Rothar Routes

Cycle routes & pilgrim journeys in Ireland and Europe …..

Posts from the ‘South Leinster Cycle Routes’ category

Rathanna Cycle Hub ?

Looking for a place to plan some nice cycle routes from? The tiny village of Rathanna would make a great cycle hub for south Carlow, south east Kilkenny and Wexford around the Blackstairs. Located between Borris and the Blackstairs Rathanna is perfectly positioned for exploring the Blackstairs Mountains, using tiny traffic free local roads, where time seems to stand still.

Equip yourself with the absolutely brilliant ‘Blackstairs, Mount Leinster & The Barrow Valley’ map produced by East West Mapping (they are based in Clonegal, and produce a series of maps ideal for hiking and cycling activities) and you will have the complete picture to create a multitude of scenic and historically interesting routes that will have you coming back for more.

The history of Ireland and all our local communities is bound up in the richness of our original Irish place names. Every townland, hill and river has a name that tells a story – it might relate to the landscape, to the people who lived there, historical events or ancient mythology. This part of Carlow is rich in heritage. The place names reveal long forgotten aspects of our past – monasteries, churches, battle sites, folklore… they still live on and these connect us with our past despite the angliscation of our country which deliberately mistranslated their original meaning. That’s a pet hate of mine; I hate to see modern housing estates adopting typically English names such as … Tudor Downs or other such pretentious nonsense, when we have so many meaningful options in our original names and heritage to choose from.

In an era of rapid globalisation, preserving local placenames helps maintain a connection to the past. They are not just markers on a map; they are living records of the Irish language, our history, and our identity. For those interested in genealogy, researching placenames can reveal ancestral links and provide a deeper understanding of family roots.

And economically, for tourism and cultural heritage, the meanings behind placenames can enhance visitors’ appreciation of the landscape. Many tourists are fascinated by the poetic and descriptive nature of Irish placenames, which add depth to the country’s storytelling tradition. This quiet part of Carlow has its own unique charms, just waiting to be explored.

This is a great route with plenty of climbing featuring breath taking scenery and a magnificent narrow strip of tarmac with a huge drop down the mountain side if you get too distracted by the views! I started out at the car park opposite St Fortcherns Church in Rathanna and beside Osbornes tiny pub (which also has a hostel attached), it’s a gentle start, gliding downhill to Jack Carrolls bridge over the Killedmond river and on to the ‘Bull Ring – a unique little pentagonal piece of ground shaped by the surrounding network of roads and from where the climb starts to gently rise. It rapidly becomes very steep approaching Tomduff Crossroads and the approach road to Mount Leinster. Use the excuse of taking in the views to take a break from the fairly savage gradient as you head up towards the famous Nine Stones and the Columbanus Bell which marks the starting point of Turas Columbanus, a pilgrimage route, linking Carlow and Bangor in County Down.

The Nine Stones is a very popular spot for Sunday drives and the short walk up Slievebawn or the more challenging road to the TV transmitter on top of Mount Leinster.

I was delighted to bump into Carlow’s finest dual player ever, Paddy Quirke, here at the Columbanus Bell; he was out with the family for some fresh air and a ramble. Naomh Eoin’s finest played Railway Cup with Leinster and was a dual All Star Replacement. He looks as fit as ever!

The views across the patchwork of green fields of County Carlow stretch out before you as far as the eye can see; it’s not a road for the feint hearted and it’s always important to be cautious when meeting a car as it can be quite daunting to an inexperienced driver. If the pace uphill to this point was tortoise like, the descent down past the Head of the River Burren was an adrenalin rush!

The source of the River Burren. I was once inspired by a tale of the great Gus Merne who walked from here to Carlow following the path of the Burren and I undertook it many years ago but didn’t quite get back to Carlow town by dark!

My favourite place name in Carlow is ‘Cúl na Sneachta’. Situated at the base of Mount Leinster, the road follows the contour of the hill around in a sweeping arc and I noticed a memorial stone I hadn’t seen before. I pulled hard on the brakes and made out the inscription s best I could and it said ‘Cathal Goulding’ but I couldn’t really make out the rest of it. I looked to up when I got home and it transpires it was erected in memory of Republican, Cathal Goulding (1923-1998) who was ‘Chief of Staff’ of the IRA and the ‘Officials’. I hadn’t heard of his connection with the area but he had spent a lot of time in his cottage at Raheenleigh. Following his death, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered at the Nine Stones. You learn something new every day!

