Explore the Stories of this ‘Wild Romantic District’ in County Mayo

Explore the Stories of this ‘Wild Romantic District’ in County Mayo

The picturesque village of Turlough in Mayo is nestled along the north bank of the Castlebar River. Described by Samuel Lewis in 1837 as a “wild romantic district”, Turlough is a landscape of outstanding natural beauty and heritage, filled with opportunities for exploration and enjoyment.

Turlough’s history is a rich and varied one. The agricultural landscape that has developed around the abundance of rivers and lakes that define this part of Mayo is crammed with the story of its people and its places.

In this audio guide, we will journey back to the days of Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, who is said to have visited here. We will also discover stories of the two great lordly families of the area, the Burkes and Fitzgeralds. We will witness the impact and influence of the Turlough Park estate on the local community, and follow the development of its great house and gardens. We will explore the folklife collections in the newly constructed Museum behind the great house. We will walk the streets and fields of Turlough village, exploring the diverse community which formed its population–a community that once boasted religious houses from no less than four different faiths. Along the way we will encounter everything from legendary figures to industrial labourers and even Ireland’s most notorious duellist.

All this and more make up the story of Turlough, one of the true hidden gems of County Mayo.

Title: Turlough Audio Guide

Duration:35 mins

Summary:

This audio guide was produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of the Turlough Archaeological and Heritage Society and was supported by The Heritage Council Community Grants Scheme 2025. The guide was written by Damian Shiels and edited by Róisín Burke. It was narrated by Gerry O’Brien and produced at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan.

If you would like to hear similar audio guides from other heritage sites around Ireland, please be sure to subscribe to Discover the Stories of Ireland by Abarta Heritage on your favourite podcast platform.

This audio guide is also available on

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A Westmeath Audio Guide

A Westmeath Audio Guide

Welcome to Fore, County Westmeath. Many places in Ireland are celebrated as ‘hidden gems’, and Fore is certainly one of those. This historic village began as an Early Christian monastery and later developed into an Anglo-Norman walled town on the edge of the Pale.

Today, it is a popular place to visit for its unique, picturesque setting, natural beauty, and rich history and heritage. Its ruins include the remains of two medieval parish churches, an anchorites’ (or hermits’) cell, three holy wells, the site of a motte and bailey castle, a medieval gaol, wayside crosses and one of the most impressive Benedictine Priories in Ireland. It was also a walled town, and two medieval gatehouses that once controlled access survive to this day.

These treasures, along with its lack of modern development and relaxed character, where the most persistent noise you will hear is the gentle toll of a church bell, make Fore a place of national—and some would say European—significance. And if you meet some of the locals during your visit, you will no doubt experience their sense of pride in their medieval heritage. So, step back in time with us and discover the Wonders of Fore.

Title: Fore Audio Guide

Duration:64 mins

Summary:

This audio guide is an Abarta Heritage production.  Produced on behalf of Westmeath County Council, this guide was funded by the Irish Walled Towns Network, an initiative of The Heritage Council. It was produced in consultation with the Fore Community. The script was written by Bryn Coldrick and performed by Gerry O’Brien. This audiobook was recorded at Bluebird Studios by sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke.

Special thanks are due to Westmeath County Council’s Heritage Officer, Melanie McQuade, Tourism Officer, Una Doris and the local people of Fore.

If you would like to hear similar audio guides from other heritage sites around Ireland, please be sure to subscribe to Discover the Stories of Ireland by Abarta Heritage on your favourite podcast platform.

This audio guide is also available on

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A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

Welcome to Streamstown Train Station on the Old Rail Trail. For just over a century this train line was used by locomotives carrying goods, animals and people. This station has a rather intriguing history connected to a Grand National-winning racehorse, the 1916 Rising, Ireland’s War of Independence, and the Civil War.

For thousands of people, decades ago, this station provided them with access to the towns and cities of Ireland and further afield as this was their only form of transportation, their only way of visiting family or bringing their animals to markets across the country. The trains were also the only efficient way of transporting goods such as post, building materials, and even a Grand National-winning racehorse!

