A Visitor's Guide to Ireland's South East

For anyone interested in history and especially in the built environment and historic buildings this is the a particularly rewarding region of Ireland. There are castles and great houses, cathedrals and ancient abbeys and many interesting townscapes to explore.

Kilkenny CastleKilkenny, Wexford, Cahir among other towns have very evident medieval origins, with narrow winding streets, the remains of old city walls, interesting shops and historic buildings which have either been restored or in some case have been in continuous use for many centuries.

The famous Rock of Cashel in North Tipperary is a top attraction, a place that people have travelled to for more than 1000 years, while close to Carlow, a thriving market town, the Brown's Hill Dolman is one of Ireland's most impressive ancient megalithic monuments.

The coastline here is often overlooked, being less dramatic than the Atlantic coast of the South, but the Waterford and Wexford coastline is lovely, with long sandy beaches, small harbour towns like Dunmore East, Passage East and Kilmore Quay, and almost deserted coves awaiting those who choose to explore it.

Less explored parts of the South East include the The Comeragh Mountain and Nire Valley Drives, wonderful mountainous routes through breathtaking scenery and with almost no tourists in evidence for most of the year. These are also great locations for walkers, with the area around the Glen of Aherlow a great base for a walking tour.

Recommended Things to See & Do

Cahir Castle, Co Tipperary
On the site of a fortress built on an Island on the River Suir by Conor O'Brien, Prince of Thomand in 1142, Cahir castle had 200 years later become the centre of a thriving medieval town. By this time it had become the property...

Kilkenny Castle
Perched on high ground overlooking the River Nore, Kilkenny Castle dominates the city that grew up around it over the last 800 years and is still very much an integral part of its daily life. Recent renovation has made more of...

St Canice's Cathedral
St Canice's Cathedral was built during the early 13th century on the site of an earlier monastic settlement which gave the city of Kilkenny its name, Chill Choinneach, meaning the Church of Canice. The 31m high round tower,...

Duncannon Fort
Duncannon Fort as it is to-day mostly dates from 1588, when it was constructed on a promontory near the strategically important port of Waterford as a defence against an expected attack from the Spanish Armada. Prior to that...

Altamont Gardens
Rarely crowded and always rewarding no matter what the season, this is a real hidden gem. All around there are wonderful views of the Blackstairs and Wicklow Mountains and Mount Leinster. An Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age...

Killruddery House and Gardens
The formal gardens at Killruddery were laid out in the 17th century and, uniquely among Irish gardens, still exist in their original style. The gardens are very large and in parts laid out formally, with neatly trimmed beech...

The Watergarden
A personal favourite, this small garden is managed and staffed by the residents of Camphill,  a movement composed of individuals, many with special needs, who live together in a mutually supportive environment. Smaller and more...

Mount Juliet Golf Club
Immaculately maintained parkland course with excellent facilities more in the style of an American than a typical Irish course, this was the location of several Irish Open championships and more recently the 2004 American Express...

Mount Juliet Equestrian Centre
Part of the extensive and impressive Mount Juliet Estate, there are a range of very good horses available here, but it is perhaps more suited to adult riders and experienced older children. There is excellent cross country riding,...

Top Flight Equestrian Centre
A family run equestrian centre with a particularly friendly athmosphere and excellent facilities. Tuition of a high standard is provided for all levels of rider, both indoors and out, with an excellent range of both natural...

Hook Head Lighthouse
For almost 800 years the lighthouse at Hook Head has shone a beacon for sailors off Ireland's South-East coast, making it one of the oldest working lighthouses in the world.   In fact the first light here may have been...

Irish National Heritage Park
This privately owned Heritage Park tells the story of early Ireland through carefully reconstructed buildings and re-enactments of the life and work of Irish people in centuries and millennia past. While there are no original...

Events Guide for the South East

Castlecomer Wellie Race
Type: Miscellaneous | Date: Jan 1st
This annual event is a long standing fixture on the New Year calendar and must rank as one of the most unusual events in Ireland. At the heart of the festivities is the Wellie...

Tipperariana Book Fair
Type: Literary Events | Date: February 2009
Tipperariana is an annual book fair which takes place in the village of Fethard in Co Tipperary. It's a cornucopia of delights for all book lovers, with dealers from all over...

Wexford Book Festival 2009
Type: Literary Events | Date: March 2009
Wexford readers are well taken care of, with three thriving bookshops which serve as the locations for many of the festival events, the majority of them with free...

Cat Laughs Comedy Festival
Type: Comedy | Date: May 2009
Each Year Irish comedians are joined by a huge international line-up in what has become one of the most popular and well attended festivals in Ireland. Details below refer to...

