20 Attractions to Explore Near Glenstal Abbey

The Slieve Felim way is a long-distance trail through the Slieve Felim Mountains in Ireland. It is 43 kilometres long and begins in Murroe, County Limerick and ends in Silvermines, County Tipperary. It is typically completed in two days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Shannon Development and Coillte

Mountshannon House was a large mansion in Lisnagry, near Castleconnell, County Limerick, built in the mid-18th century. Erected on a 900 acre estate of the best of arable land. At the time half of the domain was covered in trees. The estate and house were serviced from the working area where there was quite a number of buildings including servants' quarters, stewards houses, stables, coach houses, laundry, its own gas making and so more.

A beautiful pedestrian bridge across the River Shannon linking the University of Limerick’s premises in County Limerick and County Clare. The bridge was designed by Arup Engineers & Wilkinson Eyre Architects to provide social and cultural space to encourage pedestrians to rest a while as they cross along the gently curved structure. At this point on the Shannon it is wide and shallow with many wooded islands which provide varied views and support for the piers.

Keeper Hill is situated in the Slieve Felim mountain range in North Tipperary, just 15km east of Limerick City. The mountain is about 15 km east of Limerick City. Keeper Hill is the highest mountain in the Silvermines and the 58th highest in Ireland. There is a stone circle in Bauraglanna townland on the northeastern slopes, known as Firbrega. There is a looped walk around the lower shoulders of Keeper Hill, to which the ‘hardy’ walker can add the ‘trek’ to the summit.

Thomond Bridge, was built near a fording point. It was the scene of a failed defending of the city during the Siege of Limerick. It connected the old walled city of Limerick with County Clare via Thomondgate. The modern bridge was erected in 1840 replacing a bridge from the 14th century.

Lough Gur Visitor Centre will allow the whole family to discover over 6,000 years of history at Lough Gur, using audiovisual presentations, artefacts, interactive touch screens, and more. A great variety of wildlife can also be found in the area, including loads of waterfowl, such as ducks, geese, swans, coots and more. Birds of Prey including Barn owls and Kestrels can also be seen, plus a variety of waders, gulls and lots of songbirds.

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 lake is fed from underground springs and is not free-flowing. The lake and the surrounding area is known to be one of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites.

The Arra Mountains or Arra Hills are situated in County Tipperary in Ireland, between the towns of Nenagh and Ballina, south east of Lough Derg and north of the M7 Motorway. The highest summit is Tountinna (Irish: Tonn Toinne) at 457m high. A good trekking destination and also it offers stunning views from here.

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.

Tountinna is the highest point on the Arra Mountains and forms part of the Lough Derg Way. A trip to the summit by foot offers panoramic views of Lough Derg and it’s also possible to drive to the summit taking a righthand turn just outside the historic town of Baliina on the Portroe road. There’s a picnic area at the top to take a seat and see how many counties you can see.

Moylussa is a mountain in the Slieve Bernagh range in western Ireland, and the highest point in County Clare at 532 metres. There are a number of routes to the summit; one of the most popular ascents starts from the forest car park at Ballycuggaran, Ogonnelloe. The route passes through one of the conifer plantations that have been created on the shoulder of the mountain and other nearby hills by Coillte, the state owned forestry company.

The Graves of the Leinstermen has arguably the most evocative name of all the sites in the Adopt a Monument Scheme. Mystery surrounds this megalithic monument on the slopes of the Arra Mountains overlooking Lough Derg in Co. Tipperary. The monument, however, is thought to date back to prehistory, with the general consensus being that it is some form of megalithic tomb.

The East Clare Way is a long-distance trail in County Clare, Ireland. It is a 180-kilometre long circular route that begins and ends in Killaloe. It is typically completed in eight days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by East & Mid Clare Way Limited and the East Clare Way Committee.

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 Otway was the family home of Admiral Sir Robert Waller Otway. This former 18th-century country house which stood on a hill on the outskirts of Templederry, near Nenagh in County Tipperary, Ireland. The house was built in stone up against the ruins of Cloghane Castle in two storeys with a 7-bay frontage, of which the middle three were pedimented. It now stands as a derelict ruin with the gardens and estate land used for farming.

The Nenagh Heritage Centre is located in two stone Georgian buildings, built in 1840-1842 as the Governor's House and Gatehouse of an extensive Gaol complex for North Tipperary, which held thousands of prisoner's until its closure in 1887. It historically housed those sentenced to death by public hanging. Between 1842 and 1858, 17 Tipperary men were executed here. After its closure, the property was taken over by the Sisters of Mercy for educational purposes.

Nenagh Castle was built by Theobald Walter and is the oldest building, and its construction in the 13th century laid the foundation for the development of the town. Built from limestone Nenagh Castle measures fifty-five feet in external diameter at the base and rises to a height of one hundred feet. The Castle features four storeys and thanks to a recent renovation this wonderful landmark now represents the town’s premier tourist attraction.

Slievenamuck is a mountain summit in the region in the county of Tipperary, Ireland. Slievenamuck is 369 metres high with a prominence of 234 metres. It is a good trekking destination and also there are so many other opportunities too.

Inis Cealtra is a 50-acre island on River Shannon and is located near Mountshannon in Co Clare. It’s unique, even in Ireland, in that there are monuments and artifacts here, dating back over 1000 years, that have survived in a wonderful state of preservation because of their secluded island location. Boat trips can be taken from the harbour at Mountshannon. It is conserved by the East Clare Heritage Centre.

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.