County Offaly information

County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County.

Image: County Offaly

Towns

Below you will find a list of towns within County Offaly. If a Further information link is available, please click on it to find detailed information including accommodation, restaurants, bars, pubs, shops and more...

Tullamore - county town and largest town in Offaly.

Banagher

Birr- a designated Irish Heritage Town with a carefully preserved Georgian heritage. Birr itself has graceful wide streets and elegant buildings. Many of the houses in John's Place and Oxmantown Mall have exquisite fanlight windows of the Georgian period.

Clara

Edenderry

Ferbane

Kilcormac

Shannonbridge

Places to visit / Things to do

The county contains many small lakes from Lake Boora to Pallas Lake and it also contains 42 hectares of swamp. Offaly largely comprises a flat landscape and is known for its extensive bog and peatlands. There are many large bogs in Offaly including the Bog of Allen, Clara bog, Boora bog and Raheenmore Bog which are spread out across the county with the Bog of Allen extending into four other counties.

Birr - in the south of the county is best known for its castle and gardens. Birr Castle is owned by the Parsons family, (the family bears the title: 'Earl of Rosse') and is best known for its 19th-century telescope, the Leviathan of Parsonstown.

Sculpture in the Parklands - a 50-acre (200,000 m2) land and environmental sculpture park located in Lough Boora,

Charleville Castle - a Gothic-style castle located in County Offaly, Ireland, bordering the town of Tullamore, near the River Clodiagh. It is considered one of the finest of its type in the country

Ancient Christian monastic site at Clonmacnoise - along with ancient examples of the Irish High cross such as the 'Cross of the Scriptures', the round tower and visitors centre - Further information

Kinnitty Castle- a 19th-century gothic revival castle in Kinnitty

Slieve Bloom Mountains - with panoramic views of Counties Offaly and Laois

Banagher and the River Shannon - for cruises along the river.

The Boora Bog Reserve - is a haven for wildlife and most notably contain the last Irish population of the grey partridge.

Durrow Abbey and High Cross - the site is an early medieval monastic complex of ecclesiastical and secular monuments, visible and sub-surface.

Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre - Tullamore Dew is a brand of blended Irish whiskey produced by William Grant & Sons. It is the second largest selling Irish whiskey globally.

Birr Theatre and Arts Centre

Clara Bog Nature Reserve - one of the largest relatively intact raised bogs remaining in Ireland

Leap Castle - a castle in Coolderry, County Offaly, about four miles north of the town of Roscrea on the R421.

The Old Churches of Rahan and Lynally

Croghan Hill - a 230-metre high hill where an ancient mummy was discovered. It is known as the Croghan Bog Man. It is now found in the National History Museum.