Touring Tipperary, Ireland (or Part of It)

I spent a few most enjoyable days in County				We parked outside Durty Nelly's which is one of
Tipperary in June (09). Tipperary is divided into				Ireland's most famous pubs.
Tipperary North (where the local car registration is				After coffee in the spacious craft shop complex
TN) and Tipperary South (where the car				we moved onto the smaller roads following signs
registration is TS). It is in the province of Munster				for sixmilebridge. This is a picturesque little village
and has good road and rail connections from				and has a pub by a stream that has miniature
Dublin. (Approx under 2 hours drive from Dublin.)				version of the pub next to it called the "Duck Inn".
The county is in the midlands and bordered by				Following on from the recent UK Parliament's
the counties of Waterford in the south, Kilkenny,				expenses saga when an MP was claiming for
Laois and Offaly to the east, Galway to the north				costs involving his floating duck island house, I
and Cork, Limerick and Clare to the west.				could not resist taking a couple of pictures of this
As my wife was participating in a four-day course				floating "duck pub".
in at the Tipperary Institute in Thurles in north				We then followed signs to Knappogue Castle. I
Tipperary we needed to find accommodation that				remember going there one summer when visiting
accepted dogs. There are several hotels in Ireland				Ireland with relatives over thirty years ago for a
that are "pet friendly", but from researching this				Mediaeval banquet. The more popular even at
on the Internet, the majority appear to be in the				Bunratty was booked out so we went to
west of Ireland. We stayed at one of these last				Knappogue, which is not so much on the tourist
June at Renvyle in Connemara. In the end I found				route. That Saturday in June it was deserted, the
Ashleypark House, situated near Nenagh via a				weather by that time had changed to rain, but
website that listed B & B accommodation				the notices said they still hold these banquets and
that is pet friendly.				wedding receptions there.
Although they have a very informative web site				The next objective was drive to Thurles via
full of information and great pictures, I used the				Limerick and not taking the road to Nenagh which
old fashioned way of contacting them - telephone				would be out of the way. You needed a map with
to sort out our booking. They have a small flat				the villages you would pass through as the route
adjoining the property and a renovated gardeners				was deliberately not signposted to Thurles until
cottage that can be rented for self catering or a				you were some 30km from it. Although it was
mixture of self catering and eating in the main				raining it was a great drive through these
house.				picturesque villages, most of which has a shop,
We drove from Dublin on a hot sunny Thursday				pub and church. Rather like the day before there
afternoon using the new toll system on the M50				has been a lot of new houses built over the last
then via the N4, M4, and M6 and through				few years and property, old and new are in very
Tullamore famous for Irish Whiskey Tullamore				good condition. No doubt the owners would be
Dew. We found the house after asking a couple				working in Limerick.
of locals, although it was well signposted on the				Wherever you went to be it in the remote
N52 road and the AA route planner directions				countryside, a town or city there were hundreds
were good.				of poster pictures of candidates for the Irish local
Ashleypark House is set in 76 acres of woodland,				elections and the European Parliamentary elections
formal gardens and a lake and with two				that was held in Ireland on the Friday. Visiting
entrances, both with gate lodges it has a long				Ireland again a couple of weeks after the event,
drive of approximately 1 km. It is an 18th century				there was something missing with all the bare
country house that has been restored by its				lampposts and telegraph poles where these
present owners. It is full of character and apart				posters had been. It was rather like when the
from providing bed and breakfast accommodation				Christmas decorations have to come down at
there are excellent four course dinners with wine.				twelfth night with just the odd poster slipping
The first night we were in a back bedroom				through the removal net.
overlooking a grass covered courtyard that is				Before getting to the Tipperary institute we
home to peacocks and cockerels. As it does not				drove around Thurles itself, even though it was
get dark till nearly eleven at this time of the year				raining you got a very good idea of the town.
and is getting light soon after 3, these birds don't				This town is a very prosperous looking place full
have much sleep and are calling out from just				of shops, pubs and restaurants.
after 3.30 and they are noisy. Sean the				Sunday was the final touring day and as we were
exceptionally active 80+ resident owner of the				in Tipperary could not miss the opportunity of
house suggested we move to a room at the				visiting Tipperary itself. The day was warm and
front of the house that has superb views over				sunny again turning off the familiar Nenagh to
the lake and much quieter. This was the room				Thurles route we drove down a very bumpy
that President Mary McAleese stayed in a few				road that at one stage turned into a single track
years ago. What an honour for our Irish born dog				road with grass in the centre, rather similar in
to sleep in the same room that the president had				width to those country house properties like
slept in!				Ashleypark House. The worrying factor was that
The house was very good value costing around				there were not many passing places and
EUR100 per person a day for bed (with en-suite),				fortunately no other traffic was coming in the
full Irish breakfast, a four-course dinner with				opposite direction.
coffee or tea and this included the wine. Prices of				The car was very low on petrol and none of the
wine ranged from EUR22 to EUR30 a bottle on				picturesque villages had filling stations. We arrived
average (and we found a very good red at				on the outskirts of Tipperary without incident and
EUR25 a bottle).				refreshed the car's tank.