A bit further on I turned back left in the direction of Rathanna at a cross roads, where there’s a famous piece of rock art on display in the garden of a house at the cross roads. From there I headed up onto what I dubbed ‘The Hidden Sky Road’ some years ago and which Carlow County Council signposted as a local cycling route. I love this road that skirts the western side of Tomduff, towering over Rathnageeragh Castle and the former National School. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a car on this road – nor another bike either!

Rathnageeragh NS in ruins, I took this a good few years ago.

Now transformed!

It was another downhill by Seskinamadra – Seisceann na Madraí, the marsh of the dogs… where I swung right and stopped over to visit St Fortcherns Well and Killoughternane Church ruins.

Despite it association with miraculous cures, I wasn’t tempted to have a ‘cuppa’ but clearly, other brave souls do and if the presence of frogspawn is an indicator of clean water, then I’m sure it would have done me no harm at all! A famous chalice and patten were discovered here that date back to 1595; they were hidden during penal times. There’s great reading about the history of the well and the area in the Myshall and Drumphea parish website.

Killougternane Church is a beautiful example of an early ChristianChurch dating back to the 10th century. It’s a beautiful serene place to visit and the stone work is immaculate.

Also known as ‘The White Church’, this 10th century granite church is built on the remains of an earlier timber church founded by St Fortchen in the 5th Century. Local wisdom holds that Christianity was established here even before the arrival of St Patrick. Who knows for sure.. ‘Cill Uachtair Fhionáin’ meaning the ‘upper church of Finnian’ highlights its connection with St Finnian of Clonard (but really of Myshall!), one of the greatest monastic sites in the country where the ‘Irish Apostles’ were all educated.

I skirted around by Knocksquire and traced my way back to Rathanna via Killedmond after a terrific afternoon cycle, sightseeing and exploring our local heritage. Good to be able to do it!

Back on the Barrow!

The Barrow Way

It’s been a while! With the bad weather and the deterioration in the Track, I’ve been staying away from the River for some time. There is very bad rutting created by the heavy machinery that WWI insist on using for maintenance work. That plays havoc with the front wheel of the bike and it also creates a ‘washboard effect’ resulting in constant vibration through the handlebars.

The plan was to start in Goresbridge at the Goodly Barrow Cafe, follow the towpath to Graiguenamanagh and then head up Brandon Hill for a bit of mountain biking. Yesterday morning was perfect – starting out!

The river was high and chocolate brown due to the recent rains. The track itself was soft but mostly passable and the path from here to Saint Mullins is so beautiful, set in a scene that could be straight from the Canadian Rockies!

It was very evident that there was a savage cutting back of the riverside trees and vegetation. Carrying out this work with massive tractors and hedge cutters does unnecessary damage and rather than maintain the path is destroying it. Regular walkers and cyclists are deeply concerned with how this is being managed. So sad to see as this is one of the few wilderness areas we have in this county. In fact the Barrow towpath is the longest continuous off road hiking trail in Ireland. It’s ironic that WWI are so determined to replace the grass surface with a hard surface while the State is attempting to create hiking routes all over the country as there is a dearth of accessible long distance routes! It’s akin to saying we could put an elevator to the top of Carrauntoohil or up Croagh Patrick!! Destroying the very wilderness that are trying to promote.

Despite this, the Towpath twists and turns its way south between the Blackstairs Mountains and Brandon Hill, with rocky escarpments towering over the towpath between Clashganny and Graiguenamanagh, a place to lose yourself in the quiet magic. Time seems to pause itself and it’s easy relax and enjoy the great outdoors down here. East West Mapping have a great map of the Blackstairs Mountains and the Barrow Way with such great detail to even naming the rocks in the River!. Here’s a photo of one such rock just south of Ballinagrane Lock, called Baunnagun Rock!

