Tullow

Tullow is a small market town in County Carlow where N81 crosses the River Slaney. This was the main road between Dublin and Wexford until M11 was built along the coast. But Tullow (An Tulach, "The Mound") held little strategic value, with no castles, town walls or battlefields, though it was on the fringes of the 1798 rebellion of United Irishmen. It remains a quiet place, with a population in 2022 of about 5100, and is within commuting range of Dublin. The oil and gas exploration company Tullow Oil was founded here in 1985.

The nearest railway station is Carlow, with trains every hour or two between Dublin Heuston and Waterford. It's 15 km from Tullow.

By road from Dublin take N7 / M9 towards Carlow and leave at M9 exit 4; zigzag east on R448 to join R418 south into Tullow.

Bus Éireann 132 runs from Dublin via Blessington, Baltinglass and Rathvilly, taking 1 hr 45 min to Tullow, with some services continuing to Ballon and Bunclody. There are four M-F, two Sa and three on Sunday. Beware the extra Bus 132 that runs on Thursday: it branches off at Baltinglass to explore the wilds of Wicklow nowhere near Tullow, eventually reaching Wexford and Rosslare.

JJ Kavanagh Bus 874 runs thrice M-F from Carlow to Tullow (30 min), Rathvilly, Baltinglass and Hacketstown.

Local Link Bus 800 runs from Arklow (for trains from Wicklow, Wexford and Rosslare ferry port) via Aughrim, taking 1 hr 20 min to Tullow and continuing to Carlow. There are four M-Sa and three on Sunday.

52.8031-6.73591 The Square is the main bus stop and village centre.

The main sites are some distance out so you need wheels. A bike would do.

Taxi: Tullow Cabs are on +353 87 927 9024, and JK is on +353 87 618 8913.

• Father John Murphy (1753-1798) is commemorated by a statue in the Square. He was a middling sort of parish priest until the 1798 rebellion of United Irishmen, when he displayed an unexpected talent for military leadership. The rebellion was strongest in County Wexford: see that page for more of the story. Murphy was among those who escaped from the last stand on Vinegar Hill near Enniscorthy through a gap in the encircling forces. His little band tried to fight on, but Murphy was captured near Tullow, tortured and put to death. He's buried at Ferns near Enniscorthy.
• Church of the Most Holy Rosary is on Chapel Lane.
• Tullow Museum, Bridge St, Tullow R93 Y744, ☏ +353 86 4010797. Tu-Th 9:30AM-4:30PM. A small museum in a stone-built former Methodist church. Most of the display is about the 1798 rebellion. Donation. (updated Oct 2026)

• 52.7354-6.72071 Altamont Gardens, Altamont R93 N882 (9 km south of Tullow), ☏ +353 59 915 9444. Daily Apr-Oct 9AM-6:30PM, Nov-Mar 9AM-4PM. The mansion may be from the 16th century but was made-over in the 1840s; it's not open to tour. You come for the extensive riverside gardens, planted by William Robinson (1838-1935). He opposed the stiff formal Victorian look, and championed cottage and "wild" gardens with native species in natural places. He'd have to avert his eyes from the masses of rhododendron and the Giant Redwood planted after the victory at Waterloo. Free, €2 car parking.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 52.6905-6.64912 Huntington Castle, Clonegal Y21 K237, ☏ +353 53 937 7160. Oct-Dec & Feb-Apr Sa Su, May-Sep daily 11AM-5PM. Fortified mansion built in 1625 astride the Dublin to Wexford road. It's a plush Georgian and Victorian interior, visit by guided tour and available for B&B. It was the location for the 1975 Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon and has extensive gardens. A 19th century turbine down by the river supplied the house with electricity. The basement is the global headquarters of "The Fellowship of Isis", founded in 1976 at the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Age of Aquarius, A-quar-i-us! It aims to, um, "help the Goddess actively in the manifestation of Her divine plan" and apparently this is coming along nicely.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 52.802-6.6633 Rathgall Hill Fort (Enter from north off L7753). 24 hr. Hill fort with three concentric stone ramparts, Bronze Age circa 1000 BC, with an inner fourth wall of 15 m diameter added in early medieval times. Free.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 52.8451-6.66394 Haroldstown Dolmen stands along R727 towards Hacketstown. It's a large portal tomb with two capstones and ten uprights. In the 19th century, a family lived within it.
• 52.881-6.6955 Rathvilly is a village on N81 near the Wicklow boundary. 1 km east stands the Moat or motte, stronghold of a 5th century king of Leinster.
• 52.9389-6.71216 Baltinglass has a striking ruined abbey, and the Rathcoran passage grave and hill fort. It's 10 km north along N81 in County Wicklow, but the south end of that county is short of visitor facilities so Tullow makes a better base.

