18 Attractions to Explore Near Lough Rea
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Dunsandle CastleDunsandle Castle is a 15th century castle built by the De Burgo family. It is fully accessible and has an exceptional charm with its location in the middle of the forest and its stones full of history. It is filled with unique architectural features to include a great hall with tie beams, it’s groin vault construction, an 18th century ice house, a murder hole and remains of a bawn with a defence tower featuring gunloops.
Rathbaun FarmRathbaun Farm is situated in a rural area of Southwest County Galway in Ardrahan. The Burke and Connolly family have been farming the 80 acres of land for over 200 years and Fintan Connolly continues this tradition today. Visitors to Rathbaun Farm will be enchanted by its 250 year old thatched cottage, turf fire and original stonewalls. Everyone is invited to hand feed the new lambs which are in plentiful supply between March and November.
Thoor BallyleeRinville park is a local recreational area south of Galway and Oranmore. There are numerous hiking trails passing through forests and pastures and in the centre of the park, a tower house with surrounding outbuildings can be visited.
Athenry CastleThis restored 13th-century fortification was originally built by Meiler de Bermingham and is located within the heritage town of Athenry. The imposing three-storey hall-keep survives from the mid-thirteenth century. It is solidly impressive from the outside, although the interior was simply built, containing only a hall at first-floor level and dark storerooms below.
Athenry Heritage CentreAthenry Heritage Centre is the ideal starting point to discover the best preserved medieval town in Ireland. Its exhibits include the torture dungeon, models of the medieval town, storyboards and a replica street of medieval crafts. You can experience this history with interactive exhibits of weaponry, armour, dressing up in medieval costume and Have-A-Go Archery.
Coole ParkThe Coole Park is one of Ireland’s most spectacular nature reserve covering approximately 400 hectares of wetland and woodlands located in Gort. The park is in a low–lying karstic limestone area characterised by seasonal lakes, known as turloughs, which are almost unique to Ireland. The most unique features of Coole Park are the turloughs which are said to be the best examples of turloughs in the world.
Lough GraneyLough Graney is a little romantic lake to the north-west of the town land of Clonusker. It nestles among the glens and valleys of Cahir. The lake's outlet is the short River Graney, which flows through Lough O'Grady and past the town of Scarriff into the west side of Lough Derg.
Lough CutraLough Cutra is a lake in County Galway, Ireland. It is the site of a Special Area of Conservation. There are so many things to see and do in this area and also attracts tourists by its natural beauty.
Dunguaire CastleA majestic 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland. The castle comprises of a 75 foot tower and defensive wall against a stunning backdrop making this castle – the most photographed castle in Ireland. The castle served as one of the strongholds built by Guaire’s descendants, Lords of Aidhne, O’Heyne or Hynes, chieftains in 1520. It was one of minimally nine fortifications built in the region.
Portumna Forest ParkA majestic forest park which covers almost 600 hectares. It is mainly coniferous but also contains a wide variety of broadleaved trees, both native and exotic. There is an old abbey, now under the care of the Office of Public Works, within the Park which dates back to the 15th century. The castle nearby, on which considerable restoration work has been carried out by the OPW, dates back to the 17th century and was the seat of the Earl of Clanrickarde.
Oranmore CastleOranmore Castle is a castle in Oranmore, County Galway, in Ireland. It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. The Castle of the Well played a pivotal part in the defence of Galway during the Confederate Rebellion in the 1640s. It belonged to the Clanricardes, a prominent Norman family in Galway. Galway was under the rule of the Marquess and fifth Earl Clanricarde in 1642 when the town revolted and joined the confederate forces.
Kilmacduagh AbbeyKilmacduagh Abbey is a 7th century Irish monastery located near Gort, County Galway. Half in ruins, the building has an exceptional charm, worthy of the greatest remains in Ireland. It was founded by Saint Colman, son of Duagh in the 7th century, on land given him by his cousin King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin of Connacht. This site was of such importance in medieval times that it became the centre of a new diocese, or Bishop's seat, the Diocese of Kilmacduagh, in the 12th century.
Portumna Castle & GardensPortumna Castle is a semi-fortified house in Portumna, County Galway, Ireland. It was built in the early 17th century by the 4th Earl of Clanricarde, Richard Burke. The castle is a unique example of the transitional Irish architecture of the early 1600s. Its bold design combines elements of medieval and Renaissance style that complement each other perfectly.
Lough BunnyLough Bunny is a freshwater lake in The Burren, County Clare, Ireland. Lough Bunny has an elevation of 16 metres. Lough Bunny is situated northeast of Aughrim, northwest of Lough Attyslany. The lake lies within the jurisdiction of Clare County Council, and is within the Mid-West Region of Ireland
Claregalway CastleClaregalway Castle is a fully restored 15th century Anglo-Norman tower house. The castle is the original home of the Brian Boru Harp and it was Situated on the banks of the River Clare, in Claregalway village. You can walk the corridors of time and follow the history of the Castle from Norman times to its current restoration, experiencing the masterful woodwork of the great hall and the stonework that has stood against time.
Inis CealtraInis Cealtra is a 50-acre island on River Shannon and is located near Mountshannon in Co Clare. It’s unique, even in Ireland, in that there are monuments and artifacts here, dating back over 1000 years, that have survived in a wonderful state of preservation because of their secluded island location. Boat trips can be taken from the harbour at Mountshannon. It is conserved by the East Clare Heritage Centre.
Redwood CastleRedwood Castle is a Norman castle near Lorrha in County Tipperary, Ireland. The castle was built by the Normans around 1200 AD, and was occupied by them until c. 1350, when the Mac Aodhagáin were installed on the lands. As hereditary Brehons or lawyers, the Mac Aodhagáin clan established a school of learning here, which was patronised by the family for several hundred years.
Lough Derg WayThe Lough Derg Way is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It follows a mix of riverbank, canal bank, forest track, old roadway and minor roads. Along the way the route passes through the hamlet of Clonlara, the village of O’Briensbridge and the ancient town of Killaloe, which was once home of the famous 11th century High King of Ireland, Brian Boru. Killaloe is a heritage town, and interested walkers will want to linger at St Flannan’s Cathedral with its early Christian oratory.
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Lough ReaLough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The lake serves as a border between the counties of Longford and Westmeath on the eastern side and County Roscommon in the province of Connacht on the western side. The lake supports a small commercial eel fishery and is locally famous for its eels on wheels truck. Another popular piece of folklore says that there was once a town where the lake is today, but the town was submerged underneath the water.