It’s amazing the impact one man can have on others. Hail rain or snow, Ronan Ryan (@roriain) voluntarily and single handedly ensures the Track is litter free all year round. It was great to bump into him again – I can meet him anywhere from Athy to St Mullins, with his little dog along as companion. This simple yet profound commitment to cleaning the riverbank demonstrates how individual action can lead to societal change. It shows that improving the world does not require extraordinary resources, only an extraordinary will to act. By keeping the riverbank clean and showcasing its natural beauty, Ronan is fostering environmental awareness, community engagement, and a spirit of stewardship. Protecting and celebrating the world we all share and we all need to care just as much as he does.

I was very wary cycling given how soft the towpath was – one mistake and the bike could have ended up in the River and believe you me, I know all about that as it once happened to me when my wheel got caught in a rut and I ended up head first in the cold December water up past the Sugar factory!

About a kilometer before Graiguenamanagh, I stopped to take a photo of the rings of a recently cut down tree; I counted 50 rings; 50 years standing sentry along the river bank but sadly no more!

Just then the heavens opened… Brandon and disappeared into the cloud and my plans were changing rapidly. I made it into Graiguenamanagh or Gráig na Manach (Village of the Monks), took a few photos and headed back through the teeming rain out towards Ullard Church.

A photo of Red Willie Walsh or Liamy Walsh, possibly Carlow’s greatest ever hurler; a beautifully skilled and balance hurler.

The thoughts of cycling in the rain are off putting but funnily enough it’s actually very enjoyable in childlike way! Rain pouring down, wheels spring fast though loughs of water, the earth smells fresh and the air feels free, head down and bating on for home!

Every day is a good day when you can get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Always something to see and to awaken a curiosity in nature and our historical sites.

Time Travel

Every local bike route I follow is more than just a cycle through landscapes—it’s a passage through time. As the wheels glide over quiet bóithríns, the echoes of history ride alongside me, whispering stories etched into the land. Place names, often taken for granted, sometimes unlock these stories, the Irish version often descriptive or recalling long-forgotten events, or maybe the legacy of those who came before us. Each name is a breadcrumb in the great narrative of our shared heritage, linking us to our ancestors ,our cultures – for we have many cultural influences, and traditions that shape the Ireland and localities we live in today.

Cycling through these routes is an act of remembrance, a way of reconnecting with the past while fully immersed in the present. It’s a chance to honour the lives, the struggles, and triumphs of our ancestors by acknowledging the cultural and historical significance of the ground beneath our tyres. These cycles remind me that history isn’t confined to textbooks or museums—it lives in the rivers, the forests, and hills that surround us. I find it energising to explore local routes, its good for my physical well-being but they create a curiosity in me that brings great satisfaction in remembering, recalling or researching those places I encounter and I am grateful that many people enjoy reading about these simple journeys across Carlow and beyond!

Saturday was a good day for the bike; dry and there was a wee bit of a stretch in the afternoon! During the week I tend to cycle at night and usually follow a couple of routes that I know are safe to cycle in the dark. So I look forward to heading in a different direction each weekend and I usually know not where I am headed for! I steered for Palatine village. I always recall my late father telling me about the attractive row of granite cottages, built for Burton’s workers in 1866. The story goes that the doors were all facing to the rear when originally built and that the street-facing door ways were only inserted later. This was done so that the Burtons did not have engage with their workers as they passed!

I had it in my head to head in the direction of Rathvilly and see where the road would take me after that. If I’m cycling to the north east of the county I avoid the main road as it’s not a safe road on the bike. With the spiders web of local roads, there are thankfully always other options, even though that more often than not this entails added kilometres. But sure isn’t that the whole point of cycling in the first place!

After going through Pal village I face the short but steep climb to Knocknacree Crossroads on the main Castledermot – Tullow Road followed by a nice descent towards Graney, site of the infamous ‘Graney Ambush in the War of Independence in 1922. The IRA attacked a convoy of the National Army here and 3 soldiers were killed with 5 badly wounded. Graney was also the site of a Nunnery founded by the Augustinians around 1200 AD until Henry VIII’s dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, granting the substantial lands to Sir A. St Leger.

These are ideal roads for the bike; good surfaces and not much traffic on them. I turned right in the direction of Rathvilly and soon passed by the impressive Beechy House Stud, owned by racehorse trainer Jim Bolger. It was once owned by Benjamin D’Israeli, uncle of the former British Prime Minister of the same. He gifted a sum of money to enable the construction of a school in Rathvilly, and the beautiful building at Bough is that old school. England’s tentacles are everywhere!

