Kinnitty

Kinnity is a village in County Offaly, 13 km east of Birr. In Irish Cionn Eitigh means "the head of Etech", a mythical princess whose head is supposedly buried here, and the rest who knows where. The population in 2022 was only 270 but Kinnitty has accommodation; the main reason to visit is to hike in the Slieve Bloom Mountains.

By road from Dublin follow M7 to Portlaoise, then R445 / 440 over the mountains to Kinnitty. You could also take M6 to Tullamore, N52 to Kilcormac then the lane south.

Local Link Bus 823 runs from Birr to Kinitty (20 min), Cadamstown, Mountmellick and Portlaoise, with five M-Sa and 4 on Sunday.

You need wheels to explore the area, a bike would do.

Bike hire is available from Giltraps (below), Slieve Bloom Mountain Bike Centre and Bloom e-riders.

• 53.0962-7.721 The Pyramid behind St Finian's Church of Ireland church is a burial crypt for the Bernard family, former owners of the castle. Standing 10 m high, it was built in 1834, with the last burial in 1907.

• Kinnitty Castle or Castle Bernard is now an upmarket hotel, see Sleep. Non-residents can still visit the High Cross, which is all that's left of St Finnian's monastery. It's 2.4 m tall: the carvings are 9th century though the cross may be much older. It's reached by a path from the castle car park. The castle is from 1811, was torched in 1922 but reconstructed.
• 53.127-7.6542 Cadamstown is a village 6 km northeast on R421 when the road crosses the gorge of the Silver River. St Lughna's Church (Roman Catholic), built in 1842 on the site of a 9th century abbey, has a medieval inscribed grave slab, a 12th century decorated animal head and a human face. The tumbledown Old Morrow's Mill is from 1830. An ancient drystone bridge, perhaps 500 years old, just-about-stands north of the R421 crossing: it's reached by a muddy riverside path 1 km from the village. No trace remains of Cadamstown Castle, though its stone may have been re-used for the mill.
• 53.123-7.6153 Giant's Grave 4 km upriver from Cadamstown is a megalithic tomb. Nothing to see but eight large boulders, you come for the riverside walk.
• 53.174-7.7264 Kilcormac is on the main road between Tullamore and Birr. The main sight is the RC Church of the Nativity, built in 1867 but with a remarkable 16th-century Pieta carved from a solid block of oak.
• 53.073-7.7965 Clareen is a village 5 km southwest on R421. There's the scrappy remains of an Augustinian priory, with Round Tower, turret and High Cross all sadly truncated, and earthworks from a prehistoric ring fort. Nearby is a Holy Well and "rag tree": people dip scraps of clothing in the water, wipe the afflicted body part then pin the scraps to the bush in hope of cures or blessings. These ensue just as often with charity shop tat and knickers made in China as ever they did with traditional garb.
• Leap Castle is another 5 km along R421, see Roscrea#See.

• Kinitty Looped Walks are short walking and off-road biking trails, accessed 2 km east of the village by R440.
• Hiking and climbing in the Slieve Bloom Mountains: see separate description.
• Offaly Way is a 37-km lowland trail from Cadamstown north to Lemanaghan.
• Golf: the nearest course is in Birr, with several others around Tullamore.

• Flaherty's is the village store in Kinnitty, open M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 8AM-7PM.
• Kilcormac has a Centra open daily 7:30AM-7PM.

• Peavoys is a pleasant old-style cafe doing sandwiches, burgers and the like. It's in Kinnitty village centre and open M-F 8AM-4PM, Sa Su 8AM-5PM.
• Kinnitty Castle is the place for fine dining, see Sleep.

• Giltraps, The Walk, Kinnitty, ☏ +353 57 913 7076. Mon, Thu Fri 5-11:30PM, Sat Sun noon-11PM. Friendly pub for a pizza after a hike. They also have rooms and glamping, see Sleep. (updated Jun 2026)
• Kilcormac pubs are Corboys and Gracelands.
• Dan and Molly's is a traditional thatched pub in Ballyboy 1 km east of Kilcormac, open W-Su.

• Ardmore Country House, The Walk, Kinnitty R42 K681, ☏ +353 57 913 7009. Charming B&B with four rooms in a beautiful stone Victorian house near village centre. They also have self-catering in O'Brien's Cottage. B&B double €130. (updated Jun 2026)
• Giltraps Townhouse & Glamping, Main St, Kinnitty R42 AX81 (opposite Giltraps pub), ☏ +353 57 913 7076. The Townhouse has five rooms en suite. Glamping is in six log cabins or a Mongolian yurt. They offer bike hire. Double (room only) €130. (updated Jun 2026).
• 53.1026-7.69781 Kinnitty Castle Hotel, Castletown, Kinnitty R42 CY50, ☏ +353 57 913 7318. Plush hotel in a Victorian grand pile, great scores for comfort, dining and service. Often hosts weddings. B&B double from €250.  (updated Jun 2026)

As of June 2026, Kinitty has 4G from all Irish carriers, but with dead patches on the approach roads. 5G has reached Birr but hasn't extended into the countryside.

• Birr is a well-preserved old town with a giant Victorian telescope.
• Tullamore is best known for its two whiskey distilleries.
• Roscrea has a castle and many other ancient buildings.
• Pyramids: if you want to see more, the obvious place to go is Arklow on the Wicklow coast.