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Given the time of year, I thought for this week's edition of our Monument Monday newsletter we might visit one of the places that always comes to mind when we think of haunted and cursed places in Ireland – the infamous Hellfire Club on Montpelier Hill in the Dublin Mountains.
 #Ireland #SpéirGhorm

This year marks the tenth anniversary of our archaeological dig at the Hellfire Club which ended in October 2016, so I thought we might look back on that excavation and what it revealed about the story of the this enigmatic place!

This is one of a number of stone crosses hidden away amongst the trees near the Upper Lake at Glendalough. The crosses once marked the route of a stone causeway that was illustrated on early maps. It is another echo of the extensive pilgrimage landscape that surrounds Glendalough. #Ireland

Our latest itinerary guide leads you along an epic journey through time following the Shannon Estuary. We'll encounter enormous prehistoric hillforts, monastic islands, medieval marvels and more. Available for Tuatha Members today!

In an age of AI, real expertise becomes priceless. We started the Tuatha Talk series as we wanted to help to connect the leading experts in Irish archaeology, history and heritage with people who want real information that goes beyond the veneer. #Ireland #SpéirGhorm

When it comes to archaeological landscapes, there are few places in Ireland that can compare to Rathcroghan, County Roscommon, the ancient royal capital of Connacht. At the centre of this image you can see the enormous earthwork enclosure known as Relignaree (Reilig na Rí – the graveyard of Kings).

Alongside the archaeology flows an intoxicating literary landscape – An Táin Bó Cuailnge, tales of the Morrigan, & Uaimh na gCat the gate to the Irish Otherworld. I'm looking forward to tonight's Tuatha Talk webinar, as Dr Daniel Curley will help us to explore Rathcroghan and its layers of stories.

Monasterboice • Louth The round tower at Monasterboice served as a bell tower, as well as housing the monastery’s library and other valued objects. Disaster struck in 1097 when the Annals of the Four Masters recorded that the tower, along with all its books and treasures, were burned. #Ireland

Explore a medieval marvel in County Laois in today's edition of our free #MonumentMonday newsletter! #Ireland #SpéirGhorm #IrishHistory #Medieval

The Aghadoe Crozier • 12th Century This head of a bishop's crozier is beautifully decorated in the Urnes style and intricately carved from walrus ivory. It was found in the 19th century, in the ruins of Aghadoe Cathedral not far from Killarney, County Kerry. #Ireland #SpéirGhorm #FindsFriday

An Chathair Mhór • Cahermore Stone Fort When it comes to early medieval landscapes, there are few places in Ireland, or indeed anywhere, that can compete with the Burren of County Clare. The relatively low-impact agriculture practised here for centuries has preserved a wealth of monuments.

Cahermore is part of a cluster of forts in this immediate area, forming just another part of the Burren's rich archaeological landscape. Tuatha Members can explore some of my favourite historic highlights in this area with our Burren Heartlands Itinerary Guide.

On this day in 1318, the Hill of Faughart was the setting for one of the bloodiest and most pivotal battles of medieval Ireland. The armies of Edward Bruce, brother of the famous Scottish King Robert the Bruce, had invaded Ireland three years earlier at the head of a fearsome army. #Ireland

For those who would like to dig deeper into the story, Fin Dwyer gave a fascinating Tuatha Talk on the Bruce Invasion. A recording is available for all Tuatha Members in the newly revamped courses section of the website.

On this day in 1318, the Hill of Faughart was the setting for one of the bloodiest and most pivotal battles of medieval Ireland. The armies of Edward Bruce, brother of the famous Scottish King Robert the Bruce, had invaded Ireland three years earlier at the head of a fearsome army. #Ireland

The bloody Battle of Faughart was the final act of a brutal three year campaign that laid waste to much of Ireland. Edward Bruce led his men through the Moyry Pass, only to be confronted by an Anglo-Irish army under the command of John de Bermingham and Edmund Butler.

In today's edition of our #MonumentMonday newsletter, we take a trip to the shores of Lough Carra in County Mayo to visit one of my favourite places to explore in the autumn – Moore Hall. #Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Travel #DiscoverIreland

Bantry House • West Cork This elegant stately home was originally built in c.1710 by the Hutchison family, and it has been considerably added to over the years, particularly during the middle of the 19th century under Richard White, the 2nd Earl of Bantry. #Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Travel

Abbeylara • Longford In the village of Abbeylara in County Longford, you can find the ruin of a Cistercian monastery that was founded by Richard de Tuite in 1205. #Ireland #Medieval #SpéirGhorm

A few more images from our tour of Glendalough on Saturday. It really is idyllic at this time of year, a truly beautiful place that is so full of stories. #Ireland #SpéirGhorm #Travel #DiscoverIreland #IrishHistory