This is a great route to get to Rathvilly by bike – and possibly shorter than the main road, but thankfully not suitable for heavy traffic. I was in ‘Ráth Bhile’ sooner than I expected, crossing over the six arched Slaney bridge which was built in 1800 and is still in good condition despite the high volumes of traffic that have necessitated a set of traffic lights!. Apart from being fairly handy at the auld football, It’s one of Carlow’s prettiest and most historic villages, perched on the hilltop over looking the Slaney. Its ancient origins can be guessed at by its name – Ráth being a fort and Bile referring to a tree where ancient chieftains were inaugurated. Important places in ancient times and trees were revered. So much so that in Brehon Law they were classified in three groupings – scrub trees, common trees and chieftain trees. Chieftain trees included Ash, Oak, Yew, Holly, Pine and Apple. To cut a branch of one of these trees meant a fine of a yearling heifer and worse again if a tree was cut down – a fine of a milk cow! If those laws were still in existence there’d be a lot of livestock in the county pound!

The Moate at Rathvilly was the residence of one Crimthann Mac Énnai, an Uí Chinnsealiagh King of Leinster, between 443-483 and he was baptised here by no less a man than Saint Patrick himself! Nearby is Saint Patricks Well which I have covered previously.

I continued on in the direction of Hacketstown as far as Tombeagh Standing Stone, also known as ‘ The Giant’s Lift’. It’s an odd looking stone but it’s standing proud and undisturbed for hundreds or maybe thousands of years. The cycle down past Knocklishen – Cnoc Lisín Mór and Cnoc Lisín Beag (Hill of the great Ring Fort and Small Fort…). It’s a beautiful sweeping scene down to the Douglas river.

Tombeagh Standing Stone.

I next passed over Mountneil Bridge, which I think was blown up in the Black and Tan times and later replaced.

With the USA intent on banning ‘Ticknock’, I was determined to pay it a visit to check it out and I can confirm it is still open and welcoming of visitors!

I was now on the homeward loop, even if still going away from Carlow, entering into County Wicklow, where the lovely local laneways brought me over towards Aldborough Bridge which got me back over the Slaney. It’s another fine stone bridge which has a foundation soften on the upstream wall bearing the words ‘Aldborough Bridge 182…’ one of only 4 bridges over the Slaney with a a written foundation stone. There was a Reverend Paul Stratford who lived close by in Mountneil, one of the oldest residents of Aldborough. He was a man of such great faith that he prevented local people from trying to save his furniture when the big house went on fire, saying, ‘Never fly in the face of Heaven, my friends. When the Almighty resolved to burn my house, He most certainly intended to destroy my furniture. I am resigned – the Lord’s will be done”. His insurance company didn’t take the same view and refused to pay any portion of the damages, given his lack of interest in saving the property! (Great information in John Duffy’s book ‘River Slaney from source to sea’).

Not too much further on I crossed over a rail bridge, that once took traffic over the Sallins to Tullow rail line, which was built by the GSWR in 1886. The rail line is now defunct of course.

Railway Bridge.

The old railway line passed through here on its way to Tullow via Rathvilly (Station was where Halligans Funeral Home is now located).

I crossed over the Rathvilly Baltinglass road at the Yellowford Cross Roads making my way over via Bigstone, (covered previously), Corballis Hill and into Castledermot; three counties covered today – Carlow, Wicklow and Kildare and in home by Ballaghmoon and Oak Park. A tidy 62kms of wandering through time and space. Another great Saturday adventure!

Here’s a QR Code to the route:

10 Hidden Gems, hiding in Plain Sight..

As the morning mists lifts over our beautiful country bóthríns, the rolling of my tyres is the only sound I hear. This is bike touring – intimate, unhurried and endlessly rewarding. You see every road has a destination, some are hiding in plain sight.. here are 10 that brought me quiet satisfaction when I visited them during 2024:

1 Fourknocks Passage Tomb

15 kms south of Newgrange is the much lesser known Fourknocks Passage Tomb. Keys are available from a neighbouring house and you can explore this fabulous 5,000 year old tomb all on your own. Off the beaten track and all the more impressive for it.

