Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [442]
Spinners ( 057-912 1673; www.spinnerstownhouse.com; Castle St; mains €17-20; 6.30-9pm Wed-Mon, 12.30-2.30pm Sun) Hidden behind the thick walls of this beautifully restored woollen mill is a fine restaurant with a varied and seasonal menu, featuring locally sourced ingredients. Solid meaty fare mingles with seafood and veggie options. The courtyard terrace is a summertime delight.
Thatch ( 057-912 0682; www.thethatchcrinkill.com; Crinkill; mains €21-28; closed Mon) A traditional thatched Irish pub, just 2km southeast of Birr off the N62, this 200-year-old inn is a great place to sip a pint or enjoy a hearty meal. It’s a hugely popular spot for Sunday lunch, when local families gather in force for the simply prepared meats and seafood. Bar food is also available; book in advance.
Craughwell’s ( 057-912 1839; Castle St) Stop for a snootful at Craughwell’s, renowned for its rollicking traditional session on Friday night and impromptu sing-along sessions on Saturday.
Chestnut ( 057-912 2011; Green St) Easily the most appealing pub in the centre, the Chestnut dates to 1823, but has recently been refurbished. The current incarnation mixes dark furniture with a continental cafe style. Summer sees regular barbecue nights.
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DETOUR: GHOSTS AT LEAP CASTLE
Ireland’s most haunted castle, Leap Castle ( 057-913 1115; seanryan@mail2web.com; admission €6; call for opening times) originally kept guard over a crucial route between Munster and Leinster. The castle was the scene of many dreadful deeds and has quaint features like dank dungeons and a ‘Bloody Chapel’. It’s famous for its eerie apparitions – the most renowned inhabitant is the ‘smelly ghost’, a spirit that leaves a horrible stench behind after sightings.
Renovations are ongoing, but you can visit. It lies about 12km southeast of Birr between Kinnitty and Roscrea (in Tipperary) off the R421.
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Entertainment
Besides the places listed above, you’ll find many more humble boozers about Birr.
Melba’s Nite Club ( 057-912 0032; Emmet Sq; Fri-Sun) In the basement of Dooly’s Hotel, this popular club gives a fine insight into the potato-and-stout-fuelled mating habits of rural Ireland.
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre ( 057-912 2911; www.birrtheatre.com; Oxmantown Hall) A vibrant place with a regular line-up of films, local drama, well-known musicians and more.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann runs buses to Dublin (€16, 3½ hours, one daily) via Tullamore, and to Athlone (€9.80, one hour, four daily Monday to Saturday, two Sunday) and Limerick (€16.50, 1¼ hours, four daily Monday to Saturday, two Sunday)
Kearns Transport ( 057-912 0124; www.kearnstransport.com) runs an early morning commuter bus to Dublin and a weekend service to Galway.
All buses depart from Emmet Sq; look for signs with the latest schedules.
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KINNITTY
pop 333
Kinnitty is a quaint little village that makes a good base for exploring the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Driving out of Kinnitty, the roads across the mountains to Mountrath and Mountmellick, both in County Laois, are particularly scenic.
Look out for the bizarre 10m-high stone pyramid in the village graveyard behind the Church of Ireland. In the 1830s, Richard Bernard commissioned this scale replica of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt for the family crypt.
The shaft of the 9th-century Kinnitty High Cross was nabbed by Kinnitty Castle in the 19th century and is now displayed on the hotel’s terrace. Adam and Eve and the Crucifixion are clearly visible on either face.
At the time of writing, Kinnitty Castle (www.kinnittycastle.com), one of Ireland’s most renowned mansions, set on a vast estate, was embroiled in a bitter feud with its bankers. Operating as a luxury hotel, this former O’Carroll residence was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the 19th century, and was popular as a luxury wedding venue. The castle is 3km southeast of town off the R440. Check the website for the latest update.
If you wish to stay in Kinnitty proper, Ardmore House