Walking Tours
Tours are arranged on an annual basis and take place in June. The tour is a whole day event from early morning to evening. A bus is hired and a number of venues are visited lunch and coffee is also provided. A fee is charged to cover costs and members and non members are welcome. The itinerary for the tour is usually a visit well-known historical sites, including castles and museums. Local historical landmarks on route may also be included for visit and the day culminates in an early evening dinner in a well known hotel where everyone has the chance to mingle and discuss the highlights of the day as well as reminiscing on past excursions.
In 2019 ODS went to Trim for an excursion in June. The first stop was the Avoca café in Dunboyne for morning coffee and scones as well as a visit to their renowned garden centre. Arriving in Trim the tour began with a visit to the Medieval Armoury which was housed alongside a very interesting exhibition of letters between a local woman, Dot Turbridy, and Jackie Kennedy, a First Lady of the USA. The climax of the day was a tour of Trim Castle, the home of Hugh De Lacey which is reputed to be the largest Norman castle in Ireland. The day concluded with stops at Bective Abbey and the Hospital of John the Baptist before adjourning for dinner to the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan.
In 2017 two excursions were undertaken. The first was in November and included The Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle, City Hall, Christchurch Cathedral and the National Print Museum which is housed in the old Garrison at Beggars Bush Barracks. In June 2017 an excursion was undertaken to Monaghan and included Bessmount Park House, Clones Abbey as well as the site of a famous murder near Castleblaney and a stop near Smithborough and Drumsnatt to visit the graves of two sisters of Oscar Wilde.
An annual walk takes place as part of Heritage Week in September and is usually an evening event lasting a couple of hours. In 2022 the walk covered the lower end of the Ramparts River in Dundalk and members of the ODS Committee delivered presentations at a number of prominent sites on the walk which included the Redemptorist Church, the Lawn Tennis Badminton and Squash Club, the Fire Station, Mc Clintock’s House, the Athletic Grounds. Previous walks have included Joycelyn St as well as Seatown and Castle Road. Attendance is open to all.