Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [291]
The warhouse is 30km northeast of Cashel on the R691 about midway to Kilkenny. Be careful navigating as County Tipperary has two Ballingarrys; the wrong one is over by Roscrea.
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Cahir’s town square is lined with pubs and simple cafes. Serene walking paths follow the banks of the River Suir; watch for lazy brown trout. And look for signs marking the Cahir Heritage Trail, which hits a number of buildings that feature from the town’s various heydays. You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering about.
Orientation
Cahir is 15km south of Cashel, at the eastern tip of the Galtee Mountains.
Buses stop in Castle St near a large car park alongside the river and castle (car parking here costs €1 for two hours). East of Castle St is the centre of town, eponymously named the Square. There’s street parking throughout the town.
Information
AIB Bank (Castle St) Has an ATM and bureau de change.
Post office (Church St) North of the Square.
Public toilets Located next to the tourist office.
Tourist office ( 052-744 1453; www.cahirtourism.ie; Main St; 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat Jun-Sep) Has leaflets and information about the town and region.
Sights
CAHIR CASTLE
Cahir’s awesome castle ( 052-744 1011; www.heritageireland.ie; Castle St; adult/child €3/1; 9am-6.30pm mid-Jun–Aug, 9.30am-5.30pm mid-Mar–mid-Jun & Sep–mid-Oct, to 4.30pm mid-Oct–mid-Mar) is feudal fantasy in a big way. A river-island site with moat, rocky foundations, massive walls, turrets and towers, defences and dungeons are all there. This castle is one of Ireland’s largest. Founded by Conor O’Brien in 1142, it was passed to the Butler family in 1375. In 1599 it lost the arms race of its day when the Earl of Essex used cannons to shatter the walls, an event explained with a huge model.
The castle was surrendered to Cromwell in 1650 without a struggle; its future usefulness may have discouraged the usual Cromwellian ‘deconstruction’. It is largely intact and formidable still, and was restored in the 1840s and again in the 1960s when it came under state ownership.
A 15-minute audiovisual presentation puts Cahir in context with other Irish castles. The buildings within the castle are sparsely furnished, although there are good displays. The real rewards come from simply wandering through this remarkable survivor of Ireland’s medieval past. There are frequent guided tours, and several good printed guides are for sale at the entrance.
SWISS COTTAGE
A pleasant riverside path from behind the town car park meanders 2km south to Cahir Park and the Swiss Cottage ( 052-744 1144; www.heritageireland.ie; Cahir Park; adult/child €3/1; 10am-6pm mid-Apr–mid-Oct), an exquisite, thatched cottage surrounded by roses, lavender and honeysuckle. It’s the best thatched fantasy in Ireland, and was built in 1810 as a retreat for Richard Butler, 12th Baron Caher, and his wife. The design was by London architect John Nash, creator of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and London’s Regent’s Park. The cottage-orné style emerged during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in England in response to the prevailing taste for the picturesque. Thatched roofs, natural wood and carved weatherboarding were characteristics, and most examples were built as ornamental features on estates.
There could not be a more lavish example of Regency Picturesque than the Swiss Cottage. It is more of a sizable house than a cottage and has extensive facilities. The 30-minute (compulsory) guided tours are thoroughly enjoyable, although you may have to wait for one in the busier summer months.
Sleeping
Apple Caravan & Camping Park ( 052-744 1459; www.theapplefarm.com; Moorstown,