Germaines, Rathvilly, Co Carlow, Ireland
Local Activities, Interests & Things to do
There is an abundance
of things to see and do in this area.
There is therefore a
lot of information on this page.
On this page you can find details of...
There is an abundance
of things to see and do in this area.
There is therefore a
lot of information on this page.
On this page you can find details of...
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Golf We are surrounded by golf courses, including venues for
The Ryder Cup (2005) and the Amex World Championship (2002)
Mount Wolseley Carlow Golf Club Baltinglass Golf Club Mount Wolseley
Golf ClubBaltinglass
Golf ClubTullow, Co Carlow Deer Pk, Carlow Baltinglass, Co Wicklow 0503 51674 0503 31695
info@carlowgolfclub.com0508 81350 18 hole championship course 18 hole championship course 9 hole course (18 from 2002) 6 miles 14 miles 8 miles Coolattin Golf Club Killerig Castle Rathsallagh Coolattin
Golf ClubShillelagh, Arklow Killerig, Co Carlow Dunlavin, Co.Wicklow 055 29125 0503-63000
contact@killerig-golf.ie(0) 45 403316 18 hole course 9 hole course(18 from September) 18 hole course 16 miles 7 miles 17 miles Kilkea Castle Mount Juliet The "K" Club 
Venue for 2002
Amex World Championship
Venue for 2005
Ryder CupCastledermot, Co Kildare Thomastown, Co Kilkenny Straffan, Co Kildare 0503 45555
kilkeagolfclub@tinet.ie056 73000
info@mountjuliet.ie01 6017300
click here to e-mail18 hole course 18 hole course 18 hole championship course 16 miles 37 miles 38 miles
Fishing Trout, salmon and coarse fishing are all available in the area.
Trout fishing Salmon fishing Coarse fishing Contact John Butler
Butler's Bar, Co. Carlow.
Tel: 353 (0) 503 42307River Slaney River Slaney River Barrow e.g. Ballin Temple (This can arranged occasionally) .
Racing
We are well placed for racecourses.
The Curragh Naas Punchestown 35 miles 27 miles 25 miles Gowran Park Leopardstown Fairyhouse 30 miles 59 miles Wexford Clonmel Tramore 45 miles 67 miles 67 miles
Walking
The Barrow Way (Photo: Carlow Rural Tourism)The area is superbly situated for walking, being close to the well known
Wicklow Way, Lugnaquilla Mountain (second highest in Ireland) and the
River Barrow towpath.
Riding
Equestrian Centre AIRE approved
(the Association of Irish Riding Establishments)Up to 10 mounts available Facilities Rathvilly, Co Carlow
Tel: 0503 61020
Contact: Stephanie & Katherine DoyleActivities
- All weather outdoor arena
- Refreshments
- Changing Rooms
- Club Room
- Farm Rides
- Indoor Arena
- Livery provided
- Outdoor manege
- Showers
- Toilets
- Trail rides (full & half days
Coole Equestrian Centre is situated only two miles from Germaines. This is a family run establishment, designed to cater for all age groups and abilities where personalised attention from the highly qualified owners is assured.
A range of facilities, including lessons, treks, pony camps, polocross, and hunting is available.
Coole Equestrian Centre is open daily, all year round.
- Group Lessons
- Dressage Instruction
- Hacking
- Horses/ponies purchased for clients
- Hunting packages arranged
- Individual lessons
- Instruction provided
- Residential riding holidays
- Riding Club Activities
- Sales of horses/ponies
- Trail riding
- Showjumping
- Visiting pony club groups and Riding Clubs welcomed (by request)
Other Equestrian Centres & Stables in the area include:
Kerrs Russelstown Carrickbeg Stables Tinahely, Co Wicklow Bagnelstown, Co Carlow Kerr - 0402 38117 Sean Doran - 0503 32336 Susan Patterson - 0503 21962 An adventurous stables with cross country and trekking Show jumping, cross country riding & jumping, dressage and stable management About 15 miles from Germaines About 23 miles from Germaines
Cycling
(Photo: Carlow Rural Tourism)This is an excellent part of Ireland to cycle in, with a terrains ranging from the flat-but-scenic areas around the Rivers Barrow, Nore, Suir and Slaney through to the more challenging Mount Leinster, the Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Brandon.
Cycle hire Cycle tours Coleman cycles Celtic Cycling 19, Dublin Street, Carlow, Co Carlow Lorum Old Rectory, Bagnalstown, Co Carlow 0503 31273 0503 75282 Ladies & Gents ATB (all terrain or mountain bike). Bicycles of various sizes. 15 or 18 speed available. Childrens bicycles also available for hire. Celtic Cycling offer various 7 & 14 day packages as well as tailor made trails E-mail: cycling@indigo.ie Quad biking
Country Quads Moloney's Farm, Borris, Co Carlow 0503 24624
Mobile - 087 2270466(approx. 32 miles) Website:- www.countryquads.com E-Mail: countryquads@eircom.net
Clay Pigeon Shooting Oakwood Shooting School
,
Next door to us, Lisnavagh Estate has a Clay Pigeon Shooting School.