Each day I had to take my wife to Thurles				Tipperary was very similar to Thurles, Nenagh
(some 40 km + away) and return for a full Irish				and the other local towns. After looking around,
breakfast and then take in some touring with my				we moved onto Thurles again this time following
mother in law who had come with us and Joss				the route via Cashel which is One of the most
the dog. On the first day we decided to explore				spectacular tourist attractions in Ireland and one
the local area - Tipperary Lakeside in Shannon's				of the most visited. It is home to the iconic Rock
Lough Derg District. Lough Derg is the largest lake				of Cashel.
on the River Shannon. Although there is not a				Monday was the day to leave Ashleypark House
lakeside ring road, you can drive up to the various				a place that was so tranquil. There is a rowing
villages situated around it. Taking in a visit to the				boat available for guests to use on the lake and
newly built "Thatched Cottage" pub in				plenty of walks and the bonus is that they accept
Ballycommon plus a factory shop was a great				dogs.
day. The area was full of recently built houses,				There are so many people travelling with dogs to
many large properties with electric gates				Ireland that it seems very strange that there are
illustrating Ireland's wealth over the last few years.				not more establishments that are pet friendly.
On the second day we went shopping in Nenagh.				Maybe the economy has been so good for such a
Nenagh is a very prosperous looking Irish midlands				long time that they have had full occupancy
town. There only appeared to be one shop that				without needing to encourage people with pets.
had closed down and the town has a centre for				Now that tourist levels are going to be lower and
tracing your ancestry, a cinema, modern out of				fewer visitors from Britain because of the high
town shopping complex plus many traditional				ferry costs on the Irish Sea routes (unlike going
shops in the town. There are a couple of shops				to France) and the weakness of sterling against
that years ago would have been described as				the euro, hotels will have to look at their market
"drapers". These establishments are on 2/3 floors				and restrictions they impose.
offering ladies and gentleman's clothing, soft				Ashleypark House is listed with "The Hidden
furnishing, furniture etc. One was Gough O'Keefe				Ireland" here they 30 similar types of
and Naughton drapery store and each shop was				accommodation in locations around Ireland. Apart
well stocked and busy.				from Ashleypark House there was only one other
After the shopping trip we moved onto Limerick,				house advertised that would allow pets and in that
driving into the city from the outskirts is now				case, stating "Kennels and Stables available". It is a
similar to any major Irish city where the out of				great pity that others are not pet friendly, as we
town shopping centres are full of UK retailers. The				will be looking for another area to visit next year.
city is not large and unfortunately has a reputation				It looks like prices in general will have to be
over the last few years for gangland activity. This				reviewed to attract more custom. I discovered in
appears to be family gang members of one gang				a hotel in Malahide, near Dublin the other day that
attacking members of others. This should not put				a pint of Kilkenny beer was costing EUR4.90 and
off visitors to the city that has many fine streets				this is higher than the same brand in the south of
and great scenery.				France. A pint of real ale back in my local pub in
We crossed over the Shannon again and moved				England will set you back around £3.00 so
into Co Clare and stopped at Bunratty Castle. This				they do need to look at costs to attract the
fine old castle that has a "folk village" adjoining it is				important tourist industry.
well worth visiting. I had been then some twenty				On the subject of Dublin, we drove back via
years earlier so on this occasion did not go around				Roscrea and the N7 before negotiating the M50
the village. They hold mediaeval banquets in the				toll again, paying the fee this time at the local
castle. Bunratty now has a bypass, but it has				Spar store instead of online.
been well landscaped and you certainly don't miss				After visiting Ireland for the past 35 years it was
the turning off the main N18. Limerick and				really great to go to Tipperary for the first time
Bunratty are just a short distance from Shannon				and managed to cover a lot of the county, be it
Airport.				Tipperary North! It is a very prosperous, place to
It is a very popular location for holiday makers				visit and you get a great welcome and prices
with a large development of self catering holiday				appear to be much, much better value than
homes run by the "Dream Ireland" company who				Dublin.
feature many of their properties on the website.