Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Home to one of Ireland's best-preserved medieval castles, the Swiss Cottage, and riverside walks along the Suir. Here's what to see, where to eat, and how to get here.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Castles, historic sites and scenic corners of the Suir valley
Cahir Castle: Visiting Ireland's Most Complete Castle
Cahir Castle survived because it surrendered. Its history from 1142 to the state, what there is to see on the island, and how to plan a visit.
The Swiss Cottage, Cahir: A Regency Cottage Orne
The Swiss Cottage is a Regency fantasy of a peasant cottage built for the Butlers around 1810, attributed to John Nash. Its history and how to walk there.
Coronation Walk: Cahir Castle to the Swiss Cottage
The riverside walk from Cahir Castle to the Swiss Cottage is about 2km each way, flat and shaded, and it is the best thing to do in Cahir on foot.
Movies Filmed in Cahir: From Excalibur to The Last Duel
Cahir Castle has stood in for Arthurian Britain, a Prussian camp and medieval Normandy. The films and television shot here and what they used the castle for.
The History of Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Cahir's history from the abbey and the castle through the Butlers, the sieges, the linen mills and the cavalry barracks to the town of today.
The Butler Family of Cahir
The Butlers held Cahir for close to six hundred years. The castle, the house on the Square, the Swiss Cottage and the bankruptcy that nearly ended it.
Lismore Castle Gardens: A Day Trip Over the Vee
Lismore Castle Gardens are the oldest continually cultivated gardens in Ireland, reached from Cahir by the Vee road. What is there and how to make a day of it.
Is Cahir a Twin Town? Cahir and Scarborough
Cahir is twinned with Scarborough in North Yorkshire. The agreement was signed in 2003, and this is what it covers and what it means in practice.
Where to Stay
Hotels, B&Bs, self-catering and camping in and around Cahir
Hotels in Cahir: Where to Stay in Co. Tipperary
Cahir has two hotels and one of them has been shut. What that means for booking a bed in the town, and where else to look within half an hour.
Cahir House Hotel: History, Rooms and the Butler Room
The hotel on Cahir's Square was the Butler family's house before it was a hotel. Its history, what it is like to stay in, and what it is used for now.
Bed and Breakfast in Cahir, Co. Tipperary
The B&Bs in and around Cahir, including one run in the same house since 1976 and one in a Georgian rectory, and why they suit this town better than a hotel.
Self Catering in Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Houses and cottages to rent around Cahir, why the listings sites overstate what is available, and how to spot a real self catering let from a hotel room.
Camping Near Cahir: Caravan and Camping Parks
Where to camp near Cahir, the apple farm site outside the town and the Galtee valley site half an hour away, and what each one is actually like.
Food & Drink
Where to eat, drink and get a decent cup of coffee
Restaurants in Cahir: The Best Places to Eat
Where to eat in Cahir, from the restaurant most people rate first to the hotel dining room, the Italians, the Chinese and the pub kitchens.
Cafes in Cahir: Coffee, Breakfast and Lunch
Where to get coffee and lunch in Cahir, from the speciality places by the castle to the cafe on the Square, and what the town does not have.
Pubs in Cahir: Guinness, Live Music and Trad
The pubs of Cahir, which ones are on the Square, where live music actually happens, and where to go for bar food rather than just a pint.
Evening Meals in Cahir: Where to Have Dinner
Dinner in Cahir, from the restaurant most people book to the hotel dining room, the Italians, the Chinese and what is left if you arrive late.
Sunday Lunch in Cahir: Roasts and Family Dining
Where to get Sunday lunch in Cahir, what the town actually has rather than a list of carveries, and why you should ring before you drive in for one.
Takeaway in Cahir: Chipper, Chinese and Pizza
The takeaways in Cahir, who delivers and who is collection only, and where to go when the restaurant kitchens have stopped taking orders.
Things to Do
Walks, trails, fishing and days out with the family
Things to Do in Cahir, Co. Tipperary
What there is to do in Cahir, the castle and the Swiss Cottage, the riverside walk between them, the Galtees, the river, and how much of it fills a day.
Things to See in Cahir and South Tipperary
What to see in and around Cahir, the castle and cottage in the town, the woods and mountains behind it, and the caves, gardens and Rock within half an hour.
Walks Near Cahir: Riverside, Woodland and the Galtees
Three walks from Cahir, the flat riverside path to the Swiss Cottage, the Coillte loops at Scaragh Wood, and Galtymore for a full hill day.
Cycling Near Cahir: Routes, the Blueway and the Hills
Cycling around Cahir is road cycling. What that means, where the good roads go, and why the Suir Blueway cycle trail does not actually start here.
Fishing the River Suir at Cahir: Trout and Salmon
The Suir at Cahir is one of Europe's best brown trout rivers. The water the Cahir club controls, the fly-only rule, the season, and where to get a permit.
Cahir Playground and Inch Field
Where to take children in Cahir. The playground at Inch Field, the outdoor gym, the green space around them and the riverside park beside the town.
Golf Near Cahir: Cahir Park and the Courses Around It
Cahir Park Golf Club is an 18-hole parkland course on the banks of the Suir with the Galtees behind it. What it plays like and what else is within half an hour.
Guided Walking Tours of Cahir Town
Walk Cahir with guide Eleanor English - the old linen mills, the Mausoleum, John Nash's St Paul's Church, Crimean Bob and piper Edmund Keating Hyland.
Events & Town News
What's on in Cahir, and what's changing in the town
Cahir Horse Festival & Cahirmee Horse Fair
The Cahir Horse Festival brought National Driving Trials to Cahir Castle island in 2011 and 2012. What it involved, and how it differs from the Cahirmee Fair.
Christmas in Cahir: Lights, Santa and the Tractor Run
Cahir's Christmas is a lights switch-on, a Santa's grotto at the tourist office and a Christmas tractor run through the town, all in early December.
Cahir Farmers Market
Cahir's Saturday farmers market runs beside the Craft Granary on Church Street, and almost everything on it is produced within twenty miles of the town.
Cahir News: New Library, Car Park and the N24 Upgrade
What is changing in Cahir. The library going into the Granary, the town centre car park and business centre, and the N24 upgrade towards Limerick Junction.
Cahir Tidy Towns
Cahir Tidy Towns holds a national bronze medal and has been climbing the table. What the group does, what it has won, and how the town shows it.
Practical Information
Getting here, shopping, and living in Cahir
Getting to Cahir: Bus, Train & Driving Directions
How to reach Cahir by bus, train or car. Routes from Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Clonmel, the nearest train station, driving directions and parking.
Shopping in Cahir: Boutiques, Craft and Local Produce
Shopping in Cahir means a few good independents rather than a shopping centre: the craft granary, the Castle Street boutiques and the Saturday market.
Renting a House in Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Renting in Cahir means a small market and few listings. Where to look, what to expect, and the tenancy rules that apply wherever you rent in Ireland.
The Cahir Housing Market: Buying a House in Cahir
What drives house prices in Cahir, what the stock actually is, where to find current figures, and what to know before buying in a town this size.