Folklore and traditions of County Meath

13 sites in County Meath with traditions recorded by the Archaeological Survey. County Meath guide.

Folklore on ErinSites is quoted from the Archaeological Survey of Ireland (or, when marked, from visitors). It records what people said or believed about a place; it is not presented as historical fact.

• Clonard Abbey Ancient church · Anneville Or Clonard Old, Co. Meath

  Finnian has been thought of as one of the great educators of the early Church in Ireland and twelve ‘apostles’ of the second generation of saints are said to have been educated there (Ryan 1931, 117-19).

• Donaghmore Church Ancient church · Donaghmore (Navan Lower By.), Co. Meath

  Situated on a slight E facing slope, with the SW-NE River Boyne in its steep sided valley c. 450m to the E and S. This is an early ecclesiastical site, known as Domhnach Mór Maigh Echnach, which was traditionally founded by St Patrick with Cassanus as its…

• Skreen Church Ancient church · Skreen, Co. Meath

  Located on the summit of Skreen Hill with wide views out in every direction; the S-N ridge of Tara is the most prominent feature visible c. 3.5km to the W. An early monastery was established at Achall (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 44), which was named after a…

• St. Seachnall's Church Ancient church · Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath

  He was renowned as a poet and musician who composed a praise poem for Patrick, and when he died in 447 he was reputed to be the first bishop to be buried in the country (Ó Riain 2011, 552-3).

• Athlumney Castle Castle · Athlumney, Co. Meath

  Traditionally, the last occupant was Sir Launcelot Dowdall, who burnt it in despair when he heard the outcome of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 (Wilde 1850, 11-12), although Isaac Butler writing in the 1740s, attributed the burning to one of the Maguire…

• Dangan Castle Castle · Dangan, Co. Meath

  His fifth son, Arthur, later to be victorious over Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815 and to be created the first Duke of Wellington, was born on the first of May 1769, reputedly at Dangan (Anon. 1841).

• Dunmoe Castle Castle · Dunmoe, Co. Meath

  A drawing from 1795 by Francis Grose (1795, 82-3) shows it an occupied rectangular structure but it is said to have been burned in the rising of 1798 when the north half of it collapsed (Wilde 1849, 166-9).

• Bride's Well Holy well · Calgath, Co. Meath

  The well is surrounded by a paved path (Wth c. 1.5m) and within an enclosure (diam c. 5m) defined by a hedge and a picket fence, and there are two young trees outside the enclosure, one with rags.

• Lady Well Holy well · Slanecastle Demesne, Co. Meath

  A pattern is still held there on 15th August, the only day when it is generally open to visitors.

• Saint Bernard's Well Holy well · Dowth, Co. Meath

  Seanchán was reputedly one of the seven sons of the pagan god Lugh, and he and his brothers are associated with churches in the Dublin and Meth area.

• St Dympna's Well Holy well · Kildalkey, Co. Meath

  It is now a rectangular stone-lined well (int. dims 0.85m E-W; 0.7m N-S; D 0.5m) approached by three steps from the W. It is within a cobbled enclosure (int. diam. 3.2m) with some offering, which is defined by a masonry wall (Wth 0.4m; H 1.15m).

• St. Anne's Well Holy well · Randalstown, Co. Meath

  A rag tree with some old cloths attached to it was present at the well in 1973, while a trench excavated near the well produced a blue glass bead (ibid.).

• Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery Megalithic tomb · Corstown (Fore By.), Co. Meath

  She is reputed to be buried on the S side of that hill.