Streamstown Station is also linked to some of Ireland’s defining moments. It has a connection not just to the 1916 Easter Rising but also to the War of Independence and the Civil War. In the not-so-distant past, bullets ricocheted off walls here, grenades were launched, and bombs were planted here. Continue listening to discover more about the station’s dynamic history and to hear local voices recalling their stories and memories of the area.

Title: Streamstown Station – Tales from the Track

Duration: 67 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide is an Abarta Heritage Produced on behalf of Westmeath County Council, National Roads Office. It was recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke. The script was written by Tara Ó’Faoláin and was edited by Róisín Burke and the narration was by Gerry O’Brien.

A special thank you to Elva Roe, Public Liaison Officer, National Roads Office, Melanie McQuade, Heritage Officer and Una Doris, Tourism Officer. We would also like to thank locals; Annette Stokes Scally, Dick Stokes, Eamonn Casey and Pat and Sabina Moran for all the fantastic stories and memories they shared. We would also like to thank historian Ruth Illingworth and artist Ciara Maxwell for their valued contributions to the guide.

The Streamstown Station Audio Guide is one of four audio guides and books that have been produced for sites along the Old Rail Trail Cycle Way in Co. Westmeath. Other guides and books that are part of this series are: Crosswood Bog Audio Book, Kilcumreragh Audio Guide and Unsilent Stones Audio Book. These can all be accessed for free on our website and podcast channels.

This audio guide is also available on

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A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

Welcome to Crossword Bog, one of Ireland’s few remaining Active Raised Bogs. This guide will take you on a journey through millennia, introducing sights and sounds from the bog.

The raised bog habitat at Crosswood, (a habitat which is becoming increasingly rare in Ireland) is home to many creatures, including mottled curlews and meadow pipits. It is also a haven for water loving plants, such as spongy sphagnum moss. Known as the ‘bog builder’, this plant has intriguing properties and was used for millennia.

Bogs have existed in Ireland for thousands of years and take hundreds of years to grow. However in the last few centuries, industrial peat harvesting has caused their dramatic decline. Now Crosswood Bog, is actively undergoing rewetting and restoration efforts as part of broader environmental conservation project.

Our guide will explore the long history of the bogs from their formation thousands of years ago to their ever-changing use and the fascinating archaeology preserved within them. We will also explore the bog’s rich biodiversity, and the importance of the living landscape of active raised bog habitat here at Crosswood.

Title: Crosswood Bog – Tales from the Turf

Duration: 42 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide is an Abarta Heritage Produced on behalf of Westmeath County Council, National Roads Office. It was recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke. The script was written by Tara Ó’Faoláin and was edited by Róisín Burke and the narration was by Sharon Mannion.

A special thank you to Westmeath County Council’s Heritage Officer, Melanie McQuade, Biodiversity Officer, Christina Sweeney, Tourism Officer Una Doris and National Roads Office Public Liaison Officer Elva Roe for their assistance throughout the research and production of this guide.

We hope you have enjoyed listening to the story of Crosswood Bog. This is one of four audio guides and books that have been produced for sites along the Old Rail Trail Cycle Way in Co. Westmeath. Other guides and books that are part of this series are: Streamstown Station Audio Guide, Kilcumreragh Audio Guide and Unsilent Stones Audio Book. These can all be accessed for free on our website and podcast channels.

All images used on this page are courtesy of Westmeath County Council.

This audio guide is also available on

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A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

A Westmeath Old Rail Trail Audio Guide

Welcome to Stories from a Sacred Landscape: Kilcrumreragh Monastic Site, part of our series of Old Rail Audio Guides produced with Westmeath County Council. Kilcrumreragh Monastic Site, better known locally as Kill, is a truly ancient holy site with a long and fascinating history.

It is located beside a bubbling stream, 1½ km south of Rosemount in County Westmeath, close to the Old Rail Trail, which is the greenway linking Athlone and Mullingar. Today it is a quiet church ruin, surrounded by a peaceful graveyard.

