Dundalk (Dún Dealgane in Irish Gaelic) is a small town located 80km north of Dublin, not far from the Northern Irish border. With its colorful houses and narrow avenues, it’s a charming place to be! Not to mention its magnificent view over the bay, and the presence of an ancient dolmen dating back to 3,500 BC! And for fans, Dundalk is home to the Corrs!

And don’t miss the bay’s superb beaches. They offer splendid sea views, not to mention magnificent sunsets! The more adventurous can even try their hand at swimming!

History of Dundalk

An Anglo-Norman town

Before the 10th century, Dundalk was just a tiny “village-street” with a few houses scattered here and there, and no fortifications. In 1189, the town began to expand, following the Norman Invasions.

Numerous Normans from the nobility decided to settle here, building manor houses and prestigious homes. Notable among them were Bertram de Verdun (who launched the construction of a large manor house in CastleMount), and John de Courcey (who built his house in Seatown). These 2 great families then set about further developing the town, ordering the construction of fortifications to better encircle Dundalk and protect it from potential attackers. 1315 was a painful date in the town’s history, when Edward Bruce (brother of the King of Scotland) captured Dundalk in a bloody battle.