Abbeyfeale Walks

13/07/2023

Yes we can

21/02/2023

Happy International Tourist Guide Day!

Have you explored your local area with a tourist guide yet?

05/11/2022

The aptly titled 'Abbeyfeale - The Bare Essentials' saw loals strip off and be photographed in everyday poses

27/10/2022

With more than fifty frightening events taking place all across city and county over this Halloween period there is something for all ghosts, goblins and ghouls to enjoy. 🎃👻

Download our guide here:

https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2022-10/Halloween-in-Limerick-2022-Event-Guide.pdf/

27/09/2022

Today is
If you’re booking a guide to see make sure to book a qualified guide
ATGI - Approved Tourist Guides Ireland

See www.Tourguides.ie for more

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.
This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted.
The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.
At its Twelfth Session in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 1997, the UNWTO General Assembly decided to designate a host country each year to act as the Organization's partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day.

At its Fifteenth Session in Beijing, China, in October 2003, the Assembly decided the following geographic order to be followed for World Tourism Day celebrations:
2006 in Europe; 2007 in South Asia; 2008 in the Americas; 2009 in Africa and 2011 in the Middle East, and so on.

The official World Tourism Day celebration will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 27 September, highlighting the shift towards tourism being recognized as a crucial pillar of development.

https://www.unwto.org/world-tourism-day-2022/join/

11/08/2022

Vote for Ballingarry!!!

Vote for your favourite area, which is BALLINGARRY, by highlighting the circle beside your preferred group’s name below
Then click VOTE NOW to complete your voting.
Voting closes at midnight on Thursday with the winner announced the next morning (Friday) on Limerick Today with Joe Nash
Thank you for your entry, we'll be in touch with winners directly.

https://www.live95fm.ie/local/going-for-gold/

Vote now for your favourite group!

05/08/2022

Limerick is buzzing ‼️‼️‼️

Limerick is fully behind heritage week and you will have the chance to explore the amazing heritage around Limerick.

Below is just a small selection of events:

13th August
Comhrá, Ceol agus Stair at Collins’ Well in Bruff
A free guided tour of Ballingarry graveyard and the Monckton vault
Knockfierna Heritage Society Walking Tour
14th August
Askeaton Ballysteen River and Estuary Community Workshops
15th August
Ballyhoura Outdoor Classroom Wildlife Tour
16th August
Meditation at the Binn Liosín in Bruff
Painting in the Park in Bruff
In a World of our Own, from the Cradle to the Grave in Askeaton
17th August
Cladh na Leac - Tracing Lough Gur's Ancient Pathway
Discover the Biodiversity of the Mahore River in Hospitaal
18th August
Genealogy Workshop In Fitzgerald Centre Bruff
Bruff/Grange/Meanus National School Roll Books - Old BGM School Roll Books open for viewing
Discover the Biodiversity of The Glen River in Charleville
19th August
Lough Gur Nature Day
An evening of song and story in Lough Gur
A Way with Words: An evening of Song, Poetry, and Stories by Lough Gur side
20th August
Kids’ Treasure Hunt starts from Fitzgerald Centre in Bruff
An evening with Dan Cooke talking about the birds of the area in Fitzgerald Centre
21st August
Medieval Kilmallock Walking Tour
Askeaton Ballysteen River and Estuary Community Workshops

Every day
Glenquin castle is open every day during heritage week
Newcastle west Desmond Hall is open for free guided tours every day during heritage week
Dysert Aonghasa is open every day during heritage week
Askeaton castle is open for free guided tours every day during heritage week
Adare’s Desmond castle is open for guided tours every day during heritage week

15th to 19th August Guided Tour of the Book of Kells in Knockainey
15th to 19th August The Sculptural Imagination of Seanie Barron in Askeaton

Check the website for more details

https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings

26/07/2022

On Friday 14th of October, I will be sleeping out for one night to shine a light on homelessness in Ireland and raise vital funds for Focus Ireland.

