Day 9. Carlow to Clonmel

 

Day 9.   Tuesday Aug 18

Carlow (Co Carlow) to Clonmel (Co Tipperary)

Distance (km):  139

Cycling Time: (hrs:min)  7:45  (out on the road for 10 hours)

Average Speed (km/hr)  17.9 

Total Ascent (m):   508

Average Heart Rate (bpm):   120

Cumulative Distance: 483

Cumulative Ascent:   1665

Punctures so far:  0

 

Overnighted in Carlow on the banks of the Barrow in Dinn Ri Hotel named after the ancient seat of the Kings of South Leinster at Dinn Righ (The Hill of the Kings), a fort  located just south of the town. At present Carlow (pop 18,000) is the largest settlement on the Barrow.

Carlow Castle was constructed to guard the river crossing by William Marshall (Lord of Leinster) in 1207 , a man whose name crops up in the history of many structures along the Barrow. Now just two towers and the west wall stand.

A bridge was built across the Barrow in 1569 and widened in 1815 and the called Wellington Bridge to celebrate Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at Waterloo the previous year.

The bridge includes an island with a house that the Poor Clares occupied when first they came to Carlow till they moved to their present location in 1900.

There is a large weir just by the bridge redirecting water to the lock , the first of many I encountered today.

I set out just before 7.00 am after a night of heavy rain. There were still drops falling but I hoped it was all the tail-end. That lasted for about 45 mins and beautiful for the rest of the day.

One of the old milestones stood by that lock promising me 31 miles / 50 km of a journey down to St Mullins where the Barrow becomes tidal.

Once on the towpath (on western side) I hoped the full 50km wouldn’t be just like this...a grass track with a rut in the middle. But that's what I got apart from very short respites by some locks and passing through towns. It was the most draining 50 km of cycling I have done. Certainly the Mongolian and Pamir and Dempster Highway experiences helped me and reassured me that I could get through it.

I  came to Milford Lock and had hoped to spot Milford Mill. Electricity was generated from Milford Mill in 1891 providing  Carlow with the distinction of being the first inland town in Ireland or Britain to receive electrical power. Unfortunately the mill is on the main river channel and I was on the canal section and had cycled well on before I realised this.

Shortly after passing beneath the M9 and Rathvinden Lock  I cycled beneath Cardinal Moran Bridge (on Leighlinbridge Bypass) named after a local.

Leighlinbridge is enjoying a peaceful existence having been bypassed twice in later years crowned Ireland’s tidiest town in 2000 and is still renowned for its gardens. Old grain stores are still being utilised but for different purposes.

Its 14^th century 9-arch bridge is reputedly one of the oldest functioning bridges in Europe and was widened in 1789. The Black Castle at the far side is the site of a Norman fortress and that present structure was built in 1547 by Edward Bellingham but fell to Cromwell in 1650.

 At this point the towpath switched over to the eastern bank and remained so for the rest of the day.

Different side but the surface to be traversed remained the same narrow single-track. Concentration needed and I had to stop to take any photograph resulting in just about 12km being covered each hour. It was going to be a long torturous 50km.

As I cycled along first to register was the sound of roaring water, then the sight of a weir. Then a narrow peaceful lateral canal along my side for a while till a well-maintained lock appears up ahead, then the sound of some water gushing over the lock-gate. Now a landing deck at a lower level, canal and main channel reunite and quietly move on.

Next town along the route was Bagenalstown or originally Muine Bheag (small thicket).  In the 18th century there was a small hamlet there. Walter Bagenal planned to build a town on the site and modelled it on Versailles in France. However, shortly after the building began the coach route from Dublin was changed so that coaches now crossed the River Barrow at Leighlinbridge instead. Bagenal abandoned his plans, having built only a courthouse. Barrowside there is still one of the nicest stretches on my cycle. A lone early morning swimmer welcomed me to town and passing by old stores on a smooth surface.

On the far side beyond the barge, stood the ruins of Rudkins Mills , the oldest of the many mills in this region. Built in 1680 by Henry Rudkin, an officer in Cromwell’s army. Members of the Rudkin family emigrated to the United States and established a bakery business at Pepperidge Farm (Conn) which grew to a multi-million dollar firm and well-known for its cookies.

While still on pleasant surface in Bagenalstown I came to the lock and lock-keepers cottage  at Lodge Mills built 200 years ago and  in 1870 a counter-weighted cast-iron bridge was added. Lodge Mills (flour) was built in 1824 and remained in production till the 1960’s. The prevalence of so many mills and stores here  indicate the importance of the Barrow in the local economy of the time.

Back on the grassy track but high up on a bridge was a signpost to warm my heart –but only from a distance.

