The village of Carlingford is situated on the beautiful Cooley Peninsula, at the foot of Slieve Foy Mountain on the Southern shores of Carlingford Lough

Carlingford Lough was named by the Vikings - literally 'the fjiord of Carlinn' - but no one now recalls just who Carlinn was. Nor is there much evidence of a permanent Viking settlement here. A little trade, a little plunder, was more to Viking tastes.

Until the early 12th century the area was divided between a number of ancient Irish kingdoms. These became absorbed into the O'Carroll Kingdom which had its capital at Louth village, six miles west of Dundalk.