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ASHBOURNE

CO. MEATH · IE

Ashbourne

The Ireland's Ancient East
STOP 07 / 07

Ashbourne · Co. Meath

Growing town that proved itself in 1916, now a Dublin commuter hub.

Ashbourne sits on the M1 corridor between Dublin and Drogheda, a commuter town that has been expanding steadily for two decades. It is not the kind of place you stumble across by accident — you come here because you live here, or because you are learning what the town did on Easter Monday 1916.

The Battle of Ashbourne was the only clear victory the Volunteers achieved that week. Thomas Ashe led sixty men from Fingal against a much larger Royal Irish Constabulary force. They held the road for five hours, captured guns and vehicles, and walked out. Eleven RIC were killed. Two volunteers died. It changed the story of the rising in north Dublin from retreat to fight.

Today Ashbourne is a functional commuter town with the pubs and restaurants you would expect of a place this size: The Snailbox has music most evenings, Gormleys and Molly's Bar hold their own. There are no tourist tricks here. It is a place that works.

Population

~15,000

Walk score

Main street walkable

01 / 07

The pubs.

None of these are themed Irish pubs, because they don't need to be. A few that earn the trip:

Gormleys Public House

Local anchor

Pub

Main street institution. Food and drink, the backbone of the village social life.

Molly's Bar (A84 Ashbourne)

Sociable, live music

Pub & bar

Located on Main Street. Sessions and live music most evenings. The other anchor.

The Snailbox Restaurant, Bar & Accommodation

Music & food

Pub, bar & restaurant

Award-winning pub grub. Traditional Irish music sessions in evenings. Rooms available.

The Stags Head

Main street

Pub

Traditional pub on Main Street with full bar and restaurant.

02 / 07

Where to eat.

Place	Type	€	Local note
Corks Wine Bar	Wine bar & restaurant	€€	Award-winning wine bar. Breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks. Quality matters here.
The Cinnamon Garden	Indian restaurant	€€	Vibrant Indian cuisine. Variety of curries and house specials.
Fifty50	Mediterranean & Italian	€€	Mediterranean themes with Italian influences. Modern dining approach.
Massimo's Restaurant	Italian	€€€	Italian recipes and local favourites. Created by Massimo D'Ambrosio.

03 / 07

Where to sleep.

Place	Type	Local note
The Snailbox (rooms)	Pub accommodation	Above the pub. Convenient if you are here for the music and do not want to drive.
Pillo Hotel Ashbourne	Hotel	Modern hotel in the town centre. Full amenities and restaurant.

04 / 07

Stories & lore.

The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.

28 April 1916

The Battle of Ashbourne

Thomas Ashe led sixty Irish Volunteers from north Dublin against a full Royal Irish Constabulary force stationed at Ashbourne. The battle lasted five and a half hours. Eleven RIC members, including County Inspector Alexander Gray, were killed. Two volunteers died. Ashe and his men captured weapons, vehicles, and the only outright victory of that Easter week. Ashe was court-martialled and sentenced to death; the sentence was commuted. He was released in a general amnesty in June 1917.

The commander

Thomas Ashe

Thomas Ashe was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and active in the Gaelic League. He was promoted to Battalion Commandant shortly before the Easter Rising. His handling of the Ashbourne engagement — decisive, brief, and bloodless for his own men — stands apart from the chaos and losses elsewhere that week. He died in prison in 1917 during a hunger strike.

05 / 07

When to go.

There is no bad time. There are different times.

Spring

Mar–May

Mild weather. Good for visiting the battle site and exploring the town without crowds.

◉ Go

Summer

Jun–Aug

Warm. Traffic through town on the way to the coast. Town is busier.

◐ Mind yourself

Autumn

Sep–Oct

Cool, clear days. The town reverts to itself. Good for a quiet walk through the centre.

◉ Go

Winter

Nov–Feb

Cold, wet, dark. If you are here for the history, come any time. If you are here for the pubs, winter is fine.

◐ Mind yourself

06 / 07

What to skip.

Honestly? Don't bother.

If a local was sitting beside you, this is the bit where they'd lean in.

Treating Ashbourne as a day-trip from Dublin

The drive time does not justify an hour of poking around. Come if the Battle of Ashbourne draws you, or if you live here. Otherwise, save the day for elsewhere.

Getting there.

By car

Dublin to Ashbourne is 20 minutes on the M1 north. Drogheda is 30 minutes further. Parking is straightforward.

By bus

Bus Éireann and GoBus routes run from Dublin. Frequent services. 45 minutes to an hour depending on the route.

By train

No train station in Ashbourne. Nearest stations are Drogheda (30 min by car) or Dublin (20 min by car).

Next on the tour

Co. Meath

Ratoath

Fifteen minutes south. Fairyhouse Racecourse nearby. Irish Grand National on Easter Monday.

Co. Louth

Drogheda

Thirty minutes north on the M1. Medieval walled town. The Boyne and the old Norman street plan.

Co. Dublin

Howth

Twenty minutes south. Cliff walk and fishing harbour on the northside of Dublin Bay.