Andy Verney is a fully qualified CPSA Club Coach, one of the few in Ireland.
BEGINNERS - LADIES - JUNIORS EXPERIENCED SHOTS Start with the right technique. Make the most of your chances next season Be taught by a qualified coach - and don't develop bad habits An hour or two of practice with a qualified coach Facilities for practice at every type of sporting shot, including high pheasants. can transform your shooting and your enjoyment For both driven and trough shooters. Cartridges always available.
Please telephone Andy Verney on (0503) 61135
in advance of your visit if you would like to take advantage of this
high quality opportunity to learn how to shoot
or just to brush up on your shooting skills!Museums and Open Farms
The Cottage Collection The County Carlow Museum Tullow Museum Ardattan, Tullow,
Co CarlowThe Old Town Hall,
Centaur Street, CarlowBridge St., Tullow,
Co Carlow"A unique display of domestic appliances, gramaphones and radios, many dating back to the early 1900's. Open Sundays 2-6pm, other times by arrangement." Celtic aritfacts through to
Victorian and more recent domestic and commercial items.Open May to September, 11 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Sundays 2.30 to 5.30.A nice collection of local items collected over the years, including items relating to Father Murphy. It also houses Sir Ernest Shackleton's top hat! (which he is thought to have had with him when he was knighted)
Open Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(NB The museum may be closed for some of the winter 2000/2001 for refurbishment work)Tel (0503) 55639. Wild Irish Crafts Lalor’s Open Farm Ballykealey Pet
& Aviary FarmKilquiggan, Co. Wicklow. Ballykealey, Ballon,
Co. CarlowMyshall, Co. Carlow The wide range includes decoupage, framed verses and Victorian jewellery made with pressed-flowers taken from their own gardens. Open: By prior arrangement. Guided tours of this dairy farm. Lunch can be included. Open to groups by prior arrangement A wide variety of fowl, animals and unusual birds with a feel and touch pet section. Open weekdays 11.00 a.m. - 18.00 p.m.
Sundays 14.00 p.m. -18.00 p.m.0503 56228 0503 59130 0503 57665. Also, oddly enough, Flynn's Garage in Tullow might be of interest!
Certainly visit their web site. (Click on the tractor - A good ol' grey Fergie, of course!)
Established in 1924, Flynn's Garage breaks many historic records as a garage.
There are three different beers produced at the brewery
- their stout has been voted one of the top three stouts in Ireland.
Click here to visit The Carlow Brewing Company's web site.
CARLOW BREWING COMPANY
"THE GOODS STORE"
STATION ROAD, CARLOW
Phone: +353 (0)503 34356 or +353 (0)86 2501986
Fax: +353 (0)503 40038
e-mail:ccb@iol.ie
Bowling Snooker Hang-gliding Carlow Superbowl The Ivy Rooms Mount Leinster Lismard Centre, Barrack Street, Carlow.
Tel: 0503 41555.The Ivy Rooms,
Hanover, Carlow.
Tel: 0503 32387.Most Sundays from March to October. For information contact Eamon Thompson
Tel: 01 4556437.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Most of the following items are National Monuments, but some are more tourist orientated than others. There is no doubt that some of these sites have an amazing beauty about them simply because they are in a field of cattle or sheep and NOT surrounded by car parks, footpaths, ticket booths, guided tours, information boards and so on. Some of the following are on private land, and a polite phone call to the owner asking permission to visit the site is recommended - it may provide some interesting facts too! It is so important that these very sensitive sites have your respect before you visit them, but visiting them is very worthwhile. Please also be aware of potential personal dangers when visiting sites (livestock, loose stones, etc.)To visit all of the following will take you at least two days.
Within walking distance of Germaines, the Haroldstown Dolmen stands almost as it has stood for thousands of years... but perhaps not exactly - for a while during relatively recent times, one poor family made this ancient megalithic tomb their home.
The remains of Acaun Monastery are on the opposite bank of the River Derreen. Walk this way, and you are following in the footsteps of St Patrick, who is thought to have taken this route on his way south.
Just up the road, is the Rathvilly Moat or Motte, an ancient burial mound from which you can see seven counties!
A little further on, down through some fields, is St. Patrick's Well, where Crimhthann, a King of Leinster, was baptised by St Patrick in 450 ad.
Closeby, near to some ancient celtic crosses and one or two standing stones, there is a small holy stone set into the wall beside the road which never seems to be empty of crystal clear water and this water is believed to have healing properties.
