The History of Ardee
      
                             
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 4 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 and perhaps in Europe. Ardee was a town incorporated from at least as early as 1303 and continued to be governed by its own Corporation until this was suppressed in 1845 and substituted by a body known as Town Commissioners, which in recent years has been changed to Ardee Town Council.
Legend of Cúchulainn & Ferdia
 

Ferdia was Cúchulainn's best friend and foster-brother. He trained with him for years in Scotland under the famed She-Warrior Scáthach. They were considered equally extraordinary warriors—though Cúchulainn had the Gae Bolga, Ferdia possessed a coat of horn-like armor that no ordinary weapon could pierce. He was persuaded to fight against Cúchulainn by Queen Meadbh in the Táin Bó Cúailnge as a last resort, Cúchulainn having already slain many other champions in combat. Though Ferdia initially refused to fight his foster-brother, Meadbh threatened him with vicious satires and offered him her daughter Findabair if he was successful. Finally and reluctantly, he agreed to go to battle.

After three days of battle at a river ford, Ferdia was killed when Cúchulainn used his magical spear the Gae Bolga, which once thrown could not be stopped. The town of Ardee or Baile Átha Fhirdhia (the Ford of the Ferdia) takes its name from this event.
   
  River Dee  
   

The River Dee flows through Co. Meath and Co. Louth and enters the Irish Sea at Clogherhead. It was the Northern limit of the pale in Medieval Times.
Hatch's Castle    
Hatch's Castle is located on Market Street and boasts unusual rounded corners. It was given by Cromwell to an ancestor of the Hatch family. According to tradition, the castle was connected to St Mary's Abbey by an underground passage.
         
King Castle
The main Street of Ardee is graced by two castles. King Castle is the larger of the two and was built by Roger Pipard in 1207. However, the original castle went through many changes and the current building is thought to date from the 15th Century. The castle is the largest fortified Medieval townhouse in Ireland and is an impressive 4 storey structure with a central keep and two corner towers.
         
The Jumping Church Kildemock          
         
The legendary jumping church lies 3km south of Ardee and marks the spot where legend would have you believe the church wall literally 'jumped' during a severe storm to leave the grave of a man who had been excommunicated outside the church.