In May, homelessness figures surpassed 10,000, the highest figure recorded since before the pandemic due to a lack of affordable, secure housing in Ireland. Right now, there are 1,366 families, including 3,028 children without a home. These families can spend up to two years in a one-bedroom room in an emergency accommodation situation, which has a significant impact on mental health, self-esteem, and child development.

However, homelessness would be much worse without the work of Focus Ireland. Focus Ireland are ending homelessness every day for families and individuals and our services are working hard to protect people who are currently homeless – especially children from the trauma caused by homelessness.

Please donate to my Shine A Light Night to help Focus Ireland support the thousands of families and children without a home in Ireland right now.

On Friday 14 October, I am participating in Shine A Light Night for . I will be sleeping out for one night to shine a light on homelessness in Ireland and support Focus Ireland’s vital work in helping families and children exit homelessness. Help me, help Focus Ireland challenge homel...

12/05/2022

The new flyers are there for

Opening Times
11 April – 2 November 2022

Entry is by guided tour only as there are ongoing conservation works at the site.
Tours at 10:00, 11:30, 13:30 & 15:00.

Please wait at the gate where the Guide will meet you and take you on tour.

☎️085 8013385
💻 [email protected]

In the very heart of this County Limerick town stand the impressive remains of a medieval fortress. Askeaton Castle dates from 1199, when William de Burgo built it on a rock in the River Deel.

Over the centuries, the castle proved itself key to the history of Munster. It was the power base of the earls of Desmond after 1348. In 1579 it held out against the English general Sir Nicholas Malby, an incident that helped spark the second Desmond Rebellion.

The banqueting hall is one of the finest medieval secular buildings in Ireland. The tower is partly ruined, but some fine windows and an exquisite medieval fireplace have remained.

The early eighteenth-century building nearby was used as a Hellfire Club. These clubs were rumoured to be dens of excess in which wealthy gentlemen indulged in drink, mock ritual and other nefarious activities.

12/05/2022

MANNIX’S FOLLY, ballydoorlis, coolcappagh.

This two-storey house was erected in the early 1870s. It was built for a this two-storey house was erected in the early 1870s. It was built for a Mr Mannix, chief engineer of Great Southern Railways when the Newcastle West to Limerick line was being laid. Tradition says that he compelled tradesmen to work on Sundays on construction of the house. It was roofed on three different occasions, with each roof being blown off by storms. Mannix died before it could be roofed for a fourth time, with the house being left in an unfinished state, with the site soon earning the monicker ‘Mannix’s Folly’., chief engineer of Great Southern Railways when the Newcastle West to Limerick line was being laid. Tradition says that he compelled tradesmen to work on Sundays on construction of the house. It was roofed on three different occasions, with each roof being blown off by storms. Mannix died before it could be roofed for a fourth time, with the house being left in an unfinished state, with the site soon earning the moniker ‘Mannix’s Folly’.

11/04/2022

ENHANCEMENT works are to take place at a popular Limerick tourist attraction.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is planning a series of works at Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, which re-opened last Thursday for the summer season.

New signage and flagpoles are planned for the medieval castle, while consultants have been appointed to progress the long-term project of roofing the Halla Mór.

The OPW Minister and local TD Patrick O'Donovan was on his home turf in Newcastle West this week, where he had a tour of the castle ahead of its summer opening.

"Visitors can not only enjoy free entrance for guided tours of the medieval castle with one of the most impressive surviving banqueting halls in Ireland, but can also look forward to resting afterwards in the courtyard on additional seating that will be installed in the course of the 2022 season," he said.

ENHANCEMENT works are to take place at a popular Limerick tourist attraction. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is planning a series of works at Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, which re-opened last Thursday for the summer season. New signage and flagpoles are planned for the medieval castle, while....

10/04/2022

The last week I have been privileged to show Ennis and Limerick to over 150 Ukrainians and I have met so many lovely people.

I can remember when I came to Ireland myself how hard it is to start completely anew and all alone. And I was lucky that I was not a refugee, had a job and a place to stay.

I can only imagine the hardship many Ukrainians have been through and many are trying to build a new life.
Children are trying to get used to a new school in a new country with a new language and new friends.

I feel so privileged to have met so many lovely people and I truly wish I could do more.
Heartwarming as well were all the stories of how welcoming the Irish people are and how much it means to the refugees.

It made me even more determined to do more and I hope to organise more tours, but also would love to help with making sense of Irish rules and regulations. I can help filling in applications and forms, help with CVs, do interview training or just by answering any questions people may have.

Some of the people I’ve met are like good friends and I would love to truly extend a hundred thousand welcomes (céad míle fáilte) to all who need it.

04/04/2022

ITGA ID ready ✅
www.tourguide.ie
ATGI ID ready ✅
www.Tourguides.ie
Fáilte Ireland Approved ✅
Fully insured ✅
D D1 and SPSV license ✅
CPC clean license and tachograph ✅
Dark tourism certified ✅
Culinary Certified Tourist Guide ✅
First Aid Responder Certificate ✅
Online Guided Tours Certificate ✅
Gluais III Certificate ✅
Manual handling certificate ✅

30/03/2022

In the last few weeks I have been very impressed with all the Irish people opening their homes to those fleeing the war.
I know that a new start if quite hard but would like to make it a little bit easier by offering free tours of Adare and Limerick for refugees (not just Ukrainians) so they can see the beauty of their new (temporary) home.

If you’re a translator near Limerick speaking Russian and/or Ukrainian I’d love to hear from you too!

And if you’re a politician or someone involved in aid for those fleeing war I’d love to hear from you too!

Let’s give people a warm Limerick welcome!

03/03/2022

ALL for UKRAINE 🇺🇦
Ballingarry and Granagh for Ukraine ♥️🇺🇦

Fri, 4th Mar
Grace & Gerry are holding a bucket collection at O'Gormans in Granagh
www.facebook.com/OGormansfoodstoregranagh/

Sat, 5th Mar
bucket collection in O'Gradys in Ballingarry

www.facebook.com/SparBallingarry/

The money donated will be spend in local shops to purchase Essentials, so you are also supporting local shops 👍

Churchgate collection will be held in Granagh on March 20th for Ukraine 🇺🇦

Please show your solidarity with Ukraine 🇺🇦 in their darkest hour of need.

21/02/2022

Happy International Tourist Guide Day!

Have you explored your local area with a tourist guide yet?

20/10/2021

Something really exciting is happening this month‼️🎃
🔜
As people all over the Gaelic world celebrate Samhain and the end of the harvest season we will celebrate the beginning of winter and the start of a new season here in

The West Limerick Harvest Festival will bring some of your favourite destinations together and they will deliver the authentic taste of West Limerick.
🎃🎃🎃

On Friday the 22nd will celebrate at
The 23rd the Greenwood at will show off all the vegetarian delights combining Middle Eastern flavours with Irish and Local harvests
The 24th Chris Starr of and Tom Sparling work with botanist Teresa Storey of will deliver an exciting taste of local and foraged food
The 29th and 30th will see more Halloween fun at and
The 30th will have Mary’s Organic Garden Harvest Festival at the and cocktail night
We finish the festival in Newcastle West and Ballingarry on the 31st with a celebrity judged apple tart contest at the and a spooky family day in Ballingarry where will work together with and Ballingarry heritage to deliver some spooky tours for the entire family and Knockfierna Heritage Society will organise a bonfire on the highest hill of West Limerick to celebrate the Gaelic festival.

Contact us if you want to know more.
🎃🧛‍♀️☠️🧚🏿‍♀️👻👹🧜🏿🤖☠️
.ie .ie

13/10/2021

This Friday the 15th I’ll be sleeping outside to raise money for Focus Ireland

On Friday 15th October, I am giving one night to Shine A Night Light on homelessness in Ireland.

Across Ireland, 925 families including 2,193 children are currently without a home.
By participating in Shine A Light Night, I am raising vital funds to help the most vulnerable people in our communities.

