Walking the Kells Historic Trail

Kells is a town you can walk round in an hour, and the best reason to walk it is that the streets themselves are the oldest monument. Meath County Council's trail notes say it plainly: the streetscape still echoes the boundaries of Colmcille's monastery. Once you know that the churchyard at the top of the hill was the centre and the streets curve round it, the town makes sense in a way it does not from a car.

This is the loop we would give a friend. It follows the council's Kells Historic Trail, the free map you can pick up at the Courthouse, and it is about 1.5 km on pavement with one short climb.

1. The Courthouse and the Market Cross

Start on Headfort Place at the Courthouse, built in 1801 to designs by Francis Johnston, the GPO's architect. It is now the tourist office and a free exhibition, open Monday to Saturday. If you want St Colmcille's House opened later, this is where you will have arranged it, a day in advance. Outside under its canopy is the ninth-century Market Cross, moved here from Cross Street. Read the 1688 inscription on the base before you go.

2. Headfort Place and John Street

Walk west along Headfort Place past the Headfort Arms, the Duff family's hotel, with the Vanilla Pod and the Kelltic Bar under its roof, and turn into John Street. This is the Headfort family's town: the Taylours, later the Marquesses of Headfort, bought Kells after the Cromwellian settlement and the council's trail notes say they dominated it for two centuries.

3. Market Street

John Street brings you to Market Street, the old commercial heart. The BOOK MARKet café is here, which is also the address of the Hinterland festival, and this is the place to stop for coffee on the way back if not now.

4. Up Cannon Street to the churchyard

Climb Cannon Street towards the spire. As you go up, notice how the street bends; you are walking along the outside of the old enclosure. At the top, the round tower stands by the churchyard wall. Go in through the gate.

5. The round tower and the crosses

The tower is roofless, with a raised doorway and five windows at the top, one for each road into the town according to the council. In 1076 a claimant to the high kingship, Murchadh Mac Flainn, was murdered inside it. Around St Columba's Church, rebuilt in 1778, are three high crosses: the Cross of Patrick and Columba nearest the tower, the broken West Cross and the unfinished East Cross north of the church. If the OPW's listing still shows conservation works when you visit, parts of the churchyard may be fenced.

6. Church Lane and St Colmcille's House

Leave the churchyard and climb Church Lane to St Colmcille's House at the highest point of the old town. The steep stone roof makes it unmistakable among the houses round it. If you have arranged a visit with the Courthouse, someone will meet you to open it. Otherwise, the lane and the outside are the visit.

7. The Printing Works

Coming back down Church Lane you pass the Kells Printing Works, opened by Meath County Council on 2 June 2026 in the old sawmill building to house a local family's printing presses. It is open for guided tours rather than drop-in visits; in late 2026 they ran on Friday mornings at 10am, booked online.

8. Castle Street and back

From the foot of Church Lane, take Castle Street back towards the centre and out onto Headfort Place, and walk back along it to the Courthouse. If you are hungry, Café Therese at the Headfort Arms is open all day, every day.

Practical notes

• Allow an hour, or two with St Colmcille's House and a proper look at the crosses.
• Monday to Saturday is best, because the Courthouse is closed on Sundays.
• Parking around Church Lane is paid and restricted. Park in the centre and walk.
• The churchyard is a working graveyard. Keep off the cross bases.
• For company and local stories, ask the Courthouse about the free volunteer Walk-About Tours, which cover the same ground.