Drogheda the capital town of County Louth is one of Ireland's oldest and most historical towns. Chartered in 1194 AD by the Norman King John, the history of the town land extends back into the folklore pre arrival of the Celts in Ireland.

Known as the "Gateway to the Boyne Valley".  Drogheda is associated with an extraordinary number of significant events in the history of Ireland - The Battle of the Boyne, St Oliver Plunkett, Poynings Law, Cromwell's Siege and the surrender of the Irish Chieftains to the English King.

1. Oliver Cromwell did most of his killing in Drogheda on September 11th 1649, so the term 9-11 had significance to Drogheda for many years before its current association.
2. Famous people born in Drogheda include actor Pierce Brosnan, footballers Steve Staunton, Gary Kelly and Ian Harte, former Ryder Cup golfer Des Smyth, Eamonn Campbell of internationally famous folk group the Dubliners and Comedienne Deirdre O’Kane
3. Three times Eurovision singer Johnny Logan lived and went to school in Drogheda and played Gaelic football for Louth at minor level.
4. John Philip Holland the inventor of the submarine taught at Drogheda Christian Brothers School before moving to New Jersey.
5. Ben Dunne , founder of the Dunne's Stores retail chain , served his time as an apprentice in Anderson’s of West Street now one of Dunne's Store’s branches .
6. Pope John Paul II visited Drogheda in 1979 when he addressed over a quarter of a million at Killineer, just north of the town
7. The famous Tara Brooch, now in the National Museum, was found on the beach in Bettystown, 5 miles east of the town.
8. Evanna Lynch who played Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter film “ The Order of the Phoenix “ is from Termonfeckin near Drogheda
9. Many of the top acts of the sixties played in the Abbey Ballroom including The Kinks , The Searchers , The Seekers, The Troggs , Roy Orbison , The Everly Brothers , Sandy Shaw , Marianne Faithful and Adam Faith
10. Laytown Races is the only official race meeting run on a beach.
11. Irish & British Lions rugby player Shane Horgan is from Bellewstown near Drogheda and played his early rugby with Boyne Rugby Club.
12. Drogheda man Edward Townley Hardman, is credited with starting the Kimberley Gold rush in Australia in 1886.
13. Defeated US Presidential candidate John McCain was a great great great great great grandson of Dixie Coddington who took over the lands at Oldbridge and built Oldbridge House, now the visitor centre for the Battle of the Boyne

For more information see WWW.DROGHEDA.IE

Located 20 minutes drive from CityNorth Hotel