20 Attractions to Explore Near Springfield Castle

Glenquin Castle is a tower house and National Monument located in County Limerick, Ireland.This castle was a fortified dwelling, for the protection against raids and invaders, more correctly described as a Tower House. It is one of the finest tower houses to survive from the 16th century and is open to the public during the summer months.

Desmond Castle in Kinsale dates from around 1500. It is a classic urban tower house, consisting of a three-storey keep with storehouses to the rear. It served as a prison in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Its restored medieval features include and oak musicians' gallery and a limestone hooded fireplace.

Kanturk Castle is an impressive ruined mansion located about 1.5km from the market town of Kanturk in County Cork. The castle is a rectangular four storey high Tudor-style mansion made from limestone rubble from a nearby quarry. This fortified house was built in c. 1601 for MacDonogh McCarthy as a defence against English settlers during the Plantation of Ireland.

A beautiful park situated in the picturesque village of Adare. Adare Park consists of beautiful walks and pathways. The park is very well maintained with trimmed green spaces and colourful flower beds dotted all around. One feature of the park is the lovely thatched gazebo, which plays a part in village events and is a popular photographic background for the many weddings that take place in Adare all year round.

Adare Heritage Centre offers an exciting range of facilities for every visitor. Learn about the history of the picturesque heritage town of Adare in County Limerick at the Adare Heritage Centre.Step back in time and take a journey through the Historical Exhibition, a reconstruction of Adare’s unique past from the arrival of the Normans to the ancient Abbeys of the Middle Ages.

Holy Trinity Abbey Church is now the Roman Catholic parish church in the centre of the picturesque nineteenth-century estate village of Adare. The foundation date of Trinitarian order at Adare is unknown. The church underwent considerable restoration in the nineteenth century which incorporated remains of the medieval church including the nave, chancel and tower.

This is a a 13th-century castle located on King's Island in Limerick, Ireland. The Castle was built between 1200 and 1210. It was repaired and extended many times over the following centuries. King John’s Castle remains a most impressive Anglo-Norman fortification. It retains many of the pioneering features which made its construction unique for its day. Its massive gatehouse, battlements and corner towers await exploration!

The Adare Friary, located in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, formerly known as the "Black Abbey", is an Augustinian Friary founded in 1316 by the Earl of Kildare. It is now known as "St. Nicholas' Church of Ireland" parish church, and St Nicholas' National School. Many of the features of the friary are very well preserved, particularly the small 15th century cloister and sedilia.

The Desmond Castle is located on the edge of the village of Adare, just off the N21 on the main Limerick to Kerry road. The castle was erected with an ancient ring-fort around the early part of the 13th century. It became a strategic fortress during the following turbulent years. It was the property of the Earls of Kildare for nearly 300 years until the rebellion in 1536, when it was forfeited and granted to the Earls of Desmond who gave the castle its present name.

Desmond Castle in Kinsale dates from around 1500. It is a classic urban tower house, consisting of a three-storey keep with storehouses to the rear.It served as a prison in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Because it usually held French inmates, as well as Spaniards, Portuguese, Dutch and Americans, it became known locally as the French Prison and carries that name to this day.

Curraghchase is a 774-acre forest park located in County Limerick. There are over 300 hectares of rolling parkland, trails, mixed woodland, lakes and an arboretum here. There are a number of looped way marked trails in the park to suit all visitors. They vary from the multi-access trails suitable for wheelchair users and family walkers to the longer Curragh and Glenisca trails suitable for those looking for more demanding walking and cycling options.

The Ballyhoura Mountains are located in south-east County Limerick and north-east County Cork in central Munster, running east and west for about 6 miles on the borders of both counties. The southern part of the hills is largely afforested with conifers, on the northern side there is extensive heathland and blanket bog. A good trekking destination and also there are so many things to see and do here.

Doneraile Court is the stunning centrepiece of one of Ireland’s most beautiful estates. The Park comprises approximately 166 hectares and is an outstanding example of an 18th century landscaped park in the ‘Capability Brown’ style. Mature groves of deciduous trees, several restored water features and a number of deer herds can be viewed along the many pathways within the Park. The pathways are generally accessible for people with special needs.

Fantstown Castle is a tower in Limerick. Fantstown Castle is situated nearby to Foley’s Cross Roads, east of Mount Coote. It is a five storey fortified tower house about 56 feet high, and although in ruins, it is in fairly good condition. It is a five storey fortified tower house about 56 feet high, and although in ruins, it is in fairly good condition.

Seefin is a mountain near the southern border of County Limerick, Ireland. At 528m it is the highest peak and the second most northerly summit in the Ballyhoura Mountains. An iconic location for a trek and also it offers stunning views too.

Ballygrennan Castle is a large tower-house set within the remains of a bawn. It consists of a tower house within bawn walls and it is a listed national monument. The castle is described by Westropp as a late 16th-century house, with extensive outbuilding and a court with an outer gate. There are remains of a number of later buildings with chimneys. The tower-house has two square bartizans at opposite corners.

Castle Oliver is nestled between two unspoiled country villages, Ardpatrick and Ballyorgan. It has a ballroom, drawing room, library, morning room, dining room and hall which feature hand-painted ceilings, decorated ornamental corbels, superbly executed stained glass windows and stencil work. Built with Red Sandstone in the Scottish Baronial style, Castle Oliver is a comfortable residence and an elaborate party venue.

Mallow Castle is a National Monument situated off the N72 on Bridewell Lane, Mallow, County Cork, Ireland. The 33-acre site is composed gardens and parkland on which three buildings sit: the remains of a 16th-century fortified house, a 19th-century mansion to the north, and the ruins of a 13th-century castle to the east. It is early Jacobean in style, featuring high gables, stepped battlements, and mullioned windows.

Lough Gur is located in the South East of Ireland within the Ballyhoura region. Visitors enjoy the rural unspoilt beauty that is easily accessible 21km’s from Limerick City. The largest stone is Rannach Chruim Duibh and is over 4m high and weighs 40 tonnes. The entrance of the circle is aligned with the rising sun at the Summer Solstice.A short distance to the north-north east of the main stone circle, is a second smaller circle, also constructed of large stones.

Glin Castle is a unique & historical property offering wonderful comfort within breath-taking surroundings. It is the ancestral home of the Knights of Glin and still the family home of the FitzGeralds. The original ruined Glin Castle, besieged in 1601, lies nearby in the village of Glin.