A Quick Guide to Carlow

Many Irish towns have seen great changes in the past decade and few more so than Carlow. Its population has grown rapidly as many of those who could not afford steeply climbing house prices in Dublin bought houses locally and joined the commuting crowds that leave for the capital each morning.

The town has responded with a rapid increase in shopping facilities and other amenities and the opening of a bypass in 2008 which has greatly relieved the traffic congestion for which Carlow was unfortunately famous.

From a visitors point of view, the big attractions locally are the Brownshill Dolmen, a few miles out of town, and the lovely Barrow Valley, a wonderful place for getting away from it all far from the crowds.

Carlow Castle, which is now a not very spectacular ruin, was once of immense importance standing as it did at the outermost edge of the Pale, the area around Dublin where English control was solid, separating it from the regions outside where warring Gaelic tribes held sway.

Things to do and see

A selection of places and activities that are in Carlow or that can be visited while using Carlow as a base. For more activities that may be in reach see our Area Guides.

Altamont Gardens
Altamount Gardens is a place apart, a wonderland of interconnecting gardens, riverside walks and woodlands of incredible beauty and peacefulness.

The Barrow Valley
A peaceful and relatively little visited area which is a great "get away from it all" place to go.

Festival and Events

Fenagh Steam Rally Miscellaneous | Date: 14th Sept