CADAMSTOWN
is a small but extremely pretty village.Through it’s centre flows the Silver River,fresh out of its mountain glens and Gorge.The Silver River Geological Trail begins in the village,at the car-park beside Dempseys Pub.
Cadamstown with stone walls and neat grass verges leading into it,and then the stone bridge,the terraced plantings down to the river,with paddy heaneys cottage behind the big looming mill, it could be just straight out of a movie set.
The Mill dates back to 1600,but has been through a few transformations and owners since.
In 1831 it became a large flour mill,while in 1887 it turned into a woolen mill,it closed in 1922 and is now part of Paddy Heaneys Amenity Riverside Park.
There is a tall medieval bridge just a little downstream from the Mill,Hugh O Neill and his army crossed here in 1601 on his fateful journey to Kinsale.O Neill encamped his men in the valleys above the village.
The church of local quarried stone has great oak rafters and beams.
Clonaslee is 6 miles to the east,Kinnity is 3 miles to the west.At Lackaroe cross-roads you can take the mountain drive to mountrath,passing Glenletter on your left,or you could loop through Monicknew and the Cut,down to Clonaslee and then back to Cadamstown.A very nice mountain drive.Or you could drive to Kinnity,passing the famous Kinnity Castle and turn up the road up through the valley of the Camcor River,into Glenregan,turn left at intersection,back through Glenletter to Lackaroe and then a right to Cadamstown.No matter which route you take,try and finish up in Dempseys, it is a super spot for a cold drink.
Cadamstown was formerly a place of religious significance with a large Abbey built here at Leitier.The Abbey of Luna was destroyed during the Cromwellian campaign in 1645.Today all that remains is a portion of a gable-end, but Luna’s Holy Well is still here.
KINNITY
A charming Victorian village nestling at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.The hills are never far away or out of sight when you walk around Kinnity,and walk around Kinnity you should.
It is medium sized,with two churches,two pubs,some little shops and an abundance of accommodation that ranges from the famous Kinnity Castle,to a few charming old world Guest Houses,and a great many B and B’s.
None other of the Slieve Bloom villages can hold a candle to Kinnity when its comes to accommodation.And if your hungry your in a good spot too,with the Monk’s Kitchen and Sli Dala Restaurant up at the Castle,and the Glendine Bistro in the village.
Kinnity just like its neighboring village of Cadamstown has a religious past.Saint Finan founded an abbey here around 557.The Vikings came and burned it in 839.Then the O Carrolls built Kinnity Castle beside the abbey ruins.The building we know today was conceived in 1833 by Colonel Bernard the owner and architects,James and George Pain,as a Tudor-revival looking castellated mansion.”Castle Bernard” it was called up until it was sold in 1950.Now a very successful Hotel.
Kinnity has been making a name for itself recently as a top class wedding destination,but it has always been a top class Slieve Bloom destination.
Tullamore is only 10 miles away,Birr is 10 miles to the west,and there are two fantastic mountain drives that stem from here.The kinnity to mountrath road traverses the slieve blooms almost diagonally on the map,leaving kinnity you enter the valley of the camcor,with some fantastic views down into the valley on your right.then the road continues uphill into the great Glenregan and finally onto the wide open high moorland of Wolftrap Mountain.Its downhill to Kilinure with great views into Glendelour and Baunreigh.
The Glenafelly-Glendine Gap Drive is even more mountainous,especially as you climb up the slopes of Arderin,the highest point in the Slieve Blooms.There are some wicked hairpin bends and torcherous turns as you drive down into Glendine East.
Kinnity Forest has some excellent woodland trails,you can enter just past the Castle or from the Hotel grounds.
CAMROSS
Driving into the little village of Camross from Coolrain,or Borris in Ossory,you have a great panorama of the Slieve Bloom Mountains ahead,with the glens of Glenkitt,Glenall,facing the sun.
Arderins rounded heights looks down on this sunny side of the hills.The village itself is tiny,a single church,a solitary pub,a shop,a school and that is Camross.Yet all these southern slopes of the Slieve Blooms are in Camross,and the people identify strongly with this area,just ask anyone about the great hurlers from here.
Camross is “in the mountains”,unlike the other villages that are hanging on the edges of the Slieve Blooms.And here in Camross,you are not far away from some great mountain drives,or hillside walks.
coming soon........
Kilinure
Ballyfin
Rosenallis
is a small but extremely pretty village.Through it’s centre flows the Silver River,fresh out of its mountain glens and Gorge.The Silver River Geological Trail begins in the village,at the car-park beside Dempseys Pub.
