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A vibrant college and market town, Carlow enjoys a thriving arts and crafts community, exciting nightlife, and a strong tradition of Irish language and culture.

Carlow Town has a rich history and an architectural heritage dating back to the 12th century. Carlow is the gateway to the South-East standing at the confluence of the Barrow and Burrin rivers, and is also home to VISUAL, Ireland’s largest and most spectacular space for contemporary art.

Our town is packed with great pubs and restaurants, shopping, excellent hotels and loads to do for every age and taste.

Beyond the town itself, discover the surrounding county, with its mountains, beautiful countryside and river valleys. Uncover exhilarating outdoor adventures and a rich cultural heritage.

We want to thank all the amazing local businesses in Carlow that generously support our festival. Their support is vital to the success of the festival and we’re delighted to recommend them.

#OurPlaceisCarlow

Visit the official Carlow Tourism website to learn more about all there is to do in Carlow

Eat and drink

Lennons @ VISUAL

Lennons @ VISUAL

Lennons is an award-winning restaurant and cafe located on the lower ground floor of VISUAL, within the grounds of our Festival HQ. Lennons serve only the finest Irish meat & poultry, sustainably caught fish and locally sourced ingredients.

Mimosa Bar de Tapas

Mimosa Bar de Tapas

Just across the road from our Festival HQ, Mimosa Bar de Tapas offers authentic tapas served in a beautiful setting. Mimosa pride themselves on good food served in a beautiful ambience by friendly & helpful people.

Caffé 500

Caffé 500

Outstanding authentic Italian food served in a great little restaurant full of character and characters. Their Calzone pizza definitely come highly recommended by the CAF team!

Tully’s Bar

Tully’s Bar

Tully’s Bar is an institution in Carlow. Home to the best selection of craft beer & spirits in town, regular live music nights and a lovely beer garden.

Waterlilies

Waterlilies

Waterlilies is an artisan bakery and coffee shop on Tullow St specialising in sourdough bread and pastries. They also offer a range of teas and coffee, sandwiches and lunches with an emphasis on quality and organic produce.

Lamberts

Lamberts

Lamberts Coffee House is a lovely little spot on Dublin St serving Cloudpicker coffee and delicious sweet treats. A regular haunt for the CAF team, we mean it when we say the festival couldn’t happen without them!

Stay

Red Setter Town House B & B

Red Setter Town House B & B

Red Setter Bed & Breakfast is the most centrally located B&B in Carlow town. A warm, friendly welcome awaits you from owners Gavin & Triona. A tastefully furnished residence offering comfort, hospitality and security with a large lock-up car park to the rear of the premises.

Dinn Rí Hotel

Dinn Rí Hotel

In the centre of Carlow, Dinn Rí Hotel and Entertainment Venues sit together offering accommodation, dining and entertainment. The Dinn Rí Hotel offers boutique bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom. The Dinn Rí bar serves delicious bar food and quality beverages, The Foundry Nightclub is one of Ireland’s premier nightlife venues and Brooks café restaurant serves a modern casual dining experience each evening.

Seven Oaks Hotel

Seven Oaks Hotel

The 4 Star Seven Oaks Hotel and Leisure Club is a short walking distance from our Festival HQ at Carlow College. The Seven Oaks provides a perfect base for your stay and boasts a state-of-the-art leisure club, use of which is complimentary to all guests.

Talbot Hotel

Talbot Hotel

The 4* Talbot Hotel prides itself on delivering excellent service, dining & accommodation. The Talbot Hotel Carlow is home to the vibrant Corries Bar & Bistro and boasts some of the finest leisure facilities including a 20m swimming pool, an extensive gym, an on-site hair & beauty salon and the Dome Family Entertainment Centre.

Play

Omniplex Carlow

Omniplex Carlow

A modern 5-screen cinema located in Carlow Shopping Centre showing all the latest releases. Omniplex Carlow features include a Candy King Pic'n'Mix, assigned seating, automated ticket purchase & collection points, 3D performances, and wheelchair accessible screens.

Dome Family Entertainment Centre

Dome Family Entertainment Centre

DOME Family Entertainment Centre is a bowling venue, children’s play centre, Laser tag, games arcade and kids party venue rolled into one.

