Top 5 historic locations in Ireland

The GPO, DublinCork had fatal consequences on that August evening
The GPO (General Post Office) was theas he was fatally wounded in an ambush.
headquarters of the 1916 Easter Rebellion when IrishBeal na mBlath is situated between the small village
rebels, led by Padraig Pearse, of the Irish Republicanof Crookstown and the village of Cappeen on the
Brotherhood (IRB) proclaimed Ireland a Republic byR585 on the main Cork - Killarney Road (N22) about
issuing the Proclamation of the Irish Republic signed70km west of Cork city. The nearest large towns
by seven members of the army council; Thomas J.are Macroom and Clonakilty in which a statue of "The
Clarke, Sean Mac Diermada, Thomas McDonagh, P.H.Big Fella" as he was known was erected. The site of
Pearse, Eamon Ceant, James Connolly and Josephthe ambush has a large memorial in place and
Plunkett  and declaring war on the occupying Britishvolunteer guides will provide the interested visitor
Forces from that moment onward.with detailed information of the event.
A short bloody battle took place in different locationsMichael Collins, the film was released in October 1996,
throughout Dublin mainly. The British forces attackeddirected by Neil Jordan and starring Liam Neeson as
the GPO and Pearse and his followers surrendered.Collins, along with Julia Roberts, Aidan Quinn and a
They were all executed by the British and, althoughhost of notable Irish actors. It caused controversy
the Easter Rising was generally deemed a failure byand divided critics in its portrayal of the events of
commentators at the time, it ultimately led tothe time and of Collins himself. Jordan claimed that he
formation of a Free State Government some fiveset out to make a movie based as closely as possible
years later and the Republic of Ireland that we knowon true events but primarily as a means of
and live in today.entertainment.
Today, the GPO is still a fully functional post office, in 
the centre of O’Connell Street, the mainThe Battle of the Boyne, Oldbridge, Drogheda,
thoroughfare of Dublin City. It stands close to theCounty Louth
Dublin Spire and an original copy of the ProclamationThe Battle of the Boyne, in 1690, was the end game
can be viewed there.in a war between the Catholic King James and
 Protestant King William of Orange, who had deposed
Dublin CastleJames in 1688. The battle, won by William, was a
Dublin Castle is one of the most visited historicturning point in their feud and ultimately helped ensure
attractions in Ireland and its importance in Irish historythe continuation of Protestant supremacy in Ireland
cannot be understated. It is forever associated withwith ramifications right up to this day.
the various repressive English occupiers of IrelandThe battle took place on July 1st 1690, just outside
over the space of nearly 800 years.the town of Drogheda at Oldbridge. The armies
The castle was built by King John in 1204, replacing astood on opposing sides of the River Boyne. William's
wooden structure that was deemed to insecure forforces easily defeated those of James who led an
English occupation. It was almost totally destroyed byarmy of mostly raw recruits. The symbolic
the great fire of 1684 in which a lot of central Dublinimportance of this battle has made it one of the
building were wiped out. The castle was graduallybest-known battles in British and Irish history. It is a
rebuilt and became the headquarters of the muchkey part in Ulster Protestant Folklore and is still
hated British administration in Ireland until the 1916commemorated today, principally by the Orange
Rising that saw the castle attacked and gradually loseOrder Institution on the 12th of July, the day that
its status during the follow-on War of Independence.James forces surrendered.
The last of the British occupiers left in 1921 and Dublin1.     
Castle became a centre for records and 
administration for the new  Free State governmentVinegar Hill, Enniscorthy, County Wexford
of Ireland.The Irish Rebellion of 1798 against British occupation
Today the castle is use to house the Irish Revenueof Ireland had many significant battles in different
Commissioners and other state bodies. It is also usedparts of the country but the Battle of Vinegar Hill
for ceremonial occasions such as entertaining visitingwas an on the 21st June 1798 was especially
heads of state. Located just off Dame Street, manyimportant. 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack
rooms in Dublin Castle are open for public viewing andon Vinegar Hill outside the town of Enniscorthy in
guided tours take place daily.County Wexford, the largest camp and headquarters
 of the Wexford United Irish Rebels. It marked a
Beal na mBlath, Clonakilty County Corkturning point in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, as it was
Beal na mBalth is one of the most famous locations ineffectively the last stand in a nationwide campaign
Irish history. It was here in August 1922 that Michaelby the rebels to hold and defend ground against the
Collins, one of the most charismatic leaders in theBritish military. The battle was actually fought in two
history of Ireland and Commander in Chief of thelocations: on Vinegar Hill itself and in the streets of
National Forces, was killed in an ambush whilst on anearby Enniscorthy town.
tour of inspection of the Free State troops in hisThe British, led by General Lake were determined to
native Cork.crush the rebellion once and for all but was met with
Collins had negotiated deal that saw Britain givestout resistance from the Irish led by William Barker.
Ireland independence in 26 of the 32 counties withNonetheless, the insurgents were overcome by the
the Six Counties of Northern Ireland remaining undersheer numbers of the British, which were more than
British Rule. These counties were the original20,000 in total between Enniscorthy and Vinegar Hill.
Plantation counties, occupied mostly by Scots as partThe Irish were also poorly armed against the superior
of the plantation exercise carried out to bring Irelandequipped British. The battle is remembered for the
further under the control of the English. This broughtawful atrocities committed by the British after the
about civil war between Collins and his old comrades,surrender of the rebels when defenseless women
led by Eamon De Valera, who fought for all-Irelandand children were butchered.
Government. Today, memorials at different location around Vinegar
Collins stubborn insistence on taking a journey thatand the town of Enniscorthy, mark what was one of
was unnecessary and dangerous overruled the advicethe bloodiest battles ever in the long history of British
of his own experienced comrades by stating that heoccupation in Ireland.
would never be killed by his own native people of