I wasn’t half-way yet to St Mullins nor was the surface improving. For periods when grass disappeared it was replaced with exposed roots across the path which slowed progress even further. At least the sky was clearing and looking brighter for the day ahead.

Something always cropped up along the way as an excuse to stop, take a photo and a deep breath before pushing on ahead...the area around Fenniscourt was such a stretch.

I knew Goresbridge was coming up when the aroma of milling came to me on the breeze from Connolly’s Red Mills and I was still almost a kilometre off at Upper Ballyellin Lock.

Goresbridge is named after a 1756 bridge (nine Carlow granite arches), built by Colonel Ralph Gore, which provides a crossing of the River Barrow between County Kilkenny and County Carlow. I’m still cycling on the Carlow side.

Along the following part the path was particularly narrow and I had a few skids when touching the side of the ruts and indeed came a cropper a few times but no damage done to horse or rider. Couldn’t get over the amount of Himalayan Balsam all along the way and stretching into large areas of wasteland by the riverside.

I didn’t see much activity on the Barrow during the early part of the day but I gathered that there was some movement with the centre of canals staying clear and some adventurers wild-camping but still apparently in slumberland or out foraging for breakfast.

The day was warming up with the sun giving rise to a haze on the river. Just at the nearest point to Borris, the Mountain River added its generous amount to the Barrow; no shortage of water these days.

Just at Ballykeenan Lock just 3 km above Graignamanagh, canoeists were setting out and making use of the facility. Along the way I had a conversation with a Waterways Ireland man complimenting them on their excellent upkeep of the Royal Canal in particular and of the locks on the Barrow. Was there something holding up the resurfacing of the towpath? Apparently planning issues and resistance from various groups are preventing this from being a first-class amenity….so much more interesting than cycling continually by a canal. Hopefully things will improve.

Graignamanagh (Hamlet of the Monks) at the foot of Brandon Hill appeared ahead and so I knew that I had only another 10km or so to St Mullins. Duiske Abbey (Cistercian) was founded by the aforementioned Norman William Marshall and its church was restored in 1970.

Graignamanagh was coming to life as I rode into town and pleasure craft lined the quay by the stores now in place of barges . This is a busy boating centre with its annual Regatta and River Festival held each year in August but more than likely cancelled in the present situation.

The 7 arched bridge (rubble and limestone) was built in 1764 but part of it was destroyed by Crown Forces in 1798 to prevent the insurgents crossing from Co Carlow to Kilkenny.

The final stretch from Graignamanagh to St Mullins is through a heavily wooded valley and most scenic…..but not bike-friendly. With the final lock at St Mullins this part is considered safe for water activities. My final metres into St Mullins was along a gravel track lined with the same Himalayan Balsam…the towpath attempting to send me off with a good taste in my mouth!

I was so glad to have come safely to the end of this torture. It took 4 hours to cover the 50 km and to drop from 51m ASL to 24m ASL. I met a couple (with bikes on the car) there who enquired how it was cycling down from Graignamanagh. I gave it to them as I had seen it. Chat continued and it turns out they’re from Wexford. One thing led to another and she turned out to be first cousin of my neighbour and best friend during our early teens in Enniscorthy. Small world !

St Mullins (Tigh Molling) is the location of the monastery established bt St Molling (disciple of St Aidan of Ferns) in 7^th century and the ruins of a later one is still standing along with the remaining base of a round tower. He was an artist, poet and craftsman becoming Bishop of Ferns in 691. He is buried here and is said to have prophesied that anyone buried here will go straight to Heaven. Possibly explains the tightly packed cemetery. Nearby is the remains of a Norman Moat.

So now I was looking forward to being back onto regular road. Be careful what you wish for! The towpath was level, now I had to contend with plenty of hills. From St Mullins all the way into New Ross (12km) it was up and down, up and down. In places I just had to dismount and walk up in fear of bursting either the chain or a gut. The only consolation I had was that at Pollnounty Bridge I had crossed into Co Wexford. Everything had just become more bearable.

The Barrow had continued on through its wooded valley and we met up again at Ferry Mount Garret with its unique bridge. The river is now visibly tidal and just about 2 km downstream from here (before New Ross) the Nore joins in.

Till the end of 19^th century New Ross was Ireland’s only inland port being 32 km from the sea. Once larger and larger boats were being built , the port began to go into decline. It still has the Dunbrody replica famine ship (built in the local shipyard) permanently moored there at the Quay.

Lovely to see all those Wexford flags flying on the bridge as I crossed over into Co Kilkenny…enemy territory whether I’m a Wexford or a Tipperary man. Unfortunately once I got over that bridge I was turning left and facing into that wind if I cycled along the open main road.