• Mount Wolseley Golf Course is within the hotel south of town. The course, designed by Christy O'Connor Jr, is par 72, 7206 yards off championship tees. Golf carts and clubs are available from the golf shop, open daily.
• The Wicklow Way is a 131-km hiking trail that reaches its south terminus at Clonegal. It's usually done from Dublin southwards over 5-7 days, but please yourself. The last 40 km from Moyne to Clonegal is through lowland fields and doesn't have the upland Wicklow scenery, yet feels more away-from-it-all as it's further from the city and the big-name tourist areas.
• Tullow Agricultural Show is held at Coppenagh 2 km north of town on the third Sunday of August.

Tesco in Tullow is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-8PM. Aldi is open M-Sa 9AM-10PM, Su 9AM-9PM. There's also a SuperValu, Lidl and Mace.

• Waterlilies Cafe is in Market Square, open M-Sa 8:30AM-5PM, Su 9AM-4PM.
• The Derreen, Mill St, Tullow R93 H1X7, ☏ +353 59 915 1788. M-Sa 9AM-3:30PM. Friendly pub with decent food, pool table and big-screen TV sport. (updated Oct 2026)
• Tara Arms, Church St, Tullow R93 T6K9, ☏ +353 59 915 1305. Su-Th noon-11:30AM, F Sa noon-12:30AM. Lively bar and restaurant. (updated Oct 2026)
• New Moon Tandoori, Church St, Tullow R93 F6P0, ☏ +353 59 918 0851. Daily 4-10PM. Friendly place with good Indian food. (updated Oct 2026)

• Griffin's Lounge on Market Square is open daily 11AM-midnight.

• 52.7909-6.72981 Mount Wolseley Hotel, Tullow R93 C9H0, ☏ +353 59 918 0100, info@mountwolseley.ie. Upscale hotel spa and country club in a mansion built in 1864, gets mostly great reviews for comfort and service, but some lapses. B&B double €200.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 52.7468-6.78012 Ballykealy House, Rosslare Rd, Ballon R93 A9K1, ☏ +353 59 915 9288. This is now primarily a wedding venue, but has 15 self-catering lodges.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 52.8586-6.68113 Lisnavagh Estate, Lisnavagh, Rathvilly R93 PX61, ☏ +353 59 916 1473, events@lisnavagh.com. Plush wedding and events venue, may have accommodation for independent travellers.  (updated Oct 2026)

As of Oct 2026, Tullow and its approach roads have 4G with Eir, and 5G with Three and Vodafone.

• Carlow has the county museum, in a beautifully restored convent.
• Athy has a white castle and fine cathedral. Go there via R418 / R448 to take in Castledermot monastery, Moone High Cross and Burtown House and Gardens.
• Glendalough the other side of the Wicklow mountains is a must-see monastic complex in a scenic valley.
• Blessington has the palatial Russborough House, with a big name art collection. Along the way stop off in Hollywood, featured in so many movies that they've put a sign on the hillside to avoid confusion with any similarly-named place.