In this audio guide, you will journey through time, as we hear stories that stretch back millennia. You will explore the archaeology of the prehistoric remains both here at Kill and on the nearby hill of ‘Knockastia’ where a Bronze Age cemetery was excavated by Harvard University in the 1930s. You will discover the stories of Kill Monastic Site and its connection to the great monastic city of Clonmacnoise. And you will meet some of the characters now resting here in the graveyard.

We hope you enjoy your journey of discovery here at Kilcrumreragh. The community of Rosemount bids you Cead Míle Fáilte!

Title: Stories from a Sacred Landscape Kilcrumreragh Monastic Site

Duration: 44 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide is an Abarta Heritage Produced on behalf of Westmeath County Council, National Roads Office. It was recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke. The script was written by Bryn Coldrick and performed by Sharon Mannion with Gerry O’Brien and Bryn Coldrick. Special thanks to Rosemount National School, principal Karena Kavanagh and the children who performed the folklore stories; James Henson, Kate Mowlin, Adam Kerrigan and Ella Geoghan.

Thanks are also due to Westmeath County Council’s Heritage Officer, Melanie McQuade, and Tourism Officer Una Doris and National Roads Office Public Liaison Officer Elva Roe, as well as to local historian Fr Jimmy Murray whose book Kilcrumreragh: Rosemount Churches Past & Present provided much of the source material. We’d also like to thank Jimmy Keane for his assistance and the Rosemount Community who recorded the headstone transcriptions in the graveyard and continue to look after this special place.

We hope you have enjoyed listening to the story of Kill Monastic Site and its people. If you would like to learn more about this place and the local area, just search “Rosemount History and Heritage” on YouTube for a wonderful video presented by Fr Murray himself. Or find a direct link here.

This is one of four audio guides and books that have been produced for sites along the Old Rail Trail Cycle Way in County Westmeath. Other guides and books that are part of this series are: Crosswood Bog Audio Book, Streamstown Station Audio Guide and The Unsilent Stones Audio Book. These can all be accessed for free on our website and podcast channels.

This audio guide is also available on

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Centuries of Stories at the Heart of Finglas

Centuries of Stories at the Heart of Finglas!

Old St Canice’s Church and Graveyard is a leafy, tranquil space at the historic heart of Finglas village, locally referred to as the abbey. Established as a monastery in the 6th century by St Canice, who is perhaps better known as the founder of Kilkenny, the site today consists of a ruined stone church and High Cross set in a graveyard sheltered from the outside world by trees.

This audio book will introduce you to the early origins of St. Canices, the high cross known as the Nethercross, and the significant architecture of the medieval ruins. You will also hear about the many memorials in the graveyard, the building of the new church in the nineteenth century, and the natural history of the site and its conservation.

If you would like to explore the site virtually, click here to take a look at our Story Map here which features images, short videos and information about the development of the site.

Title: Old St Canices Church & Graveyard

Duration: 30 mins.

Summary:

This audio book is an Abarta Heritage production on behalf of Dublin City Council. It is part of a wider interpretation project, including a podcast series about the site and a Story Map. Dublin City Council supported this project, which was funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage Community Monuments Fund 2024. Sharon Mannion narrated the guide, which was recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan.

If you would like to hear similar audio guides from other heritage sites around Ireland, please be sure to subscribe to Discover the Stories of Ireland by Abarta Heritage on your favourite podcast platform.

This audio guide is also available on

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Travel through time with our Tinryland Audio Guide!

Travel through time with our Tinryland Audio Guide!

Within a short drive south of Carlow town are the rich agricultural lands of Tinryland. The village and its surrounding townlands have an abundant history that spans from the Mesolithic period to the modern age. In this audio guide, you can take a journey through time to uncover their stories. We will hear about the accidental discovery of Ireland’s first Linkardstown burial and of brave men who fought in the 1798 Rebellion, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Battle of Little Bighorn.

