Top 14 Things To Do In Carlow, Ireland

1. Explore the town's history at Carlow County Museum

Trail off the town’s main street onto College Street, and you’ll find Carlow County Museum, home to several fascinating artefacts and pieces that take you through Carlow County’s history. In its four galleries, the museum displays varied collections that document local folk legends, historical findings, the county’s social history, as well as important archeological findings. Among the most notable items there is the 19th-century hand-carved pulpit from Carlow Cathedral that is made entirely of oak and is about 6 meters (20 feet) tall. It is a primarily self-guided museum, but you can go in for group tours if you’re more than 10 people.

Carlow County Museum

Address: Carlow Tourist Office, College St, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Carlow County Museum

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 4:30pm (closed on Sun)

Price: Free

2. Learn about military history at County Carlow Military Museum

Make a trip to County Carlow Military Museum, and you’ll be able to discover the machinations of military artillery and objects. Vintage uniforms and the Irish army’s weapons are displayed for visitors to admire. Not just that, you can also marvel at the exhibits from World War I, the Irish War of Independence, and several other wars and missions. To further popularity and interest, tourists are allowed to try on uniforms of the Irish Defence Force! If not by yourself, you can hitch a group tour of the museum and explore the many showcases and the history behind them.

County Carlow Military Museum

Address: 15 Athy Rd, The Elms, Strawhall, Carlow, R93 FX43, Ireland

Website: County Carlow Military Museum

Opening hours: Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed all other days)

Price: 1.5 - 3 USD

3. Marvel at contemporary art at VISUAL Carlow

Serving as one of Ireland’s leading galleries of contemporary art, VISUAL is home to four halls, each of which displays some of the most exquisite pieces of art you’d have seen. The Main Gallery is the primary display section, while The Studio Gallery and The Lobby Gallery are for special smaller exhibitions or serve as reading rooms. The Digital Gallery, as the name suggests, is where art is explained via the use of audio-visual media. Check out VISUAL’s website for the latest lineup of exhibitions and showcases, and plan your visit accordingly.

VISUAL Carlow

Address: Old Dublin Rd, Graigue, Carlow, R93 A3K1, Ireland

Website: VISUAL Carlow

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11am - 5:30pm; Sat: 12pm - 5:30pm; Sun: 2pm - 5pm (closed on Mon)

4. Appreciate Carlow Cathedral's beauty

Easily among Carlow’s best places to visit is Carlow Cathedral, which has been styled in Gothic Revivalist design and is every bit a spiritualist’s haven as it is an architecture buff’s thing of interest. The cathedral’s bluish-grey exterior is accentuated by a 46-meter-high (150 feet) entrance and is topped with a stone-built spire, all of which perfectly complement its understated yet beautiful interior, furnished with Sicilian marble. The whole experience will fill you with sheer awe, so don’t forget to visit!

Carlow Cathedral

Address: College St, Graigue, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Carlow Cathedral

5. Marvel at Brownshill Dolmen's engineering

Travel out about 3 km (1.8 miles) east of Carlow, and you’ll find Brownshill Dolmen, a megalithic tomb that is considered to be around 6,000 years old! It has been given the status of a National Monument, and researchers to date have not been able to ascertain its exact purpose, but they reckon that it probably served as a Neolithic burial tomb of sorts. This formation of rocks has a capstone estimated to weigh about a whopping 103 tonnes (113.5 tons), making it among the heaviest found across the European continent. It is an easy drive from Carlow’s main centre, so do make sure you go and check it out.

Brownshill Dolmen

Address: Hackettstown, Hacketstown Rd, Carlow, Ireland

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

6. Admire the majestic Carlow Castle

History buffs must absolutely not miss a trip to Carlow Castle. Built sometime in the early 13th century, the limestone-clad castle stands tall along the banks of River Barrow. It has changed ownership as well as purpose several times but has remained constant in one thing—being a proud relic of the town’s colourful yet strange history. Although much of the castle has suffered destruction, its remaining two towers and the west wall are enough to give a picture of its overall magnificence in the past.

Carlow Castle

Address: Graigue, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Carlow Castle

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

7. Catch scintillating views from Borris House

A popular wedding and events venue, Borris House also makes for a pretty amazing visit. It is a former royal estate and hides amidst expansive gardens and lush woodlands, which together make for a completely picturesque setting. Although the house has suffered some damage over the years, it has been carefully restored to retain its charm and popularity. You can go in for a guided tour to understand its history and know details about its architecture. Else, spend some time in the sprawling parklands, rife with rich flora. Plus breathtaking views of Mount Leinster, Blackstairs Mountains, and Barrow Valley add up to the house’s allure.

Borris House

Address: Borris, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Borris House

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

Price: 6 - 11 USD

8. Check out the beautiful Liberty Tree sculpture

Built to commemorate the bicentenary of the Rebellion of 1798, the Liberty Tree sculpture has been erected to honour and serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made during the struggle. Set as the centrepiece of a circular base fountain, the bronze sculpture shows a macabre scene of skeletons clambered at the base of what looks like a semi-weathered tree. It stands proudly in Carlow’s town centre and is a popular tourist spot.

