The drive
This is Táin country. The Cooley Peninsula is the Cúailnge of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, the Ulster Cycle epic in which Queen Medb of Connacht marches on Louth to seize the Brown Bull of Cooley and the young Cú Chulainn defends Ulster. Slieve Foy (Sliabh Feá, ‘mountain of the woods’) rises to 589 m and drops almost straight into Carlingford Lough, the sea inlet that marks the border with Northern Ireland. The peninsula is wedged between the lough and Dundalk Bay, which is what makes it a drive of an afternoon.
Start in Carlingford and follow the R173 along the lough to Omeath for the views across to the Mournes. There is no single official loop, so pick the version that suits your day.
If you only have time for one stop, make it Carlingford. It is a walled Norman town that kept its medieval street plan. Leave the car and walk from the medieval streets to King John’s Castle above the harbour.
For a longer drive, add Greenore on the lough side or Proleek Dolmen inland. Allow time to stop instead of trying to fit in both a drive and a full mountain walk.
The stops worth pulling in for
- Carlingford town – Medieval streets, independent shops and a working harbour. Use signed public parking and check local restrictions.
- Carlingford Greenway – The mostly flat Carlingford to Omeath section is 7.7km one way, built on a disused railway line, with the Mourne Mountains across the water. Beyond Omeath, a separate section towards Victoria Lock is closed through 28 February 2027 for Narrow Water Bridge works.
- Proleek Dolmen – A Neolithic portal tomb near Ballymascanlon. Tradition says a pebble that lands on top and stays earns you a wish.
- Templetown Beach – A sandy beach on the south side of the peninsula, named for the Knights Templar, who held land here after the Norman invasion. Check local notices before going into the water.
- The hills – The Táin Way is a 40.3km loop. For a shorter hike, such as the Slieve Foy and Barnavave routes from Carlingford, see the trail details and diversion notices for the Cooley Mountains. The Annaloughan forest circuit near Grange is another option.
- Greenore & Omeath – Quiet former railway villages on the lough shore, with small harbours, coastal viewpoints and views across to County Down.
- Cooley Distillery – The distillery that reopened independent Irish whiskey production in 1987 sits a short detour off the route. Public access has come and gone over the years, so check with the distillery before driving out expecting a tour.
History and legend
People came to these hills long ago and left monuments that still hold the skyline: the Proleek dolmen above, and, a few kilometres inland, the Hill of Faughart, where Edward Bruce, brother of Robert the Bruce, was killed in 1318, ending the first Scottish attempt to take Ireland.
The myth sits on top of all of it. Beyond the Táin, Slieve Foy is tied to Fionn MacCumhaill, and coastal names like the Long Woman’s Grave keep older stories alive with no written source at all.
Getting there and practical notes
Follow signs from Dundalk or Newry to the R173 and use signed parking in Carlingford. For a day in the town without a car, Bus Éireann route 161 serves Carlingford from Dundalk and Newry. Public transport onto the rest of the peninsula is thin, so this is really a drive.
The Carlingford Lough Ferry operator says there are no sailings in 2026 between Greenore and Greencastle, Co Down. If you’re continuing to the County Down shore, go by road via Newry. Check the operator for a later restart before planning around the crossing.
Castle Roche and Cranfield Beach are both nearby if you want to stretch the day, though allow extra time if you are coming from the County Down side by road.
End it on the Carlingford Greenway if the weather holds, with the Mournes across the lough as you walk.