Tours From Castle Oliver

Tour 1

Newcastle West - Killarney - Kenmare -  Mallow

Newcastle West, a busy market town, is the centre of prosperous dairy country, with fishing, golf (9) and tennis. The town takes its name from a twelfth-century castle which stands in ruins in the park beside the Square. Built in 1184 for the Knights Templars, it later passed to the earls of Desmond. the building suffered much during centuries of wars, and the ruins show evidence of many rebuildings and alterations. The castle has two halls (both fifteenth century), one of which has been subdivided, but the other, the Desmond Hall, is still complete. It Twelve miles south-west of Newcastle West is the market town of Abbeyfeale, on the River Feale in hilly country near the border of counties Limerick and Kerry. There is fishing in the Feale, much of it free, for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. The town was named after a Cistercian abbey founded here in the twelfth century by Brian O' Brien; the present Catholic church incorporates part of the abbey structure.

Killarney is the tourist capital of Ireland, a place with stunning views and walks in the national park and along the banks of the lakes.  Cross the mountains thorugh Moll's Gap to Kenmare.   Connecting the famous Ring of Kerry with Cork's Ring of Beara, Kenmare is a very popular tourist destination. This busy picturesque little town is built on the Roughty River and is located at the edge of Kenmare Bay.  Kenmare has a long and varied history dating from the stone circle adjacent to the town which dates from 2500 B.C.

It holds its fair day, the Pattern, on the 15th of August each year. The town becomes busy with people looking at the various stalls, watching old farmers haggle and drinking pints in the sun with the locals.

Kilgarvin is situated on the Roughty River, near Kenmare and contains Kilgarvan Motor Museum, where there is a display of vintage and classic cars including such eminent models as Rolls Royce, Bentley, Alvis and MG. Just off the Kenmare road is a geological oddity, a mushroom shaped rock, formed by a block of sandstone on a limestone plinth.

Pass through The Paps, foothills (a wild area with amazing prehistoric hidden sites to find)  to the Derrynasaggart Mountains. and then back through Mallow, passing Kanturk with its storied castle.  During the 18th and 19th centuries Mallow was an important spa town.  A famous author who lived here for a time was Anthony Trollope.  The castle is in the centre of the town and though the present building is a private home the earlier castle can be visited.  In the castle park is a hear of white deer, descendants of the originals given to Mallow Castle by Queen Elizabeth I

Tour 2

Doneraile - Castltownroche - Cork - Kinsale - Cobh

Buttevant has ruins of a thirteenth-century Franciscan abbey and of Ballybeg Abbey, outside the town. The Barry family settled here in the twelfth century and founded the castle, which has now been modernised. The first recorded steeplechase was run in 1752 from the steeple of Buttevant Protestant church to that of Doneraile, 4 1/2 miles away.  The 18th centruy parkland grounds of Doneraile Court are open.

Castletownroche is located in a picturesque area, north-east of Killavullen (original home of the Hennessy brandy family) , beside the Awbeg river which is a tributary of the River Blackwater. Edmund Spenser the English poet wrote of the Awbeg river in 'The Faerie Queen' calling it the 'Mulla'. The gardens at Annesgrove at Castletownroche, laid out largely in the early twentieth century, are a supreme expression of gardening in the Robinsonian manner - the interplanting of native and exotic species into a natural setting with a minimum of formality, following the river for about 1 mile.

Blarney Castle, and the magic Blarney Stone with its traditional power of conferring eloquence on those who kiss it, are world famous. Blarney together with Killarney are probably the most visited areas of Ireland outside of Dublin. The town and it's environs are real mecca's for tourists. Cork is a charming city located in the south west of Ireland. Built on the famous River Lee, it’s Irelands third largest city.  The two channels of the River Lee which embrace the city centre are spanned by many bridges, and this gives the city a distinctive continental air.  The Gaol, the English Market, She bells of St Annes Church and the art galleries at the univewrsity and on the quays are all worth a visit.

Kinsale renowned as Ireland's gourmet capital - but there's more to Kinsale than just food Kinsale is steeped in history. It was here that the famous Battle of Kinsale took place in 1601. This battle is still regarded to be a big turning point in Irish history.  Sites to visit include Charles Fort, the Kinsale Museum or the 12th Century Saint Multose Church

Cobh is probably best known as the departure point for up to 2.5 million Irish people who emmigrated to America around the start of the 19th century. The port, was in fact, the last stop for the doomed Titanic before it set sail across the Atlantic!  Visitors to Cobh can trace all aspects of Cobh's seafaring history at the excellent The Queenstown Story.

