Boyne Valley Museums
Due to the vast amount of historically significant sites in the area there are a host of museums that reflect this. These museums cover a broad range of subjects, some based solely on their location and subject matter.
Beaulieu House, Gardens & Car Museum is the site of a grand house with an architectural style unique to Ireland. It was first built as a Jacobean manor I 1628 before being renovated in the 17th and 18th century. The grounds are a beautiful location to wander through full of woodland trails and vast open spaces. There is also a car museum dedicated to the late owner of the house, Gabriel de Freitas, who enjoyed a successful career as a racing driver in the 1960s and 70s.
Drogheda Museum is a fantastically informative establishment where one can learn about the military history that surrounds the tower, in which it’s based, used throughout history as a military fortification and barracks. The tower and its defences occupy the high ground in the heart of Drogheda offering stunning views of the surrounding area.
The Francis Ledwidge Museum is based in the cottage where its namesake, known as the ‘poet of the blackbirds’, was born in 1887. The cottage now houses the poetry and belongings of Ledwidge who fought in the Great War where he wrote the war poetry he is best known for. The cottage has also been restored to an authentic example of a 19th century farm labourer’s home.
The Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery is located in Drogheda housed in the building of an early 19th century Franciscan Church and Friary. The exterior remains as it once was but the interior has been remodelled into a two level exhibition space to show early 20th century Irish art. It also holds impressive weapons gifted to the town, following the Battle of the Boyne, by King William.
