Queen Medb Conference

  I don't know why this place is not more famous, this is where the legendary Queen Maeve had her royal seat and where the saga of the Tain Bó Cuailnge... read more (The Cattle raid of Cooley) started and finished. The area is dotted with over 240 archeological sites, if I remember correctly - medieval ringforts, Iron and Bronze Age Burial mounds, etc It is an amazing place to visit and the centre has a very good display of artefacts. The tour was very interesting if a little pricey (€14). Daniel, our guide was very good and he told us a lot about the mythology of the place. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see many of the ring forts etc. There was one curious thing and that was Oweynagat (pic below) - it was reputed to be an entrance into the Otherworld. It starts with a manmade structure but it ends up in a long limestone cave. More

  A site not yet overcrowded, full of history and legends. would recommend it to everybody who is interested in all the legends about the queen of connaught. we did the... read more 2pm tour with Mike and it was just captivating. You will learn about the different legends and how it all ads up. We visited the cave..."the door to hell"? .... you definitely need proper shoes and cloth that can get dirty.... you literally slide on your behind into it. Well worth a visit and a tour. didn't get a chance to fully explore the little exhibition but we will be back to do so.

  The most interesting and very entertaining tour of beautiful fields rocks and ruins . Mike the tour guide was so entertaining knowledgeable and passionate about the area. Would highly recommend... read more the tour. Only downside was coffee shop was closed by the time the tours ends . They could make some more customers if kept open.

  The trip was absolutely fantastic. I cannot applaud Mike (tour guide) enough for his energy and information. His presentation was poetic, informative, factbased and also referenced An Táin as well... read more as other historical pieces of literature. The trip to the “other world” was especially impressive. I nearly want to keep the secret of this fantastic tour to myself and my 5 friends who undertook it as to preserve the wonder and rawness of the site but the staff have worked too hard on this wonderful heritage site not to get the accolade it really deserves. Thank you Mike and all at Tulsk for making this a very special tour! Let’s just hope the Morigan doesn’t punish me for giving the secret that is best tour in Ireland away! More

  We stayed at Anne's B & B in Tulsk after visiting the Irish National Famine Museum in Strokestown. Anne directed us to the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre and suggested we... read more be sure to take a guided tour of the site. We are very glad we did! Rathcroghan is a landscape full of mythology, archaeology, and cultural history spanning 5,500 years. Our tour was led by archaeologist Daniel Curley who provided a great overview of Rathcroghan. His knowledge of and enthusiasm for this important historical site were not even dampened by the cool drizzle that was falling at the time. We were mesmerized! Strongly encourage others to get off the beaten path and add this site to their Ireland itinerary. More

  The Rathcroghan Visitor Centre has a wonderful exhibition. It was very helpful and informative for the research I'm doing. They have a case with artifacts from the National Museum of... read more Ireland, and two videos, one which covers the archaeological history of Rathcroghan and another which delves into the mythology of the area. I loved the wall with Louis le Brocquy's art that's featured in Thomas Kinsella's edition of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. The gift shop is great too.

Though the exhibition was wonderful, the tour is the best way to not only learn about the history, archaeology, and mythology, but also to experience it. Our tour guide was Mike, who was very nice and incredibly knowledgeable. He's a great storyteller; I've read the Táin, but hearing Mike explain it is unique and special and reminded me of the oral tradition that passed down these stories. My favorite was the cave Oweynagat; if you have the opportunity to go in, do it! It's an incredible experience, and coming out of the cave truly does feel like being reborn.

If you're staying near Rathcroghan or just passing through, make this site and tour a priority! More

  Guide Mike was an unending source of knowledge and realism. Made history not just interesting but really fascinating. Did the tour, at the end of which a man from RTE... read more turned up, as they do. Quite surreal!

  The visitor center has awesome displays and local information, as well as a cute gift shop and a restaurant. Our guided tour was led by Daniel and I'm convinced there's... read more nothing about Irish history he doesn't know. Engaging stories are interwoven with historical facts and views. Rathcroghan is impressive and the history around it rich.

  I visited both the visitor center and the royal site and neither disappointed. Daniel, our guide and the manager of the visitor center, was incredibly knowledgeable and a very engaging... read more and funny story teller. The exhibitions in the visitors center are well-explained and very accessible to visitors of all ages. I dare you not to learn something on your visit! The site itself is beautiful, and gave me a new appreciation for how deeply Irish culture is integrated into the land. Great stop to make if you’re in the middle country.

  The tour at Rathcroghan was an excellent experience! We didn’t know very much about Ireland’s past and the guide helped us understand much more about the how we know (or... read more think we know) about the way of life in the time before and just after the introduction of Christianity to Ireland. Even if you’re not that interested in history, the guide, Daniel, is so passionate and knowledgeable that you’ll want to know more after the 2 hour tour!