20 Attractions to Explore Near Little Brosna River

Redwood Castle is a Norman castle near Lorrha in County Tipperary, Ireland. The castle was built by the Normans around 1200 AD, and was occupied by them until c. 1350, when the Mac Aodhagáin were installed on the lands. As hereditary Brehons or lawyers, the Mac Aodhagáin clan established a school of learning here, which was patronised by the family for several hundred years.

Lackeen Castle, built in the 12th century is a fine example of an Irish tower house. Standing in a bawn, four stories high and featuring fine fireplaces.Standing in a bawn, four stories high and featuring fine fireplaces. A straight stair runs up to the first floor and a spiral staircase runs to higher levels, the third storey is vaulted. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area and attracts a lot of tourists.

Clonfert Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Clonfert. It stands on the grounds where St Brendan founded a monastery in the 6th century. The monastery was a thriving centre of learning for centuries and at one time it is estimated there were 3,000 monks based at Clonfert. The current building was erected in the 12th century at the site of an earlier 6th century church founded by Saint Brendan, which was associated with a monastery he founded and at which he was buried.

Leviathan of Parsonstown, or Rosse six-foot telescope, is a historic reflecting telescope of 72 inches aperture, which was the largest telescope in the world from 1845 until the construction of the 100-inch Hooker Telescope in California in 1917. The Rosse six-foot telescope was built by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse on his estate, Birr Castle, at Parsonstown.

This is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. It is the home of the 7th Earl of Rosse and his family, and as such the residential areas of the castle are not open to the public, though the grounds and gardens of the demesne are publicly accessible, and include a science museum and a café, a reflecting telescope which was the largest in the world for decades and a modern radio telescope.

Portumna Castle is a semi-fortified house in Portumna, County Galway, Ireland. It was built in the early 17th century by the 4th Earl of Clanricarde, Richard Burke. The castle is a unique example of the transitional Irish architecture of the early 1600s. Its bold design combines elements of medieval and Renaissance style that complement each other perfectly.

A majestic forest park which covers almost 600 hectares. It is mainly coniferous but also contains a wide variety of broadleaved trees, both native and exotic. There is an old abbey, now under the care of the Office of Public Works, within the Park which dates back to the 15th century. The castle nearby, on which considerable restoration work has been carried out by the OPW, dates back to the 17th century and was the seat of the Earl of Clanrickarde.

Clonmacnoise is a ruined monastery situated in County Offaly in Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. The wooden castle that stood on the top of the motte at Clonmacnoise was destroyed by fire and later in 1214 the Justiciar of Ireland, Henry of London, built a stone castle on the motte.

This sixth century monastic site, located on the banks of the River Shannon is home to three high crosses, a cathedral, seven churches and two round towers. This great monastery was founded in 548- 9 by St. Ciarán Mac a tSaor. It became a great centre of religion and learning, visited by scholars from all over the world. Many historical manuscripts, including the 11th-century Annals of Tighernach and the 12th-century Book of the Dun Cow, were written here.

Mongan Bog is an excellent example of a midland raised bog. It is a valuable addition to the growing network of peatland reserves. The bog is believed to be 9,000 years old and has formed in a basin between two east-west trending eskers. A larger area is protected for its birdlife as a Special Protection Area: Mongan Bog SPA covers 1,843 ha and is also an Important Bird Area.

Leap Castle is a castle in Coolderry, County Offaly, Ireland, about 6 km north of the town of Roscrea and 10 km south of Kinnitty on the R421. In 1974 the now ruined castle was bought by Australian historian Peter Bartlett, whose mother had been a Banon. Bartlett, together with builder Joe Sullivan, carried out extensive restoration work on the castle up to the time of his death in 1989.

Clara Bog is the finest remaining example of a raised bog in Ireland today. The nature reserve is home to many protected wildlife species. The site is protected under a number of national and international designations including National Nature Reserve, a Special Area of Conservation, Ramsar Wetland Site, Natura 2000 site, and Natural Heritage Area.

The Kinnitty Pyramid was built in the 1830’s as a tomb for the Bernard family who lived in Kinnitty Castle at that time. The Castle was then known as Castle Bernard. The pyramid which you can see form the front of Ardmore Country House is located at the rear of St Finian’s church.

Tullaun Castle is a Gaelic four-storey tower house that is believed to have been built in the mid 1500s.The Castle dates back to 1570 when Dermot Kennedy was the first recorded owner. According to current owner Sonja Bergin – “it is a Kennedy Castle in Kennedy Country“! John, William & Rory Kennedy were the last Kennedy owners in the 1640’s. Tullaun apparently means grassy knoll but enough of that sort of talk.

This is an abbey of the Trappist branch of the Cistercians located in County Offaly, near Roscrea, County Tipperary in Ireland. The abbey was founded in 1878 by a group of 32 monks from Mount Melleray Abbey, County Waterford. The church was opened for worship in 1883, on 600 acres in Mount Heaton, Roscrea, and a Boarding school - Cistercian College, Roscrea - was founded in 1905. The first superior was Dom Athanasius O'Donovan.

The Offaly Way is a linear route of 38km linking the Slieve bloom Way (at Cadamstown) to the Sli Mor and crossing en-route the Grand Canal Way. It includes sections of riverbank, stretches of bogland, green mass paths and quiet country roadways. The trail provides a link between the Slieve Bloom Way and the Grand Canal Way.

Roscrea Castle is a 13th-century motte castle in the town of Roscrea, Ireland. The Castle consists of a walled courtyard, gate block, and angled towers. Along with 18th century Damer House and gardens, the Castle forms part of Roscrea Heritage Centre. It was used as a barracks from 1798, housing 350 soldiers, and later served as a school, a library and even a sanatorium.

Roscrea Castle is a motte castle in the town of Roscrea, Ireland. Built in the early 18th century in the Queen Anne style, Damer House is an example of pre-Palladian architecture. The stone castle consists of a gate tower, curtain walls and two corner towers dating from the 1280s. The castle rooms are furnished and some house exhibitions.

Arderin is a mountain on the border of County Offaly and County Laois. It is the highest mountain in the Slieve Bloom mountains. The mountain is only Irelands 399 highest point and sits at an altitude of 527m.

The Meehambee Dolmen is a megalithic portal tomb dating from about 3500 BC located in County Roscommon, Ireland. Dating back to about 3500 B.C., it will impress you with its size and picturesque setting on the edge of the forest. The capstone is estimated to weigh twenty-four tonnes. The portal stone supporting the back of the capstone has collapsed, allowing the capstone to slide backwards out of position, causing the doorstone to collapse also. The capstone now rests at a 45-degree angle.