County Carlow
County Carlow’s principal town of Carlow is a quaint university village that houses the Institute of Technology. Because of this the small inland county located in the southeast portion of the country houses a student population running about 3,000. It is strategically positioned between County Kildare and County Wicklow, and benefits from the tourism activities of both of those counties.
County Carlow is rather small. In fact, it is the second smallest county in all of Ireland, with a population of only about 50,000. However, it is growing, and that population growth is fuelled by the younger than average age of its residents. Carlow offers its visitors lots in the way of outdoors pursuits, such as climbing, golfing and a wide variety of other sports. The Blackstairs Mountains ring the county and provide much in the way of challenges for the serious climber as well as the novice.
County Carlow is surrounded on all sides by mountains, making it a magnet for outdoors enthusiasts. And, where there are mountains, there are valleys and these offer much in the way of rolling meadows and meandering streams – the perfect place to spend a summer’s day and perhaps enjoy a picnic.
Carlow Town, the heart of the county, is a bustling community that offers plenty in the way of accommodation, as well as lots of things to do. A variety of festivals are held throughout the year, and there is plenty of good shopping in the centre of town.
Venturing outside of the town centre, one can explore the fertile limestone fields of the Barrow Valley, along with a great deal of upland country to the West. The picturesque riverside villages dotting the landscape offer plenty of wonderful sightseeing opportunities, and provide for some wonderful day hikes.
County Carlow is also known for its variety of gardens, and visitors will delight in a day trip to the Delta Sensory Gardens & Garden Centre. Here you will find a variety of floral displays, as well as a store where you can buy a wide variety of shrubs and plants. Altamont Gardens are also located nearby, and they are considered to be the jewel in the country’s gardening crown. Here you will find a variety of walking trails replete with blooms of all types that make for a breathtaking display of floral splendour.
Golfers too will enjoy taking to the links in County Carlow, with a variety of courses to suit all experience levels.
County Carlow has an interesting history. The impressive castle ruins as well as the somewhat war-torn old courthouse building are poignant reminders of the county’s turbulent past.
There are several towns located within the county, and these include places with such interesting names as Bagenalstown, Graiguenamanagh, Leighlinbridge and Tinryland – in addition to Carlow Town itself. Tinryland in particular has an interesting past. It is believed that its original settlers were the first farmers in this area, and evidence of their existence was only discovered in 1943 with the excavation of the old burial site of Linkardstown. It was here that an ancient polygonal stone chamber was discovered. The chamber was lined with stones that sloped both upwards, as well as inwards. The remains of a single human, as well as a variety of pottery, were found to be contained within the chamber. Since some of the pottery depicted farming life, it is presumed that the early settlers in Tinryland were among some of the first farmers to populate Ireland.
Carlow Town is the administrative centre of the county and is probably best known for being the subject of the famous Irish folksong “Follow me up to Carlow,” which was written in the late 1800’s to commemorate the Battle of Glenmalure in 1798. In fact, located in the town centre one can find the Liberty Tree Fountain which also celebrates that famed battle.
County Carlow has had some interesting residents over the decades. The famed 19th century scientist John Tyndall hailed from these parts. He is best remembered as being the first scientist able to explain why the sky is blue. Also, Irish TV travel host Kathryn Thomas is from Carlow Town, as well as Lisa Burke, the weather forecaster with Sky News.
One of the strongest advantages that County Carlow enjoys is its close proximity to the Dublin area. Residents can enjoy rural living in County Carlow, while still being within an easy commute of the commerce centres of Dublin. Visitors can enjoy the wealth of recreational possibilities that can be found in the more “cosmopolitan” Dublin, while still being close enough to County Carlow to enjoy its much slower, more laid back rural pace of life. It is the best of both worlds for today’s tourist.