Information Cahir Ireland
Cahir Castle is one of the most complete in Ireland because its inhabitants surrendered to Oliver Cromwell in 1650 before much damage could be done. The natural defences, standing on a rock in the River Suir, made it the natural choice as the site for a fortified tower built by Conor O’Brien in 1142. This is now part of the inner ward of the castle. An Anglo-Norman keep was constructed in the thirteenth century. The keep houses a portcullis and a dank prison cell. The Anglo Norman construction was followed by further building in the fourteenth century, by the Butler family, the Earls of Ormond. Charles Bianconi brought his stagecoaches to Cahir as one of the stops along his route. A progenitor of public transport, the bians, as they were known, travelled between Cashel, Cahir and Clonmel. What we would call the “bus stop” is located at the Galtee Inn on the Square in Cahir. A John Nash designed Church of Ireland parish church is still in use in Cashel. Nearby, Glengarra Wood is a popular spot for walkers. They are situated in the Galtee Mountains. Nearby too, are the Mitchelstown Caves. There is also a golf course near the town, as well as a leisure centre. Cahir is in South Tipperary and was a town blighted for a long time with major traffic congestion as it stood on routes going between Dublin and Cork, and Limerick and Waterford. Thanks to works to alleviate the traffic in the 1990s and 2000s, the situation has improved with major routes now bypassing the town.
Attractions Cahir Ireland
Cahir Castle - Cahir
Located at Castle Street, Cahir, is one of Ireland's largest and best preserved castles. It is situated on a rocky island in the river Suir. The Castle's attractions include an excellent audio-visual show called 'Partly Hidden and Partly Revealed' in English, French, German and Italian, informing visitors about all the main sites of the area.
Carrick On Suir Heritage Centre - Carrick-On-Suir
This former Protestant church, now restored as a heritage centre, was once part of the Pre-Reformation burial ground and church site of Carrick Mor. Its interesting gravestones include a memorial to Thomas Butler, an illegitimate son of Thomas, tenth Earl of Ormonde. Dorothea Herbert, daughter of the eighteenth century rector and author of 'Retrospections' is also buried here.
Cashel Folk Village - Cashel
Located at Dominick Street, Cashel, it has a delightful series of informal reconstructions of various traditional thatched village shops, a forge and other business. It is housed within the town of Cashel, near by the famed Rock of Cashel.
Mitchelstown Cave - Cahir
Located at Burncourt, Cahir, is considered one of the most spectacular caves in Europe. The caves have three massive caverns, in which the visitor is surrounded by indescribable drip stone formations, stalactites, stalagmites and huge calcite columns.
Ormond Castle - Carrick
Located at Castle Park, Carrick on Suir, is one of the finest examples of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland. It was built by Thomas, the tenth Earl of Ormond in the 1560s. Closely integrated into the manor house are two fifteenth century towers. It is the country's only major unfortified dwelling from that turbulent period. The state rooms contain some of the finest decorative plasterwork in the country, including plasterwork portraits. Access to the castle is by guided tour only, with a maximum number of twenty people at one time.
