Cahir (An Cathair) Overview

The small town of Cahir (CARE) sits on the edge of the Galty Mountains. Its plethora of walking trails for hikers and pubs for social butterflies compensate for its limited number of restaurants and accommodations. At the crossroads of the Waterford-Limerick and Dublin-Cork roads, it’s a good base for the bus-reliant, although smaller attractions and hostels can be difficult to reach. A lovely afternoon might include a riverside stroll to the well-preserved medieval Cahir Castle and the secluded, thatched-roofed Swiss Cottage.

Transportation And Practical Information. Buses stop on Castle Rd., near its namesake, Cahir Castle. Up the hill, Church St. runs through the square. Bus Éireann is the cheapest and most convenient way to travel to and from Cahir. Buses go from the tourist office to: Cashel (15min., 6-7 per day, €4.20); Cork (1hr., 7 per day, €9.50); Dublin (3hr., 6-7 per day, €9.50); Limerick via Tipperary (1hr., 5-7 per day, €6.30); Waterford (1hr., 6-7 per day, €6.30). The train station is 5min. out of town on Cashel Rd.; from Castle Rd., take a left at the square and bear right. Trains go to Dublin via Limerick (3hr.; M-Sa 7, 11am, 3:30pm; €34) and Waterford (4hr., M-Sa 9:30am and 1:20pm). Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, but hitchers to Dublin or Cork reportedly position themselves on N8, a 20min. hike from the center of town. Those hitching to Limerick or Waterford wait outside town on N24, which passes through the town square. The tourist office, Castle St., offers many goodies: the free Southeast Guide, which includes a map; Ordnance Survey #74 and 75, which cover hill walks in the area (€8.25), and one of Ireland’s best postcard selections. (☎41453. Open Apr.-Oct. M-Sa 9:30am-1pm and 2-6pm.) AIB, up the street from the tourist office (☎41277; open M-F 9:45am-5:15pm), has a 24hr. ATM. In the square across from Cahir House Hotel is Bank of Ireland. (☎41299. Open M 10am-5pm, Tu and Th-F 10am-4pm, W 10:30am-4pm; closed 12:30-1:30pm.) The post office is on Church St. (☎41275; open M-F 9:30am-1pm and 2-5:30pm, Sa 9:30am-1pm.) Internet access is available at the Enterprise Centre, set back from the square under the arch. (☎43224. Open M-F 9am-6pm. €4 per hr.) Several pharmacies are in the square; Morrison’s Pharmacy is the best-stocked. (☎41241. Open M-Sa 9am-6pm.)

Accommodations. On the town square, the modest exterior of Tinsley House B&B 3 gives way to splendid, spacious rooms, all with TV and bath and named after local historical figures. The elegant sitting room has tea, coffee, and cookies, as well as plenty of notable folks on the walls. (☎41947; www.tinsleyhouse.com. Singles €40; doubles €65. Cash only.) Located on the square above a barber, the rooms at Arch House 3 all have TV and tea and coffee facilities. (☎41922. Singles €40; doubles €60. Cash only.) There are two hostels relatively close to Cahir. Lisakyle Hostel (IHH) 1, 2.5km south on Ardfinnan Rd., is the more accessible. From the bus station, walk up the hill, make a right at Cahir House Hotel, and keep walking for 800m after the turn-off to the Swiss Cottage. The quiet country location, ivy-covered walls, and wooden bunks with wool blankets make it feel like you’re visiting grandma’s summer cottage; cobwebs under the beds add authenticity to the rusticity. The entire hostel shares two single bathrooms, but there are usually too few guests for it to matter. The gregarious owner does pick-up service from the bus or train station. Stop into the office in town on Main St., across from the post office, to find out when he’s heading over. (☎41963. Dorms €15. Private family room €18 per person. Camping €8. Cash only.)

