Skyrne

It was a dark and dreary December day when we first visited Skyrne, or Skreen as it is sometimes called. Rain was threatening but never really going to appear. It was cold and damp but nothing that a good walk wouldn’t fix. I had seen Skyrne many times, usually from the Hill of Tara across the valley, but this was my first time walking here, despite the fact that it is only 15km from home as the crow flies.

Skyrne takes its name from the fact that the church on the hill used to hold the relics of St Columcille, one of the three top-dog saints of Ireland. Before that, it was called Achall. The relics are long gone but the townland kept the name Skreen, which means shrine. Maybe it was the recognition of their sacrifice, this little village has had at least one player on every Meath team that won the All-Ireland final.

From the ruined church on the hill, I see the Hill of Tara across the valley.

view from hill of skyrne west to hill of tara

To the North, I can make out the hills above Carlingford.

view from hill of skyrne

A few feet away is the famous J’ O’Connell pub that features in the greatest Christmas ad ever set in Ireland. It is closed due to the virus, but it would normally be closed at this time of the day. They don’t open until 4 pm and they have no TV or wifi, just a country store style pub with outdoor toilets.

O'Connells pub Skyrne

Around the corner is another pub, Foxs. You would need somewhere to drink when you get fed up looking at the one crowd.

Foxs Pub Skyrne

We head East and walk downhill passing a house with two monstrously massive lions guarding their front door. Next door is a small house with chickens running around in the garden and a statue of Buddha outside the door. We come to a junction and cross the boundary into Proudstown.

ah stop sign

The only thing I know about Proudstown is the leprechaun story from the School Folklore Commission. A farmer managed to catch the leprechaun. He forces him to reveal the location of his pot of gold. The leprechaun warns the farmer that he must take the gold straight away but the farmer is afraid of his neighbours knowing his business. He comes back that night instead and of course, the gold is long gone.

Proudstown road skyrne

We pass a big 4G mobile phone mast that looks like it could contact aliens. The road is straight and the sides are mucky from where cars have to squeeze by each other. The fields either side have winter crops sprouting already through large puddles in this unseasonably warm winter.

The darkness hangs in the air. One side of the road has been freshly cropped while the other has been let grow. In the ditch are the ever-present discarded blue disposable masks that litter the countryside. We take the next left turn and follow a grass strip down the middle.

Proudstown road Skyrne

The road starts curving. On either side is prime Meath land. The grass just grows here for the fun of it. We pass a cute cottage and walk uphill to the next junction. To our right is Danestown but we are turning left to Cesackstown. A second horsebox passes us so we figure there must be a hunt on. Sure enough, a patrol of range rovers drives by with their drivers wearing silken shirts and flappy collars, like something out of Georgian England.

At the next bend in the road we are met by the cutest fairy house we have seen yet on our travels.

fairy house skyrne

The road swings North down into Walterstown. Ahead is a nice looking tree, its branches bare apart from a slight green tinge which the cold has not touched yet. A bunch of noisy crows are making a racket ahead in a roost. We hear a familiar “skree” sound and then a buzzard lopes off across the fields. Its large wings flap lazily in contrast to the crows that wheel and dive in erratic circles. We pass the Church in Walterstown over a cute little bridge. The bridge has some nice birdhouses hanging above it.

birdhouse walterstown

We turn left here and head south again on road known as the Green. We put the head down and pick up the pace.

green road skyrne

Delphine has business in a house nearby. I leave her there and turn right heading west towards Lismullin on a smaller loop. We will meet again on Skyrne hill. The road rises slightly, giving me a view North. I turn left at the next junction. The land around here is mostly belonging to the Skyrne Gallops, a 9-shaped course where you can bring your horse for a run. It has one of the best signs I have seen in a while, full of attitude and frustration.

gate sign

The road curls back up towards the church where Delphine is waiting for me.

hill of skyrne church

Google Maps: 53.585979, -6.562713

Distance: 8.8 km

Time: Two hours thirty minutes

Type of walk: Quiet country roads

Views: Farmlands

Animals: Horses, sheep, birds.

Humans: Three fellow walkers.

Traffic: Five or six cars on the main road, four on the small roads

Plant of the day: Ivy – In ancient Rome, wearing a wreath of ivy was thought to stop you getting drunk. Bacchus, the Roman God of wine, always wore a wreath of ivy and he was always insanely drunk. I’m not really sure how people made this connection.

ivy

Negative: The Green is a long straight road and is probably busier than the day we walked it.

Memorable: On the Green road, we meet a lady who we have already encountered. The only way she could have met us again was is if she was a champion speed walker or she had access through a private estate. She wasn’t walking that fast so I guess she has local knowledge.

Score: 5/10

This route did have some beautiful views from the top of the hill, but the roads were a bit straight for my liking. Still, it was a good one for oiling the machine. If you know anything further about the place, please let me know in the comments.

2 Replies to “Skyrne”

  1. Such a lovely post. Nice to read about new places in Ireland. Also love the story about the leprechaun, as I feel nowadays the old Irish myths are being lost in time. Great pictures

    1. Thanks Sarah, yes it is a bit different to explore places like this that are not on the usual tourist trails. The old School Folklore Commission is a great resource for all these areas.

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