Freisk! - Things to do and to see in County Offaly in Ireland

Things to do and to see

in County Offaly

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County Offaly
A bit like County Roscommon, County Offaly has got a lot of places badly known but worth visiting. If you like nature and rivers, off the beaten track, you definitely won't be disappointed. The County doesn't appear to attract large numbers of tourists, which I think offers a chance to experience an authentic look at life in Ireland. As you'll be able to see on this page, there are several sites to visit in County Offaly, so if you plan to stay a few days there, here are some examples of what you could see, do or visit.

1. Visit Charleville Castle... [] Charleville Castle is located near Tullamore and is now used as a school. It was built between 1798 and 1810. It is possible to visit some rooms of the Castle with a guide but beware there is an entrance fee. Legends say the castle was built on the site of an ancient druid burial ground and that it is haunted by ghosts.
2. Have a stroll in Tullamore's area... [] Around the Castle demesne, there are a lot of short walking trails. In April/May each year, you will be able to see a lot of young lambs playing in the fields. I took this photo because I liked the geometry created by the trees in this flat landscape. I guess Pythagoras would have liked this one.
3. Admire the River Shannon in Banagher... [] The little town of Banagher sits on the bank of the river Shannon. Banagher has its own marina, and I think it's actually a nice place to picnic on a good day. If you navigate through this website, you'll notice that the River Shannon goes through a lot of Irish counties and is often used as the natural border between two counties. This is the case here. If you cross the bridge, you'll go from Co. Offaly to Co. Galway.
4. Visit the village of Shannonbridge... [] Not far from Banagher, you'll arrive in the little town of Shannonbridge, which is also located on the bank of the River Shannon. Apart from its bridge with its 12 arches, dating from 1757, there's very little to see in the village. This time, if you cross the bridge, you'll go from Co. Offaly to Co. Roscommon.
5. Enjoy the view from Croghan Hill... [] Croghan Hill is what is left of an extinct volcano and is located beside the Bog of Allen. Though only 232 m high, it allows you to get a clear view of the surrounding Midlands counties, which are generally quite flat. I haven't found any direct path to go there, except by crossing fields. I’m not sure if it was the right way to go!
6. Pass by Durrow Village... [] The little village of Durrow lies between Tullamore and Kilbeggan (Co. Westmeath). From early Christian times until recently, Durrow has held an important place in the religious and political history of Ireland. There is not much left to see today, except a nice church (pictured).
7. Go to Clonmacnoise... [] Clonmacnoise is an early Christian site founded by St. Ciarán in the mid-6th century on the eastern bank of the River Shannon. This site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers, three high-crosses and the largest collection of Early Christian graves in Western Europe. The original high crosses and a selection of graveslabs are on display in the visitor centre. Note that former Pope John Paul II visited it in 1979.
Photo 7. The site of Clonmacnoise.
8. Go to the Wet Lands... [] If you are looking for a quiet place to go walking, the Wetlands are just what you’re looking for. In a nutshell, you'll be able to see small lakes, hear birds singing, see the Irish bog lands, small woods and most likely not meet anyone during your walk!
9. Visit Kinnitty Castle... [] Kinnitty Castle was rebuilt in 1929 and was used until recently as a luxury hotel & restaurant, specialised for all kinds of ceremonies. It looks like it has been for sales since 2008 for only 7 millions of euro... and it looks like it is still on the market. Fancy buying it?
Photo 9. Kinnitty Castle - For sale!
10. Pass by Clara town... [] Yes, that's correct that Offaly is essentially farmlands also containing a number of bogs and wetlands. In Clara, again, you won't find anything really outstanding, except a pretty little park beside one of the churches (pictured). Clara is now well-known to be the home town of former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen.
11. Admire a sunset in Birr Wetlands... [] Here, you can see the photo of a pretty sunset on a wetland close to Birr. It's interesting to note that this area is flooded all year long, though I don't think it can get be called a lake.
12. Visit quickly Dún (Doon) Village... []If you have a few minutes to spare, you can stop in the hamlet of Dún (Doon) between Clonmacnoise and Athlone. Here you will find the ruins of a medieval castle that appears to have little or no documentary evidence about its history (see photo).
13. Cross a forest park in Co. Offaly... [] Nearby Tullamore, Offaly once owned a nice forest park, where it was great to have a stroll even in wintertime. Unfortunately, only a few months after taking this photo, all the trees were cut (in order to plant new ones I believe). I am not a member of the Green party, however, the day I came back, it was quite a big disappointment to discover that the forest was "removed" from the map. This little photo is my only souvenir of it...
14. Do a walk through Slieve Bloom Mountains... [] The Slieve Bloom area is divided between Co. Offaly and its neighbour, Co. Laois. Whereas Laois has got great waterfalls, Offaly owns several kilometres of walking paths in the area... enough to "wear your legs out" up to the knees... Of course, you can also use your mountain bike, but non-surprisingly, it can be quite tough climb!
15. Pass by Cadamstown... [] The little village of Cadamstown is indeed a great starting point for the walk called "Silver River Loop" within the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
16. Visit the town of Birr... [] Birr was once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. Birr is designated as a heritage town, where you'll be able to see a 16th century castle which is still inhabited and streets with Georgian style facades (18th century).
Photo 16. Statue of William, Earl of Rosse.
17. Feed the geese and the ducks of Lough Boora... [] What can people do when a former peat land once all commercial peat has been removed? Some Bord na Móna workers had the great idea to restore this area into beautiful parklands. Located on the shores of Lough Boora, you'll have the opportunity to give bread to over 130 species of birds (including the regular geese, ducks and swans). With over 14 kilometres of paths, the parklands are also an ideal site to pursue your favourite activities such as cycling and walking.
18. Improve your mind at Lough Boora Parklands... [] While walking or cycling, expect to be pleasantly surprised: The area hosts several large-scale outdoor sculptures, created from former industrial materials used in the exploitation of the peat lands (such as rail lines, timber and even train wagons!). This is a smart and efficient way to enhance everyone's experience.
Photo 18_b. Boora Pyramid (Eileen MacDonagh & Marc Wouthers).	Photo 18_c. A tree in a sculpture (Naomi Seki).
19. Cycling along the Grand Canal... [] There are kilometres of paths, along the Grand Canal, which will be ideal for cycling and walking. These were used in the past as "tow-paths" for the barges when the Canals were in use. The village of Belmont, located beside the Canal allows you to enjoy a pretty view of the River Brosna.

