31 . Scarva Demesne

Banbridge

The Scarvagh estate was granted to John Reilly, High Sheriff of Down, in recognition to his services to King William of Orange. Miles Reilly built Scarvagh House in 1717.

It now belongs to the Buller family and is home to one of Europe's leading horse studs. One of the best-preserved sections of the Dane's Cast is situated in Scarvagh Demesne. Nearby is Lisnagade Fort

Nearby, the village of Scarva is situated beside the Newry Canal towpath, where the horses once walked to tow the barges. The village dates from 1746 when John Reilly of Scarvagh House was granted permission to hold four fairs a year and to build a small dock and quay on the canal. Scarva Visitor Centre details the history of canals and canal buildings in Ireland, focussing on the Newry Canal and its role in the linen industry. There is a Victorian-style bandstand in the grounds where music concerts are held every Sunday during the summer months.

On July 13th every year the 'Sham fight', a reenactment of the Battle of the Boyne, takes place by the Spanish chestnut tree where King William III is alleged to have camped in 1690.

32 . Lisanisk Crannóg

Monaghan

County Monaghan was formed in 1585 from the five ancient baronies of Truagh, Dartrey, Monaghan, Cremorne and Farney. Farney was leased back to the McMahon family and in 1590 they moved their headquarters to their main crannóg on Lisanisk Lake. This crannog was protected by a huge double-ditched Ringfort on adjacent high ground which appears to have been strengthened around this time.

In 1641, rebels over-ran the towns of Monaghan, Castleblayney and Carrickmacross making the English garrisons prisoners. Colla MacBrian MacMahon of Lisanisk was the leader of the rising and it is believed that he planned the rebellion from here. Six years later, Colonel Monke ended the rebellion by attacking Lisanisk crannóg. Under fire from shot and artillery the last of the rebels were forced to yield to superior force.

A crannóg is a lake dwelling and is so named because of the large quantities of wood used in its construction - crann being the Irish for tree. They were sited on small artificial islands for security and made with timber, sods and stone. The island was then surrounded by a wooden palisade which contained within a small number of huts. They were secure dwelling places, much the same as ringforts; however, a crannóg absorbed a great deal more labour and material and consequently it is thought that they accommodated high-status or royal individuals.

There are almost one thousand crannóga in Ireland, most commonly sited in the shallow inter-drumlin lakes found in Ireland north of the central plain. The majority of these dwellings were built in the early mediaeval period (410-1000 ad).

33 . Narrow Water Castle

Newry & Mourne

Built by John Sancky around 1560, Narrow Water Castle is an excellent example of a tower-house. Its name - Narrow Water - indicates that it was strategically sited to protect Newry's access to Carlingford Lough and the sea. The Victorian mansion located on the other side of the road is also referred to as Narrow Water Castle.

The site comprises a three-storey tower-house and bawn (a defensive wall).

Each of the three-floors consists of a single room; there is a stone vault above the first floor. Towerhouses, such as this, were built in Ireland between the 15th and early 17th centuries, and were popular with both English lords and Irish chieftains.

In 1580, the castle was held by Hugh Magennis, and by 1608 it was in the hands of Sir Arthur Macgennis. The castle remained in use until the 18th century.

Legend has it that Lassara, a young maiden, being kept prisoner in the tower-house, heard her lover calling and threw herself from the battlements to her death on the rocks below.

34 . The Gap of the North

Newry & Mourne

Moyry Castle overlooks the Moyry Pass, valley known as the 'Gap of the North'. The gap was a strategic route into the ancient kingdom of Ulaidh and remained under the control of the Irish until the very early 17th century. It has been pivotal in both history and folklore; it was here that Cúchulainn defended Ulaidh from the forces of Connacht.

The castle was built in 1601 by Lord Deputy Mountjoy after he seized control of the pass and it became the main routeway into the north. King William's army marched from Belfast through the gap on their way to the Battle of the Boyne. Perched on a rocky outcrop, it consists of a square three-story tower with musket-loops in all four walls.

The Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone lies on the Slighe Midhluachra, one of the five great routes that ran from Tara, where it went through the Moyry Pass. Standing at more than 2m, it is believed to be the earliest historically dated inscribed stone in Ireland (c. 700 ad). The stone has thirteen crosses carved on it, and an inscription which records the dedication of the place by Ternoc, son of Ceran Bic (the little), under the patronage of Peter the Apostle.

35 . Bagenal's Castle

Newry & Mourne

Bagenal's Castle is located in the historic city of Newry, which nestles between two areas of outstanding natural beauty the Mourne Mountains and the Ring of Gullion. The castle was 'rediscovered' in 1996, having been enveloped in the premises of the former McCann's Bakery, Newry. It was built by Nicholas Bagenal, an English settler from Staffordshire, who was granted the confiscated estates of the Cistercian Abbey at Newry by King Edward VI in 1552. He was appointed Marshall of the Army in Ireland and both he and his son, Henry, were key figures in Irish politics in the late 16th century.

During restoration work many original features of the Castle were revealed and these have been interpreted for the visitor illustrating how Bagenal's Castle would have functioned in the 16th Century.

Bagenal's Castle is the only known surviving castle in Ireland for which the original drawings (c. 1568) survive. The castle is an early example of a fortified house, a type of residential building favoured by the gentry in Ireland and Scotland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Bagenal's Castle has now been fully restored and houses Newry & Mourne Museum, Newry Tourist Information Centre, and a café

36 . Beaulieu House

Louth

Beaulieu House, is situated on the north bank of the river Boyne, between Drogheda and the Irish Sea. Originally owned by the Plunkett family, the estate was acquired by Henry Tichbourne, who was Marshall of the Army in Ireland and Governor General of Drogheda at the time of the restoration of Charles II.

Beaulieu House was built between 1660 and 1666, most probably designed by a Dutch architect, and is one of the earliest examples in Ireland of an unfortified house. The walls are of rough stone (possibly from the ruined Plunkett Castle believed to have stood adjacent to the present house) with Dutch bricks surrounding the windows and doors.

The current owner of Beaulieu House - Gabriel de Freitas - is a tenth generation descendant of Henry Tichbourne. She had a successful career in motor racing in the 60s and 70s under the name of Gabriel Konig. There is a museum on site which displays a collection of classic racing cars and memorabilia. Guided tours of the house, four-acre walled garden and museum are available

37 . Richhill Castle

Armagh

Considered to be one of the most important buildings in County Armagh, Richhill Castle is believed to be the earliest surviving example of an unfortified house in Ulster.

Francis Sacheverell built the original structure on this hilltop site at Legacorry. The property was extended by his son-in-law Edward Richardson (MP for Co. Armagh from 1655 to 1696) around 1664. The town of Legacorry later became know as Richardson's Hill and was subsequently shortened to Rich Hill.

Towering Dutch shaped gables on projecting wings imbues it with a distinctly continental feel. Internally an early bog oak staircase is of particular interest. The Castle's ornamental wrought iron gates and railings, which were first erected in 1745, have been temporally relocated to the royal Irish residence, Hillsborough Castle, Co. Down.

Richhill Castle is so well-known for its ghosts that the Ulster Paranormal Society meets there regularly to experience the hauntings.

The grounds are open to the public. The castle is open by appointment only.

38 . Battle of the Diamond

Armagh

The Site of the famous Battle of the Diamond, which took place in 1795. The sectarian conflict between the Catholic defenders and the Protestant Peep of Day Boys took its name from a crossroads near Loughgall.

In the aftermath of the bloody confrontation the Orange Order was formed and lodges spread throughout Ireland, Britain and British dominions. At the site of the battle are located two thatched cottages dedicated to the memory of Dan Winter, founder of the order.

Both cottages are well worth a visit with fascinating artefacts and memorabilia from the time.