Historical Dundalk
Historical Dundalk Project – Celebrating Our Town's Rich Heritage
Dundalk Tidy Towns
Dundalk is one of Ireland's most historic towns – a place of legends, Victorian architecture, ancient monuments, and industrial heritage. But for too long, many of these stories remained hidden in plain sight.
The Historical Dundalk Project is changing that.
What began as a plan to renew an old Victorian Dundalk sign in 2023 has since evolved into a full-blown historical project – promoting the historical buildings and sites of Dundalk town through walking trails, maps, brochures, and a special calendar, all culminating in our 20th anniversary celebrations in 2026.
What inspired the project?
Back in 2016, Dundalk Tidy Towns installed 20 interpretive panels around the town. Each panel featured a photograph of the area in times past, along with historical information. These panels became a much-loved feature for locals and visitors alike.
However, over time, these panels became worn and damaged – faded by weather and age. By 2023, it was clear that action was needed.
Timeline
A New Vision - 2023
In 2023, we set out to revitalise the project, starting with the renewal of the old Victorian Dundalk sign. But the idea quickly grew. We decided to seek sponsorship to replace all 20 interpretive panels. The new signs would feature:
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A fresh, modern design
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A photograph of the area in times past
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Historical information about the location
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QR codes linking to our website for more detailed historical content
New Signs, New Begining - 2024
In April 2024, we successfully refreshed the heritage signs across Dundalk. This was made possible with the generous support of Dundalk Credit Union Ltd. and County Museum Dundalk. The refreshed signs now include QR codes – simply scan with your phone to access more information on the history of Dundalk directly from our website.
Have a look around town to see them! 👀
New Walking Map of Dundalk - July 2025
Dundalk Tidy Towns was delighted to launch a new self-guided walking tour of Dundalk, following our Historic Dundalk Trail signs around the town. The colorful new map includes all of the historical landmarks in the town, with QR codes on both the map and the signs – scan them to access more information from our website.
A huge thanks to:
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PH7 Design – for producing this wonderful guide to our town for locals and visitors
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Louth County Council – for kindly funding this project through the Tidy Towns Projects Fund
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Paula Gribben, Louth County Council – pictured with our committee at the launch
Where to get a copy:
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📍 Dundalk Tourist Office
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📍 County Museum Dundalk
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💻 Download from our website: www.dundalktidytowns.ie
2026 Calendar: Celebrating 20 Years! - October 2025
2026 marks 20 years since the formation of the new Dundalk Tidy Towns Committee – and to celebrate, we are releasing a special calendar! This would be Christmas gift for Dundalk folks both local and abroad, all profits go towards our projects in our anniversary year.
This beautiful 2026 calendar highlights the heritage of Dundalk, based on our heritage trail signs and map. Thanks again to PH7 Design for this beautiful calendar of our town.
