Adare
Adare is a village in the Mid-West of Ireland.
Get in
By car
Adare is 15 km south-west of Limerick city on the principal Kerry-Limerick road (N21). It can be easily accessed by bus or taxi from Limerick, although a car would be an advantage.
By bus
The Bus Éireann bus stop for Limerick city and onwards is outside the Heritage Centre. For Kerry and the south the bus stops outside the Post Office.
Get around
As a village, Adare is best explored on foot.
Generally free on-street parking can be found. There is a free public car park (which is monitored by CCTV) behind the Heritage Centre on Station Road.
See
The best place to start viewing Adare is from the Adare Heritage Centre. The principal sights include:
- Desmond Castle.
- 🌍
Adare Manor.
- Augustinian friary. Now the Church of Ireland.
- Trinitarian friary. Now the Catholic Church.
- Franciscian friary. Ruin.
Thatched cottages throughout the village.
Do
Adare has two golf courses, the Adare Manor Golf Club and Adare Golf Club. The Adare Golf Club, home to the 2007 Irish Open, also boasts a driving range.
Clonshire equestrian centre is a must for show-jumping enthusiasts.
There is a medium-sized park in the center of the village for walks and some R&R.
The library is located next to the Heritage Centre (across from the Village Hall).
- Knockpatrick Gardens, ☎ +353 69 65256, e-mail: hob68@eircom.net. An award winning 3 acre garden overlooking the scenic Shannon Estuary is located 2 km from Foynes on the N69 from Limerick.
Buy
There is a 24hr ATM outside the AIB bank next to the roundabout in the centre of the village.
There is a number of craft shops throughout the village. These are primarily focused on tourists.
Eat
Some restaurants shut for the winter and reopen around St. Patrick's day. Particularly during the summer period it is wise to make reservations for dinner. The main restaurants include:
- The Abbots Rest.
- The Aches.
- The Blue Door.
- The Golden Dragon. Chinese.
- The Inn Between.
- The Maigue (Dunraven Arms Hotel).
- The Wild Geese.
- Bia.
Bar food is widely served and there is a fast food restaurant known as The Pink Potato and Pizza Blue.
Drink
Adare has four pubs:
- Bill Chawke's
- Collins
- Aunty Lena's
- Sean Collins'
Café:
- Heritage Centre
All three hotels have bars.
Most Restaurants have a licence.
Both Golf clubs have a bar and restaurant.
Sleep
- Adare Manor Hotel. 5 star.
- Dunraven Arms Hotel. 4 star.
- Woodlands House Hotel. 3 star.
There are also numerous B&Bs and guesthouses.
Connect
The Post office is located in a pink building on the main street next to Collins' Bar (across from the Village Hall).
Stay safe
The Garda (Police) station is located in a yellow building across the street from the Post Office.
Go next
Adare is a good location for onward touring around the southwest of Ireland as Tralee and Killarney are about 1hr 30 min away by car. Adare is a nice location to cycle around and from as the local roads are generally quiet.
Adare is close-by to Limerick City, Shannon and Bunratty.