Tour 3

Cashel - Cahir - The Knockmealdowns - Lismore - Glanworth

Cashel was once the seat of the Kings of Munster and capital of this southern province. The Rock, which rears above the plain, dominated the land routes southwards. Kings of Ireland as well as Munster came to this spot and St. Patrick is known to have preached on the rock and converted the local King, Aenghus, here in the 5th Century. Brian Boru was also crowned King of Ireland on this spot in the early 11th Century. King Cormac built his superb Royal Chapel in the 12th century.

Cahir is a charming and picturesque town on the banks of the River Suir in the south of County Tipperary. The surrounding lands are rich and fertile and the town nestles beneath the protection of the Galtee Mountains. The name in Irish, Chathair, means 'Stone Fort'. Conor O'Brien, the Lord of Thomond, built a strong and imposing castle on a stony outcrop island in the River Suir in the 12th century. It was around this focal point that the town of Cahir developed. Some of this original castle has been incorporated in the later Anglo Norman Castle, built in the 15/16th century.  The castle has featured in many movies, including John Boorman's "Excalibur. The 19th century saw the growth of a major corn milling industry and in Cahir, as elsewhere, this was controlled by the Quaker community. Indeed Cahir was known as the 'Quaker Town'. The present appearance of the town dates from the 1840's when the 2nd Earl of Glengall (Butler) redesigned the town around the Square, often cited as one of Ireland's most successful examples of the 19th century town planning. For this project, Butler engaged the famous Regency architect, John Nash, who also designed Swiss Cottage in Cahir Park

Cross the Knockmealdown Mountains by the Vee Pass

Lismore, dominated by the Duke of Devonshire's castle,  derives from of the Irish Lios Mor or Big Fort. The place grew to eminence through the monastery founded by Mo-Chuda of Rahan (St Carthage) in 636, just a few years before his death in 638. Eminent European figures studied at its celebrated school and despite being sacked many times by the Vikings it retained its huge influence in the kingdom of the Deise (an ancient Irish name for the area).

Glanworth lies on the banks of the river Funshion north-west of Fermoy. The very old and narrow 12 arch stone bridge is a notable feature. The castle towers over the river here, but are many other interesting religious and secular ruins in the area. The village was a staging post on the old Butter Route to Cork.

Tour 4

Lough Gur - Limerick - Bunratty - Adare - Croom - Bruree - Kilmallock

Lough Gur is a small horseshoe-shaped lake nestled among limestone hills in south-eastern Limerick.  Over 30 ancient sites and monuments can be found around its shores today, ranging in date from Neolithic to Medieval times, and many more may originally have been present. Lough Gur’s monuments include stone circles, dwelling-places, field systems, standing stones, ringforts, crannogs, castles, and a megalithic tomb

Limerick, the fourth largest city in Ireland. Its strategic position on the River Shannon makes it an important port, and Shannon Airport is 15 miles (24 km) away (in County Clare). The first evidence of settlement in Limerick is found on Kings Island and dates back to the Vikings of the 9th century. It was the only river crossing then, and served as a base for raiding local monasteries and Celtic settlements.  The Castle, The Georgian House, The Hunt Museum and St mary's Cathedral are all worth visiting.

Bunratty village is synonymous with world famous 15th century Bunratty Castle and 19th century Bunratty Folk Park, the West of Ireland's most visited attraction. The village offers excellent shopping including Avoca Handweavers and Bunratty Village Mills / Blarney Woollen Mills Complex , great restaurants, several hotels and a number of pubs including the famous 'Durty Nellys' pub. Bunratty Castle is one of Europe's finest. Pride of more than 100 castles built by the McNamara chieftains in 15th century Clare, it is faithfully restored and refurnished. In the shadow of the castle is Bunratty Folk Park illustrating 19th century Irish life from grand manor house to peasant dwelling and from farm activities to cobble-stone village street. The castle commands a ford and anchorage on the Bunratty River. Restored to its former glory, it offers daytime tours to tell of its history

Adare is an old-world village of thatched cottages and lichened medieval churches is in wooded surroundings on the west bank of the River Maigue. Sights to see in this quaint little village include: Desmond Castle, Adare Manor, Augustinian Friary, Franciscan Friary, the Trinitarian Friary and, of course, the beautiful thatched cottages that line the village. Each year during July, the luxury Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Course hosts the Adare Festival, a major international music festival

Croom, in wooded country on the banks of the River Maigue, was a stronghold of the Fitzgeralds, Croom Castle (1190). the war-cry of the Geraldines (Kildare branch) 'Crom Abu' (Croom to Victory) was taken from here. In the eighteenth century the town was the meeting-place of the 'Maigue Poets': Sean O Tuama, Aindrias Mac Craith and Sean Clarach Mac Domhnaill. An annual literary festival, Feile na Miaghe, held in towns in the Maigue district, now commemorates this gathering.   Bruree is a small village on the River Maigue. This was a residence of Munster Kings in early times (the Irish name means royal residence). The ruined castle beside the Protestant church is said to have been a de Lacy fortress. A small museum is dedicated to the memory of Eamon de Valera, a former President who went to school here.

