Lismore Castle
www.lismorecastle.com
Situated in the beautiful Blackwater Valley and commanding a superb position overlooking the river Blackwater this is one of the most delightful parts of Ireland. Lismore Castle was originally built by King John who later handed it over to the church. It remained a Bishop's Palace until 1589 when it was acquired by Sir Walter Raleigh and then sold on to Richard Boyle, first Earl of Cork, in 1602. Much of the Castle dates back to the early seventeenth century but there are parts that are as early as 1127. The most recent rehabilitation of the Castle was undertaken by the sixth Duke of Devonshire in 1840. The Castle recently opened Lismore Castle Arts which hosts art exhibitions throughout the year.

St. Cartages Cathedral
St Carthage’s Cathedral, in the heart of the town, dates from 1633. Still, the ecclesiastical significance of the land goes back to the 7th century, when St Carthage founded a monastery here. Due to the presence of the religious community, Lismore was known throughout Europe as a place of learning.

At the present cathedral, situated on a lovely hill surrounded by greenery, visitors can view medieval tombs, stone carvings, fine stained glass windows and more.

Things To Do In Lismore
One of the many delights of Lismore is that there is always something to do and see. There are plenty of places to eat out and enjoy some local music. You can visit local craft shops or watch, and even take part in, some of our local sporting activities. You can also take a trip to view the delights of Waterford county and the neighbouring counties of Cork and Tipperary.
Lismore Farmers Market
The Lismore Farmers Market is held each Sunday in the Lismore Castle Avenue, with the kind permission of Lismore Estates, from March to September, 11.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. The Market has everything from fresh food and cakes, tea and coffee, vegetables, plants and arts and crafts.

Crafts
Lismore is well served by craft workers and you will find examples of fine work as you travel around the area. The "Craft Shop" at the Heritage Centre has a fine range of Irish pottery, crafts and souvenirs. There is also a tourist information desk located here.

Dining
At what ever time of day you decide to eat you will find a suitable place in Lismore. There are many choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner such as Lismore House Hotel, The Red House, Ballyrafter House Hotel, Eamonn's Place, Foleys on the Mall, the Rustic Café or Summerhouse café. For those hankering for a take-away, Castle Pizza is sure to delight and there is also an Indian and a Chinese restaurant on offer.

Music
Lismore is famous for music and entertainment. Choral and other music works are performed at St Carthage's Cathedral. The local hotels and bars also offer music and other entertainment during the week and at weekends.

Sport
Lismore has everything for the sports enthusiast. The Blackwater river which flows through the town is visited by anglers from throughout the world. Trout and Salmon are the main species of fish to be caught. Day licences are available. Canoeing on the Blackwater is a wonderful experience and can be organised locally. A fine nine hole golf course provides ample opportunity to while away the hours and finish off the day with a drink in the club bar. Ireland's national games of Hurling and Gaelic football are catered for by Lismore GAA Club with fine facilities on the Tallow road. Lismore Association Football Club looks after the interests of the townsfolk who play the game of Soccer. The Community Centre provides the opportunity to play Indoor Soccer, Badminton and Basketball and there is also a gym available here. There is swimming facilities available at the "River Pool" if anyone is brave enough to venture into the icy Blackwater River!
Millennium Park is another highlight, including amongst its features a sculpture of St. Carthage carved from ancient beech by chainsaw sculptor, Nancy Hemming.

Lismore Heritage Center
The Lismore Experience at the heritage centre, in county Waterford, to discover Lismore town’s past and present history. The town’s Celtic origins are on view in the historical display room while the story of Lismore, dating from 636 AD, is told in an award winning multi-lingual, audio-visual presentation narrated by Niall Toibin. Hear about monastic Lismore, Vikings, Normans, Sir Walter Raleigh and Lismore Castle.

Walks
Lady Louisa's Walk:
Lady Louisa’s walk is primarily a woodland walk along the riverbank. One can expect to find woodland plants such as beech, ash, ferns, spindle tree, holly and ivy as well as wood sorrel, golden saxifrage and wild garlic to name but a few.

Riverside Walk, Lismore:
A typical riverside environment, home to herons, swans, mallards, water hens, snipe, tern, kingfisher and many more water birds. The River Blackwater is renowned for its salmon fishing and fishing stands and stiles may be noted along the riverbank. A stand of mature pine trees on top of a mound will indicate that you are approaching the famous Round Hill, a great mound or earthwork covering two of three acres in extent. The first monastic settlement in Lismore was founded by St. Carthage at Round Hill adjacent to the river, where he built a ‘Lios’, an Irish term used to describe a fort built of earth. Legend has it that an old woman whom Carthage met, told him that he would be founder of a ‘Lios Mor’ meaning great fort in Irish. The monks built small beehive huts on the banks of the river and the place extended to become a great university city and a place of holiness.
The Towers
A few miles outside Lismore you can find Ballysaggartmore Towers, known simply as 'The Towers' to locals. These were built in the early 1800's by landowner Arthur Kiely Ussher as part of his grand plan to build a house bigger than that of his brother. The cost of the Gothic gateway was so great that the house was never built.

In the Locality
The towns of Dungarvan, Ardmore are within 30 minutes drive of Lismore, both of which are towns of character and interest.