County Westmeath - National Monuments

NATIONAL MONUMENTS BY COUNTY – WESTMEATH
Westmeath, a county of inland lakes and islands, first attracted our Stone-Age ancestors around 7,500 years ago. The prehistoric settlements on Clonava Island, where the Inny River flows into Lough Derravaragh, is archaeological testimony to the importance of these natural resources to the first hunter-gatherers. Ushnagh Hill, the centre or ‘middle’ of mythological Ireland, is a legendary place rich with archaeological monuments. Lough Lugh, the ritual pond on Ushnagh, is named after the mythical hero and Celtic God who was a patron of the arts and whose festival Lughnasa is held annually on the 1st of August. The hilltop became the ‘royal seat’ of the local ruling dynasty and the meeting point for the five provinces of Ireland. It was a place visited in the 5th century by St. Patrick and where Christianity came face to face with the rituals and beliefs of pagan Ireland.The magical monastery of Fore was founded by St. Féichín in the 7th century and became a religious centre and focus of worship for Christians who have left behind a landscape rich in archaeological monuments. Bealin High Cross near Athlone bears an inscription commemorating its maker Tuathgail, abbot of Clonmacnoise, who died in 811 AD. Fore Abbey was built by the Benedictine Order in the 1180s and is open to visitors who can follow in the footsteps of the medieval monks.The conquest of this region by the Anglo-Normans in the 1170s ushered in a new era of castle building. The first fortifications built were motte and bailey castles – a fine example can be seen at Taghmon - many of which were built by Hugh de Lacy who became the Lord of Meath in 1172. These timber castles were succeeded by stone castles and the royal fortress of Athlone Castle, built in 1210, was constructed for King John and served as a centre of English royal power. Delvin Castle was the residence of the Nugent family who bore the title ‘Earls of Delvin’ and were one of the Anglo-Norman families who later became more ‘Irish than the Irish themselves’.
There are almost 1,000 monuments in state care across the country, managed and cared for by the OPW - Office of Public Works. While access to these monuments is currently restricted, we remember that they have stood resilient for hundreds if not thousands of years and they will certainly be there for you to visit once we are through this challenging time. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland has recorded 4,472 archaeological sites in Westmeath, a number which increases regularly with new research and discoveries.
Explore our Historic Environment Viewer for more information about these beautiful state care monuments and the archaeology of County Westmeath. https://webgis.archaeology.ie/histori...
Athlone Castle - https://bit.ly/3e0y3SLBealin High Cross - https://bit.ly/3e2g7qGDelvin Castle - https://bit.ly/3e43FquFore Abbey - https://bit.ly/3dZ34X9Anchorites Church - https://bit.ly/2C4PmonSt. Feichin’s Church - https://bit.ly/2YY9zoMUshnagh Hill Ringfort - https://bit.ly/2VOwMb3Ushnagh Hill Ritual Pond - https://bit.ly/3gxhGihTaghmon Motte & Bailey Castle - https://bit.ly/2VMvQnKTaghmon Church - https://bit.ly/3f0ADt7