Liberty Tree

Address: Potato Market, Graigue, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Liberty Tree

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

9. Soothe your senses at Delta Sensory Gardens

Escape into a world of tranquility and utter serenity at Delta Sensory Gardens, located along Carlow’s northern suburbs. The 16 interconnected gardens feature a wealth of colourful flora, hiding amidst them waterfalls, fountains, art installations, manicured gardens, and several other beautiful facets. Whether you visit in spring or fall, the experience will be just as rewarding—multi-hued daffodils and tulips dot the gardens in spring, while rust-orange colours of grass during autumn months are every bit a sight to behold. There’s also a store where you can purchase some plants and a cafe to pander to your hunger pangs. Delta Sensory Gardens is the perfect spot for spending time in the company of nature, which will please all the senses.

Delta Sensory Gardens

Address: Strawhall Industrial Estate, Strawhall, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Delta Sensory Gardens

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5:30pm; Sat - Sun: 11am - 5:30pm

Price: 5 - 6 USD

10. Hitch a tour of Royal Oak Distillery

Irishmen love their whiskeys, yes. And you can find out all about their favourite drink by touring through Royal Oak Distillery. It is located in an 18th-century estate and is among the largest working distilleries in the country. Book yourself on one of their three tasting tours and get a great insight into what goes behind manufacturing premium, hand-crafted Irish whiskeys. The distillery is perhaps the only one that manufactures malt, grain, as well as pot still whiskey styles under one roof, which you can also taste. The tour is about one hour long, and it is recommended that you make prior reservations. This experience will be fun for novices and connoisseurs alike, so book away!

Royal Oak Distillery

Address: Royal Oak, Clorusk Lower, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Royal Oak Distillery

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 17 - 44 USD

11. Spend time enjoying at Dome Entertainment Centre Carlow

How about some guiltless gaming and chilling? Head to Dome Entertainment Centre Carlow. Offering multiple bowling alleys, a kids’ play area, laser tag facility, pool tables, and arcade games, the place is famous among serial chillers and those with little kids. It is also a popular kids’ party venue, so you’re likely to find birthday celebrations happening when you visit. The Congo Quest area, which is a 3-D jungle-like swing set, is famous with little ones. Plus crawl tubes and slides, ball pools, soft play areas, and a soccer court make for a great place for them to let off some steam. There’s a cafe that serves great snacks and non-alcoholic beverages too.

Dome Entertainment Centre Carlow

Address: Sleaty Rd, Graiguecullen, Carlow, Co. Laois, Ireland

Website: Dome Entertainment Centre Carlow

Opening hours: 10am - 9pm (daily)

Price: Varies per game

12. Do some shopping at Carlow Shopping Centre

There’s always time for shopping, right? At Carlow Shopping Centre, you’ll find everything from regional delights to fashionable imports. It is housed within a quaint-looking refurbished stone building and has shops, cafes, and even movie halls that you can hit up. Get them monies ready, folks! It’s therapy time!

Carlow Shopping Centre

Address: Unit 18 -19, Kennedy Ave, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Carlow Shopping Centre

Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)

13. Gorge on tasty food at Mimosa Bar de Tapas

Get a taste of Carlow’s superb food scene at Mimosa Bar de Tapas, primarily a tapas restaurant, whipping up some of the best black olive tapenade with toasted ciabatta bread, crab arancini with lemon tartare, cheeseboard-served quince jelly and homemade apple chutney, and duck breast glazed with honey and soy on pickled cabbage. Not just this, their simple toasted sourdough bread with extra virgin olive oil and a balsamic dip and the sweet potato fries are just as yum! Put a perfect end to your culinary affair by trying out their smashing churros with salted caramel or the marshmallow and strawberry skewers accompanied with homemade coconut ice cream. They’ll leave you craving for more!

Mimosa Bar de Tapas

Address: College St, Graigue, Carlow, Ireland

Website: Mimosa Bar de Tapas

Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 5pm - 12am (closed on Mon & Tue)

14. Trip the light fantastic at The Foundry Nightclub

Amping up the town’s nightlife and party scene is The Foundry Nightclub, Carlow’s premier nightclub and one of Ireland’s most famous party places. Its slick and chic interiors and high-class facilities are spread across four halls, each catering to a different genre of music—house and techno, commercial, chart, and R&B. It is hugely popular among locals and tourists alike, and you’re very likely to find a stag or hen party being hosted when you’re visiting. If there’s a lesson to learn about the town after your experience here, it is that Carlow takes its nocturnal renegades pretty seriously.

The Foundry Nightclub

Address: Tullow St, Graigue, Carlow, Ireland

Website: The Foundry Nightclub

Opening hours: Wed & Fri - Sat: 11pm - 2:15am (closed from Sun - Tue & Thu)

Quaint Irish town

Carlow is not all that touristy (at least till now), but this is rapidly changing. Crossed by waterways, the town’s scenic appeal adds to its lushly wooded countryside that you can easily explore. It makes for a perfect destination to unwind and revitalize the soul, away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. These things to do in Carlow, Ireland, will do just that for you! So get cracking on that planning already!