Page 205 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

THE L OWER SHANNON  203

Fashion dictated that a cottage
orné should blend in with the
countryside and all designs
should be drawn from nature
with nothing matching, so the
windows and sloping eaves are
all different. The beauti fully
restored cottage contains a tea
room, gracious music room
and two bedrooms.

d Clonmel The Swiss Cottage at Cahir, beautifully restored to its original state
Road map C5. Co Tipperary.
* 17,000. £ @ n The Main Guard of the horse-drawn coach Tom Butler, the 10th Earl of
(052 612 2960). ∑ discoverireland.ie service he established between Ormonde. On his death, the
Clonmel and Cahir. Eventually Ormondes abandoned Carrick
Set on the River Suir, Clonmel this developed into a nationwide for Kilkenny (see pp146–7).
is Tipperary’s main town. This passenger service.
Anglo-Norman stronghold was Environs
a fief of the Desmonds and In the churchyard at Ahenny,
eventually of the Butlers. Its f Carrick-on-Suir about 10 km (6 miles) north of
prosperity was founded on Road map C5. Co Tipperary. * 5,500. Carrick, stand two magnificent
mil l ing and brewing. Today, @ n Heritage Centre, Main St (051 High Crosses (see p247). Both are
Clonmel is a bustling, brash 640200). crowned by “caps” or “bishops’
town with quirky architecture mitres” and have intricate cable,
and lively nightlife. This small market town has a spiral and fret patterns.
The Franciscan Friary by the distinctly old-fashioned air. In At Kilkieran, 5 km (3 miles)
quays was remodelled in Early the 15th century, it was a strat- north of Carrick, are three other
English style in Victorian times egic site commanding access interesting High Crosses, dating
but retains a 15th-century west to Clonmel and southeast from the 9th century. The Plain
tower and houses 16th-century to Waterford, but after Tudor Cross is unadorned but capped;
Butler tomb effigies. Nearby is times the town sank into oblivion. the West Cross is profusely
O’Connell Street, Clonmel’s Apart from Ormond Castle, there ornamented though weathered;
main shopping street, which is are few specific sights. However, the Long Shaft Cross has an odd
straddled by the West Gate, you can stroll by the old water- design of stumpy arms on a
built in 1831. Visitors to Hearn’s side warehouses or shop in long shaft.
Hotel on Parnell Street can see Blarney Woollen Mills (see p334).
memorabilia of Charles Bianconi
(1786–1875), includ ing pictures + Ormond Castle
Castle Park. Tel 051 640787. Open for
guided tours daily, Apr–mid-Sep; call
ahead or check website for details.
7 limited. ∑ heritageireland.ie
Although once a fortress,
Ormond Castle is the finest
surviving Tudor manor house
in Ireland. It was built by the
powerful Butler family, the Earls
of Ormonde, who were given
their title by the English crown
in 1328. The castle has a gracious
Elizabeth an façade overlaying
the medieval original; the
battle mented towers on the
south side sit oddly with the
gabled façade and its mullioned
and oriel windows.
The state rooms contain
some of the finest decorative
plasterwork in Ireland, while the
Long Gallery extends to 30 m
Clonmel’s mock Tudor West Gate, (100 ft). The Elizabethan part of Intricate wood carving on a four-poster bed
spanning O’Connell Street the castle was added by Black at Ormond Castle

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