In 2020, support for Shine A Light Night allowed Focus Ireland to move 883 families out of homelessness.

Help me help them by donating to my virtual sleep-out in aid of Shine A Light Night 2021.

I'm raising vital funds for Focus Ireland.

18/08/2021

Best of Luck to our hurlers in the All Ireland final.
The two best teams in Ireland fight it out for Hurling’s biggest honour.
Cork won’t be easy to beat, but I have full trust in Limerick to do it!

Up the Treaty! 💚💚💚

13/07/2021

Name a player who played rugby with Ireland, Munster, Garryowen, Lansdowne and St. Munchin's college, played minor football with Kerry and with Limerick, Feale Rangers and Duagh, and also played badminton at a national level?

There's only one player who can say he played football with two counties, represented Ireland in rugby and was one of the best badminton players in Ireland and the answer is Abbeyfeale's Phil Danaher.
Or should that be Duagh's?

Philip Danaher (born October 5, 1965 in ) is a retired rugby union and .

He played for St Munchin's College, (as captain), , and won 28 caps between 1988 and 1995 for .
He made his international debut against Scotland on Jan 16, 1988 and captained the team 3 times, including the 1992 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand.

Danaher was a squad member in the from 1988 to 1990 and 1992 to 1995 and in tours to France 1988, North America 1989, New Zealand 1992 and Australia 1994.

He was not a member of the squads for the 1991 or 1995 Rugby World Cups.

He retired in 1996 following a serious thumb injury.
He was later assistant coach on tours to South Africa 1998 and Australia 1999.

Danaher also played with and and badminton to national level.

13/07/2021

Did you know that the N**i codes were partly broken by a man from Abbeyfeale, West Limerick?

Richard James Hayes (Irish: Risteárd de Hae; born 1902, died 1976) was an code-breaker during World War II and was Director of the National Library of Ireland.

Hayes was born in in 1902 and grew up in Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
He was educated at Clongowes Wood College and Trinity College Dublin.

Colonel Dan Bryan, head of Ireland's G2 intelligence service, made the initial approaches to the newly appointed director in 1940 when a cipher was found on the first German agent to be captured in Ireland, Wilhelm Preetz.

Hayes made significant progress in breaking the code and in February 1941, at the behest of Éamon de Valera, he was given an office and three lieutenants to decode wireless messages being covertly transmitted from a house in north Dublin owned by the German legation. One of his staff was Kevin Boland, son of the then justice minister Gerald Boland. The operation was so secret that the younger Boland was instructed not to tell his father what he was doing.

One of the most notorious German spies interned in Ireland during the war, Günther Schütz, described him as "absolutely brilliant".

Members of MI5 believed "his gifts amounted almost to genius" and described him as Ireland's "greatest unsung hero".
The US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) characterised him as "a colossus of a man".

01/07/2021

The Limerick greenway, described as one of the biggest outdoor and most transformative tourist amenity projects ever undertaken in Limerick, finally opens today.

Stretching 40km from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale it represents a €10m investment by Limerick City and County Council.

It is designed to open up west Limerick to new businesses and tourism potential, and will eventually link up with the Kerry greenway giving cyclists and walkers a new sustainable and completely accessible route all the way to Fenit in Tralee Bay, Co Kerry.

Built along the former Limerick to Kerry rail line, it was first envisaged 30 years ago when the germ of an idea emerged to build a Great Southern trail along the route.

What has emerged is a new three-metre wide resurfaced route, which also involved extensive restoration of two 19th century railway station houses at Barnagh and Ardagh, the renovation of the 115-metre long Barnagh tunnel, and the cast iron Fergusons Viaduct.

There are access and stop off points at the main towns of Rathkeale, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and Templeglanton and access to historic sites like Desmond Castle and Ardagh, which is the home of the famous Ardagh Chalice.

It also offers new opportunities for businesses to open along the route supplying services like bike hire, cafes, and historic tours.

