Adare is a small town in County Limerick in the Shannon Region of western Ireland. It's one of the prettiest towns in the country, with a castle and a plush golf resort. Adare grew up at a point where the River Maigue can be forded, hence its name Áth Dara, "ford of the oak". In 2022 the population was 1224.

Get in

Adare is 15 km southwest of Limerick city. M20 / N21 leads to Adare but there's no bypass, so the town is always congested with traffic passing through to Kerry on top of tourist traffic for the town itself. A bypass is scheduled to open in June 2027, a few weeks ahead of the Ryder Cup being staged here; the congestion will be shambolic if it doesn't open on time.

By bus: Bus Éireann 13 and 14 run from Limerick hourly, daily, taking 20 min. They continue via Rathkeale to Newcastle West, whence the 13 runs every two hours via Listowel to Tralee, while the 14 runs every two hours via Abbeyfeale and Kerry airport to Killarney.

The bus stop eastbound towards Limerick is outside the Heritage Centre, while the westbound buses to Tralee or Killarney stop outside the Post Office.

Get around

Access to the castle is by shuttle bus, everything else is best visited on foot. There's a free public car park (monitored by CCTV) behind the Heritage Centre, with an e-car charging point. Street parking is difficult and just adds to the congestion.

Taxi firms are Adare Cab (+353 86 810 0077) and Adare Taxi (+353 87 991 1675).

See

• 1 Adare Heritage Centre on Main Street is the place to start. It's open daily 9AM-5PM, use the free car park behind. The centre has a small exhibition, a restaurant, and inevitably a large gift shop.
• Main Street is lined with attractive thatched cottages, pity about the incessant traffic.
• Holy Trinity Church (RC) is on Main St next to the Heritage Centre. It's mostly from 1811 but is on the site of the Trinitarian Abbey of 1230. This order was founded in 1198 to ransom Christian captives of Muslim kingdoms, before broadening into other charity work
• 2 St Nicholas (Church of Ireland) incorporates the original "Black Abbey" or Franciscan Friary. It's well preserved, with a 15th century cloister and sedilia, and a 16th century Pieta. It's usually accessible daytime, on Main Street at the river bridge.
• Adare Manor is now a plush hotel, see Sleep.
• 3 Desmond Castle (Go to Heritage Centre for tickets and shuttle bus, no walk-up access). June-Sept daily. 13th century ring-fortress, the stronghold of the Earls of Kildare till 1536 then forfeited and awarded to the Earls of Desmond. Visit by guided tour starting from the Heritage Centre. Adult €10, conc €8. (updated Apr 2024)
• 4 Franciscan Abbey or Friary of St Michael the Archangel was established in 1464-66. It's now a ruin on Adare Manor Golf Course, check in with the clubhouse before strolling out there.
• Croom Castle 5 km south of Adare probably dates from 13th century but is now just ruined masonry.

Do

Main Street is lined with thatched cottages

• Town Park is south of the main road opposite the Heritage Centre.
• Adare Manor Golf Club is on the grounds of the Manor but not part of the hotel; access is from the main road north of town. White tees are 5807 yards, par 69, and a visitor round costs €120.
• The Golf Course at Adare Manor is part of the hotel resort and only available to its guests. The course, re-designed in 2017 by Tom Fazio, is open mid-March to Oct. White tees are 6505 yards, par 72, and a round costs €600 plus obligatory caddie fee.
• Ryder Cup between the US and Europe is to be played on the hotel course in summer 2027, dates tba.
• Adare Pitch and Putt is south edge of town on N21 towards Killarney.
• 1 Clonshire Equestrian Centre 3 km west of town has training, rides and jumps for the experienced, and horse-riding holidays.
• Limerick Racecourse is 9 km east on N21.

Buy

There's an ATM outside the AIB bank by the roundabout in town centre.

Several craft shops along main drag, they're all a bit tourist-trappy.

Eat

Desmond Castle

• The Arches, Main St V94 K6EX, ☏ +353 61 396 246. Daily 10AM-7PM. Friendly restaurant, good place to bring kids. (updated Apr 2024)
• Blue Door, Main St V94 H6T4, ☏ +353 61 396 481. W-Su noon-9PM. This bistro gets consistently great reviews for food and welcome. (updated Apr 2024)
• 1826 Adare is next to Blue Door, open Th-Sa 5-9PM, Su 3-8PM.
• Houfu, Main St V94 H295, ☏ +353 61 396 383. M-Sa 4-11PM, Su 2-11PM. Good Chinese for sit-in or takeaway. (updated Apr 2024)
• The Maigue is in Dunraven Arms Hotel, see "Sleep".
• Ramona's is a fish & chips takeaway on Station Rd, open daily 1-10PM.

Drink

• Bill Chawke's stands at the start of Rathkeale Rd, open M-Th 10:30AM-11:30PM, F Sa 10AM-1:30AM, Su noon-11PM.
• Two Collins bars bracket Billy Chawke's: Sean Collins south also has accommodation, Pat Collins is just north. They're both open daily to around midnight.
• Aunty Lena's on Main Street does good food and is open M-Th 9AM-11:30PM, F-Sa 9AM-12:30AM, Su 10AM-11PM.

Sleep

Adare Manor Hotel

• 1 Adare Camping and Caravan Park, Drehidtrasna V94 E2C4 (3 km south of town), ☏ +353 61 395 376. Open April-Sept, well-run site, clean and welcoming. Small tent €22, motor home or caravan €30. (updated Apr 2024)
• 2 Dunraven Arms, Main St, Blackabbey V94 KV2P, ☏ +353 61 605 900. Smart hotel in an old coaching inn. Mostly good reviews, some decor tired and the occasional breakfast malfunction. Free parking, leisure centre. B&B double €230. (updated Apr 2024)
• 3 Adare Country House, Blackabbey Rd V94 V026, ☏ +353 61 395 986. Pleasant welcoming guest house. B&B double €150. (updated Apr 2024)
• 4 Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel, Knockanes V94 F1P9, ☏ +353 61 605 100. Spa hotel, scores well for comfort, food and especially for service. B&B double €200. (updated Apr 2024)
• 5 Adare Manor Hotel, Adare V94 W8WR, ☏ +353 61 605 200. Grand hotel and golf resort, mostly 19th century, in parkland east of town - in 1836 the entire property was valued at a mere £130. It also hosts Adare Golf Club and Limerick Cricket Club. B&B double €1300. (updated Apr 2024)
• 6 Fanningstown Castle, Fanningstown V94 EK22, ☏ +353 61 395 989. Plush accommodation in a 19th century pseudo-Gothic "castle," five bedrooms, sleeps ten. Popular with wedding parties in summer, and they mostly do exclusive lets, but have some availability for couples on short breaks. (updated Apr 2024)

Connect

As of April 2024, Adare has 5G from all Irish carriers.

Stay safe

Usual precautions about safety in the seething traffic and not leaving valuables unguarded. The Garda (Police) station is in the yellow building opposite the Post Office.

Go next

See County Limerick for nearby attractions such as Foynes Flying Boat Museum, and the prehistoric site of Lough Gur.

Further west you cross into scenic County Kerry: Tralee and Killarney are about a 90 min drive.

Adare is near Limerick city, and a bypass leads you into County Clare and Shannon airport.