The area also has a strong ecclesiastical connection. The great monastic settlement of Ráith Melsigi once stood here, and it was from this monastery that the great St Willibrord travelled to Europe and spread the Christian faith to Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

In this audio guide, you’ll also discover where Walt Disney’s ancestors are buried, Tinryland’s interesting connection to Ireland’s electrification, and the Ballybar Races, once considered the Cheltenham of Ireland.

Title: Tinryland Audio Guide

Duration: 39 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide is an Abarta Heritage production on behalf of the Tinryland Heritage Group. The project was supported by the Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2024. Gerry O’Brien narrated the guide, which was recorded in Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Tara O’Faoláin.

If you would like to hear similar audio guides from other heritage sites around Ireland, please be sure to subscribe to Discover the Stories of Ireland by Abarta Heritage on your favourite podcast platform.

This audio guide is also available on

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Hear of the remarkable archaeological discoveries made on the N25 New Ross Bypass

Hear of the remarkable archaeological discoveries made on the N25 New Ross Bypass

Many significant sites were discovered during archaeological investigations along the N25 New Ross Bypass. The new road commences near Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny. The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge, Ireland’s longest bridge, crosses the River Barrow and its reclaimed estuarine wetlands between Pink Rock and Stokestown, south of New Ross. East of the river it runs between a series of low hills – the prominent landmark of Slievecoiltia – a vantage point to which we will return over the course of this audiobook – and the medieval town of New Ross. At its northern end it passes east of Lacken Hill, crossing a ridge to its north before joining the N30 New Ross to Enniscorthy road.

Along the bypass route, archaeologists working on behalf of Wexford County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, uncovered more than 30 previously unknown archaeological sites, encountering evidence ranging from the Mesolithic hunter gatherers who were the first to people the landscape of the to the landlords and labourers of the 19th century whose capital and toil created the well-ordered agricultural landscapes that led to Wexford being known as the ‘Model County’.

This audiobook tells the stories of some of those sites, revealing the travellers, farmers and traders that passed through. Some stayed longer than others but all left their mark and played a role in shaping this landscape through which the unstoppable River Barrow flows. The Barrow is one of three rivers – along with the Nore and the Suir – collectively known as the Three Sisters, which drain much of south Leinster and east Munster and flow into the Celtic Sea through Waterford Harbour.

Archaeologists examine a pit with Bronze Age pottery

Osteoarchaeologist carefully excavates a pit with cremated remains

An early Neolithic house during excavation

Surveying the Stokestown Folly

An archaeological landscape

PLACES FOR THE LIVING, PLACES FOR THE DEAD AUDIOBOOK

PLACES FOR THE LIVING, PLACES FOR THE DEAD AUDIOBOOK

Title: Places for the Living, Places for the Dead Audiobook

Duration: 53 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide was written and produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. We hope you have enjoyed this audio book which tells some of the stories woven together from the various strands of evidence uncovered in this road project. The archaeological investigations on the N25 New Ross Bypass were commissioned by Wexford County Council and New Ross JV on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. They were carried out by Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd (formerly Headland Archaeology Ireland Ltd) and Irish Archaeological Consultancy (IAC), together with a large number of specialists. The full story of the archaeological investigation of the bypass is set out in the book ‘Places for the living, places for the dead: Archaeological discoveries on the N25 New Ross Bypass’.

This audiobook was written by Sharon Greene, edited by Neil Jackman & James Eogan, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and was narrated by Gerry O’Brien. It was recorded at Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Róisín Burke. You can find more archaeological audiobooks and audio guides on your favourite podcast platform, simply search for Abarta Heritage to Discover the Stories of Ireland.

This audiobook is also available on

Free to download and stream

The Unsilent Stones

Audiobook

Free to download and stream

Meitheal – Early Medieval Ireland

Audiobook

Free to download and stream

In the Vale of Tralee

Audiobook

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Discover stories that span millennia in East Mayo

Discover stories that span millennia in East Mayo

The quiet village of Kilmovee on the borderlands of Mayo and Roscommon is surrounded by a peaceful landscape full of stone walls and hedgerows. It is a scene that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. However, in these fields and along the quiet boreens, you can find many echoes of the past. Clues that this was a place of significance over centuries and where you might find a story around every corner. This audio guide will introduce you to some of these tales.