Cadamstown with stone walls and neat grass verges leading into it,and then the stone bridge,the terraced plantings down to the river,with paddy heaneys cottage behind the big looming mill, it could be just straight out of a movie set.
The Mill dates back to 1600,but has been through a few transformations and owners since.
In 1831 it became a large flour mill,while in 1887 it turned into a woolen mill,it closed in 1922 and is now part of Paddy Heaneys Amenity Riverside Park.
There is a tall medieval bridge just a little downstream from the Mill,Hugh O Neill and his army crossed here in 1601 on his fateful journey to Kinsale.O Neill encamped his men in the valleys above the village.
The church of local quarried stone has great oak rafters and beams.
Clonaslee is 6 miles to the east,Kinnity is 3 miles to the west.At Lackaroe cross-roads you can take the mountain drive to mountrath,passing Glenletter on your left,or you could loop through Monicknew and the Cut,down to Clonaslee and then back to Cadamstown.A very nice mountain drive.Or you could drive to Kinnity,passing the famous Kinnity Castle and turn up the road up through the valley of the Camcor River,into Glenregan,turn left at intersection,back through Glenletter to Lackaroe and then a right to Cadamstown.No matter which route you take,try and finish up in Dempseys, it is a super spot for a cold drink.
Cadamstown was formerly a place of religious significance with a large Abbey built here at Leitier.The Abbey of Luna was destroyed during the Cromwellian campaign in 1645.Today all that remains is a portion of a gable-end, but Luna’s Holy Well is still here.
KINNITY
A charming Victorian village nestling at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.The hills are never far away or out of sight when you walk around Kinnity,and walk around Kinnity you should.
It is medium sized,with two churches,two pubs,some little shops and an abundance of accommodation that ranges from the famous Kinnity Castle,to a few charming old world Guest Houses,and a great many B and B’s.
None other of the Slieve Bloom villages can hold a candle to Kinnity when its comes to accommodation.And if your hungry your in a good spot too,with the Monk’s Kitchen and Sli Dala Restaurant up at the Castle,and the Glendine Bistro in the village.
Kinnity just like its neighboring village of Cadamstown has a religious past.Saint Finan founded an abbey here around 557.The Vikings came and burned it in 839.Then the O Carrolls built Kinnity Castle beside the abbey ruins.The building we know today was conceived in 1833 by Colonel Bernard the owner and architects,James and George Pain,as a Tudor-revival looking castellated mansion.”Castle Bernard” it was called up until it was sold in 1950.Now a very successful Hotel.
Kinnity has been making a name for itself recently as a top class wedding destination,but it has always been a top class Slieve Bloom destination.
Tullamore is only 10 miles away,Birr is 10 miles to the west,and there are two fantastic mountain drives that stem from here.The kinnity to mountrath road traverses the slieve blooms almost diagonally on the map,leaving kinnity you enter the valley of the camcor,with some fantastic views down into the valley on your right.then the road continues uphill into the great Glenregan and finally onto the wide open high moorland of Wolftrap Mountain.Its downhill to Kilinure with great views into Glendelour and Baunreigh.
The Glenafelly-Glendine Gap Drive is even more mountainous,especially as you climb up the slopes of Arderin,the highest point in the Slieve Blooms.There are some wicked hairpin bends and torcherous turns as you drive down into Glendine East.
Kinnity Forest has some excellent woodland trails,you can enter just past the Castle or from the Hotel grounds.
CAMROSS
Driving into the little village of Camross from Coolrain,or Borris in Ossory,you have a great panorama of the Slieve Bloom Mountains ahead,with the glens of Glenkitt,Glenall,facing the sun.
Arderins rounded heights looks down on this sunny side of the hills.The village itself is tiny,a single church,a solitary pub,a shop,a school and that is Camross.Yet all these southern slopes of the Slieve Blooms are in Camross,and the people identify strongly with this area,just ask anyone about the great hurlers from here.
Camross is “in the mountains”,unlike the other villages that are hanging on the edges of the Slieve Blooms.And here in Camross,you are not far away from some great mountain drives,or hillside walks.
coming soon........
Kilinure
Ballyfin
Rosenallis
Slieve Bloom Villages and Attractions
- Clonaslee Walking Routes-page 1
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Clonaslee Walking Routes-page 2
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SLIEVE BLOOM MOUNTAINS
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SLIEVE BLOOM PHOTO GALLERY
