Leisure activities:

Onsite Facilities

Children Playground The riverside houses stand within a secure perimeter wall and offer the visitor the use of children's playground

Picnic area Guests have the use of on site picnic area which is within the 3 acres of landscaped grounds surround the self catering houses, providing a tranquil setting for your stay

Onsite Bar & Restaurant We operate a bar & restaurant adjacent to the houses, so you can enjoy your stay without travelling too far. 3 acres of landscaped grounds surround the self catering houses, providing a tranquil setting for your stay

Use of a day boat Included in the package is the use of a day boat, allowing even the newest sailor to explore the peaceful River Barrow and Navigation Canal. The boats are ideal for fishing and indeed the River Barrow is renowned for the quality of it's angling. Garrison Waterside Holiday Centre holidays include the use of a "day boat" with each house, giving the visitor the unique opportunity to explore in comfort the stunning river Barrow and Navigation Canal scenery. These small boats have a cuddy (or covered cabin) and steering wheel so make cruising the river a pleasure - whatever your level of experience.

Hot tub We have a large hot tub installed within the grounds, set in a traditional log cabin, enabling up to 7 people to enjoy a relaxing soak. A hot tub is much more than a simple extravagance. The therapeutic benefits of hydrotherapy are well documented and can relieve symptoms of rheumatism, arthritis, insomnia, backache and anxiety. The water is kept at 37 to 40 degrees centigrade and is continually filtered and cleaned,

BBQ Area We have incorporated a barbeque area so guests can enjoy the long Summer evenings

Other Local Facilities Nearest Local Amenities In nearby Bagenalstown you'll find a supermaket and in-store ATM together with a branch of the Bank of Ireland and Bureau de Change and a main Post Office.

You can buy fishing equipment in McCullagh's shop in the Market Square and cross the road to sample a pint of Guinness in Joe Phelan's pub with it's old photographs of the area.

Horse Racing Gowran Park race Track We are a few miles from the famous Gowran Park race track. Irish racing attracts people from all strata of Irish society and the bigger festivals are more like a party, with hundreds of locals and those from farther afield enjoying the Craic.

Traditional Irish Musi
County Carlow has a long history of producing excellent Irish Traditional Music. Each Thursday evening you can hear authentic, local Irish Traditional Music in Lawlor's pub, Market Square, Bagenalstown (located beside St Andrews Catholic church). Great sessions to be had, only 10 minutes drive from Garrison. Also weekends in Borris village (5 miles) usually provide a session or two.

Activities Garrison Waterside is centrally located for a number of outdoor activities, including horse riding (and racing), walking, hill walking, swimming (both indoor and out), quads, cycling, golf and, for rainy days, shopping and cinemas in both medieval Kilkenny City and Carlow Town - we are located between the two.

Hill Walking A walker’s paradise, County Carlow is home to three of Ireland’s key national walking routes – The South Leinster, The Wicklow and the Barrow Way which links with the Slieve Margy Way in Co. Laois.

River Barrow Wildlife "The unspoiled banks of the River Barrow, the open fields and woods, attract a huge variety of birds and waterfowl. Mallard and moorhen can be seen fussing about in the quieter stretches. Kingfishers flit above the water, while herons wait patiently for dinner to swim within striking distance. Farmlands harbour lapwing, thrush, rook, hooded crow, pheasant and woodpigeon.



The picturesque village of Leighlinbridge The celebrated Dinn Righ ring fort (not open to the public) on the west bank presides over pastoral beauty and pastoral peace in equal measure after which a cut leads to Rathellen Lock and on to Bagenalstown. The approach to Bagenalstown is infused with the character of its 18th century origins, with lovely stone-cut buildings, a drawbridge and a picturesque lock. Cruise on through the east arch of a railway viaduct after which a series of locks will keep the crew busy; these include locks at Fenniscourt and Slyguff.

Along the River: Goresbridge, with its graceful 9-arch bridge, lies between Upper and Lower Ballyellen locks. International buyers in search of high quality Irish horses are attracted to the famous horse fairs held here every three months. The presence of so many locks over a short 9 km of waterway, signals a change in character to the landscape. The tension between the valley and the surrounding hills increases and adds visual splendour to the journey to Ballytiglea Bridge. Moor here for Borris (3 km) Borris is the home of the Kavanaghs, an old Irish family and part of the MacMurrough Kavanagh dynasty, former kings of Leinster. Beautiful stone-cut buildings and traditional shop and pub fronts add to the appeal of the town. A 9-hole golf course and a linear park with picnic area and tennis courts provide pleasant distractions. The pubs with their traditional music sessions and friendly atmosphere have gained nation-wide recognition.

Graiguenamangh is in Co. Kilkenny, while Tinnahinch, on the east bank, is in Co. Carlow. The beautiful bridge floodlit at night, links the two and dates from 1767 when a canal system was being built on the Barrow to improve navigation. Before the bridge and perched above the town is historic Duiske Abbey, now beautifully restored. Norman monks from Stanley Abbey, Wiltshire, founded it in 1204.