Two Tipperary attractions feature in a list of the 10 best new Irish tourism spots

The Irish Times recently revealed its list of ten of the best new Irish tourism attractions and Tipperary destinations take up two places on the list.

Roscrea Castle and Damer House is the first of the Tipp spots to make the cut, the Irish Times writes: 

"As one of Ireland’s oldest towns, Roscrea has much to offer the history buff. With the reopening, after renovations, of the Castle built by King John, the town is now an even better place to interrogate three eras of Irish history. Your tour begins by exploring Damer House, a Palladian Mansion built in 1722 and saved from demolition by the actions of the Old Roscrea Society in 1973.

"Then go across the courtyard to explore the restored Castle. Here kids will love the many defensive features including the drawbridge and portcullis. Afterwards, it is a five-minute walk to the monastic site founded by St Cronan with its great ornate doorway and round tower. The tour ends in the restored Black Mill which houses the 12th-century St Cronan’s Cross along with other artefacts from the monastery. heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/roscrea-castle"

The second place to make the cut is Littleton Peatway, Co Tipperary, the Irish Times writes:

"First, we had greenways, then it was blueways and now we have a peatway: a walking and cycling route along a disused rail track that bisects a bog. For a memorable outing, park at the lakeside Loch Doire Bhile Recreational Area, located about 4km southeast of Littleton. Walk or cycle the easy peatway passing two more lakes and on for about 7.5km amid the stillness of the peatlands.

"Eventually, you will reach remote Derrynaflan Island, which contains the remains of a medieval church and is the reputed burial ground of a legendary medieval stonemason known as the Gobán Saor. Here in 1980, the priceless Derrynaflan Hoard consisting of an ornamental chalice, patten and strainer, which now rests in the National Museum, was discovered using a metal detector. Having taken time to absorb the solitude of the place, retrace your steps to Loch Doire Bhile, where you can extend your outing by circuiting the picturesque lake."