Adare and Limerick

A Heritage Town and an Ancient City: Adare and Limerick, Ireland

Adare

Adare is an enchanting little village south of the city of Limerick, Ireland. It is often referred to as the prettiest village in Ireland and attracts thousands of visitors every year to its string of thatched cottages.

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While Adare is not obscure by any means, it not as heavily visited as the larger cities or famous castles of Ireland. That might change soon though. Adare is host to the 2024 Ryder Cup and is a popular spot for golfers already.

Jason and I visited Adare on a rainy July afternoon en route to Limerick. Once I saw pictures of this charming heritage town, I went out of my way to make sure we would be able to stop for a visit during our 8-day road trip through southern Ireland.

To read an overview of our full eight-day itinerary through Ireland, click here.

The easiest way to get to Adare is by car, driving north from Killarney on N21 or driving south from Limerick. There is parking in and around the village center, and the whole area is very walkable. Even in the rain:(

A comprehensive visit can be accomplished in a full day. But, if you don’t have that much time, you can certainly see the major attractions and soak in all the feels within a few hours.

When we arrived, the first thing in our path was the Adare Trinitarian Abbey. The Abbey was founded in 1230, but was later destroyed and fell into ruin. The medieval foundation and remains were used to partially rebuild and later convert the site into the current day Catholic Parish. The interior decoration is striking and unique, with painted tiles and trims.

Above photos: Adare Trinitarian Abbey

On the same stretch of Main Street, the uber charming thatched cottages line the historic center. The cottages were originally the homes of the servants and workers of The Dunraven Estate. The cottages are now used a shops, cafes, and even Airbnbs!

Above photos: Adare thatched cottages

Because it was raining, we ducked into one of these little thatched cottage cafes, The Good Room Cafe. It was packed with everyone else who was trying to stay dry, but we were happy to have a place to enjoy our coffee and pastries.

The rain let up to a drizzle long enough for us to walk through Adare Park, a beautiful green space that was once part of The Dunraven Estate. There is a pond and picturesque gazebo that looks like it gets used for community events.

Above photo: Adare Park

If you happen to be staying overnight in Adare, the Adare Manor, the former Dunraven Estate, is a lavish hotel with a Michelin star restaurant, spa, and golf course. In fact, if you are debating between staying in Limerick or in Adare, this is the place I would personally recommend.

The Augustinian Friary and Desmond Castle are also in the area. Because of our dreary weather, we decided to make our way up to Limerick.

Limerick

The ancient city of Limerick is roughly 20 minutes north of Adare. As far as major Irish cities go, Limerick usually does not rank near the top. We stopped here because it was conveniently on our way to the Cliffs of Moher.

I will come right out and say that Limerick was not my favorite stop on our road trip, but that is only because Ireland is so rich in natural beauty and historical attractions. If you are flying in/out of Shannon Airport or en route to the western attractions, Limerick is worth a look.

When we rolled into town late on a Monday afternoon, it was surprisingly quiet. We stayed at the No. 1 Perry Square Hotel, located in the Georgian Quarter and surrounded by great architecture. It had been raining all day, but had finally let up for our walk along the River Shannon.

The promenade along the river is lined with white benches and flowering summer annuals. It’s very pretty. We rested at the Terry Wogan Memorial with the pigeons and sea gulls before continuing on towards St. Mary’s Cathedral. A few things along the way that thought were cool were the Hook & Ladder Cafe on Sarsfield Street, Arthur’s Quay Park, The Hunt Museum, and The Exchange Wall.

Above photos: Walking along the River Shannon

Above photo: The Sylvester O’Halloran Footbridge

Above photos: North Munster Masonic Center (left) and View of the Curraghgour Boat Club and Limerick Court Office with St. Mary’s Cathedral in the background (right)

St. Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest building in Limerick, dating to the 12th century. In fact, it was once a Viking meeting house. The bell tower rises above the rest of the buildings making it easy to spot. When we arrived, we were not able to gain access to the interior. However, we had a very nice walk through the cemetery. It struck a chord, for sure.

Above photos: St. Mary’s Cathedral and Cemetery

A couple blocks away from St. Mary’s is King John’s Castle. You can’t miss it! King John’s Castle is the most western castle in Europe and is one of the best-preserved Norman castles, dating back to 1200. It is very picturesque sitting on the shore of the River Shannon. Keep in mind that the castle is only open until 5pm. If you arrive later in the day, you will be limited to admiring it from the outside.

Above photos: Kind John’s Castle

The Thomond Bridge dates to 1835 – 1840 and is lovely to walk across. When you reach the opposite side, it is a very short walk down to the Treaty Stone, which is said to have been used in the signing of the 1691 Treaty of Limerick marking the surrender of the city to William of Orange. My question is, why is this thing sitting out in the open and not in a museum?!

Above photos: The Thomond Bridge

Spending the late afternoon and night in Limerick was perfect for us. We were glad to have laid our eyes on the major historical sites and really enjoyed our stay at the at the No. 1 Perry Square Hotel. The next morning we were up super early to drive to the Cliffs of Moher.

Read about the next stop on our Ireland road trip: The Cliffs of Moher here.

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

At the very end of our trip, we circled back towards Limerick because our flight back to the States was out of Shannon Airport. The night before our departure, we visited Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. While it is out of chronological order here, it fits in with County Limerick and attractions in the area. So – here you go!

Bunratty Castle has a wild history. The land has been occupied by a fortress in some form or another since the Vikings were here in 970. The current castle is the 4th castle to have been build on the site. It is a very comprehensive attraction, including restored rooms, a village street, a fairy trail, and a farmhouse. There is a lot to see!!

Above photos: Bunratty Castle

Above photos: Views from the windows of Bunratty Castle

Above photos: Bunratty Folk Park

Ideally, book your tickets online in advance and be aware that the castle closes at 4 pm, and the folk park closes at 5:30 pm. This is due to the castle also hosting medieval banquets in the evening (which sounds like great fun!).

Of course, after our castle visit we stopped at Durty Nellie’s for a brew because it is one of those things you just have to do while you are in the area.

Above photo: Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub

Following our visit to Bunratty Castle and pub fare at Durty Nellie’s, we checked-in to the Bunratty Castle Hotel. Cute hotel in a convenient location. We were glad to have a space to repack our luggage with all the purchases we made along the way prior to our long haul flight back home:)

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