Drogheda (/ˈdrɒhədə, ˈdrɔːdə/ DRO-həd-ə, DRAW-də; Irish: Droichead Átha [ˈd̪ˠɾˠɛhəd̪ˠ ˈaːhə], meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 43 km (27 mi) north of Dublin.

Drogheda was founded as two separately administered towns in two different territories: Drogheda-in-Meath (i.e. the Lordship and Liberty of Meath, from which a charter was granted in 1194) and Drogheda-in-Oriel (or 'Uriel', as County Louth was then known).

The division came from the twelfth-century boundary between two Irish kingdoms, colonised by different Norman interests, just as the River Boyne continues to divide the town between the dioceses of Armagh and Meath.

[5] The town is situated in an area which contains a number of archaeological monuments dating from the Neolithic period onwards, of which the large passage tombs of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth are probably the best known.

[8] The density of archaeological sites of the prehistoric and early Christian periods uncovered in the course of ongoing developments, (including during construction of the Northern Motorway or 'Drogheda Bypass'), have shown that the hinterland of Drogheda has been a settled landscape for millennia.

The wall on the east side of Rosemary Lane, a back-lane which runs from St. Laurence Street towards the Augustinian Church, is the oldest stone structure in Drogheda.

[15] In the 1600s, the name of the town was also spelled "Tredagh" in keeping with the common pronunciation, as documented by Gerard Boate in his work Irelands' Natural History.

It later came to light (for example in Robert Fabyan's The New Chronicles of England and France), that Elizabeth Woodville, the queen consort, was implicated in the orders given.

[17] The parliament was moved to the town in 1494 and passed Poynings' Law, the most significant legislation in Irish history, a year later.

In his own words after the siege of Drogheda, "When they submitted, their officers were knocked on the head, and every tenth man of the soldiers killed and the rest shipped to Barbados.

[21] Drogheda's coat of arms features St. Laurence's Gate with three lions, and a ship emerging from either side of the barbican.

The town's motto Deus praesidium, mercatura decus translates as "God our strength, merchandise our glory".

The star and crescent emblem in the crest of the coat of arms is mentioned as part of the mayor's seal by D'Alton (1844).

[22] In 2010, Irish president Mary McAleese, in a speech delivered during an official visit to Turkey, stated that the star and crescent had been added in the aftermath of the Great Famine as gratitude for food supplies donated by the Ottoman Sultan, which had arrived at Drogheda by ship.

Irish press quickly pointed out the story was a myth, with a local historian calling it 'nothing short of sheer nonsense'.

[23][24] However, later evidence, including a letter displayed at the office of the European Commission, confirms that Turkey came to the aid of the Irish during the Famine.

[25][26] In 1921, the preserved severed head of Saint Oliver Plunkett, who was executed in London in 1681, was put on display in St. Peter's (Catholic) Church, where it remains today.

[32] When asked, Drogheda residents point out that a combination of expensive car-parking and high commercial rates had a push-pull effect on the town's centre.

Career highlights in Drogheda include Cromwell 1994, 'Drogheda 800' (RTECO, Lourdes Church); The Mass of Fire 1995, 'Augustinian 700' (RTÉ TV live broadcast); No Sanctuary 1997 with Nobel Laureate and poet Seamus Heaney (Augustinian Church); Remembrance Sunday Service and Drogheda Unification 600 (RTE TV live broadcast, St Peter's Church of Ireland) and two major concerts with The Boyne Valley Chamber Orchestra at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2018 and 2019.

[40] Drogheda Arts Festival, a mix of music, live performance and street entertainment, is held over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

[41] It has a UNESCO World Heritage site, Newgrange, located 8 km (5.0 mi) to the west of the town centre.

Local employers include Coca-Cola International Services, State Street International Services, Natures Best, Yapstone Inc,[43][44] the Drogheda Port Company, Glanbia and Flogas (only Flogas Terminals since 2025) Drogheda also has a history of brewing and distilling, with companies Jameson Whiskey, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Jack Daniel's all having previously produced (or still producing) their products in or near the town.

[citation needed] Drogheda is located close to the M1 (E1 Euro Route 1) (main Dublin – Belfast motorway).

Passenger services between Drogheda and Navan were ended in 1958, however the line remains open for freight (Tara Mines/Platin Cement) traffic.

[46] The station has direct trains on the Enterprise northbound to Dundalk, Newry, Portadown and Belfast Grand Central, and southbound to Dublin Connolly.

1 Train a day to Belfast skips Drogheda A wide variety of Iarnród Éireann commuter services connect southbound to Balbriggan, Malahide, Howth Junction, Dublin Connolly, Tara Street, Dublin Pearse, Dún Laoghaire, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, and Wexford.

Currently there are buses to Monaghan and Dublin Drogheda was one of ten boroughs retained under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840.

Under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, the area became an urban district,[47] while retaining the style of a borough corporation.

The town's association football team, Drogheda United, was formed in 1919, and their home matches are played at Head In The Game Park.