Discover these tales that span millennia on our Kilmovee Heritage Trail Audio Guide. Together we’ll encounter centuries of stories – from a Neolithic court tomb to famous saints, a medieval cashel and intriguing legends. Throughout the guide, you will also hear from local residents who share the heritage, folklore and traditional Irish music that the village is known for.

If you’d like to experience the Kilmovee Heritage Trail as an interactive map try our companion StoryMap here.

 AUDIO GUIDE

AUDIO GUIDE

Title: Kilmovee Heritage Trail Audio Guide

Duration: 45 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide was written by Tara Clarke and edited by Róisín Burke, Abarta Heritage, Deirdre Cunningham, Heritage Officer and Gerry Walsh, Archaeologist, Mayo County Council. The narration was by Gerry O’Brien, and the guide was produced in Bluebird Studios with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and Tara Clarke of Abarta Heritage. The project was completed on behalf of Mayo County Council and Kilmovee Community Housing CLG with support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Community Monuments Fund 2023.

Thanks to Deirdre Cunningham, Mayo County Council Heritage Officer, Gerry Walsh, Mayo County Council Archaeologist and the Kilmovee community – in particular Lorraine Campbell, Siobhan Butler and Sheila Hunt and our local storytellers, John Joe Cassidy, Martin Feeney, Dominic Keogh, Margaret Lynchachuan, John Matt Duffy and Beanna Smith for their warm welcome and support, and for their time and tales. We are also deeply grateful to all the landowners, Martin Feeney, Johnny Duffy, Michael Costello and Eugene and Sheila Regan, who have allowed access to the heritage sites along the trail. This project would not be possible without their generosity. We are also very grateful to the late Deirdre King for all her work on this project. The development of the Kilmovee Heritage Trail was funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Mayo County Council under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Unless otherwise stated, all images are the copyright of Neil Jackman, Abarta Heritage, and are not permitted to be republished elsewhere without permission.

This audiobook is also available on

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Discover the story of Ireland’s most adventurous saint

Discover the story of Ireland’s most adventurous saint

Experience the sights and sounds of St Brendan’s early years in Fenit, West Kerry for yourself, by following the 26km route of the Slí Bhreanainn or St Brendan’s Way. This heritage trail runs along the north of Tralee Bay; a wild coast that shaped the life of a young man who would become one of the most influential figures in the early Irish church. A figure that has inspired pilgrims and adventurers alike and whose reputation has travelled across the world.

Slí Bhreanainn or St Brendan’s Way begins in the coastal village of Fenit, County Kerry. This village is a short journey from Tralee, Kerry’s capital, and is easily accessible from the Green Way that connects Tralee and Fenit.

If you’d like to experience the St Brendan’s Way Heritage Trail as an interactive map, try our companion StoryMap for a visual voyage through the area. You can find that here.

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 AUDIO GUIDE

AUDIO GUIDE

Title: St Brendan’s Way Audio Guide

Duration: 44 mins.

Summary:

This audio guide was written by the chairperson of the Saint Brendan Committee with Abarta Heritage. It was recorded at Bluebird Studios in Castlewarden, Kildare, with storyteller Níall de Búrca, sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Tara Clarke. The guide was based on the research and books by Father Gearoid O’Donnchadha, St Brendan’s greatest champion. Thanks to the Saint Brendan Committee and in particular Claudia Köhler for all their guidance, help and support throughout the project.

Stained glass window image courtesy of Rob Vance. Ardfert Cathedral Image courtesy of Fáilte Ireland content pool and Grainne Toomey. Image of Navigator Mural in Fenit courtesy of Fáilte Ireland. All other images courtesy of Neil Jackman, Abarta Heritage.

The project was supported by the Heritage Council through the Community Heritage Grants Scheme 2023. If you would like to hear similar audio guides from other heritage sites around Ireland, please be sure to subscribe to Discover the Stories of Ireland by Abarta Heritage on your favourite podcast platform.

This audio guide is also available on

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