Dublin's Military Mile
Ireland is defined by its wars that, more often than not, were influenced by matters far from her shores. Viking and Norman invasions, Wars of religion, Wars over claims to the British monarchy, and wars of republicanism, wars of Independence, and ultimately World Wars. How did these events shape the country? How did she commemorate her dead? Who had the bigger army - Ireland or England? Why did so many Irishmen fight in Waterloo so soon after Ireland's own "French Revolution"?
Our Route will take us through:
The Royal Hospital Kilmainham and the Confederate wars and Battle of the Boyne.
Bully's acre and the story of Viking and Norman settlements.
Richmond/Watling St Tower and the advent of the railways in Ireland.
Kilmainham Gaol, place of execution of the leaders of the 1916 rising and jail of civil war anti-treaty soldiers.
The National War Memorial Gardens commemorating the Irishmen and women who perished in WWI and WWII.
The Wellington Testimonial commemorating the victor of the Napoleonic wars.
Our guides will bring together the stories of these sites and the people and great events that shaped the story of Ireland.
Approx. 2 hours / 3 km.
Start location
Our tour starts at the North door of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, outside the courtyard, and at the steps overlooking the ornamental gardens.
"Could you be a bit more specific?" Sure. First you gotta get yourself to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. If you are in the courtyard of the main hospital building (a large square courtyard) you are almost there. Look for a big green clock tower. We start at the tower BUT on the OUTSIDE of the courtyard - not the inside. There is a picture of the north door in the gallery below. And it overlooks the beautiful ornamental gardens, also in a picture below.
"So where is this 'Royal Hospital' place anyhow?": Great question, its to the west of Dublin city just under 2km from Christchurch Cathedral and close to Heuston train station. The RHK has a really excellent website with location and directions https://rhk.ie/location/
"Could you be really, really specific?": Sure, Click these GPS co-ordinates to see our start location on Google Map: 53.34344 -6.3002
(Please note: Rare Ireland Tours and the Royal Hospital are not in any way associated with each other.)
