Magdalene Tower

Counties Meath, Louth, Cavan & Monaghan


The 14th-century Magdalene Tower is the bell tower of a Dominican friary founded in 1224. It was here that England's King Richard II, accompanied by a great army, accepted the submission of the Gaelic chiefs with suitable ceremony in 1395. Peace lasted only a few months, however, and Richard's return to Ireland led to his overthrow in 1399.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Counties Meath, Louth, Cavan & Monaghan attractions

1. St Peter's Church of Ireland

0.11 MILES

St Peter's Church of Ireland (not to be confused with St Peter's Roman Catholic Church) is the church whose spire was burned by Cromwell's men, resulting…

2. Highlanes Gallery

0.22 MILES

Set in a beautifully converted 19th-century monastery, this gallery has a permanent collection of contemporary art, along with regular temporary…

3. St Peter's Roman Catholic Church

0.22 MILES

Displayed in a glittering brass-and-glass case in the north transept, the shrivelled head of St Oliver Plunkett (1629–81) is this church's main draw (the…

4. St Laurence's Gate

0.23 MILES

Astride the eastwards extension of the town's main street is the 13th-century St Laurence's Gate, the finest surviving portion of the city walls (which…

5. Butter Gate

0.41 MILES

The 13th-century Butter Gate, just northwest of Millmount, has a distinctive tower and an arched passageway.

6. Millmount Museum & Tower

0.46 MILES

Overlooking Drogheda, Millmount is an artificial hill that may have been a prehistoric burial ground like Newgrange, but has never been excavated. The…

7. Battle of the Boyne Site

2.99 MILES

More than 60,000 soldiers of the armies of King James II and King William III fought in 1690 on this patch of farmland on the border of Counties Meath and…

8. Dowth

4.2 MILES

The circular mound at Dowth is similar in size to Newgrange – about 63m in diameter – but is slightly taller at 14m high. Due to safety issues, Dowth's…