All of the above are within a very few miles of Germaines and ideal for a bicycling day.
There is a widely publicised Dolmen at Brownshill with the biggest cap stone in Europe, estimated to be a massive 150 tons. Dolmens are megalithic tombs which are though to have been used for religious ceremonies and sacrifices. This dolmen dates back to 3300 - 2900 b.c.
Rathgall has a large magnificent ring fort (or "rath"). It consists of four concentric stone ramparts and measures 1,000 feet (300 metres) in diameter. The outer walls are the oldest and date back to the 8th century. Having four rings is unusual, suggesting that this was once a place of great significance in Ireland.
The inner ring had mud & wattle thatched huts where the inhabitants lived. This farming and hunting community kept their animals inside the second ring and cropped the third ring. Originally made from clay, the rings were gradually rebuilt with stone.
At one point, it is thought that a goldsmith lived here and that he made jewellery for the nobles and kings of the time, possibly including the High King of Tara. The walls still have yellow markings from the fires
Nearby is the monastic site of Aghowel. Tullow Museum's leaflet gives a facinating description of Aghhowel in ancient times (copied here:-)
"Aghhowel - A History
...Originally there was a monastic settlement on this site. It was founded by St Clonard, who came here at the invitation of the King of Leinster whom he met upon his return from studies in Rome.
Findian originally planned to build his monastery on the hill directly opposite the present site, then know as Condal.
There they set the foundation stone of the church. However, it was said that one night the "Angel of God" moved the stone and placed it at the present location, then an orchard owned by Howbeith Becan, the King's swine herder, who was most unwilling to part with the land.
Findian predicted that a great disaster would befall Howbeith. Soon afterwards a minor war broke out between the Ossrians (Kilkenny) and the local chieftens. During the fight Howbeith was killed, and one of his hands had been cut clean off. A passing hawk it up and dropped it at Findians feet.
Findian built his monastery on the site of Howbeith's pig-sty in Ath-ull, Aghowel, Aghold (the field of apples).
After 16 years, Findian moved on and the monastery continued to flourish. The monks here lived in beehive cells, built around a wooden church. It was later replaced with a stone structure in around 1100 AD..."Baltinglass Hill has the remains of stone age chambered burial mounds in the form of a cairn (discovered 1996) and an iron age hill fort, called Rathcoran. This is also a fine viewpoint.
Antiquities Clonmore boasts a wonderful ruined 13th century castle and the largest range of ancient Irish celtic crosses and pre-christian items in the county.
Whilst many are gone, and none are intact, there are castles scattered throughout Co Carlow - by the 14th century, the Normans had built over 150 of them.
Don't miss the beautiful Adelaide Memorial Church at Myshall, modelled on Salisbury Cathedral, nor the 13th century St. Lazerian's Cathedral (Photo by Carlow Rural Tourism) at Old Leighlin which stands on the site of a monastic church founded in 632 AD where the date of Easter was fixed for all the world. (Across the road from here is a pub which has been in the same family since 1542!)
Click here for Carlow Castle
Click here for Kilkenny Castle
(Notes on these are below)
Only about 8 miles away, the awesome ruin of Duckett's Grove stands out as a very dramatic feature and is certainly worth a visit.
Despite the occasional misconception that this fine Gothic house, designed by Thomas Cobden, was burnt down in The Troubles, the house actually burnt down as the result of an accident in 1933. The Duckett family had lived there since the 17th century until around 1915.
Carlow and the surrounding counties have many fantastic gardens of all shapes and sizes.
Lisnavagh Gardens Altamont Gardens Rathwood Garden Centre Wander at your leisure through over ten acres of Victorian Gardens and
Pleasure Grounds at Lisnavagh.Why not take a journey back in time in this tranquil old world setting and experience one of
the most unique and magical gardens in the British Isles.Home Gift and Garden World. Furniture, Crafts &Gifts, Garden Centre, Pottery, Garden Furniture and tea-rooms/restaurant. Sundays, 2-6pm,
Until 24th June 2001 onlyWed to Sun (inclusive). 11am to 7pm. June to ? Mon to Sat, 9.30am to 6pm.
Sundays, 2 to 6 pm.Adults £3.00 Children £1.50 Adults £2.00 Senior citizens and groups £1.50 Students & Children £1.00 Free admission Lisnavagh, Rathvilly, Co Carlow Altamont Gardens, Tullow, Co Carlow Rathwood, Rath, Tullow, Co Carlow 0503 61104 0503 59444 0503 56285 At Lisnavagh, next door to us. About 12 miles from Germianes About 5 miles from Germaines More Gardens
Hardymount Hermitage Mrs. Stasia
O’ NeillShean Garden Tobinstown Gardens Tullow, Co. Carlow Hanover Road, Carlow. Ballon, Co. Carlow. Shean, Garryhill,
Co. Carlow.Tullow, Co. Carlow + 353 (0)503 51769. + 353 (0) 503 31872. + 353 (0) 503 59144 0503 57652 0503 51233 Sundays during the Wicklow Garden Festival 2.00 - 6.00 p.m. Groups welcome by appointment. Open to groups by prior arrangement. Sundays & Bank Holidays May - August included.
