Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [176]
Glasha Farmhouse B&B ( 052-36108; www.glashafarmhouse.com; Ballymacarbry; s €50-60, d €60-120; restaurant dinner Mon-Sat by reservation; ) Olive O’Gorman takes meticulous pride in maintaining the plaid- and brocade-decorated bedrooms at her working dairy farm. Some wonderful loop walks fan out around the farm; afterwards, reward yourself with dinner served by candlelight (€25 to €45) and breakfast served in a glass conservatory. The farm is signposted 2km northwest of Ballymacarbry.
Hanora’s Cottage ( 052-36134; www.hanorascottage.com; Nire Valley, Ballymacarbry; s/d incl packed lunch €95, d €170; restaurant dinner Mon-Sat; ) This 19th-century ancestral home next to Nire Church houses one of the country’s best B&Bs. All 10 rooms have Jacuzzis (try for one overlooking the River Nire swirling under the stone bridge out front). You won’t be disturbed by the patter of little feet as kids aren’t permitted. Everything in the gourmet restaurant, even the crackers, is made on the premises and gluten-free meals are a specialty (dinner €40 to €50). Take the road east from Ballymacarbry, opposite Melody’s; it’s signposted 5km further on.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann ( 051-879 000) runs Tuesday services from Ballymacarbry to Dungarvan (€6.80, 45 minutes) at 3pm, and Clonmel in Tipperary (€5.40, one hour) at 9.40am. There are also two buses between Clonmel and Ballymacarbry on Friday afternoon. A taxi from Clonmel to Ballymacarbry costs around €30.
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COUNTY CARLOW
pop 50,349
Strings of quietly picturesque villages wind through Carlow (Ceatharlach), Ireland’s second-smallest county after Louth. The scenic Blackstairs Mountains dominate the southeast, while the region’s most dramatic chunk of history is Europe’s biggest dolmen, just outside vibrant Carlow town. A ruined Gothic mansion and a reputedly haunted castle form the backdrop to two of the county’s best flower-filled gardens – Click here for more blooming information.
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CARLOW TOWN
pop 13,623
The narrow streets and lanes of Carlow have enough heritage to keep you wandering for an afternoon, and a ripple of trendy cafes and solid nightlife may keep you in town past dusk. But, unlike its more famous neighbour Kilkenny, you’re unlikely to be besieged by tour bus hordes. An increasingly popular dormitory for commuters to Dublin, less than an hour’s drive away following the M9 motorway’s extension, the town is also etching out a place on the international arts map with the opening of its futuristic contemporary art museum.
Orientation & Information
Dublin St is the city’s principal north-south axis, with Tullow St, the main shopping street, running off it at a right angle.
Chartbusters ( 059-914 2747; Carlow Shopping Centre, Kennedy Ave; per hr €3; noon-10pm) Full internet services.
Post office (cnr Kennedy Ave & Dublin St)
Tourist office ( 059-913 1554; www.carlowtourism.com; cnr Tullow & College Sts; 9.30am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri year-round, plus 10am-5pm Sat Jun-Aug) A useful source of county-wide information. From early 2010 the adjoining building will house the county’s new museum (www.carlowcountymuseum.com).
Sights
Follow the walking tour (opposite) to hit central Carlow’s highlights.
As of late 2009 Carlow’s cultural claim to fame is its new Visual Centre for Contemporary Art, a glowing opaque-white cube-like space on the grounds of St Patrick’s College (opposite). British architect Terry Pawson scooped the international competition for the purpose-built centre with his factory-inspired industrial design of concrete, steel and glass. Its five separate galleries include the ‘cathedral’, the largest single exhibition space in Ireland, and an upstairs ‘digital’ (multimedia) gallery, as well as a studio for artists-in-residence. The centre has no permanent collection, instead hosting specially commissioned works and major travelling exhibitions, as well as art and drama workshops. Under the same roof are the 353-seat George Bernard Shaw Theatre and a cafe–restaurant.
Incongruously