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Mellifont Abbey

1142 establishments in IrelandBuildings and structures in County LouthChristian monasteries established in the 12th centuryCistercian monasteries in the Republic of IrelandNational monuments in County Louth
Religion in County LouthReligious organizations established in the 1140sRuined abbeys and monasteriesRuins in the Republic of Ireland
Mellifont Abbey lavabo County Louth Ireland
Mellifont Abbey lavabo County Louth Ireland

Mellifont Abbey (Irish: An Mhainistir Mhór, literally 'the Big Monastery'), was a Cistercian abbey located close to Drogheda in County Louth, Ireland. It was the first abbey of the order to be built in Ireland. In 1152, it hosted the Synod of Kells-Mellifont. After its dissolution in 1539, the abbey became a private manor house. This saw the signing of the Treaty of Mellifont in 1603 and served as William of Orange's headquarters in 1690 during the Battle of the Boyne. Today, the ruined abbey is a national monument of Ireland and accessible to the public. The English language name for the monastery, 'Mellifont', comes from the Latin phrase Melli-fons, meaning 'Font of Honey'.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Mellifont Abbey (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Mellifont Abbey
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N 53.742317 ° E -6.466481 °
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Mellifont Abbey

Cloister
A92 V4K7 (Monasterboice ED)
Ireland
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Mellifont Abbey lavabo County Louth Ireland
Mellifont Abbey lavabo County Louth Ireland
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Monknewtown
Monknewtown

Monknewtown (Irish: Baile Nua na Manach, meaning 'new town of the monks'), historically called Rathenskin, is a townland 3 km east of Slane in County Meath, Ireland. It stands on the right bank of the Mattock River, which feeds several historic watermills nearby and which forms approximately the townland's eastern boundary with Keerhan and Sheepgrange townlands in County Louth. Neighbouring townlands to the south are Balfeddock, Knowth, and Crewbane, to the west Cashel, Mooretown, and Knockmooney. The northern boundary of Monknewtown with Kellystown is formed by a tributary of the Mattock River, while the southern boundary is formed by the N51 road. Other than the latter, only minor roads traverse the townland, among them L5606 from west to east. A ford crosses the Mattock River in the northeastern part of the townland, connecting Monknewtown with Keerhan.Monknewtown also stands on the northern edge of the Neolithic monument complex and World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne which includes the famous site of Newgrange. Two Neolithic sites connected with Monknewtown are the nearby "ritual pond" and a henge. The pond probably dates to the later Neolithic, being a later addition to the complex, and consists of a 2 meter high earth bank that creates a 30-meter diameter enclosure that is filled with water. The site may have played a preliminary or final role in prehistoric activities connected with the tombs and other ritual sites to the south.

Newgrange
Newgrange

Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, located on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Drogheda. It is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 3200 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. It is aligned on the winter solstice sunrise. Newgrange is the main monument in the Brú na Bóinne complex, a World Heritage Site that also includes the passage tombs of Knowth and Dowth, as well as other henges, burial mounds and standing stones.Newgrange consists of a large circular mound with an inner stone passageway and cruciform chamber. Burnt and unburnt human bones, and possible grave goods or votive offerings, were found in this chamber. The monument has a striking façade made mostly of white quartz cobblestones, and it is ringed by engraved kerbstones. Many of the larger stones of Newgrange are covered in megalithic art. The mound is also ringed by a stone circle. Some of the material that makes up the monument came from as far as the Mournes and Wicklow Mountains. There is no agreement about its purpose, but it is believed it had religious significance. It is aligned so that the rising sun on the winter solstice shines through a 'roofbox' above the entrance and floods the inner chamber. Several other passage tombs in Ireland are aligned with solstices and equinoxes, and Cairn G at Carrowkeel has a similar 'roofbox'. Newgrange shares similarities with some other Neolithic monuments in Western Europe; especially Gavrinis in Brittany, which has a similar preserved facing and large carved stones, Maeshowe in Orkney, with its large corbelled chamber, and Bryn Celli Ddu in Wales. Its initial period of use lasted about 1,000 years. Newgrange then gradually became a ruin, although the area continued to be a site of ritual activity. It featured in Irish mythology and folklore, in which it is said to be a dwelling of the deities, particularly The Dagda and his son Aengus. Antiquarians first began its study in the seventeenth century, and archaeological excavations began in the twentieth century. Archaeologist Michael J. O'Kelly led the most extensive of these from 1962 to 1975 and also reconstructed the front of the monument, a reconstruction that is controversial. This included an inward-curving dark stone wall to ease visitor access. Newgrange is a popular tourist site and, according to archaeologist Colin Renfrew, is "unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland" and as one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.