Creggan River

Lough Ross

County Water

Forkhill River

Fane River

Camlough Lough

Lough Egish

Miltown Lough

Lough Bawn

Lough Fea

Lough Derry

Lough MucknoKiltybane Lake Cashel Loughs

Glyde River

N53

M1

N1

N52

N52

A37

N2

N2

N2

A1

MapKey

! LocationIndicator

Accommodation

Activities

Attractions

Food&Drink

Heritage

Cultural

Location

Shared Waterways, Shared Landscapes

Dublin

BelfastDonegal

Shared Waterways, Shared Landscapes

Greatlocation,easyaccess.CulturallyCuriousItineraryDistancefromBelfasttoCastleblayney-1Hour15minutesDistancefromBelfasttoMullaghbawn–1HourDistancefromDublintoCastleblayney-1Hour20minutesDistancefromDublintoMullaghbawn-1Hour

ThankstothedepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltacht’s2016Co-operationwithNorthernIrelandFundingscheme