Kilmallock, a small country town in the fertile Golden Vale, was once the headquarters of the earls of Desmond and one of the most important towns in Munster. A small museum features scale models of Stone Age habitations, a model of medieval Kilmallock and a small collection of materials relating to the locality in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The Ballyhoura Mountains and Countryside

	Ballyhoura Country is an area of undulating green pastures, woodlands, hills and mountains. The area is free from the crowds so often find elsewhere, of course it has vibrant towns and villages, but Ballyhoura Country is the perfect place to get off the beaten track, take a magical mystery tour and discover rural Ireland. If the ancient and unspoilt landscapes don’t seduce you, then an abundance of significant heritage sites, thrilling outdoor recreational activities and the friendly people you’re certain to meet on your visit through the area, just might.
	A thriving rural community, ever welcoming, Ballyhoura Country is a most sociable place to stopover. Visiting the area you’ll no doubt make some new friends, certainly learn more about the area, experience local life and become part of the community should you so wish. Whether you prefer a quiet walk through scenic woodland, an exhilarating quad bike ride, or a relaxing game of golf, Ballyhoura Country offers a huge range of outdoor activities. Watch wildlife up close, horseback ride along corrie lakes, canoe, rock climb or fly-fish through some of Irelands loveliest landscapes. There’s plenty to be done all interspersed with cultural encounters and gourmet surprises.

The Glen of Aherlow stretches from the N24 south of Tipperary Town through 16 miles of unspoilt countryside affording some of the most breathtaking scenery. The lush valley of the River Aherlow runs between the Galtee Mountains and the wooded ridge of Slievenamuck. Bounded by the villages of Galbally and Bansha, the Glen was historically an important pass between Limerick and Tipperary.
Today there are opportunities for walking, horseriding, cycling, rambling and fishing. Lowland walks follow the River Aherlow along the valley floor. More adventurous walkers will be tempted by the Galtee range, which offers more rugged hill walking past wooded foothills, mountain streams, corrie lakes and splendid sandstone peaks.
The Galtees are Ireland's highest inland mountain range, with a variety of peaks including Galtymore at 3,018ft. The Galtees provide the challenge required for today's serious hill walker and mountain climber.
The variety of prehistoric, early Christian and Medieval sites within the valley and throughout the hinterland, provides comprehensive trails for both the casual and seasoned historian. The Glen is renowned for the warmth of its welcome and the friendship of its people. Nowhere will this be more evident to the visitor than in the restaurants, pubs and coffee shops.

Other places to visit

Waterford - 70 miles

Kilkenny  65 Miles

Galway 80 miles

Cliffs of Moher 65 miles

Dublin 130 miles

Limerick 20 miles

Local Race Meetings

Tipperary  (Limerick Junction) 2008 Fixtures

Thu		10 Apr 2008
Thu		17 Apr 2008
Thu		01 May 2008
Fri		23 May 2008
Thu		05 Jun 2008
Thu		19 Jun 2008
Sat		19 Jul 2008
Sun		20 Jul 2008
Thu		07 Aug 2008
Thu		28 Aug 2008
Thu		11 Sep 2008
Sun		05 Oct 2008

Limerick 2008 Fixtures

Sat		29 Dec 2007
Thu		10 Jan 2008
Sun		03 Feb 2008
Sat		15 Mar 2008
Sun		16 Mar 2008
Sat		05 Apr 2008
Sun		06 Apr 2008
Mon		05 May 2008
Thu		15 May 2008
Sat		14 Jun 2008
Fri		20 Jun 2008
Sun		06 Jul 2008
Thu		24 Jul 2008
Sun		12 Oct 2008
Sun		09 Nov 2008
Mon		10 Nov 2008
Fri		26 Dec 2008
Sat		27 Dec 2008
Sun		28 Dec 2008
Mon		29 Dec 2008

Cork (Mallow)

Sat		05 Jan 2008
Sun		20 Jan 2008
Sat		22 Mar 2008
Sun		23 Mar 2008
Mon		24 Mar 2008
Sun		20 Apr 2008
Fri		02 May 2008
Fri		16 May 2008
Sun		08 Jun 2008
Sun		15 Jun 2008
Fri		11 Jul 2008
Sun		03 Aug 2008
Mon		04 Aug 2008
Sun		24 Aug 2008
Sat		18 Oct 2008
Sun		19 Oct 2008
Sun		02 Nov 2008
Sun		16 Nov 2008
Sun		14 Dec 2008

Greyhound Racing

Limerick  

Regular Race Nights

Monday
Thursday
Saturday