kells

Connections - What's in a name ?

The name 'Kells' may be traced back to old Irish 'Ceanannus Mor' by means of Norman corruption to 'Kenlis', finally anglicized to 'Kells'. 'Ceanannus ' means ' The Head Fort'.

Kells itself is a small Irish market town which stands on the river Blackwater, part of the Boyne system, and is sited at the junction of five main roads. It is easily reached from Dublin by car ( follow signs to N3 & Navan). A good bus service runs to Dublin (40 miles). The city's airport is about an hour away by car and is served by all major airlines. The ferryport of Dublin and its sister port Dun Laoghaire are slightly further. Ferries are frequent to North Wales and hence the rest of the UK.

Kells boasts numerous early Christian remains. These are distributed round the town and survive from the Columban monastic settlements of the early C8. There are remains of five High Crosses. Until recently, one of these stood in the centre of the town; the other four and a Round Tower are located in the graveyard of the Church of Ireland Church. There is a facsimile copy of the Book of Kells in the nave of the church. Close by, there is a small stone-roofed church (St. Colmcille's House) also probably C8. The Kells Heritage Festival, held each year in July, celebrates the town, past and present.

On the outskirts of the town stands a large lighthouse (The Tower of Loyd) apparently built by the Taylour family in Victorian times. From the top, there are views of five counties of Ireland. The Tower is now surrounded by parkland with facilities for children to play and have picnics.

Aside from the Christian remains, Kells is a quiet town with an hotel , several places to eat in all price ranges, B & B accommodation and a variety of shops. Some businesses in the town have been generous enough to sponsor these pages.

In the surrounding area, there are other historical features. 2m from Headfort stands the large prehistoric mound of Teltown, a meeting-place for Celtic chiefs. Roughly 2 miles outside the town is The Well of St Ciaran (d. 800c), where a religious festival each summer celebrates the curative powers of the water from the well.