Page 82 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

80 BACK ROADS IRELAND

Kilkenny’s Medieval Treasures JohnstownJohnstown

On the fringes of well-heeled Leinster, beyond the gravitational pull of Dublin, BallyhadeBallyhade
Kilkenny City has a keen sense of its own worth. For 500 years the powerful SleatySleaty Barrow Barrow PalatinePalatine
Earls of Ormonde held sway here, and for a time in the 17th century it even KilleshinKilleshin KillerrigKillerrig
RutlandRutland
challenged Dublin as the centre of power in Ireland. Running through the city ClonmoreClonmore CARLOW TOWNCARLOW TOWN
and County Kilkenny is the River Nore, a lovely waterway that laps ivy-clad GraigueGraigue BennekerryBennekerry
priories, stone castles, round towers and picturesque villages such as Inistioge LAOISLAOIS BallycrogueBallycrogue
and Thomastown on its course south. This route stops off at many of the GrangefordGrangeford
Kilkenny’s medieval treasures, from Dominican Black Abbey in the county BilboaBilboa Burren Burren
capital to Cistercian Jerpoint Abbey and Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamanagh, BallingbranaghBallingbranagh
the “Granary of the Monks”. TomardTomard
MilfordMilford RathtoeRathtoe
Damerstown
Damerstown
Kilmacar
Kilmacar TomardTomard GraiguealugGraiguealug
LowerLower
RidgeRidge NurneyNurney
Dinin Dinin Corbetstown CARLOWCARLOW
Corbetstown
Clintstown
Clintstown BallybrommellBallybrommell
Reevanagh
Reevanagh OldleighlinOldleighlin LeighlinbridgeLeighlinbridge
Mohil Mohil
Ballyfoyle
RaheenkillaneRaheenkillane
Jenkinstown Ballyfoyle FennaghFennagh
Jenkinstown
KildreenaghKildreenagh
Johnswell BagenalstownBagenalstown
Johnswell
Nore
Nore
Carrig Beg
Myshall
Castlewarren Carrig Beg Myshall
Castlewarren
Kilderry
Kilderry
Carrig More
Carrig More
PaulstownPaulstown
KilmachillKilmachill
Bonnetstown Flagmount
Bonnetstown
Flagmount
Corries Cross
DuningaDuninga Corries Cross Drumfea
Drumfea
KilgraneyKilgraney
KILKENNY CITYKILKENNY CITY Mount Leinster M o u n t a i n s
Maddockstown
Maddockstown 796m 796m M o u n t a i n s
Ballymartin
Ballymartin
Goresbridge
Go
Dunbell
Bamford
Bamford Dunbell Gowranwran Goresbridge Mount Leinster
KILKENNY
KILKENNY
Killedmona
Powerstown
Above The picture-perfect town of Inistioge nestled on the River Nore, see p85 Powerstown Killedmona
Grangeange Kilree Kilree Bennettsbridge Barrow BORRISBORRIS
Gr
Bennettsbridge
Skeaghvasteen
Barrow
Dungarvan
Dungarvan Skeaghvasteen B l a c k s t a i r s B l a c k s t a i r s Scullogue
Scullogue
Burnchurch
Burnchurch Tullaherin Gap Gap
Tullaherin
Ballymurphy
Ballymurphy
ACTIVITIES Ballymack Kilmanaheen
Kilmanaheen
Ballymack
Climb St Canice’s Round Tower, in Highrath EnnisnagEnnisnag Kilfane Kilfane GRAIGUENAMANAGHGRAIGUENAMANAGH
Highrath
Kilkenny, for splendid views King’s Coppanagh NewtownNewtown
Coppanagh
King’s
Gap Gap Tinnahinch
Tinnahinch
Buy some of Ireland’s finest crafts KELLSKELLS THOMASTOWNTHOMASTOWN Mungmacody
StonyfordStonyford
Mungmacody
Grennon
in the Kilkenny Design Centre, MountMount Grennon BallynakillBallynakill
JulietJuliet
Castle Castle
opposite Kilkenny Castle OldtownOldtown Mount Brandon
Mount Brandon
519m 519m BahanaBahana
Dunnamaggan
Savour a pint of Kilkenny ale, the Dunnamaggan Barrettstown JERPOINT GlynnGlynn
Barrettstown
JERPOINT
ABBEY
velvety local brew, in Kyteler Inn, the ABBEY St MullinsSt Mullins
former home of a convicted witch INISTIOGEINISTIOGE
0 kilometres 5 Knocktopher Arrigle Arrigle Woodstock
Knocktopher
Woodstock
Wander through the monkey 0 miles 5 Gardens
Gardens
Newmarket
puzzle walk in Woodstock Gardens Newmarket Ballyhale Bohilla Bohilla Nore Nore MunganMungan
Ballyhale
Coolroebeg
Coolroebeg
See the Romanesque remains in The RowerThe Rower
Duiske Abbey, Graiguenamanagh
Stand in the ruins of Carlow KEY Mullennakill TullagherTullagher BallilogueBallilogue
Mullennakill
Castle, a stronghold besieged by BallynealeBallyneale BallyanneBallyanne
Oliver Cromwell Drive route
New RossNew Ross
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