Bunratty Castle

www.shannonheritage.com
This is one of the finest surviving examples of an Irish tower house and it is hard to believe that the castle has had a bloody and violent history. Its strategic position on the river Shannon made it the centre of many a battle.The Folk Park adjoins the castle and aims to show what everyday life was like in rural Ireland about 100 years ago. It contains reconstructed farmhouses, cottages and shops, and care has been taken to make them as authentic as possible, particularly with regard to furnishings. Durty Nellies pub beside Bunratty Castle is famous for its atmosphere and of course its Guinness.

Adare Village

www.adarevillage.com
Adare is regarded as being Ireland's prettiest and most picturesque village, and is a haven for those wishing to escape and unwind while taking in its medieval surroundings. Situated on the river Maigue, a tributary of the river Shannon, Adare is steeped in history dating back to 1200ad. Adare has been the subject of many rebellions, wars and conquests, leaving behind a legacy of historical monuments. In the early 19th century, the Earl of Desmond, laid the plan for the existing streets and townhouses of Adare. These lands and dwellings were rented to tenants, under various agreements, some of which still exist today.

 Lough Gur

www.shannonheritage.com

With its lake sheltered by limestone hills, is a tranquil place of pre-historic mystery and story and is notable for the variety of bird life as well as for the wealth of antiquities. The story of the Pre-Celtic settlers stretches back over 5,000 years and continues to the present day in the people who still farm and dwell in the valley. It is an archaeological site of outstanding significance. The visitor centre was built in 1980 and uses two of the excavated Stone Age houses as its floor plan.

Glenstall Abbey

www.glenstal.org/

Glenstal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in County Limerick on the south-west coast of Ireland. A 500 acre estate with streams, lakes and woodland paths, surrounds a castle built in the romantic Norman style. The Abbey, which is dedicated to Saints Joseph and Columba, is home to a community of monks. Hospitality is an important tradition of Benedictine monasteries. Day Visitors to Glenstal are welcome to visit the grounds, the shop and the Church.  The Abbey grounds contain a great variety of trees and flowers, mostly planted during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Also worth noting are the fine oak trees which are said to be in some cases specimens of the primeval oak forest which once covered most of Ireland. These can be seen as you drive up the front avenue. For some years now the property has been a wild-life sanctuary.

Visitors will be interested in the seventeenth century Italian-style, walled terraced garden, which was laid out between 1679 and 1681. One special feature is the Bible Garden, laid out on the Third Upper terrace. This was the first of its kind in Ireland, and combines a large variety of herbs, plants, vegetables, flowers and trees, which are named in the Bible

The Clare Glens

www.ballyhouracountry.com/destinations/29-murroe/experiences/55-clare-glens-loop-walk

The Clare Glens is a wooded area along the banks of the Clare River, which separates counties Limerick and Tipperary. The scenery is breathtaking, with wild dense forest combined with the calm rushing of the crystal clear waters. The Glens consist of a picturesque red sandstone gorge through which the Clare River flows and displays numerous waterfalls. These loop walks are part of the network of National Looped Walks and are marked using the standard National Looped Walk directional arrows.  The journey time from Limerick city is about 30 minutes.