In 1169 the Norman Army arrived in Ireland and set about conquering large areas of Ireland. By 1185 a Norman nobleman named Bertrum De Verdon erected a manor house at Castletown Mount. Another Norman family, the De Courceys lead by John De Courcey settled in the Seatown area of Dundalk, the “Nova Villa de Dundalke”. Both families assisted in the fortification of the town, building walls and other fortification in the style of a Norman fortress. The town of Dundalk was developed as it lay close to an easy bridging point over the Castletown River.
Dundalk had been originally developed as an unwalled “Straid Bhaile” or “StreetTown”. The streets passed along a gravel ridge which runs from the present day Bridge Street on the North, through Church Street to Clanbrassil Street to Earl Street, and finally to Dublin Street.
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Jenkinstown (Irish Baile Sheinicín), in County Louth, Ireland takes in the townlands of Rockmarshall, the Hollow and Dromiskin, stretching from Ravensdale in the West to Lordship/Cooley in the East, bounded by the mountains and Glenmore to the North and Bellurgan and Dundalk Bay to the south.
Jenkinstown Crossroads is at its epicentre, where one can go north up to the Long Womans Grave and the Magic Hill in the mountains, or south past Jenkinstown Church and the Cruddens to Mrs Mc Crystals store, the economic epicentre of the locality.
Famous Jenkinstownians include Eamonn Crudden, a founder member of Indymedia Ireland
Skerries (Na Sceirí in Irish) is a seaside town in the traditional County Dublin, and is now part of County Fingal, Ireland.
Skerries has four islands off its coast. They include Shenick Island, St Patrick's, Colt and Rockabill. On Shenick Island you will find a Martello tower, one of a number of defensive towers erected during the Napoleonic era along the Irish coast by the occupying British. When the tide is at its lowest one might see, while walking along the beautiful sandy south beach, people crossing to the island, perhaps to climb into the tower, or perhaps to enjoy the
Muff is a small town in County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. It is located a few miles from Derry on the road to Moville on the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
It is known for the Borderland dance hall and more recently for the fact that tourists like to stop and get their photo taken by the town sign.
Newtowncunningham is a small village located midway between the city of Derry (Northern Ireland) and Letterkenny (Republic of Ireland).
Dunmanway (Dún Mánmhaí in Irish) is a small town (population approx 1500) in the south west of Ireland. It is the geographical centre of the region known as West Cork. It is probably most well known as the birthplace of Sam Maguire, whose name now graces the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Trophy.
