dundalk.ie

Ardee is a town and townland in County Louth. It is located at the intersection of the N2, N52, and N33 roads. Ardee is on the banks of the River Dee and is approximately 20 km from Dundalk. It currently has a population of just over 5000.

Originally called Atherdee, its name is derived from the Irish Áth Fhirdia (the Ford of Ferdia), from the mythological four day battle between Cúchulainn and Ferdia, for the defence of Ulster from Queen Maeve of Connacht. Ferdia fell after four days of battle and is buried on the southern banks of the river alongside the Riverside Walk. Ardee is a town of great historical interest, Ardee Castle (St. Leger's) is the largest fortified medieval tower house in Ireland.

An eight km (five miles) railway line once linked the town to the main Dublin  - Belfast  line. The station opened on 1 August, 1896 and passenger services ended on 3 June, 1934. The line continued as a freight service until finally closed on 3 November, 1976, serving the local fertiliser factory and livestock transport. The trackbed was lifted in the late 1980s, and much of the short route is now a designated walkway and drinking area also called the "50P".

The river Dee was the northern border of The Pale in medieval times.

Another item of interest worth visiting is the "Jumping Church" which is located about five km (three miles) outside the town. Legend has it that a non-Christian was buried inside the Church walls and that later that night, the Church jumped so as to leave his remains outside of the sacred ground!

Ardee has grown much in the last ten years, mainly as a result of easy access to new roads including the M1 motorway which links Dublin to Belfast. The development of the town has resulted in a dramatic rise in house prices in the area.

The Norman castle in Ardee has been recently refurbished and used to house the district courthouse, which is now housed in the new Civic Offices Complex at the Fairgreen.