Eamon Foley runs a bicycle shop at Abbeyfeale and has now opened a bike hire and rental outlet at the Limerick Greenway hub located at the famous and scenic Barnagh gap area, from where onlookers can see over three counties.

He says the opening of the Limerick Greenway offers all sorts of opportunities for businesses like his, which offer visitors and tourists, bike child carriages and accessible transport as they need.

"I've set up a bike hire place here at the Greenway hub so that people can travel to this location, park their cars and take bikes then onto the Greenway no matter what ability they have, we can look after families and individuals with whatever ability, who want to take the route."

This really is the first opportunity for businesses to work on expanding the opportunities the Greenway offers. Limerick Council really have taken on the project over the last five years , and it is a very exciting time for all of us along the route" he said.

Olive Sheehan, whose family have been in the hospitality business for many years in west Limerick, and who is Chair of West Limerick Tourism group, said it presents a huge opportunity for businesses along the route to open up again.

Her family have run a number of hotels at Templeglan, and at Abbeyfeale, and this is the first time she will open her cafe, aviary, garden centre, and kennels for dog friendly visitors, for 26 years at the Barnagh gap location.

"We're just delighted to be able to showcase all that West Limerick has to offer. It's not just the historic railway heritage but we are also looking forward to offering all that West Limerick food producers have to offer, and there are many along the route, which can be accessed at many venues along the greenway, which is a huge bonus, she said.

It is one of the biggest tourism projects ever undertaken by Limerik City and County council, but a worthwhile one, given the dividends it's expected to deliver for the region.

Gordon Daly, Director of services at Limerick city and county council, said this was a strategically important piece of economic infrastructure for the region, and will provide a major boost for tourism this summer and in the years ahead, creating jobs and supporting local communities.

"We are delighted to reach this milestone and welcome visitors to the Limerick Greenway this summer and look forward to an official opening ceremony for this project later this year." he said,

Limerick City and County Council Chief Executive, Pat Daly said: "Trojan work has gone into making the opening of the Greenway possible this summer despite the pandemic. Although construction ceased earlier this year, causing significant delays to timelines, our ambition for the Greenway never faltered. Now due to the tireless work of so many, we are delighted to open it this week.

"Stretching through the rural countryside of West Limerick, the Greenway will help to balance investment across the county and give a boost to areas beyond the urban draw of Limerick city. The towns of Rathkeale, Newcastle West, and Abbeyfeale already have so much to offer, and the Greenway will be pivotal in assisting them, and the region as a whole, to thrive and flourish."

The Limerick greenway, described as one of the biggest outdoor and most transformative tourist amenity projects ever undertaken in Limerick, finally opens today.

01/06/2021

The Bike Shop With No Bikes! When we opened the doors of Spin Doctor Cycles at the start of June last year, we were in the height of a global pandemic. There was no bike stock available. Some people may have thought we were crazy, but we were able to keep going thanks to the loyal customers who came from far and near to get their bikes repaired. We would again like to thank you all for supporting our new business. Keep following for news of our upcoming 1 year Anniversary

01/05/2021

Amy Lane was another lucky winner of Abbeyfeale Vouchers at our virtual AGM. Happy Spending!!!

09/04/2021

**FREE** Start Your Own Business Training - SPACES AVAILABLE

This evening online programme is starting on Tuesday 13th April.

For more information or to book your place, please email Aimee at [email protected] or phone 069 66295.

26/03/2021

Today is

I have just texted ‘daffodil’ to 50300 to donate to the Irish Cancer Society.

16/03/2021

We’re off to where the town has come together for a comprehensive greening.

looks lovely lit up green.



If you have any photos of sites going green for St Patrick’s day please sent to me via WhatsApp or email at [email protected] so we can promote west Limerick on social media for





ie

13/03/2021

Leens Hotel Abbeyfeale Mothers Day Treat Box

3 course Lunch @ €25.00.
Mothers Day Gift Hamper €79.00

The hamper can be purchased on line from our website:wwwleenshotel.com or by phoning the Hotel at +353 (68) 31 121