Lingering in the Lingaun Valley
The Lingaun Valley is the valley you probably never heard of! It’s only a stones throw away in south Kilkenny and it’s a place I like to occasionally visit. I usually park up at Kells Priory and take the bike from there down some of the nicest and quietest back roads in the country. First port of call is always Kilree Monastic site, which is the location for one of Kilkenny’s FIVE round Towers! Behind the Tower in a field is a beautiful Celtic Cross. It could be said that like William Wordsworth “we were wandering lonely as a cloud when all at once we saw a host of golden daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze”, for there was a large field of daffodils just behind the cross! A beautiful site.
It’s uphill into Hugginstown, home of Carrickshock Hurlers – the club of the great Ritchie Power Snr and Jnr! We wheeled right in the village and we had a fair pull uphill for 6 kms with breathtaking views the reward for our efforts and a nice descent into the historic village of Tullahought. We were now entering the Lingaun Valley.
The Lingaun River Valley forms part of the border between those great hurling rivals, Kilkenny and Tipperary, with its source in the foothills of Slievenamon, it meanders through the townlands to enter the Suir River at near Carrick on Suir.
It’s a very remote and rural area with numerous ancient and historic sites scattered across the Valley. We headed back towards Pilltown direction to visit the wonderful Kilkieran High Crosses and Holy Well.
There’s a bullaun stone with holy water that is reputedly a cure for headaches. Throw away those Aspirins and get yourself down here!
For a small area, there’s an abundance of Celtic Crosses and we travelled just a few kilometres back the road to our next port of call – the Ahenny High Crosses. These are truly stunning examples of carved Celtic Crosses. Well worth a visit to view them and they have weathered very well. One of them unfortunately is damaged and there’s a local legend about the misfortune the perpetrator of the deed had visited upon him!
There’s a beautiful row of stone cottages in the tiny village of Ahenny, which you can see in the accompanying video. These were built for the workers in the local Slate Quarries. The workers originally came from Wales.
It’s just a couple of more kilometres to the ancient Knockroe Passage Tomb, known locally as ‘The Cashel’ constructed more than 5000 years ago with its unique alignment to the sunrise and the sunset on the day of the Winter Solstice each year. The passage tomb is aligned with the mound on the summit of nearby Slievenamon, Co. Tipperary.
The Lingaun Valley is a truly special place and you should come see and feel for yourself how the Lingaun River flows though time, how it connects the enchantment and mysteries of Ireland’s historic and pre-historic past coupled with the beauty of nature all around you.