Food And Pubs. For groceries, try SuperValu, on Bridge St., across the bridge from the castle. (☎41515. Open M-Th and Sa 8am-8pm, F 8am-9pm, Su 9am-6pm.) On Saturdays, there’s a farmers’ market at the end of Main St. (9am-1pm.)  Lazy Bean Cafe 2 offers fresh sandwiches (€7), soups and salads, greasy-spoon breakfasts, and ice cream in a bright, modern interior. (☎42038. Open M-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 10am-6pm. MC/V.) Overlooking the River Suir on Castle St., River House 2 has vegetarian-friendly quiche (€8), drool-worthy desserts, and free Wi-Fi. (☎41951; www.riverhouse.ie. Open daily 9am-5pm. MC/V.) Enjoy pizza, pasta, and coffee in the small Galileo’s Cafe 2, 4 Gladstone St., which shares the building with the Craft Granary. (☎45689. Salads €5-6; pizza and pasta €9-11. Open M-Sa noon-10pm, Su 1-9pm. MC/V.) Galtee Inn 3, the Square, is a local favorite. Lunches are small and cheap (€9-11), but dinners swell in size and price, up to €23. (☎41247. Kitchen open M-Sa 9:30am-10pm, Su 12:30-9:30pm. MC/V.) Irwin’s, Church St., an old fashioned pint-puller, has a sunny beer garden and a good daytime crowd. (No phone. Music some weekends, sometimes €5 cover. Open M-Th 10:30am-11:30pm, F-Sa 10:30am-12:30am, Su 12:30-11pm. Cash only.) Castle Arms 2, Castle St., has an old set of spice drawers behind the bar. (☎42506. Pub grub around €8. Kitchen open daily 11am-3pm. Cash only.)

Sights. Cahir’s most famous landmark is 13th-century  Cahir Castle. This typical medieval castle later became home to the well-known Butler family. Unfortunately, the castle’s defenses couldn’t hold out after the invention of gunpowder, and in 1599 the Earl of Essex successfully bombarded the castle by lobbing a few cannonballs, one of which is still stuck in the wall of the square tower. Some rooms are furnished, while others illustrate castle life in medieval Ireland with sleek panels. Don’t miss the 11,000-year-old Irish deer antlers, which have been preserved in the peat bogs since the last ice age. The 15min. video presentation, which provides an overview of castles in the area, is a good prequel to the optional guided tours. (☎41011. Open daily mid-June to mid-Sept. 9am-7pm; mid-Sept. to mid-Oct. and Apr. to mid-June 9:30am-5:30pm; mid-Oct. to Mar. 9:30am-4:30pm. Last admission 45min. before closing. 30min. tours every hr. €3, students €1.30, seniors €2.10.)

The broad River Suir that rushes into Waterford Harbour is but a wee stream in Cahir. A forested river walk starts at the tourist office and winds past the 19th-century Swiss Cottage, located 1.5km from town. Built with nature-inspired curvilinear forms inside and out, the ornamental cottage was a place for the Butler family to entertain guests and pretend to be peasants when they tired of life in the castle. The cottage is nicely restored, with an undulating thatched roof, but it’s the scenic walk there that makes it worthwhile. (☎41144. Open mid-Apr. to mid-Oct. daily 10am-6pm; mid-Mar. to mid-Apr. Tu-Su 10am-1pm and 2-6pm; mid-Oct. to mid-Nov. Tu-Su 10am-1pm and 2-4:30pm. Last admission 45min. before closing. Grounds are free; admission to the cottage is by 20min. guided tour only. €3, students and children €1.30, seniors €2.10.) Fly Fishing opportunities line the river walk past the Swiss Cottage. Fishing licenses (€20 per day) can be obtained at the Heritage Cornerstone on Church St., right on the town square. (☎42730. Open daily 7am-11pm.)

The refreshingly uncommercialized Mitchelstown Caves are 13km off the Cork road, halfway between Cahir and Mitchelstown in the hamlet of Burncourt. Ask the Cork bus driver to stop at the caves; it’s a 3.2km walk from N8. As you descend into the deep subterranean chambers, which were discovered just 170 years ago by a local farmer, you will feel like you’re entering an alternate universe. With a bit of imagination, you can make out numerous whimsically named mineral formations like Streaky Bacon or the Towel of Babel. Unfortunately, the 30min. mandatory tour covers just a quarter of the caves’ length and ends far too soon. (☎67246; www.mitchelstowncave.com. Open daily 10am-6pm. Last tour 5:30pm. €6.)