2.00 - 6.00 p.m.Sundays May & June 2.00 - 6.00 p.m. Sundays and Bank Holidays May, June & July 2.00 - 6.00 p.m. Other times by appointment. Adults: £3.00 £3.00 per person. £1.50 Children - Free £2.00 Children: Free. Adults £2.00.
Children: Free.More Garden Centres
Arboretum
Garden CentreDelta
Garden CentreRathvinden, Leighlinbridge, Carlow Strawhall Industrial Estate,
Carlow.+ 353 (0)503 21558.
arboretum@eircom.net+ 353 (0)503 43527. Monday - Saturday
9.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Sunday:
2.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.Monday - Friday
9.00 - 5.00 p.m.
There are pubs everywhere in Ireland! Should you need one, you'll find one.
Good restaurants, on the other hand, are harder to come by. But they do exist.
Gasthof Shapla Beams An Austrian wine house with buffet style restaurant.
Open Fridays, Saturdays & Sunday lunch only
Very recommended, but ring first to check if they're open.A good tandoori restaurant. They will look after you here. EadestownSouth,
Stratford-on-Slaney,
Co WicklowHanover Ct,
Kennedy Avenue,
Carlow59, Dublin Street,
Carlow0508 81766 0503 30037 0503 31824 12 miles 12 miles 12 miles Other Restaurants
Fredrick's Resteraunt, Mount Wolseley, Tullow, Co Carlow
Ring to check opening times (limited in winter to Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat nights and Sun lunch)
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 51674Bewley’s Restaurant, Carlow Shopping Centre, Carlow.
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 30808Cloisters Restaurant, 29 Dublin Street, Carlow.
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 40599Reddy’s Restaurant, Tullow Street, Carlow.
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 42224The Carlovian Restaurant, Tullow Street, Carlow.
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 30911The Lord Bagenal Inn, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow
Tel: + 353 (0) 503 21668
Carlow Carlow Castle was probably built between 1207 and 1213 by William Marshall and was one of the major Anglo-Norman and 13th century English strongholds. It withstood serious attacks in 1494 and 1641, and was almost completely intact until 1814 when, rather unfortunately, a doctor decided to "redesign" the castle as an asylum. He somehow managed to blown up the foundations, and most of the castle collapsed!
Carlow Castle: blown up by "a ninny-pated physician of the name of Middleton, who had obtained a lease of it, & who was characteristically projected it into a Maison de Sante for the reception of lunatics, applied blasts of gunpowder for enlarging the windows and diminishing the walls, and brought down 2/3 of the pile into a rubbishy tumulus in memory of his surpassing presumption & folly".
But, despite Dr. Middleton's best efforts, the remains of the keep still stand and are worth a visit.
Carlow's classical-style Court House was built in around 1830, and is one of the finest in Ireland. (It was designed for Cork city, but the plans got muddled up and it was accidentally built in Carlow!) (Photo by Carlow Rural Tourism)
Carlow Court House was designed by William Vitruvius Morrison (who also built Oak Park, Carlow).
St Patrick's Training College began life in 1795, and was one of the very first colleges in the country. It also claims to be the longest seminary in continuous use worldwide.(Photo by Carlow Rural Tourism)
Kilkenny
Kilkenny, where many of the buildings are built with local black marble, has an extremely interesting history. The town was bought by the Earls of Ormonde in 1391, when much of the town was created, and rivalled Dublin as the seat of Government. During the English Civil War in the 17th Century, Kilkenny became the seat of the Catholic Confederate Parliament, and this was the last native Irish parliament to have representatives from all parts of the island of Ireland. This time of prosperity ended when Oliver Cromwell besieged and took the city in 1650. The subsequent decline of the city was harsh, and even more so in the 19th century, leaving just one third of the population.
Kilkenny Castle, although modified in the 19th century, retains some of the original features. Having been the Butler family seat since the 14th century, it was taken in May 1922 by anti-treatyites, and besieged by Free State Troopers, before being given to the city by the family.
Also in the city, there is the magnificent 13th century St Canice's Cathedral with it's 100 ft round tower, the Franciscan or Grey Friary (founded 1234), the Dominican or Black Friary (founded 1225), St Canice's Library (with some 3,000 books from the 16th & 17th century), Kilkenny Design Workshops, the Courthouse, the brewery, Kilkenny College (1666), mills and canal walks.
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