Explore Historical Silent Valley and the Mourne Mountains
here’s ours guide to the silent valley
History & Culture
Ancient Vikings
Ancient Vikings -Raiders of Ireland The ancient Vikings are a famous people. The history of Vikings is also famous. They came from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. They settled Iceland and other northern islands. One of the Viking people tribes, the Rus, probably gave Russia its name. They discovered America 500 years before Columbus. And they …
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle: Medieval ruins perched on the cliff of Northern Ireland’s coast. Northern Ireland Travel: Let’s go to Dunluce Castle Dunluce is probably one of the most dramatically located Northern Irish castles built on a basalt headland dropping straight into the ocean. Northern Ireland Travel: Dunluce Castle Location Located less than five miles from Giant’s Causeway, …
Spanish Armada Ships – The Trinidad Valencera
Spanish Armada Ships – the Trinidad Valencera The Defeat of the Spanish Armada When in mid July, 1588 the famous Spanish Armada ships set sail from Spain for the conquest of England few could have imagined that many of the ships and men on board would never come home. Delayed by bad weather, suffering casualties in …
Norman Vikings
Norman Vikings – the Vikings Return to Ireland Norman Vikings Though Viking influence in Ireland subsided after AD 1000, it returned two centuries later with renewed vigor and longer lasting consequences through the Normans. The Normans were descendant of Vikings who had settled in what is now known as Normandy in Northern France, and who came to …
Dundrum Castle
Dundrum Castle – a Strongpoint of Down Dundrum Castle is of the many medieval castles of Ireland and certainly one of the more important and impressive. It was built by the famous knight John de Courcy, sometime around 1180 on the location of a previous Celtic fortification. It saw plenty of battles all the way …
Dalriada Kingdom – the Glory of Antrim
Persons who visit Northern Ireland may see references to the Dalriada kingdom and wonder what it is. Well, it was an ancient Irish kingdom, initially based on what is today Northern Ireland, but subsequently covering sizable portions of western Scotland. It was possibly the most powerful kingdom to emerge from what today is county Antrim …
Dunseverick Castle
Dunseverick is one of the many ruined castles of Ireland. It is located in county Antrim. Although you can walk between the ruins, many visitors prefer to park at the small car park a short distance away and sight see from there. At first look, the ruins look unspectacular and may give you the impression …
Kinbane Castle
Kinbane (sometimes called Kenbane) is one of the many Castles of Ireland. Built on a small rock promontory called Kinbane Head extending out into the sea, it is set in a very dramatic location. But like many other castles in Northern Ireland is currently in ruins. It is located about 3 miles (5 km) west …
Irish Red Hair
Irish Red Hair – Fact or Fiction? Have you noticed the Irish Red Hair? In another page we explored the stereotype of the black Irish. Here we look at another stereotype. The belief that the people of Ireland (the Republic and Northern Ireland) have raid hair is one of the most common stereotypes about Ireland. The …