Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [292]
Lisakyle ( 052-744 1963; Ardfinnan Rd; dm/s/d €18/20/40) Some 2km south of town, past the Swiss Cottage on the R670, this charmer of a hostel also offers tent space (€10) amid pretty gardens. Maurice offers a warm welcome and 21 beds. And how do you get here from town? ‘You just call, we’ll come and get you.’
Tinsley House ( 052-744 1947; www.tinsleyhouse.com; The Square; r €40-70; May-Sep) This mannered house has a great location and four well-furnished rooms. There’s a roof garden and the owner, Liam Roche, is an expert on local history and can recommend walks and other activities.
Cahir House Hotel ( 052-744 3000; www.cahirhousehotel.ie; The Square; €60/90; ) On a prominent corner of the centre, this landmark hotel has a relaxed vibe. The 42 rooms have a rather bold yellow-and-red decor – think of it as a visual wake-up call. A new spa offers a full range of waxing for your debut on the Irish shore.
Eating
Lazy Bean Cafe ( 052-744 2038; The Square; snacks €3-7; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-6pm Sun) Busy, breezy little cafe that dishes out loads of tasty sandwiches, snacks and ice cream. Its motto: ‘Chocolates, coffee, men. Some things are just better rich.’
River House ( 052-744 1951; 1 Castle St; meals €6-12; 9am-5pm) A change in ownership has turned this icon by the river into just another caff, but the patio still has fine castle views. Enjoy them with your burger and chips.
Cahir’s farmers market (Craft Yard; 9am-1pm Sat) attracts the region’s best food vendors.
Shopping
Hundreds of locals toiled away in a notorious linen mill during the 19th century. Almost 200 years later, the once ominous stone building has been reborn as the Cahir Craft Granary ( 052-744 1473; www.craftgranary.com; Church St; 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat). Ceaseless slaving over looms has been replaced by local artists creating and selling a huge range of works. Pottery, carving, painting, sculpting, collectable books and quite a bit more are available from dozens of artisans and dealers.
The Granary is just north of the Square, past the post office.
Getting There & Away
BUS
Cahir is a hub for several Bus Éireann routes, including Dublin–Cork, Limerick–Waterford, Galway–Waterford, Kilkenny–Cork and Cork–Athlone. There are eight buses per day Monday to Saturday (six buses on Sunday) to Cashel (€4.50, 20 minutes). Buses stop in the car park beside the tourist office.
TRAIN
From Monday to Saturday, the Limerick Junction–Waterford train stops three times daily in each direction.
* * *
WALK: TIPPERARY HERITAGE TRAIL
Extending a distance of 55km from a place called the Vee in the south to Cashel in the north, the Tipperary Heritage Trail takes in some beautiful river valleys and ruins. The 30km segment running north from Cahir to Cashel is the best segment as it takes in the verdant lands around the River Suir and passes close to highlights such as Athassel Priory. The best stretches around Golden are off roads. Expect to see a fair amount of wildlife as the paths and very minor roads follow the waters and pass through woodlands. You can use public transport to return to either Cashel or Cahir when you’re done. Ordnance Survey Discovery series maps 66 and 74 cover the route.
* * *
Return to beginning of chapter
MITCHELSTOWN CAVES
While the Galtee Mountains are mainly sandstone, a narrow band of limestone along their southern side has given rise to the Mitchelstown Caves ( 052-746 7246; www.mitchelstowncave.com; Burncourt; adult/child €7/2; 10am-5.30pm, earlier outside summer). Superior to Kilkenny’s Dunmore Cave and yet less developed for tourists, these caves are among the most extensive in the country with nearly 3km of passages, and spectacular chambers full of textbook formations with names such as the Pipe Organ, Tower of Babel, House