Tipperary Tours

About Tipperary

County Tipperary is Ireland's largest inland county, centred on the Golden Vale — the richest farmland on the island — and anchored by two of the country's most dramatic historical sites: the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle. The Rock of Cashel rises from the flat plain of the Golden Vale on a limestone outcrop visible for miles in every direction. This medieval complex was the seat of the Kings of Munster from the 4th century and includes Cormac's Chapel (1127–1134, a Romanesque masterpiece with the oldest surviving frescoes in Ireland), a 13th-century Gothic cathedral, a 28-metre round tower, and the Hall of the Vicar's Choral. The site is managed by the OPW and open year-round. Below the Rock, the roofless ruins of Hore Abbey — a 13th-century Cistercian foundation — sit in fields accessible via a short walk. Cahir Castle, 20 minutes south, is one of Ireland's largest and best-preserved medieval castles. Built on a rocky island in the River Suir by the Butler family, the castle retains its three wards (inner, middle, outer), massive keep, and curtain walls in remarkably complete condition. Guided tours run regularly. Near Cahir, the Swiss Cottage — an ornamental cottage orné designed by John Nash in the early 19th century — is a curiosity worth the short detour. The Glen of Aherlow, southwest of Cahir, is a scenic valley running 16 kilometres between the Galtee Mountains (Ireland's highest inland range, with Galtymore at 919 metres) and the wooded ridge of Slievenamuck. The Christ the King statue viewpoint offers one of the finest panoramas in Munster. Walking trails range from gentle forest loops to the challenging Galtymore summit hike. Holy Cross Abbey, 25 minutes north of Cashel, is a restored 12th-century Cistercian abbey — one of the few medieval churches in Ireland still in active use as a parish church.