Lismore Castle, once occupied by Fred Astaire’s sister, is not open to the public, but the stunning gardens are only one of many attractions in this charming village. Nearby Ballysaggatmore Towers were built as extravagant gatehouses to a home that was never built.
A drive through The Vee (aka “The Gap”) has been listed as one of the “1,000 Things to Do Before you Die” during rhododendron season (mid-May to early-June) when the flowers paint the hillside pink and purple. Even when the flowers aren’t in bloom, The Vee is considered one of Ireland’s most beautiful inland drives. The pass gets its name from the shape cut out of the Knockmealdown mountainside… which was supposedly cut by St Patrick’s Cow.
