Things to do and to see in County Tipperary
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| County Tipperary |
County Tipperary is Ireland's largest inland county in one of the lushest parts of the country. Like County Meath, it has a lot to offer in terms of heritage sites,especially in the towns of Cashel, Roscrea and Cahir. If you plan to go through this county, here's what I recommend for you to visit. |
| 1. Visit the Rock of Cashel... [    ] Most people know the Rock of Monaco, here is its Irish medieval equivalent. The Rock of Cashel is a group of Medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale. The group includes a 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. |
| 2. Admire the Rock of Cashel seen from the N8 dual-carriageway... [  ] The site is so impressive, that it can be seen from the dual carriageway by-passing the town of Cashel. On the right-hand side, you can see a sunset over this heritage site... pretty, isn't it? |
| 3. Enter Hoare Abbey... [ ] Hoare Abbey (sometimes known as St. Mary's) is a ruined Cistercian monastery near the Rock of Cashel. This site is ideal to go and stretch your legs, while enjoying a bit of archaeology. |
| 4. Visit Cashel Town... [ ] After visiting the Rock and its surroundings, feel free to enjoy a meal in the little town of Cashel. There, you will find a lot of nice hoardings bearing the image of the favourite drinks of the Irish. On the right-hand side, you can see an example of a hoarding for Guinness. |
| 5. Take a break at Holy Cross... [ ] If you leave Cashel, heading north, you will most likely cross the small village of Holy Cross (pictured). It has an impressive and well-preserved Cistercian monastery, which was built in the 12th century, thanks to a rich local family, the MacDermotts. |
 Photo 5. The village of Holy Cross at twilight. |
6. Visit Cahir... [ ] If you take the N8 route south of Cashel, you will pass the little heritage town of Cahir (pictured). It also has a charming cottage (see photo #7) and a fine castle by the river (see photo #8). |
| 7. Visit Cahir Castle... [ ] Cahir Castle was once the stronghold of the powerful Butler family. It has retained its impressive keep, tower and much of its original defensive structure. It is one of Ireland's largest and best-preserved castles. It is situated on a rocky island on the River Suir, as shown on the photo. |
| 8. Meet the Swiss... [ ] Here is a local Irish curiosity: a Swiss cottage! It is a delightful "cottage orné" built in the early 1800s by Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Glengall. Its interior contains a spiral staircase and some elegantly decorated rooms. The wallpaper in the Salon manufactured by the Dufour factory is one of the first commercially produced Parisian wallpapers. Despite its undeniable charm, its owners never slept at night in the cottage. Note that the site can only be visited during the tourist season and I think it's worth a visit. See photo! |
 Photo 8. The Swiss Cottage. |
| 9. Visit Roscrea Castle... [ ] The stone castle of Roscrea consists of a gate tower, curtain walls and two corner towers dating from the 1280s. On the right-hand side, you can see the view of the castle taken from its gardens. |
| 10. Visit the town of Roscrea... [ ] After visiting the castle and its gardens, feel free to take a tour of the small heritage town of Roscrea. Roscrea has a population of around 5,000. Below, you can see a photo of a typical pub front in the town. |
 Photo 10. Frontage of a pub in Roscrea. |
11. Visit the town of Clonmel... [ ] If you plan on visiting either Waterford or Cork, you might consider taking a break in the town of Clonmel. The Main Guard ([]) is one the interesting buildings to see. It was built in 1675 as the courthouse for the administrative area of County Tipperary. |
County Tipperary in pictures |
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 Photo 2. Sunset on Cashel. |
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 Photo 3. Hoare Abbey. |
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 Photo 4. Hoarding in Cashel. |
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 Photo 6. The town of Cahir. |
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 Photo 7. Cahir Castle. |
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 Photo 9. Roscrea Castle. |
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 Photo 11. The town of Clonmel and its Main Guard. |
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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 
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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).