Ireland Travel Search: Munster: County Tipperary Tourism Information Directory for Visitors to Ireland


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Ireland > Munster > County Tipperary

The popular World War I marching song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" was written in 1912 by an Englishman called Jack Judge who had never visited County Tipperary.

Although Tipperary is completely land locked (it is however Ireland's largest inland county) and does not have any coastline, it is very beautiful and dominated by the 2,300 foot conical mountain of Slievenamon. Slievenamon in Gaelic Irish translates as 'Mountain of the Fairy Woman' and is at the centre of a wonderful folktale (maybe the truth!) about Fionn and the Fianna warriors, and how he (Fionn) sidestepped a pretty interesting challenge from the local lasses in order to marry his sweetheart Grainne.

He whisked her to the top of the mountain the night before a race by the local ladies, who were racing to see who could reach the top first in order to become Fionn's bride. The first lady to reach the top the next morning was no doubt a little peeved to see lovely Grainne sitting quietly on the top of the mountain!

Tipperary has glorious countryside, exhilarating walks, fantastic fishing with its well stocked brown trout rivers, hunting, and is famous for its horse and dog breeding centres. The famous story of Cashel of the Kings and Cahir Castle and Devils Bit Mountain is amongst its rich trove of folklore and strange legends.

Click on the headings to find out more:

Holy Cross Abbey near the town of Thurles, one of the most picturesque early Christian monuments in Ireland, is set in a tranquil spot by the banks of the River Suir. The monastery takes its name from a splinter of the cross on which Christ was crucified, believed to have been presented to the people by Brian Boru in 1110AD. After enjoying the spiritual qualities of this site, it should be pointed out that an excellent, old-fashioned pub lies hidden among those charming, cloistered gardens.

St Mary's Famine Museum offers visitors an insight into Ireland's greatest catastrophe - the Great Famine of 1845 to 1849.

The Dwan Brewhouse in Thurles is the area's first microbrewery, built in a restored former granary building. Beer is brewed in small batches and it's a connoisseur's delight. No additives or preservatives are used.

Devil's Bit, a strange-looking, gapped mountain near Templemore, is surrounded by weird legends. The Devil is reputed to have flown overhead, bit a chunk out of the mountain, chewed it awhile and then spat it out over Cashel - where it fell to earth to form the Rock of Cashel. Neat, but geologists are not entirely convinced...

Some of Ireland's finest pastures lie in County Tipperary, with the southern Golden Vale the most fertile section of all.

The majestic Rock of Cashel, one of THE most spectacular sights in Ireland, rises out of the plains of County Tipperary. The rock itself is an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, adorned by a dramatic group of medieval buildings, including a round tower, Romanesque chapel, cathedral and the restored hall of the Vicar's Choral (built in the 15th century for Cashel's most privileged choristers). Seat of the powerful Kings of Munster from the 5th century AD, the Rock of Cashel was handed over to the Church in 1101 AD. It flourished as a religious centre until the 1640s, when it was besieged by England's New Model Army under the command of Oliver Cromwell. The merciless Cromwell took it in 1647, massacring its 3000 inhabitants.

Cahir or 'Stone Fortress' is about 8 miles south of Cashel and is a very lovely old Irish town, old fashioned shops, vividly painted houses, a lovely main square and a fully restored 15th century castle on an island in the river Suir which runs through the town. Nearby is Swiss Cottage, a striking Folly that was designed by John Nash for Lord and Lady Cahir in the early 19th century.

You could not visit Tipperary without dropping into Tipperary Town - after all - it is a long way to Tipperary? The nearby Galtees are an eye-catching collection of very old sandstone and Silurian rock peaks, and stretch from Tipperary into Limerick where they merge with the Ballyhoura Hills near Cork. Superb for ridge walking with great views.

Celtic Plantarium Dundrum, on the R505, Cashel Road in Dundrum village, is a pleasant diversion - eight acres (3.2 hectares) of trees and shrubs and a two-mile (3.2km) walk among more than 60,000 plants, with a Celtic theme.





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