Ireland: Co. Louth, Mellifont Abbey 4, a great guide

Tyler and Martin inside the Chapter House listening to our guide, whose name not a one of us could remember.

After years of traveling and visiting lots and lots of ruins, I am here to tell you that there is nothing better than walking a site with a knowledgeable guide with an enthusiasm for her topic.

We had such a guide at Old Mellifont. She was young, about 30, an artist, and had done extensive research on this site and its importance in the history of Ireland. But possession of facts doesn't make a good guide. This one had the gift of bringing history to life in a clear, concise a impelling manner.

Speaking in a quite voice, she held us in the palm of her hands for over 40 minutes.