Featuring a 10 Pin Bowling Alley that can be enjoyed by all ages, a colossal 8,000 sq ft of secure kids play area for little ones and a brand-new state of the art Laser Zone. There is something for everyone at the DOME!

Go with the Flow

River Adventures

Go with the Flow

River Adventures

A family run, adventure activity business offering affordable, guided canoe trails and canoe hire on the beautiful Barrow River. These adventures are available to complete beginners of all ages and abilities with a very keen and positive team of qualified instructors.

Blackstairs Eco-Trails

Blackstairs Eco-Trails

Discover the secret life of the Blackstairs Mountains and learn about the birds, flora, fungi, mammals and butterflies of the Blackstairs mountains and the River Barrow. Fully guided walks to suit all ages, through the lovely lanes, lowlands, bogs and streams of the Blackstairs mountain area and the River Barrow, Co. Carlow, Ireland.

Visit

Delta Centre Gardens

Delta Centre Gardens

Delta Sensory Gardens is an oasis of tranquillity on the outskirts of Carlow Town. Set on 2.5 acres, the series of interconnecting gardens beckons you with bright blooms, beautiful limestone sculptures and tranquil water features. Look out too for the intricate mosaic designs of street artist Ememem, which were commissioned by Carlow Arts Festival in 2022.

The gardens are fully wheelchair accessible and there is a café and shop which sells flowers onsite.

VISUAL

Centre for Contemporary Art

VISUAL

Centre for Contemporary Art

Engage with amazing artwork and be inspired by Ireland’s largest and most spectacular space for contemporary art.

Set on the grounds of Carlow College (within our Festival HQ site), VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & The George Bernard Shaw Theatre has welcomed thousands of visitors since it opened in 2009. VISUAL hosts artwork from local, national and international artists in five different gallery spaces. Admission is free of charge to all of the gallery spaces. VISUAL also boast the state-of-the-art 335 seat George Bernard Shaw Theatre.

Duckett’s Grove

Duckett’s Grove

Duckett’s Grove, the 18th, 19th and early 20th century home of the Duckett family, was formerly at the centre of a 20,000-acre estate that has dominated the Carlow landscape for over 300 years. Even in ruin, the surviving towers and turrets of Duckett’s Grove Walled Gardens and Pleasure Grounds form a romantic profile making it one of the most photogenic historic buildings in the country and a castle in Ireland to visit.

Carlow County Museum

Carlow County Museum

Visiting the award-winning Carlow County Museum is a must. Be wowed by the 340-million-year-old fossil, the 20ft church pulpit and an exquisite 2mm Iron Age glass bead! Among the displays are exhibitions featuring:the gallows trap door from Carlow Gaol used in 19th century public executions and a wonderful stained-glass panel by Peadar Lamb commemorating the 1916 Rising.

Shop

Made in Carlow

Made in Carlow

The Made In Carlow art gallery is situated in the heart of Carlow Town and represents over 40 local and regional artists. The gallery provides a space for artists to display original art. The artworks include paintings, fine art, prints, ceramics, woodwork and handcrafted jewellery.

Fairgreen Shopping Centre

Fairgreen Shopping Centre

With a fantastic range of shops, food outlets and a state-of-the-art IMC cinema, Fairgreen is the premier retail destination in the south-east. Boasting a wide mix of over 40 stores including Next, River Island, JD Sports, Tesco, Sports Direct, Pamela Scott, Carraig Donn, Eason and Costa Coffee.

Carlow Farmers Market

Carlow Farmers Market

Carlow Farmers’ Market is one of the few authentic farmers’ markets where the producers are all local, produce their own goods and sell mainly their own produce. The market trades every Saturday from 9am-2pm and offers shoppers the chance to meet artisan suppliers and farmers who are passionate about their food.

Products include soft fruit, jams and chutneys from Malone’s Fruit Farm; Mount Leinster Clothbound from Coolattin Cheese; and 100% organic beef, pork, lamb and poultry from Coolanowle Organics

More in this section

More in
this section

Sorry But I Feel booking web

How to book

Audience Extraordinary Bodies 2018 web

Festival HQ

Entering Carlow Live and Local 2022

Getting here