2. The Seven Wonders of Fore

The Seven Wonders of Fore include the monastery in the bog, the water that flows uphill, the tree that won’t burn, the water that won’t boil, the anchorite in a stone, the mill without a race and the lintel raised by St Feichin’s prayers! This is a magical place in County Westmeath with a lovely 4kms walk to visit all the sites. Check it out!

3. Meelick Weir Crossing of the Shannon

The weir was damaged in severe storms in 2009 and again in 2015/2016, when the walkway was also damaged and was subsequently closed and is now reopened. It links the historic village of Meelick in east Galway to Lusmagh in west Offaly and forms part of the Hymany Way and the Beara-Breifne Way walking trails.  It’s a unique spot – the three provinces of Leinster, Connacht and Munster meet right here. Lots of interesting historical sites on both sides of the Shannon here.

4. The Shannon Pot

The Shannon, Ireland’s largest river, at a magnificent 360kms, literally comes bubbling out of the ground close to the border between Cavan and Fermanagh in the Cuilcagh Mountains, at a place quaintly called The Shannon Pot or Log na Sionna as Gaeilge, “The Hollow of the Shannon”. It’s a large pool of golden brown water about 16 metres in diameter and at least 9 metres deep. The water reaches the Pot through a network of underground streams and many say that it actually starts in County Fermanagh at a place called the Pigeon Pot.

5. Clonfert Cathedral

I stumbled on a unique burial tradition here in Clonfert, where graves are lined with chicken wire and branches of laurel are woven into the wire to provide a beautiful resting place for the deceased. I was delighted to see this being done while I was being regaled with the true tale of the incredible 9 legged cycle! Anthony Flanagan lost his leg many years ago in a combine harvester accident. He didn’t allow it define him or inhibit him and he undertook an incredible charity cycle a couple of years ago along with 4 others. With just ONE LEG he completed a 420km cycle IN 24 HOURS for some local causes. The following year they cycled to Croagh Patrick AND HE CLIMBED IT! I came out of Clonfert graveyard with my head spinning, full of amazement at the spirit of Anthony and his absolute determination to get on with life regardless of the cruel hand he was dealt. St Brendan the Navigator founded his monastery here and it became a great seat of learning with over 3,000 monks here in its heyday.

6. Presley Ancestral Grave

It’s hard to reconcile the glitzy image of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll with this peaceful corner of Wicklow, but perhaps that’s the magic of it. As I stood there, the connection between past and present felt palpable. There’s a QR code on a sign at the entrance to the graveyard, which gives a detailed account of the Presley connection. Nearby Hacketstown also claims to be the birthplace of the Presley ancestors. There are court reports from the 1870s of a savage beating William Presley received on land he rented in Hacketstown, possibly by the ‘Whiteboys’, a secret agrarian society which defended tenant farmers land rights… I don’t think Elvis was singing the ‘Green Green Grass of Home’ in honour of the old sod!

7. Mount Melleray Monastery

Sad to say, but since I visited Mount Melleray over the Summer, news has broken of its imminent closure. It’s a Cistercian Abbey located in the Knockmealdown Mountains. The Abbey was founded on 30 May 1832 by a colony of Irish and English monks, expelled from the abbey of Melleray after the French Revolution of 1830, and who had come to Ireland under the leadership of Fr. Vincent de Paul Ryan. It was called Mount Melleray in memory of the motherhouse. I had a great chat there with Father Denis Luke, Prior of the Abbey, about cycling and the Camino, a really nice man who had a kind word for everyone. Soon there will be no one to greet visitors. Another loss…

8. Baunreagh 1798 Camp Field

I finally saw the sign for the 1798 Camp Field, where Father Murphy and the Wexford Rebels were camped out during the 1798 rising. What an epic march they made from Vinegar Hill, then were betrayed and badly beaten at the Battle of Kilcumney, got up as far as Castlecomer and forced back down country before he met his dreadful end at the hands of the Yeomen in Tullow, where he was  stripped, flogged, hanged, decapitated, his corpse burnt in a barrel of tar and his head impaled on a spike in the Main Square. Hard to forget or forgive those terrible deeds.

