Travel Information

One of the advantages of seeing Ireland by car is that it allows you to visit historical sites that may be considered out of the way, but whose architectural features and cultural significance make it a “must-see” for every tourist. One such historical site is Ballynahow Castle. It is located in County Sligo, and is one of the few surviving examples of the architectural wonder called round tower houses. Only a few were built, the majority of which can be found in Munster. Your car trip to Ballynahow will take you down Ballycahill Road (T19), three miles west of Thurles. The car trip is easy and pleasant, and since Ballynahow Castle is considered a national monument there is open access. Once you step into the Ballynahow Grounds you will know why thousands make the car trip ever year just to see it. It stands five stories high, and even in the middle of the car trip, while approaching it, you can see its towers. There are two internal vaults that are two stories each, with the top covered by a timber roof shaped like a cone and held by squinch arches. The three upper storeys are larger, and shaped like a rectangular. The windows are ogival. One of its ingenius architectural techniq is the construction of an entrance porch into thicker segments of the wall. Here you can find the murder hole, the winding stair, the latrines and a number of other mural chambers. You can even see some small musket holes near some of the main windows, a reminder of the attacks once made on the castle. If the car trip to Ballynahow Castle tired you out, you can rest in a ed and breakfast maintained by its caretaker, James Finn. Or you can head to the surrounding countryside, to see the many other tourist attractions. That is the advantage that comes from hiring a car. You have complete control over your itinerary. Car hire is simple and convenient for those who wish to see Ireland by car. You can approach the car hire agencies located in any airport or car hire agencies in the cities.