County Offaly in pictures

	Photo 1. Charleville Castle.
	Photo 2. View around Tullamore.
	Photo 3. Banagher.
	Photo 4. Shannonbridge.
	Photo 5. Croghan Hill.
	Photo 6. Durrow Village.
	Photo 8. The "Wet Lands".
	Photo 10. The little town of Clara.
	Photo 11. Sunset on Offaly.
	Photo 12. Dún Castle.
	Photo 13. Offaly Forest.
	Photo 14. Slieve Bloom Mountains.
	Photo 15. The village of Cadamstown.
	Photo 17. The geese and ducks of Lough Boora Parklands will be your best friends in exchange of a slice of bread.
	Photo 18_a. The Sky-Train (Mike Bulfin).
	Photo 18_d. Cycles (Caroline Madden).	Photo 18_e. 60 Degrees (Kevin O’Dwyer).
	Photo 19. Belmont and the River Brosna.

Would you like to visit another Irish County? Then, please click on one of the following links: Antrim (Belfast; County); Armagh; Carlow; Cavan; Clare; Cork (City; County; Islands); Derry; Donegal; Down; Dublin (City; County); Fermanagh; Galway (City; County; Aran Islands); Kerry; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Leitrim; Limerick; Longford; Louth; Mayo; Meath; Monaghan; Offaly; Roscommon; Sligo; Tipperary; Tyrone; Waterford; Westmeath; Wexford; Wicklow.

Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience .
Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).

This page's keywords: Ireland, Offaly, Kinnitty Castle, Cadamstown, Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Banagher, Shannonbridge, Croghan Hill, Durrow, Clonmacnoise, Wet Lands, Clara, Dún Castle, Doon, Slieve Bloom Mountains, Birr, Rosse, Cadamstown, Lough Boora Parklands, Sculptures.

Sébastien Rolland - French expat in Ireland since 2002.

Freisk! is an Irish sole trading business. CRO: 421733 - VAT: IE 4395558V

© 2003- (www.freisk.com). All rights reserved.

Sébastien Rolland - French expat in Ireland since 2002.

Freisk! is an Irish sole trading business. CRO: 421733 - VAT: IE 4395558V

© 2003- document.write(CURRENTYEAR); (www.freisk.com). All rights reserved.

© 2003- (www.freisk.com). All rights reserved.