County Tipperary: Rock of Cashel and the Golden Vale
Travel guide · editorial"It's a long way to Tipperary," British soldiers sang during World War I, but from Dublin it's barely two hours away. A trip to County Tipperary takes you to Ireland's largest inland county, to one of Europe's most impressive fortified church complexes, and into a land where hurling is almost a religion.
Landscape and Towns
The Golden Vale, with its dairy pastures, defines the south, while in the north Tipperary reaches the shores of Lough Derg on the Shannon. Mountain ranges such as the Galtees, the Knockmealdowns, and the Comeraghs frame the county. Clonmel on the River Suir is the largest town, with old town gates and a history as a garrison and market town. Nenagh in the north has a striking Norman round tower, and Thurles is regarded as the birthplace of the Gaelic Athletic Association, founded in 1884.
Sights in County Tipperary
The Rock of Cashel juts out of the plain as a limestone outcrop, crowned by a round tower, a Gothic cathedral, and the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel. Cahir Castle, a well-preserved fortress on a river island, and the nearby Swiss Cottage are easy to combine. On Lough Derg, villages such as Terryglass and Garrykennedy invite you to take a boat trip. Holycross Abbey, the Mitchelstown Caves, and the Glen of Aherlow with its hiking trails round out the program.
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
Trains stop in Thurles, Clonmel, Cahir, and Nenagh, and the M8 motorway runs right through the county. The best time to visit is between April and October. Culinary highlights include Cashel Blue, a well-known blue cheese, and apple cider from Clonmel. In fact, the county is closely tied to its dairy farming: many farm shops sell butter, yogurt, and cheese straight from the producer. Lough Derg is popular with sailors and kayakers, and Dromineer and Ballina have small harbors with pubs on the shore. If you want to experience hurling, catch a game at Semple Stadium in Thurles, one of the country's most storied arenas. In high summer the streets there fill with fans in Tipperary's blue and gold, and after the match the debate goes on late into the night in the pubs around Liberty Square.