Car & Van Hire - Drogheda

Whether you are passing through on your way north or south, or settling in for a few days, Drogheda is a natural base for the north-east of Ireland. Enterprise offers car hire and van hire in Drogheda, giving you the freedom to move at your own speed from the moment you arrive.

Drogheda sits on the banks of the River Boyne in County Louth, halfway between Dublin and the border with Northern Ireland. It is a working town with a long history, and that history is still visible. St Laurence Gate, one of the best-preserved medieval gateways in Ireland, stands right in the town centre. Millmount Fort overlooks the river from the south, housing a museum that traces the area's past from prehistoric times through to the modern era. Beyond the town, the landscape opens out into the Boyne Valley, one of the most significant historic landscapes in Europe.

A hire car makes a real difference here. The Boyne Valley is dotted with sites spread across Counties Meath and Louth, and most of them are difficult to reach without your own transport. Newgrange, Monasterboice and Mellifont Abbey are all within a short drive of Drogheda but poorly served by public transport. A car also puts Dublin, Dundalk and Belfast within comfortable reach for day trips or onward travel. If you need a larger or more comfortable vehicle, an SUV or 7-seater people carrier works well for family trips through this part of Ireland.

Van hire in Drogheda suits a range of practical needs. Groups travelling together, families moving between accommodation, or tradespeople working across the region will all find a small van or large van useful. The area sits on the M1 corridor, so getting goods or people between Drogheda and the surrounding towns is straightforward. If you are relocating or moving between properties in the north-east, a Luton van gives you the load space to do it in one trip.

Nearby attractions

The Brú na Bóinne complex, which includes Newgrange and Knowth, is the obvious starting point for anyone visiting the area. These Neolithic passage tombs predate the Pyramids of Giza and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Book tickets well in advance, especially between spring and autumn.

Monasterboice is a quieter stop, but worth the short drive. The ruins of this early Christian settlement include a well-preserved round tower and some of the finest carved high crosses in Ireland. The detail on the tenth-century crosses is remarkable considering their age.

Old Mellifont Abbey, Ireland's first Cistercian monastery, stands a few kilometres beyond Monasterboice. The surviving stonework gives a clear sense of just how substantial the complex once was. A visitor centre on site puts the monastery's history in context, and the surrounding grounds are pleasant to walk.

The Boyne Valley sits between the coast and the Irish midlands, and Drogheda is at its eastern edge. It is an area where a short drive in almost any direction turns up something worth stopping for, and having your own vehicle is the only practical way to take that in properly.