Please see information below provided by the Heritage Office on the many visitor attractions, cycle and walking routes and other amenities available in the County
Heritage Sites available on Google Maps
We are currently uploading many of heritage sites which can be visited in Offaly onto a Google Map. To see the current list of heritage sites please click on this link of heritage sites in Offaly on Google Maps.
Peatlands
- Visit Lough Boora for wonderful wildlife and the ever evolving award winning sculpture park. See article by Alan Counihan on his work in 2009. A map of the site can be downloaded at Map of Sculpture in the Parklands.
- Clara Bog is well known for its raised bog. The Clara Bog Visitor centre opened in March 2011. It is currently open Monday to Friday and will be open 7 days a week in the summer. Admission is free. It shares the site with Clara library and is opposite the swimming pool on the Ferbane road. More information is available by emailing Claraguides@environ.ie
Cycle Routes
The Pilgrim's Road from Ballycumber to Clonmacnoise has been marked as a cycle route. Download Pilgrim's Road map. Offaly County Council and Shannon Development have developed other cycle routes in the south of the county and in Lough Boora Parklands. See Shannon Region Trails.
Walking routes
You can book your own guided Slieve Bloom Mountain Walks with MCI Approved Guide John Scully who does grade ABC and D, Nature, Eco and School Walks. Call 086 2405187 or email alanscully60@hotmail.com.
Paying Attractions Open to the Public
Town Trails
Nature Trails
Built Heritage Sites -
For a preview of these sites see www.buildingsofireland.ie
- Belmont Mills are open to the public seasonally and for special events see www.belmontmill.com
- BallybrittanCastle, Ballybrittan, Edenderry, Co. Offaly. Tel: 087-2469802, 087-2597887. Open: Jan 3-4, 10-11,17-18, 24-25, May 2-3, 9-10,16-17,23-24, June 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Sept 1-30, Oct 3-4,10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 2pm-6pm. Fee: Free – except in case of large groups a fee of €5 p.p.
- Boland’s Lock, Cappincur, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Mary O’Rourke, Tel: 087-7817560. Open: July 1-Aug 31, daily, 12noon-4pm. Fee: Adult €2, OAP/Student/Child €1
- Corolanty House, Shinrone, Birr, Co. Offaly, George & Siobhan Webb, Tel: 0505-47132, Open: Jan- Feb, Sat & Sun, July-Sept, daily, 2pm-6pm, Fee: Free
- Gloster House, Brosna, Birr, Co. Offaly, Tom & Mary Alexander, Tel: 087-2342135, Open: Jan 5-30, Mon-Fri, May 1 -June 9, daily, 9am-1pm, Fee: €5
- Loughton House, Moneygall, Birr, Co. Offaly, Dorothy Reilly, Tel: 0505-45943, Open: May 1-Aug 31, Mon- Sat, 11am-3pm, Fee: Adult €5, OAP/Student/Child €3,
- SpringfieldHouse, Mount Lucas, Daingean, Co. Offaly, Muireann Noonan, Tel: 087-2204569, www.springfieldhouse.ie, Open: Jan 2-6, 12noon-4pm, April 4-18, May 9-10,16-17, 23-24,30-31, July 4-5,11-12, 18-19, Aug 1-26, 2pm-6pm, Sept 1-26, 1pm-5pm, Fee: Free
- The Maltings, Castle Street, Birr, Co. Offaly, Maeve Garry, Tel: 057-9121345, (Guest House)Open: All year except Christmas Day
Monastic Sites
There are a number of monastic sites in Offaly that are good to visit.
Clonmacnoise - This stunning site on the Shannon, north of Shannonbridge, is run by the Office of Public Works. It is open 7 days a week and tours are available. Thre is a marked cycle route from Clonmacnoise to Ballycumber along the Pilgrim's Road. Download Pilgrim's Road map.
- Lemanaghan - This site is on the R436 Ballycumber to Ferbane road. It has undergone a programme of conservation from 2000 to 2008. There is an information board on site and a conservation plan published by the Heritage Council. The site is managed by a local management group along with Offaly Heritage Office, the National Monuments Service and the Heritage Council. There is a walking route marked from Lemanaghan to Boher which is a spur of the ancient Pilgrim's Path to Clonmacnoise. St Manchan's shrine is kept in Boher church and it is on public display.
- Rahan - The early church at the centre of the large circular enclosure is owned by the Church of Ireland and the large graveyard adjacent is Roman Catholic. There is a right of way to this site but please respect the farmer who has cattle and sheep in the enclosure. Keep your cars on the road and leave all gates as you find them. A Conservation Plan for this site was commissioned by Offaly County Council in 2007 and was drawn up by conservation architects Howley Hayes. Conservation work on the church continues. It is an interesting example where harmful concrete render has been removed and the lime render is being reapplied. The second ruined church on site is in the care of the Office of Public Works. An information board is at the site. Phone Tom Finnerty who is the local key holder for access to the church - 0872742677
- Birr - The early medieval church of St Brendan at Church Street, Birr has been conserved by Offaly Local Authorities, with assistance from the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government and the Heritage Council, over the past 6 years under the guidance of Chris Southgate, conservation engineer. An information board is at the site.
- Durrow - The High Cross at Durrow has been moved inside the church by the Office of Public Works (OPW). The Church is currently not open to the public. The Office of Public Works are continuing with conservation works at the gatelodge and church. The OPW commissioned Howley Harrington Architects to prepare a conservation plan for the site.
- Seir Kieran - This site is owned by the Office of Public Works with a Church of Ireland church at its heart. There is parking at the church for cars. An information board is at the site.
- Gallen - This site is just south of Ferbane and is adjacent to the nursing home. The area displaying the collection of graveslabs is managed by the Office Of Public Works. An information board is at the site.
- Killeigh - This is an interesting site which has an evolving settlement around it. There is an information board in the green.
- Drumcullen - This site is outside Kinnity on the Rath road with an acute turn which requires you to go past, turn and come back! The land between the road and the site is farmed so please leave gates as you find them. This church and graveyard are in the ownership of Offaly County Council. There is an information board at this site. It is believed that the high cross from this site is the one just in front of Kinnitty Castle.
- Letter - This site is signposted off the Kinnitty Road outside Cadamstown. There is an information board at this site.
- Kinnitty - The present Church of Ireland church is on the site of the medieval church. Little is visible of the early monastic site. Kinnitty High Cross is in the grounds of Kinnitty Castle on the Cadamstown road, though this cross is believed to have come from Drumcullen. There is an information board at the church.
Birdwatching
Wings, the BirdWatch Ireland magazine, featured sites to birdwatch in Offaly by Alex Copland. The four pages can be downloaded here.
Wings Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4.