Eigse Carlow
Type: Arts Festival | Date: May 2009
 There is a strong emphasis on visual arts here, but there is also comedy, a literary programme, music, street entertainment and many 'fringe' events in local pubs....

Byrne Perry Summer School
Type: Summer School | Date: May 2009
Founded in 1995 with a remit of examining Irish history and literature from the eighteenth century onwards, the school broadly considers topics around how the last two centuries...

Clonmel Junction Festival
Type: Festival | Date: July 5th-13th
2008 is the 8th year of the festival, which continues to grow and become ever more popular.  This year sees performers from the USA, Belgium, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania,...

Kilkenny Arts Festival
Type: Arts Festival | Date: Aug 8th-17th
One of the longest established Arts Festivals in Ireland, this one has something for everyone and the whole city is involved, with exhibitions and performances even in shops and...

Spraoi Festival
Type: Festival | Date: August 1st - 3rd
The Spraoi [say spree] Festival in Waterford is all about live street performance and world music. Every part of the city is involved and the whole place becomes a huge street...

New Ross Piano Festival
Type: Music: Classical | Date: Sept 25th - 28th
Now in its third year, New Ross will once again play host to talented pianists from Ireland and overseas on the last weekend in September 2008. Cristina Ortiz, Brazil's most...

Kilkenny Celtic Festival
Type: Festival | Date: Sept 26th - Oct 5th
The Kilkenny Celtic Festival aims to foster an appreciation of all things Celtic, language, song, music, dance, sport and even food. Participants will enjoy a varied programme...

Blackstairs Blues Festival
Type: Music: Jazz & Blues | Date: September 12th - 14th
2008 will be the 13th year of this festival, which sees practically non-stop blues performances the pubs and hotels of Enniscorthy during the September week-end. While the future...

Waterford Festival of Light Opera
Type: Theatre | Date: Mid September
2008 is the fifthieth annual Waterford Festival of Light Opera, and, sadly, will be the first year when there will be no competition. This is due to the closure for refurbishment...

Fenagh Steam Rally
Type: Miscellaneous | Date: 14th Sept
The annual steam rally at Fenagh has been running now since the mid seventies and sees probably the biggest annual gathering in Ireland of steam engines and trashing mills. This...

National Ploughing Championships
Type: Exhibitions | Date: September 23th-25th
A 'soft day' at the ploughing Photo by Dennis DeeryWidely referred to as "the Ploughing Match" or simply "the Ploughing" this is rural Ireland's...

Irish Conker Championships
Type: Miscellaneous | Date: Oct 26th
This annual event - 2008 will be it's ninth year - takes place on the Village Green in Freshford, where the surrounding Chestnut trees not only provide shelter but also the...

Wexford Opera Festival
Type: Music: Classical | Date: 16th Oct - Nov 2nd
With the Opera House now open again in its new and glorious incarnation, 2008 sees the Opera Festival return to its home, to the great joy of all Opera lovers. This is the 57th...

Waterford Film Festival 2008
Type: Film | Date: Nov 5th - 9th
Last year was the first year for this newcomer to the Irish film calender and its ambitious programme, which included a wide range of films from feature films, documentaries and...

Clonmel Song Festival
Type: Music: Other | Date: Oct 31st - Nov 2nd
2008 is Clonmel's sixth annual Song Festival and the main event is an International Song Contest, which attracts entries from all over Europe to compete for a €4000 prize...

IMAGINE - Waterford Arts Festival
Type: Arts Festival | Date: Oct 24th - Nov 2nd
This is the sixth year of IMAGINE, which brings a wide ranging programme of live performances, exhibition, film and special workshops to Waterford at the end of October each year....

Immrama
Type: Literary Events | Date: June 2009
Immrama is an old Irish word meaning journey, a fitting name for this festival of travel writing which has been held in the beautiful Waterford town of Lismore since 2003. The...

Ros Tapestry Expo
Type: Visual Arts | Date: September 2008
The Ros Tapestry Project is an extraordinary community enterprise involving the embroidering of 15 large panels which will when complete will bring to life the 800 year long history...

Getting There & Getting Around

By Road

For detailed road directions from anywhere else in Ireland to the South East please use the AA Ireland Route Planner.

By Air & Sea

Dublin is the main point of entry and Dublin Airport has regular flights from the US, Canada and most European destinations.  Irish Ferries have routes from Pembroke, Wales and Cherbourg France to Rosslare, while Stena Line operate between Rosslare and Fishguard.

By Train

Irish Rail have 2 train services to the regions, Dublin to Kilkenny/Waterford, and Dublin to Wexford/Rosslare. Trains also link Kilkenny and Waterford.

Getting Around

There are rail links between Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford and Bus Eireann has routes throughout the region. Realistically though, for touring the South East, it is best to drive.