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Ireland's smallest county Louth is situated in the north east of Ireland on the borders with Northern Ireland.
Though it may be the smallest county, Louth features prominently in Irish history and mythology. Louth was part of the ancient Kingdom of Oriel, and many of the tales of Cuchulainn are based in and around the county. The epic tale of the Cattle Raid of Cooley was based on the Cooley Peninsula and many of the places throughout the county are named after heroes and battles of ancient Ireland. There are a number of important religious sites in Louth, most notably at Monasterboice, which contains some of Ireland's most impressive high crosses dating back to the 5th Century.
On the southern border of Lough is the Boyne Valley, where the famous Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between William of Orange and James II. The main towns of the county are Dundalk an industrial hub and the historic town of Drogheda on the banks of the river Boyne. Drogheda's tragic place in Irish history was sealed in 1649 when Cromwell besieged the city before massacring it 3,000 inhabitants. Apart from Cuchulainn, County Louth's famous sons include former Liverpool soccer player Steve Staunton.
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