Abbeyleix – two and half miles southwest of Granard,
Abbeyleix contains a semicircular earthwork believed to be the
site of the original church founded by St. Patrick. Parts of the
mysterious prehistoric earthwork known as Black Pig’s Dyke
are also visible in the area.
Ardagh – visit the Heritage Centre and learn how
St Patrick is believed to have brought Christianity to Ardagh
and appointed his nephew as the first Bishop of Armagh. The heritage
provides insight into local feuds, pre-Christian folk tales and
details of the 1619 Plantation.
Carrigglass Manor – Ireland’s first 19th century
county house, located three miles outside Longford town. Originally
the Jacobean seat of the Bishop of Armagh, the building was acquired
by the Huguenot Lefroy family in 1837 and completely transformed
to its current glory with its Tudor Gothic turrets and splendid
landscaped gardens.
Corlea Exhibition Centre
Corlea Trackway and Exhibition Centre – located near
Kenagh and opened in 1994, the centre displays an Iron Age timber
trackway, which was discovered in a nearby bog and dates back
to circa 147 BC. An audiovisual display explains the background
to the primitive thoroughfare and details of its discovery.
Granard – is a thriving market town dating back
to prehistoric times and was associated with sun worship. It was
the centre of Norman control in the midlands and many artifacts
are still in evidence today. Granard is an excellent centre for
angling with five lakes in close proximity.
Newtown Cashel Folk Museum
Newtown Cashel Folk Museum – the museum provides an
important insight into life in the 17th Century, while the exhibits
include a collection of domestic and agricultural artifacts from
the period.
St. Mel’s Cathedral – located in the town of
Longford, this is one of Ireland’s most famous cathedrals,
the building of which commenced in 1840 but was not completed
until 1893. This elegant building features a stained-glass window
by Harry Clarke presenting Christ in his glory.
