Shannon and the Midlands:Layout 1 03/05/2007 16:41 Page 164
DAINGEAN
AARON HOUSE
Daingean is a small town in east County Offaly, situated midway
Guesthouse
between Tullamore and Edenderry. The town was originally the county
Kinnitty, Birr, Co. Offaly.
town of the King’s county, as Offaly was once called, until the
Tel/Fax: (057) 9137040
nineteenth century (1833) when this passed to Tullamore.
Mobile: (086) 199 5555
Email:
enquiries@aaronhouse.ie
pointofinterest activities & pastimes
Web:
www.aaronhouse.ie
Castle Barna Golf Club, Daingean, Co. Offaly. Tel: (057) 935 3384; Email:
info@castlebarna.ie; Web:
www.castlebarna.ie. The idyllic Castle Barna Golf
Club is one of Ireland’s hidden gems, set on some of the most beautiful
countryside in the heart of Ireland. Nestled along the banks of the Grand
Canal on its route from Dublin to the Shannon, Castle Barna Golf Club is
on the edge of Daingean town. The beautiful stonework of the clubhouse
gives a hint of the excellent quality of the club evident in the immaculately
Fáilte Ireland Irish Welcome Award Winner who made a difference
manicured greens suiting high or low handicap golfers – you will seldom
make the same putt twice. The fairways are always in mint condition.
KINNITTY
guestrooms accommodation Located 15km from Birr and 28km from Tullamore is the pretty village of
Aaron House Guesthouse, Kinnity, Birr, Co. Offaly. Tel/Fax: (057) 913 Kinnitty. The village provides the perfect base for exploring the Slieve
7040; Mobile: (086) 199 5555; Email:
enquiries@aaronhouse.ie; Bloom Mountains. The mountains offer some superb wilderness scenery
Web:
www.aaronhouse.ie. Aaron House is a registered award winner: AA with the largest area of upland blanket bog and forestry in Ireland. For
4-star, RAC 4-star and Failte Ireland 3-star guesthouse. Situated close the energetic traveller, why not walk the Slieve Bloom Way, a 77km
to the beautiful Slieve Bloom Mountains and only five minutes walking signposted trail that does a complete circuit of the mountains, taking in
distance from Kinnitty Castle. It offers bed & breakfast accommodation most of the major points of interest? The other main attraction of Kinnitty
to meet and exceed the needs of the discerning traveller. The meticulous is the 12th century neo gothic-style Kinnitty Castle. The castle has had a
attention to detail and genuine concern for your comfort comes from the long and turbulent history and has seen many residents from the
personal touch that only a family run guesthouse can offer. Normans, the O’Carrolls of Ely, and English forces during the plantations.
Spinners Town House & Bistro, Castle Street, Birr, Co. Offaly. Tel/Fax: Like many stately homes in Ireland, the castle was burned down in 1922
(057) 912 1673; Email:
spinnerstownhouse@eircom.net; Web: by Republican forces, but it was rebuilt in 1928 and the Bernard family
www.spinnerstownhouse.com. Nestled in the heart of the beautiful lived there until 1946 when it was sold to Lord Decies, who in turn sold
Georgian heritage town of Birr, four converted townhouses and an it on to the State in the early 1950s. In 1994, the castle was bought by
original stone woollen mill make up the unique experience that is the Ryan family and transformed into a luxurious 37-bedroom hotel.
Spinners Townhouse & Bistro. Double rooms from €40 per person Kinnitty is also home to Ireland’s only burial pyramid. A scale replica of
sharing. Single rooms from €55 per night (Bed & Breakfast inclusive). the Egyptian pyramids, the stone tomb was erected in 1830–34 for the
The Bistro is a refreshing post-modern experience in dining. Menus Bernard family and can still be seen in the village graveyard.
reflect the new discerning tastes of Irish eating habits. The kitchen's
policy is "to buy local and think global". Only the freshest of TULLAMORE
ingredients are used. Recommended by the Michelin and Bridgestone Tullamore is the county town of Offaly. This vibrant and progressive
Guides. town owes much of its development to its position on the Grand
Canal, which provided important transport links in the early days. It is
publicbuilding places of interest the home of Tullamore Dew, a fine whiskey and the Tullamore Dew
Birr Castle Demesne, Birr, Co. Offaly. Tel: (057) 912 0336; Fax: (057) Heritage centre charts the development of the town and the part that
912 1583; Email:
mail@birrcastle.com; Web:
www.birrcastle.com. An the whiskey industry played in that development. About a mile to the
exotic worldwide plant collection with over 3,000 species is nestled south of the town is the Charleville Forest Castle; the eerie gothic
around 120 acres of award-winning gardens, the largest in Ireland. An castle boasts not only spectacular interiors, but also extensive grounds
early landmark for scientific innovation, the Demesne is also home to and the oldest oak tree in Ireland.
Ireland’s Historic Science Centre and world famous ‘Great Telescope.’
Birr Castle has been home to the Parsons family, Earls of Rosse, since guestrooms accommodation
1620 and is still their private home. Set in one of Ireland’s beautiful Bridge House Hotel, Spa & Leisure Club, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Tel:
Georgian heritage towns, Birr Castle Demesne offers a combination of (057) 932 5600; Fax: (057) 932 5690; Email:
fun, relaxation and discovery to all who visit. Courtyard Café and
info@brigehousehotel.com; Web:
www.bridgehousehotel.com. Enjoy
Discovery Gift Shop. Open every day of the year. Guided tours available the best of Irish hospitality renowned for good food, service & great
March to October 9am-6pm and November to February 10am-4pm.
CLONMACNOISE
Clonmacnoise was once home to some 3,000 scholars during Europe’s
Dark Age, but today you will simply find cattle grazing among the
tumbled walls and birds nesting in the silent bell towers. St. Ciarán
established Clonmacnoise in 548 AD at an intersection of the River
Shannon on an important junction for Celtic river and road travel. The
settlement has a violent and troubled history and has been destroyed
at least 13 times by invading forces. It was finally razed by the
English in 1552, but the ruins remain the most extensive of their kind
in Ireland and include a cathedral, eight churches, two round towers,
three high crosses and hundreds of Early Christian cross slabs. The
country partly owes its title as “the land of Saints and Scholars” to
Clonmacnoise, a humbling site which is still revered as a place of
pilgrimage to this day.
164 shannon and the midlands
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