9. W.B. Yeats Grave

The village of Drumcliffe, County Sligo is famous for being the final resting place of W.B.Yeats, whose grave is in the churchyard under this simple headstone. Yeats died in 1939 in a hotel in the south of France. He was buried in a pauper’s grace in the village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, close to Monaco. His body was returned to Ireland in 1948 and buried in Drumcliffe. The release of State Papers this week express serious doubts over the identity of the ‘Yeats bones’ .

10 Mullaghgarve Mass Rock, Sliabh an Iarainn

Mass Rocks were rocks used as altars during the Penal Laws in the 1700s and were usually located in out of the way locations. This one is perfectly hidden from view behind a tall pinnacle, on the side of Sliabh an Iarainn, County Leitrim and is quite difficult to find. Once you turn at the pinnacle there is a short little section of roughly cut steps that take you to this unique mass rock. It’s perfectly secluded and with watch outs on duty the priest and his flock could safely celebrate mass without fear of the redcoats or peelers surprising them.

The Bike is the Best Way to see what you cannot see!

Every time I go out on the bike I see something new, or rather something old that I see for the first time! There is no other mode of transport that opens the mind and the eyes to little gems of history that otherwise are passed unnoticed. Yesterday I had a great spin out through Ballylinan and Barrowhouse, I stopped in Ballylinan and noticed an inscription on the side of the entrance stone to Grace Avenue. The inscription paid tribute to to one William Russell Grace, formerly of Ballylinan, who left Ireland in the 1840s, travelled to Peru to establish an Irish agricultural community, returned home and then went to the States where he became the first Irish American Catholic Mayor of New York! He held office, lost it at the next election but regained it at the following election and in his second term received the Statue of Liberty as a gift from France! Isn’t that an amazing little snippet of history. I had no idea about until I happened by chance to stop and read the feint inscription on the entrance stone! The weather was incredibly mild and I got a lovely 48kms done on the quietest of back roads.

Today took me in the opposite direction; while out in my sisters’ house on Christmas night, someone mentioned the Alpaca Farm at Augha. In all my cycles around the Nurney plateau, I hadn’t come across this Alpaca Farm, which I see on Google Maps is the ‘ Tinryland Alpaca Farm! I found it easy enough and could see them well in off the road but was disappointed they weren’t wearing hooped jerseys!

It was another lovely mild morning, even if a little misty at times and I headed on down to Dunleckney Graveyard, where I could see that TC Clarke, who lives beside it was having a gathering of the clan! A great footballing family. Into Muinebheag and out to Royal Oak, where I swung a left for Wells graveyard. One of the best kept old graveyards in the county – it wasn’t always so as the story board recounts the deterioration in the graveyard with ‘pigs, sheep and goats all using the headstones as scratching posts! Records show a church here as far back as 1262 AD and there is a well maintained Church ruin still standing. There are headstones dating back to the 1700s and it is still an active graveyard. It’s a very tranquil picturesque setting and you could hardly be buried in a better place!

I then crossed the old Kilkenny road and headed up a bóithrín in the direction of Milebush. Now that was a steep steep climb, with gradient reaching 15% at one point; no wonder Michael Meaney was always so fit! Mind you looking at the Ordnance Survey Map, I think he could have played for Kilkenny too! As I climbed up out of the Barrow Valley, I entered what appeared to be Carlow’s ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ and visibility became quite poor as I made it to Baunreagh, subject of a possible new wind farm, which does not appear to be welcome in the area; there are a lot of houses dotted around here and it’s easy understand the concerns.

I was again glad I was on the bike as I finally saw the sign for the 1798 Camp Field, where Father Murphy and the Wexford Rebels were camped out during the rising. What an epic march they made from Vinegar Hill, were badly beaten at the Battle of Kilcumney, got up as far as Castlecomer and forced back down country before he met his dreadful end at the hands of the Yeomen in Tullow, where he was  stripped, flogged, hanged, decapitated, his corpse burnt in a barrel of tar and his head impaled on a spike in the Main Square. Hard to forget or forgive those terrible deeds.

Visibility was getting poorer and I headed for home along the Ridge Drive, turning back towards Clogrenanne and then sharp left for the Cruachán and back through Graiguecullen. 54 kms in total, with 700 metres of climbing. Another great day in the saddle!