Discover Tallanstown

Tallanstown is set in a picturesque location on the River Glyde. The town combines this landscape with distinctive historic buildings and the Vere Foster Slí na Sláinte route. When planning your trip, you may therefore be particularly interested in the town’s history, the stops along the route, or both. The route begins in the town centre at the statue of Vere Foster and provides a specific starting point for exploring Tallanstown.

Buildings and local history

The Catholic Church of St Peter in Tallanstown is a protected structure dating from around 1780. Tallanstown National School is also listed as a protected structure, dating from 1840. The original school building was erected in 1840, closed as a school in 1966 and is now used as a community centre. Tallanstown thus brings together different chapters of local history: a church from the late 18th century and a school building whose use has changed over time.

Another historic site is Tallanstown Old Graveyard. Its Gothic Revival gateway dates from 1868; the Catholic and Protestant graves date back to the 17th century. The graveyard is a stop on the Vere Foster Slí na Sláinte route, where you can read about its history and those buried there. The Lord Louth burial monument is directly opposite. The gateway, graves and monument offer several historical points of reference without requiring you to lose sight of the route.

The Vere Foster Route and its stops

A statue in Tallanstown commemorates Vere Foster, founder and first president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation. The Vere Foster Slí na Sláinte route begins at this statue in the town centre. The route passes Tallanstown Old Graveyard; Louth Hall Castle can also be seen from the route. If you are interested in local history, you can appreciate these stops and the view of the castle as different aspects of the walk. No visiting times or distances are specified here for the route; its known starting point and named stops provide clear thematic guidance.

The motte in the park is an archaeological feature of Tallanstown. Nearby is Glyde Court, the family seat of Vere Foster: the ruin is about two miles from Tallanstown. This makes it possible to consider the statue in town and the historic family seat as two distinct points of reference connected with Vere Foster. The approximate distance helps you take Glyde Court into account as a destination outside Tallanstown.

Getting there and choosing a base

Tallanstown lies on the regional road R171. To the south, it connects the town with Ardee, and to the north, with Dundalk. Tallanstown is also on the public bus route between Dundalk and Ardee; the Local Link runs to Dundalk weekly. If you would like to factor public transport into your choice of holiday rental, these two details are useful guides for your planning. The connections described differ in their stated coverage: the bus route runs between Dundalk and Ardee, while the Local Link runs to Dundalk weekly.

A holiday rental in Tallanstown is worth considering if you want to focus your trip on the town itself, its buildings, graveyard and the route’s starting point. If you also want to include Glyde Court, bear in mind that it is located about two miles from the town. Your choice will therefore depend chiefly on whether you want to focus your stay on Tallanstown’s local history and route, or include a destination in the surrounding area as well.

More town pages: Bettystown, Drogheda, Ardee, Lower Jenkinstown, Collon, Dundalk, Stabannan and Termonfeckin.

For the broader travel overview: County Louth.