Page 200 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

198  IRELAND REGION B Y REGION

and Chantry Chapel, two
evocative 12th-century ruins.
The grace ful 15th-century
Franciscan Friary, however, is
surround ed by the golf course,
though it can be seen clearly
from the pathway.
In the heart of the village is the
elegant Dunraven Arms Hotel
(see p299) from where the local
hunt rides to hounds. Some of
the nearby cottages, originally
built by the Earl of Dunraven in
1828 for his estate workers, have
been converted into pleasant
Typical thatched cottage in the village of Adare cafés and restaurants.
t Adare over-restored by the first Earl of
Dunraven; it is now a Catholic y Lough Gur
Road map B5. Co Limerick. * 2,000.
@ n Heritage Centre, Main St church and convent. Opposite, Road map B5. Co Limerick. Heritage
(061 396666). Open daily. by a stone-arched bridge, is Centre: Tel 061 385186. Open Mar–
∑ adareheritagecentre.ie the Washing Pool, a restored Oct: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri, noon–6pm
wash-house site. Sat, Sun & bank hols; Nov–Feb:
Adare is billed as Ireland’s By the main bridge on the 10am–4pm Mon–Fri, noon–4pm Sat,
prettiest village. Cynics call it the Limerick road is the Augus­ Sun & bank hols. & 7 limited. -
prettiest “English” village since tinian Priory, which was ∑ loughgur.com
its manicured perfection is at founded by the Fitzgeralds in
odds with normal notions of 1316. Also known as Black This Stone Age settlement, 21 km
national beauty. Originally a fief Abbey, this well-restored priory (14 miles) south of Limerick, was
of the Fitzgeralds, the Earls of has a central tower, subtle car- extensively in habited in 3000 BC.
Kildare, Adare owes its present vings, delightful cloisters and a Today the horseshoe-shaped
appearance more to the Earls of graceful sedilia – a carved triple lough and surrounding hills
Dunraven, who restored the seat. Just over the bridge, from enclose an archaeological park.
village in the 1820s and 1830s. where it is best viewed, is All around Lough Gur are stand-
The village is a picture of neat Desmond Castle, a ing stones and burial mounds,
stonework and thatched roofs 13th-century feudal castle on including megalithic tombs.
punctuated by pretty ruins, the banks of the River Maigue – One of the most impressive
all in a woodland setting. tickets are available from the sights is the Grange Stone
The tourist office is at the Heritage Centre (Jun–end Sep). Circle, dating back to 2,200 BC,
Heritage Centre, which includes Nearby stands the main gate just outside the park, by the
a good exhibition on Adare’s to Adare Manor, a luxury hotel Limerick–Kilmallock road.
monastic history. Next door is and golf course (see p299). Excavations in the 1970s
the Trinitarian Priory, founded Within its 900 ha (2,220 acres) of unearthed rectangular, oval and
by the Fitzgeralds in 1230 and parkland lie St Nicholas Church rounded Stone Age huts with

Neo-Gothic Adare Manor, former home of the Earls of Dunraven
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp299–300 and pp316–18

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm