Overview
Most of Ireland knows Templemore as the town with the Garda training college, which rather sells it short. The reason to stop is the town park: a former estate demesne with a lake, mature woodland, a fairy trail and paths to wander. It is a small place in north County Tipperary, below the Devil’s Bit, the notched ridge on the skyline. Most visitors use it as a base for the park and the hills rather than the town centre, which is workaday.
A Brief History
The area’s roots reach back to pre-historic Éile, territory of the Eli tribe. Local tradition holds that a follower of St Patrick named Sheelan founded an early monastery here, and the townland of Kiltillane (Cill tSíleáin, ‘St Sheelan’s church’) keeps the name. Anglo-Norman power arrived with the Butlers, later Earls of Ormond, whose mark on the town includes the ruins of Templemore Abbey, sometimes linked to the Knights Templar, and the Black Castle, built in 1450 by James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond. The Carden family later held the estate whose demesne became the town park.
The 19th century brought Richmond (later McCan) Barracks, now the Garda Síochána College, the national police training centre. And in 1920, during the War of Independence, Templemore drew crowds of pilgrims after reported Marian apparitions and ‘bleeding’ religious statues, the short-lived ‘Templemore miracles’.
What to See & Do
Templemore Town Park
The town park is the quiet centre of local life. The old Carden demesne has a lake, with paths around the water and through woodland, and a fairy trail that keeps younger visitors busy. Tipperary County Council confirms the lake, paths and fairy trail. Follow the signs around the water and check any temporary notices at the entrances. The council has also posted notices of short closures of the playground for works, so check before you promise it to children.
The stone remains associated with the Black Castle and Templemore Abbey stand at the edge of the old demesne. A self-guided heritage trail links the park to the town’s older buildings, among them St Mary’s Church of Ireland, the Town Hall and the Garda College gates.
Devil’s Bit Mountain
A short drive north is the foot of the Devil’s Bit, the ridge with the distinctive gap in its skyline. See that page for the hill itself, and check conditions and route information before heading uphill.
Food & Drink
Templemore’s food is small-town and unfussy: a few pubs, cafés and takeaways around the Main Square. Don’t come for a food scene; come having eaten, or eat simply. Check current opening times locally.
Accommodation
Accommodation in town is limited, with a hotel on the square and some guesthouses and B&Bs. Thurles and Roscrea, both a short drive, widen the choice.
Practical Information
Getting Here – Templemore is on the N62, between the M7 and the M8. It has a railway station on the Dublin–Cork line, so check Iarnród Éireann’s Templemore station page for trains and station access.
Parking – For local parking, follow the signs or consult the council’s parking maps.
Accessibility – Ground around the ruins and some woodland trails is uneven, so check the path you plan to take.
Useful Links
Give the town park a slow hour and you have had the best of Templemore.