- Brownshill Dolmen: Located just off the R726, a few kilometers east of Carlow Town, this Neolithic portal tomb, also known as Kernanstown Cromlech, dates back around 5,000 years. It boasts one of Europe’s heaviest capstones, weighing over 100 tons. Visitors can expect to marvel at this ancient engineering feat in a quiet field, with interpretive boards explaining its history. The site is free to visit, offering a quick but awe-inspiring glimpse into prehistoric Ireland.
- Duckett’s Grove; The haunting ruins of a once-grand 19th-century Gothic Revival mansion stand dramatically in open countryside near Carlow town. Visitors enjoy peaceful walks around the atmospheric towers, arches, and remnants of walled gardens, soaking up the romantic, eerie beauty of this historic site that evokes Ireland’s landed gentry past.
- Delta Sensory Gardens: Located in Carlow town, these award-winning gardens feature themed sensory areas designed to engage sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. With colourful plants, water features, sculptures, and tranquil seating, they offer a relaxing, therapeutic experience suitable for all ages and abilities throughout the seasons.
- Altamont Gardens: Often called the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown, this enchanting estate near Tullow features formal gardens, a reflective lake, woodland walks, and rare plant collections. Seasonal displays of rhododendrons, azaleas, and autumn colours, plus views of the River Slaney, make it a horticultural delight.
- Huntington Castle and Gardens: A historic 17th-century castle (with medieval origins) near Clonegal, offering guided tours of its eclectic interiors, family heirlooms, and reputed hauntings. Surrounding formal gardens, orchards, and grounds provide scenic strolls, while the site’s long history links to figures like Oliver Cromwell.
- Carlow County Museum: Housed in a modern building in Carlow town, the museum explores the county’s rich heritage through artefacts, interactive exhibits, and displays on archaeology, social history, industry, and notable figures. Temporary exhibitions and family-friendly activities bring local stories vividly to life for visitors.
- Carlow Castle: Dominating the town centre, the striking ruins of this 13th-century Norman castle feature massive cylindrical towers and thick walls. Once a formidable stronghold, it now offers an accessible historic site where visitors can appreciate medieval architecture and imagine its turbulent military past.
- The Barrow Way: This scenic long-distance walking trail follows the tranquil River Barrow through Carlow, passing historic locks, weirs, and towpaths. Ideal for leisurely strolls or longer hikes, it showcases peaceful waterways, wildlife, wildflowers, and charming villages along one of Ireland’s classic linear routes.
- VISUAL Carlow: A vibrant contemporary arts centre in the heart of Carlow town, presenting changing exhibitions of visual art, craft, and design. It also hosts theatre performances, cinema screenings, workshops, and community events in a striking modern venue that fosters creativity and cultural engagement.
- Borris House: This impressive 18th-century stately home and estate near Borris village features elegant interiors (occasionally open), beautiful gardens, parkland, and woodland trails. The historic property, home to the McMorrough Kavanagh family, offers a glimpse into Anglo-Irish heritage amid scenic Blackstairs Mountain views.
- Mount Leinster: One of Leinster’s highest peaks at 795 metres, offering breathtaking panoramic views across Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, and beyond. Accessible by car to a high point or via walking trails, it attracts hikers, cyclists, and sightseers seeking dramatic mountain scenery and fresh air.
- Rathwood Forest Walks: A family-friendly woodland estate near Tullow with themed trails, including fairy and wildlife paths, through peaceful forests. Additional attractions include adventure play areas, seasonal events, a café, and garden centre, making it an enjoyable outdoor destination for visitors of all ages.
Attractions
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County Carlow:
Ireland’s County Carlow combines historic landmarks with serene landscapes, with the Carlow Castle ruins and the nearby Altamont Gardens offering a mix of medieval and botanical appeal. The Barrow Way provides scenic riverside walks, while the Brownshill Dolmen, a prehistoric portal tomb, adds ancient history. Carlow is Ireland’s second smallest county by size (896 square km) and third smallest by population (61,968). Population peaked at 86,228 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 33,342 in 1961.In terms of hospitality, Carlow is Ireland’s 23rd most visited tourist county with around 68,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837– 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