Just south of New Ross crossing the Barrow/Nore is the Rose Kennedy Bridge on the N25 just opened to traffic in January 2020. It is Ireland's longest bridge (887m) with 9 spans, the longest at 230m and the longest of its type in the world (concrete-only extradosed box-girder bridge spans ).

 

My original hope was to cycle over it but cyclists/ pedestrians/ animals are prohibited from doing so. So, like the scouts on the bear hunt ' can’t go OVER it, have to go UNDER it ' and thus I took the old road from New Ross to Waterford down by the banks of the Barrow by Pink Rock. Officially (controversially) named after the mother of JFK, local refer to it as Pink Rock Bridge or New Ross Bypass Bridge. This stretch of old road is apparently very popular with walkers and joggers – met plenty of them along here.

The bridge has just one pier in the water, two extra piers were constructed during construction and then removed.

After the bridge I remained on a smaller road (L3429) that runs parallel to the main road as far as Slieverue but it was more sheltered but far hillier and tiring.

Just before 2pm I was welcomed to Waterford and caught my first glimpse of the Suir. The Suir meets the Barrow/Nore 7km east of the city at Great Island / Cheekpoint but no roads to get me down to the confluence on this side.

Crossing Edmund Rice Bridge I had dropped 51m since I’d left Carlow (as against only a 12m drop from Cloondara in Longford on the Shannon to Limerick).

I now picked up the Greenway out of Waterford and runs along the southern bank of the Suir out to Kilmeaden just over 10km. So pleasant to cycle along here with the freedom to admire the surroundings and take some photos from the saddle. Plenty of others out walking and cycling, individual and family groups. Wouldn’t it be lovely if the Barrow towpath was allowed develop and provide such an amenity for both visitors and local residents.

Shortly after passing by Congreve Gardens on my left and the rail tracks (3 foot guage) on my right I came to the Old Kilmeaden railway station. A train (a diesel locomotive of Waterford & Suir Valley Railway) was just at the platform picking up another group for the spin in to Waterford.  The first such train ran in 2003 after 3 years of installation work.

A busy spot today and a brisk trade being done by the ice-cream stand. I had been so lucky with the weather - sunny, warm and a wind that would now assist me. Remember this was just 24 hours before Storm Ellen wreaked havoc in Munster.

I exited the Greenway at Kilmeaden and continued on up the R680 towards Carrick with the river on my right. Pleasant cycling along here and soon I just detoured a bit to stand on the bridge at Fiddown looking upstream on one of the two channels at this point.

Just 4.5 km further on I’m welcomed back into Tipperary with iconic Slievenamon in the distance. I have been into 12 other counties on this circuit.

Carrick on Suir appeared ahead and I crossed over to the other side of the river into the centre of town, another town divided by a river and both parts in different counties. The Old Bridge in Carrick was built in 1447 and the centre part of it was destroyed in 1922 during the Civil War.

Now I was on the final stretch for today and it was along the 21km Blueway up to Clonmel opened in 2019. The Suir is tidal for another 2 km above Carrick and today water level was high and chocolate-coloured  all the way up to Clonmel after recent rains.

The path is in excellent condition with regular signage and historical plaques. It was coming near 5pm but still there were individuals, couples and family groups both walking and cycling all along without being crowded.

In the distance ahead appeared Kilsheelan Bridge, a 3 arched hump-backed bridge built in 1820 with a separate arch for pedestrian use.

The orchards of Bulmers appeared on my right which produce 17 varieties of apples for their products. William Magner started making cider in Dowds Lane in the centre of Clonmel in 1935.  In 1937, English cider-makers H. P. Bulmer purchased a 50% share in the business, using their expertise to greatly increase production. After the war, in 1946, Bulmer's purchased the remaining 50%, changing the name to Bulmer's Ltd Clonmel and moved to the present plant in Annerville in 1965.

Just after the orchards came Sir Thomas Bridge erected in 1690 by Sir Thomas Osborne, a narrow 6-arched construction, in order to connect his estates. Nearby is the remains of  Tickincor Castle,(Teach an Corr-“The House at the Weir”) a 3 storied fortified house on the Waterford side which actually predates the bridge by some 50 years

Once into Clonmel and I passed by the Minella Hotel just across, the scene of our wedding reception 44 years ago almost to the day. Little did I think then !.

Gashouse Bridge marks the end of the cycling part of the Blueway and then just another kilometre along by the river as flows through the town in the evening sunshine.

Another day completed on this circuit and just one more day to arrive back almost to the point where I started.

 

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.