Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [283]
Two Bus Éireann buses run Monday to Saturday from Limerick to Kilmallock (€8.70, one hour).
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ADARE & AROUND
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Tourists are drawn to Adare by the busload, which is sort of a shame as the roads are already pretty clogged. But suffer the traffic (especially in high season) and you’ll be rewarded by a couple of star medieval buildings, pleasant walks and an agreeable village with some thatched cottages that look, ahem, like they are right out of an English village (blame the 19th-century English landlord, the Earl of Dunraven). Underneath the crowds is an attractive Irish town and during slack times its inherent charm is undeniable.
Located on the River Maigue, Adare lies 16km southwest of Limerick on the busy N21. There’s street-side parking in the village, but the best bet is a free car park behind the heritage centre.
Information
AIB Bank ( 061-396 544) Near the tourist office; has an ATM and bureau de change.
Tourist office ( 061-396 255; Adare Heritage Centre, Main St; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Sat, closed Jan) Open longer in summer.
Website (www.adarevillage.com)
Sights
ADARE HERITAGE CENTRE
In the middle of the village is the heritage centre ( 061-396 666; www.adareheritagecentre.ie; Main St; adult/child €5/3.50; 9am-6pm summer, 9.30am-5pm winter). Its exhibits explain the history and the medieval context of Adare’s buildings in an entertaining way (note the happy horse). Try picking up the longbow (have you had your spinach today?). Admission includes entry fee and a tour of Adare Castle (opposite).
RELIGIOUS HOUSES
Before the Tudor dissolution of the monasteries (1536–39), Adare had three flourishing religious houses, the remains of which can still be seen. In the village itself, next to the heritage centre, the dramatic tower and southern wall of the Church of the Holy Trinity date from the 13th-century Trinitarian priory that was restored by the first Earl of Dunraven. Holy Trinity is now a Catholic church. There’s a restored 14th-century dovecote down the side-turning next to the church.
The ruins of a Franciscan friary, founded by the Earl of Kildare in 1464, stand in the middle of Adare Manor golf course beside the River Maigue. Public access is assured, but let them know at the clubhouse that you intend to visit. A track leads away from the clubhouse car park for about 400m – watch out for flying golf balls. There’s a handsome tower and a fine sedilia (row of seats for priests) in the southern wall of the chancel.
North of the village, on the N21 and close to the bridge over the River Maigue, is the Church of Ireland parish church, once the Augustinian priory, founded in 1315. It was also known as the Black Abbey. The interior of the church is agreeably cavernous, but the real joy is the atmospheric little cloister.
A pleasant, signposted riverside path, with wayside seats, starts from just north of the priory gates. Look for a narrow access gap and head off alongside the river. After about 250m, turn left along the road to reach the centre of Adare, where the main road intrudes noisily.
ADARE CASTLE
Dating back to around 1200, this picturesque feudal ruin (admission & tour incl with Heritage Centre admission; tour hourly 10am-5pm Jun-Sep) saw rough usage until it was finally wrecked for good by Cromwell’s troops in 1657. By then it had already lost its strategic importance. Restoration work is ongoing; look for the ruined great hall with its early-13th-century windows. When tours are not on, you can view the castle from the busy main road, or more peacefully from the riverside footpath or the grounds of the Augustinian priory.
Sleeping
There’s no shortage of B&Bs about. There are also a few large hotels with plenty of room for bus parking.
Adare Camping & Caravan Park ( 061-395 376; www.adarecamping.com; Adare; campsites