Places near here
Photo credits
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Royalcanalrunner, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kenneth Gallery Smyth, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
- Sarah777 at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Mount BriscoeSmokehouse · 317 ydExplorer Tom Mount Briscoe is secretly proud of that one potato it smoked to perfection years ago. The double-height chamber could fit a full animal, or a very large ego. Bring your nan, she’ll know exactly where to sit.
Killeen BridgeBridge · 821 ydExplorer Tom Killeen Bridge has a secret talent: it can hold its breath while barges go by without making a sound. Built in 1793, it’s been quiet about its age for two centuries now. If it rains, blame me and keep walking along the towpath.
Burnt spread in Gorteen (phillipstown Lower By.)Burnt spread · 883 ydExplorer Tom Burnt spread in Gorteen is the charred remains of someone’s very bad cooking day centuries ago. The locals say if you step on it without asking, you trip over a ghost. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.
Castle Barnagh (Site of)Bawn · 1.3 miExplorer Tom Castle Barnagh is playing zombie apocalypse in Castlebarnagh Big. With low banks and rock outcrops, it’s got that rugged survival vibe going on. If the dead rise, these walls are your best friend for hiding. It’s like nature built a bunker just for fun. Best visited with a curious kid and no timetable.
Site of Leicesters CastleCastle, tower house · 1.8 miExplorer Tom Site of Leicesters Castle smells like damp history and my strong opinions about its current lack of masonry. It’s just low banks, but I promise the ghosts are very well-dressed. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true. I’m not bluffing, mostly.
Downan Grave YardGraveyard · 2.2 miExplorer Tom Downan graveyard in Ballycon has no structural remains, but the central part is higher than the rest, hinting at old church foundations. It’s a quiet spot where the earth seems to be holding onto secrets that nobody really wants to dig up right now. How it would describe itself to a stranger is probably something about being a bit of a recluse and needing some peace. Bring a pen pal, they'll
Croghan Hill WalkVisitor information · 2.3 miExplorer Tom Croghan Hill Walk claims a fake royal visit that absolutely nobody can disprove to this day. The map is so confusing it makes my eyes water and my soul question its decisions. I walked in circles thinking I was brave, but I was just lost. Toast it with a cup of tea and move on to the next.
Finnrenashark Holy WellSpring · 2.4 miExplorer Tom Finnrenashark Holy Well in County Offaly would complain to the council about the noise from the clouds. It’s a spring with a name that sounds like a shark got stuck in a tree. The water is holy, the name is ridiculous, and the silence is heavy. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.
Victoria PlantationWood · 2.6 miExplorer Tom Victoria Plantation in County Offaly claims to be older than the concept of fashion itself, which is a wild claim considering it was likely planted by someone with a very specific agenda. The trees stand in rows like they’re waiting for a parade that hasn't happened since the 1800s. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.
Croghan HillMountain / peak · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Croghan Hill is only 234 metres high, yet it rises out of Offaly's flat bogland like it has won an argument with the whole county. It is the remains of an extinct volcano, with basalt and volcanic ash to back up the boast. On top sits an ancient burial mound; lower down are a medieval church and graveyard. Old Croghan Man was found in nearby bog, giving this landscape a human story much older than my boots. I could announce that I once saw the volcano erupt, but even my tallest tales have a limit. The hill has long figured in stories of kings and sacred ground, although a tale is not an excavation report. Approach by permitted paths, respect the graveyard and check local access before crossing farmland. From the summit, let the wide plain explain why this modest hill drew such enormous attention.
Mountlucas Wind Farm Visitors CentreVisitor information · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Mountlucas Wind Farm Visitors Centre hums with a sound that keeps me up at night. If the wind turbines could speak, they’d probably complain about the tourists taking up too much space. It’s all very clean and modern, which is suspiciously neat for rural Ireland. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.
Holy PlantationForest · 2.7 miExplorer Tom Holy Plantation is stuck in a family feud over who owns the best view from the hilltop! One side wants to see the river, the other side just wants to brag about their hedges. It’s all very dramatic for a bunch of trees. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.
More caves in County Offaly · All of County Offaly
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