Malcolm Rogers gives us the low-down on Navan in Co. Meath — An Uaimh (the
cave).
Where in the world
About 30 miles north west of Dublin, where the Blackwater meets the Boyne.
Best known TD in town
John Bruton (Fine Gael), former Taoiseach.
Description:
A historic crossroads, one of the first boroughs established by the English
in the palatinate of Meath, under the patronage of the family of the Nangles,
barons of Navan. Towards the end of the 12th century the Nangles founded an
abbey for Canons Regular of the order of St. Augustine.
History
Being an important centre for the Anglo-Norman occupation, defences are to the
fore in the town — castles, forts and ancient walls are all still in evidence.
Nearby is the 100-foot round tower of the early Celtic church of St. Cassanus
— pointing to the fact that the Norsemen were also eyeing up this area.
A bit further up the road, or more correctly speaking up the Boyne, is the 16th
century Dunmoe Castle, perched on the right bank of the river. The castle was
besieged in the 1641 Uprising and burned down in the 1798 Rebellion.
This is an area steeped in history — look out for the ghosts though; the
place is notoriously haunted. Meathylated spirits they call them.
Moving swiftly to the south-east approaches to the town, look out for Athlumney
Castle, another 16th century building, incorporating parts of the 15th century
fortifications of the town. This is well worth an extended visit for castle
fanciers and civilians alike. The building is in remarkably good nick, and you
can easily while away a pleasant few hours poking around and trying to get a
picture of what life must have been like a few centuries back. For an even earlier
retrospective on Meath, pay a visit to nearby Kilkarn Church which dates back
to the 13th century.
Apart from ruins however…
Navan is worth staying in for a few days as a base for exploring the rest of
Royal Meath, Kells, the Hill of Tara, the Boyne, and of course Newgrange. There’s
also a clatter of good traditional pubs in the town, a thousand light years
away from theme bars such as Irish O’Pub (recently spotted in Scotland)
and Biddy’s Booze Bonanza (Washington). The Bermingham Bar on Ludlow Street,
Molloy’s on Bridge Street, Peter Kavanagh’s on Trimgate Street, and
the Lantern on Watergate Street boast no shamrocks, no paddywhackery, no Oirish
toro poopoo. Just good drink, good bar staff and good company — oh, and
depending on the night of the week and time of the year, good traditional sessions,
with an EU-approved craic quotient of 90.
Famous residents of the parish
“Irish Sea, gale force 8 gusting to force 9” — no this is not
the weather section, it’s just that the man who devised the calibration
for measuring wind, Francis Beaufort who gave the world the Beaufort Scale was
late of this parish. Other famous sons include actor Pearse Brosnan, plus comedians
Tommy Tiernan and Dylan Moran. Also our own Brendan Blake, comedian and charity
organiser supreme, was born on the same street as 007. As he says himself, with
a different quirk of fate he would have been born in No. 18 and gone on to world-wide
success as James Bond.
Best tongue-twister about Meath
“The Meath police dismisseth us.”
Best trivia fact
It is the only palindromic town in these islands, and one of the very few in
Europe.
Description: 