Adare
Adare is a small town in County Limerick in the Shannon Region of western Ireland. It's one of the prettiest towns in the country, with a castle and a plush golf resort. Adare grew up at a point where the River Maigue can be forded, hence its name Áth Dara, "ford of the oak". In 2016 the population was 1129.
Get in
Adare is 15 km southwest of Limerick city. The M20 / N21 leads to Adare but there's no bypass, so the town is always congested with traffic passing through to Kerry on top of tourist traffic for the town itself. Plans for a bypass were lodged in early 2020: no completion date is stated, but the Ryder Cup is being staged in Adare in 2026, and the congestion will be shambolic if the bypass hasn't opened by then.
By bus: Bus Éireann No 13 and 14 run from Limerick hourly, daily, taking 20 min. They continue via Rathkeale to Newcastle West, whence the 13 runs every two hours via Listowel to Tralee, while the 14 runs every two hours via Abbeyfeale and Kerry airport to Killarney.
The bus stop eastbound towards Limerick is outside the Heritage Centre, while the westbound buses to Tralee or Killarney stop outside the Post Office.
Get around
Access to the castle is by shuttle bus, everything else is best visited on foot. There's a free public car park (monitored by CCTV) behind the Heritage Centre, with an e-car charging point. Street parking is difficult because of the congestion.
See
- 1 Adare Heritage Centre on Main Street is the place to start. It's open daily 9AM-5PM. Use the free car park behind. The centre has a small exhibition, a restaurant, and inevitably a large gift shop.
- Main Street is lined with attractive thatched cottages, pity about the incessant traffic.
- 2 St Nicholas (Church of Ireland) incorporates the original "Black Abbey" or Franciscan Friary. It's well preserved, with a 15th century cloister and sedilia, and a 16th century Pieta. It's usually accessible daytime, on Main Street at the river bridge.
- The Trinitarian friary in town centre was restored in the 19th C and is now Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church.
- Adare Manor is now a plush hotel, see Sleep.
- 3 Desmond Castle (Go to Heritage Centre for tickets and shuttle bus, no walk-up access). June-Sept daily. 13th century ring-fortress, the stronghold of the Earls of Kildare till 1536 then forfeited and awarded to the Earls of Desmond. Visit by guided tour starting from the Heritage Centre. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 4 Franciscan Abbey or Friary of St Michael the Archangel was established in 1464-66. It's now a ruin on Adare Manor Golf Course, check in with the clubhouse before strolling out there.
- Croom Castle 5 km south of Adare probably dates to 13th C but is now just a heap of ruined masonry.
Do
- The town park is south side of the main road.
- Golf: Adare has two courses but the names are confusing. The Adare Manor Golf Club is on the grounds of the Manor but not part of the hotel, access is from the main road north of town. The yellow tees are 5533 yards, par 69, and a round costs €35.
- What's now called The Golf Course at Adare Manor is part of the hotel resort. The course, re-designed in 2017 by Tom Fazio, is open mid-March to Dec. It's 7509 yards, par 72, and a round costs €400 plus obligatory caddie fee.
- There's also a pitch and putt course 500 m south of town.
- 1 Clonshire Equestrian Centre 3 km west of town has training, rides and jumps for the experienced, and horse-riding holidays.
Buy
There's an ATM outside the AIB bank by the roundabout in town centre.
Several craft shops along main drag, they're all a bit tourist-trappy.
Eat
- The Arches, Main St, ☏ +353 61 396 246. Daily 11:00-21:30. Friendly restaurant, good place to bring kids.
- Blue Door, Main St. Daily 12:00-21:00. Bistro gets consistently great reviews for food and welcome.
- Houfu, Main St, ☏ +353 61 396 383. M-Sa 16:00-00:00, Su 14:00-23:00. Good Chinese for sit in or takeaway.
- The Maigue is in Dunraven Arms Hotel, see "Sleep".
- The Wild Geese, Rose Cottage, Main St, ☏ +353 61 396 451. Tu-Sa 11:30-15:00, 18:00-22:00; Su 12:30-15:00. Upscale Irish cuisine in 1820s cottage, reservations recommended.
Drink
- Bill Chawke's stands at the start of Rathkeale Rd, open Su-Th 10:00-00:30, F Sa 10:00-01:30.
- Chawke's is bracketed by two Collins' bars: Sean Collins south also has accommodation. Pat Collins[dead link] is just north. They're both open daily from 10:00 to around midnight.
- Aunty Lena's on Main Street does good food and is open Tu-Su 09:00-00:00, M 12:00-00:30.
Sleep
- 1 Adare Camping and Caravan Park, Drehidtrasna V94 E2C4 (3 km south of town), ☏ +353 61 395 376. Open April-Sept, well-run site, clean and welcoming. Small tent €22, motor home or caravan €30.
- 2 Dunraven Arms, Main St, Blackabbey V94 KV2P, ☏ +353 61 605 900. Smart hotel in an old coaching inn. Mostly good reviews, some decor tired and the occasional breakfast malfunction. Free parking, leisure centre. B&B double €230.
- 3 Adare Country House, Blackabbey Rd V94 V026, ☏ +353 61 395 986. Pleasant welcoming guest house. B&B double €150.
- 4 Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel, Knockanes V94 F1P9, ☏ +353 61 605 100. Spa hotel, scores well for comfort, food and especially for service. B&B double €200.
- 5 Adare Manor Hotel, Adare V94 W8WR, ☏ +353 61 605 200. Grand hotel and golf resort, mostly 19th century, in parkland east of town - in 1836 the entire property was valued at a mere £130. It also hosts Adare Golf Club and Limerick Cricket Club. B&B double €1300.
- 6 Fanningstown Castle, Fanningstown V94 EK22, ☏ +353 61 395 989. Plush accommodation in a 19th century pseudo-Gothic "castle," five bedrooms, sleeps ten. Popular with wedding parties in summer, and they mostly do exclusive lets, but have some availability for couples on short breaks.
Connect
As of July 2021, Adare has 5G from all Irish carriers.
Stay safe
Usual precautions about safety in the seething traffic and not leaving valuables unguarded. The Garda (Police) station is in the yellow building opposite the Post Office.
Go next
See County Limerick for nearby attractions such as Foynes Flying Boat Museum, and the prehistoric site of Lough Gur.
Further west you cross into scenic County Kerry: Tralee and Killarney are about a 90 min drive.
Adare is near Limerick city, and a bypass leads you into County Clare and Shannon airport.