Killenard: Golf, Spa and Culture in County Laois

When planning a trip to Killenard, there are several distinct themes to consider: golf at The Heritage, spa facilities, a walking and jogging track, and St. John’s Church in the village. If you’d also like to include cultural attractions beyond the village, County Laois offers its own regional setting. You can choose your hotel based on whether golf, wellness, exercise or architecture is the deciding factor for your stay.

Golf at The Heritage

The Heritage Golf and Spa Resort in Killenard has an 18-hole championship golf course co-designed by Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes. The Ballesteros golf course features five prominent lakes and a stream; water comes into play on ten holes. The lakes and stream are therefore not only part of the landscape, but also shape play on several holes. If golf is a factor in your hotel choice, you can consider this distinctive design as well as the course length.

Spa and exercise

The Heritage Spa has a salt cave, a rustic sauna cabin and a range of heat and cold experiences; the spa has 20 treatment rooms. Day packages combine revitalising treatments with thermal experiences and dining options. This distinguishes individual spa facilities from the combined day packages, which bring together treatments, thermal experiences and dining. If you’re planning a wellness break, you can use these features as a guide when choosing.

For exercise, The Heritage has a 5 km walking and jogging track. It is lit and has an all-weather gravel surface that can be used year-round. An annual membership is available for €120. The 5 km woodland walking track runs around the hotel and golf course, with views of the surrounding area. Health club members can use the entire track for walking, running or cycling. Unlike the treatments and heat or cold experiences at the spa, the focus here is on activities on the track. Check the current spa and membership terms before planning, as offerings may change.

Architecture and culture in Killenard and County Laois

St. John’s Church in Killenard offers another architectural point of interest: it has a simple cruciform floor plan and a classical façade added by Rev. E. O’Leary. This adds a building with a clearly described form to the resort and leisure options.

Beyond Killenard, County Laois offers other historical sites to choose from. The Timahoe Round Tower dates from the late 12th century and has an intricately carved doorway. Dunamase developed into one of Ireland’s most important Anglo-Norman fortifications. Emo Court is a neoclassical country house designed by James Gandon in 1790. Heywood Gardens near Ballinakill is an 18th-century landscape estate with gardens, lakes and woodland; Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the formal gardens there. You can choose from a range of interests: a historic tower, fortification history, neoclassical architecture or designed landscapes.

Getting to Killenard

The Heritage is in the village of Killenard, about an hour southwest of Dublin on the M7. You can access it via exits 14 or 15. Road conditions and journey times may vary, so check your route before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Whitewell, Abbeyleix, Arles, Stradbally, Donaghmore, Mountmellick, Portlaoise, Durrow.

For the broader travel overview: County Laois.