Ballyhoura Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Cork, Limerick and Tipperary
Ballyhoura Way is an 89 km moderate waymarked linear route in Cork, Limerick and Tipperary, starting near Kanturk.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 4 days |
Getting there
Starts at St.Johns Bridge, 7km from Kanturk.
Finishes at Limerick Junction.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.2367, -8.88862
- Irish Grid reference
- R 393 098
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 66, 73 and 74* (*start + ca 750m on Sheet 72)
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
Public transport
At Start: None though Ballyhoura Country Holidays will collect from Charleville bus or rail and transfer At End: Bus to Limerick, Galway, Waterford Check with Bus Eireann. Rail Check with Iarnrod Eireann.
About the trail
In December 1602, in the wake of the defeat of Gaelic forces at the Battle of Kinsale, Donal Cam O Suilleabhain, the chief of the O'Sullivan clan, was isolated and surrounded by his enemies in his territories in West Cork. He resolved to seek asylum with his ally, O'Rourke of Breifne, and so he gathered his entire clan and set out on a forced march through hostile territory in an attempt to reach O'Rourke's lands in what is today County Leitrim, 500 kilometres to the north. A thousand in all set out, and after many skirmishes with enemies and many severe hardships in the winter weather, only fifteen made it to Leitrim. The terrible journey has become one of Ireland's great epics, and the Ballyhoura Way was laid out along part of the route O'Sullivan took with his clan all those years ago, from St John's Bridge to Limerick Junction. The route crosses four upland stretches, one long one over the Ballyhoura Mountains (highest point Seefin, at 510 metres), two short ones over Benyvoughella Hill and Slievereagh, and then a long traverse on the southern flanks of the Slievenamuck ridge, overlooking the beautiful Glen of Aherlow. The aggregate ascent over the route is just over 1700m, and apart from a few short steep sections there are no significant climbs. Along the way walkers might want to linger at the great Norman castle at Liscarroll, in the pretty villages of Kilfinane, Ballyorgan, Ballylanders and Galbally, or the storied town of Tipperary. The terrain consists mainly of tarmac roads, forestry tracks, and open moorland and field paths. Some of the road sections are busy and should be used with care: some of the upland sections can be very wet. There are not many options for overnight accommodation along the route. Further detailed can be found at Shannon Trails - Ballyhoura Way
Before you go
46 kms or 51% of this trail follows public roads. While these are mostly quiet local roads there are some busy sections and walkers should always take care when on the road. As with all waymarked trails, the occassional waymarker can be knocked over or dislodged so always carry a map so that you can confirm that you are following the correct route. You may also come across some sections of soft ground along the Way - so a good pair of waterproof boots is the recommended footware. ***Dogs are allowed but must be kept under effective control***
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment CLG
Ballyhoura Heritage and Environment CLG, Main St., Kilfinane, Co. Limerick. Tel: 063-91300 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.ballyhouracountry.com
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Donkey Sanctuary Blue Loop 7.2 km away · 0.4 km trail
- Donkey Sanctuary Green Loop 7.2 km away · 1 km trail
- Donkey Sanctuary Red Loop 7.2 km away · 1.9 km trail
- Island Wood - Red Trail 8.6 km away · 2.3 km trail
- Dromcollogher Town Park Trail 12 km away · 1 km trail
- Mount Hillary - Father Murphy Loop 13 km away · 7.9 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Ballyhoura Way?
89 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 1,560 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 4 days.
How hard is the Ballyhoura Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Ballyhoura Way start?
Starts at St.Johns Bridge, 7km from Kanturk. The trailhead is at 52.2367, -8.88862 (Irish Grid R 393 098).
Can you bring a dog on the Ballyhoura Way?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Ballyhoura Way without a car?
At Start: None though Ballyhoura Country Holidays will collect from Charleville bus or rail and transfer At End: Bus to Limerick, Galway, Waterford Check with Bus Eireann. Rail Check with Iarnrod Eireann.
Who manages the Ballyhoura Way?
Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment CLG. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Cork, Limerick and Tipperary
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.