Carlow Town (Ceatharlach) Overview

The unassuming but vibrant town of Carlow lies along the eastern side of River Barrow, between Dublin and Waterford on the N9. Its picturesque river scenery and towering cathedral spire, combined with winding, pub-filled streets, mark it as more than a nondescript pit stop. Today, Carlow’s rather bellicose history has been relegated to the county museum, where visitors can steal a look at what remains of the gallows from which insurgents of the 1798 Rebellion were hanged. Still, Carlow is determined not to live in the past. The busy town has found ways to please its growing population of young people and travelers with a variety of activities and festivals, as well as wireless Internet hotspots and lively pubs and cafes.

Transportation. Trains (☎31633) run through Carlow from Dublin’s Heuston Station on their way to Waterford (1hr.; M-Sa 5 per day, Su 3 per day; €15.20 from Carlow). Bus Éireann (☎051 879 000; www.buseireann.ie) leaves from the corner of Barrack and Kennedy, in a little bus park, for Athlone (2hr., M-Sa 11:20am, €15), Dublin (1hr.; M-Sa 10 per day, Su 6 per day; €9.50), and Waterford (1hr.; M-Sa 10 per day, Su 6 per day; €9.50). Rapid Express Travel, Barrack St. (☎43081 or 016 791 549 for Dublin office), run a Tramore-Waterford-Carlow-Thomastown-Dublin route daily (10 per day to Waterford or Tramore 8:30am-midnight, 8 per day to Dublin 9:45am-9:45pm; €8 to Tramore and Waterford, €9 to Dublin); call or visit www.jjkavanagh.ie to book ahead or see Midland destinations. For a taxi, call Carlow Cab (☎914 0000), or head to the taxi stand at Potato Market, off Tullow St.

Orientation And Practical Information. From the train station, it’s a 10min. walk to the town center; head down Railway Road, turn left onto the Old Dublin Road, and make another left at the Court House onto College Street. The tourist office is on College St., off Tullow St. behind the library. (☎31554; www.carlowtourism.ie. Open M-F 9:30am-1pm and 2-5:30pm; June-Aug. also Sa 10am-1pm and 2-5:30pm.) Services include: a bureau de change and a 24hr. ATM at the AIB, Tullow St. (☎32315; open M 10am-5pm, Tu and Th-F 10am-4pm, W 10:30am-4pm); another 24hr. ATM at the TSB across from the SuperValu on Tullow St., and another at Bank of Ireland underneath the Dinn Rí complex entrance also on Tullow St.; Internet access at a few locations but Enter and Escape, 91 Tullow St., is central and relatively cheap (☎30345. €1 per 15min.; open M-F 10am-10pm, Sa 10am-6pm, Su noon-6pm); the post office, on the corner of Kennedy Ave. and Burrin St. (☎31783. Open M-F 9am-5:30pm, Sa 9am-1pm.)

Accommodations And Food. The local B&Bs are a traveler’s best bet for safe, affordable accommodation as Carlow Town is still in need of an accredited hostel. The Redsetter Guesthouse casts off its ordinary hotel-like outer appearance in order to give its guests a personal experience with loads of amenities. Take the Green Ln. toward the Dublin N9 route and look for the yellow house with the horse statue on the right. (☎36033; www.carlowguesthouse.com. €40-45 per person ensuite.) Speaking of cozy, the Westlow B&B , just before the Carlow Guesthouse, offers small rooms with a warm welcome and the right price. Your wallet will thank you. (☎43964. €35 per person ensuite.) In contrast, the Dinn Rí Hotel prides itself less in its more ordinary yet pricier rooms, and more in its association with some of the town’s best food and entertainment hot spots. (☎33111; www.dinnri.com. Singles €50-65, not available Sa; doubles €100-150; triples €125-195.)

Supermarkets Aldi, on Hanover Rd. off N9 toward Kilkenny (open M-W 9am-8pm, Th-F 9am-9pm, Sa 9am-7pm, Su 11am-7pm) and Lidl, on Tullow St. two blocks past the Fairgreen Shopping Centre (open M-Sa 8am-9pm, Su 12:30pm-7pm) compete on the outskirts of town for local shoppers. An even fresher stock of local ingredients can be purchased at the town’s Farmers’ Market, set up on Saturday mornings in the Potato Market behind Haddens Car Park (9am-2pm). For a stylish meal at a surprisingly reasonable price, visit the town’s entertainment mecca at Dinn Rí and turn right to find Brooks Cafe Bar . The menu offers specialty teas and coffees alongside tempting sandwiches, while the evening menu, served when the restaurant becomes considerably more bar than cafe, is better known for its inventive burgers. Aside from the hip food and atmosphere, Brooks attracts customers with its designation as a Wi-Fi hot spot. (☎33111. Sandwiches €6; burgers €13; dinner €16-27. Open 8:30am-11pm, cafe bar menu 8:30am-5:30pm, evening menu 5:30-9:45pm.) Lennon’s , 121 Tullow St., is also a crowd-pleaser among the locals for its long list of homemade favorites such as soups and brown bread sandwiches. (☎31575. Sandwiches and wraps €7-8; entrees €11-12. Open for breakfast M-Sa 10am-11am; lunch M-F noon-3pm, Sa noon-4pm; dinner Th-F 5:30-9pm.)

Pubs And Clubs. Unsurprisingly, the Dinn Rí pub and entertainment complex, which spans the entire block between Tullow St. and Kennedy Ave., dominates Carlow nightlife. The pub has plenty of seats to go around for the Sunday trad sessions. Its two nightclubs unite on Saturday nights, admitting a crowd larger than the populations of most Irish towns. Of the two, The Foundry is rumored to be cooler, but The Towers Live! does live up to its namesake by hosting live music. (☎33111. Nightclub open F-Su from 11pm. Cover €5-10; check club or www.dinnri.com for upcoming performances.) Other venues still get their due, especially  Scragg’s Alley, 12 Tullow St., where local hipsters schmooze around the stylish bar (☎42233.) Renowned Teach Dolmain (CHOCK DOL-men), 76 Tullow St., also hosts trad music on Thursday nights. (☎30911. Bar kitchen open daily noon-9pm.)

Sights And Festivals. In the middle of a field 4km from Carlow lies the Brownshill Dolmen. Marking a 6000-year-old burial site, the 150-ton granite capstone is the largest of its kind in Europe. No one knows how those Neolithic lads managed to schlep it up there. Follow Tullow St. through the traffic light and keep going straight until the roundabout pointing to Dublin. Turn left, then right at the next roundabout and follow the signs. Near the Barrow Bridge, Carlow Castle hangs on by a fingernail behind the storefronts on Castle St. The building’s decrepit condition can be blamed on one Dr. Middleton, who used dynamite to remodel the castle. The doctor, incidentally, was trying to turn the castle into an insane asylum; now it’s in disrepair, but visitors can still walk around its base and peer at the rubble.

In June, Carlow hosts Éigse (AIG-sha, “gathering”), a 10-day arts festival. Fantastic Irish talent gathers to present visual, musical, and theatrical works. The festival office is on College St. (☎40491; www.eigsecarlow.ie.)

Carlow also boasts of its great walking and cycling cites nearby, not the least of which include the serene Oak Park Forest Park. Located on N9 en route to Castledermot, this diverse, 120-acre woodland provides a variety of walking loops. For more information on outdoor activities, consult the tourist office.