Discover Killurin’s history and landscape

The wider destination of County Offaly offers further cultural and landscape highlights.

Tower on Mullagh Hill and its history

Tower on Mullagh Hill stands on elevated ground on the grounds of Mullagh House, near Killurin. Reverend Franc Sadleir had it built in 1830 for his son Thomas. The tower is the last fully intact remnant of the Mullagh estate; from there, visitors can enjoy views of the surrounding countryside and the fragmentary ruins of Mullagh House.

Conservation work is also part of the building’s history: it began in 2014. Door and window openings, along with weathered lintels, were repaired or replaced. Historic bricks were used where replacement bricks were needed. The year it was built and the start of this work mark two different points in the tower’s history.

Spa-well and local traditions

The Spa-well is a small stream about 250 yards west of the school. It lies on the right-hand side of the path leading up to Killurine Cross. According to local tradition, people came from all over Ireland to have their warts cured. Another local tradition traces the name Killurin to St Ódhrain, said to have been St Patrick’s charioteer.

The stories surrounding the Spa-well and the place name are presented as traditions. The tower, by contrast, is associated with a stated construction date and dated conservation work. These different connections give Killurin a local history encompassing both a building and oral tradition.

County Offaly: Culture and Landscape

In the wider destination of County Offaly, the ruins of Clonmacnoise are among the historical attractions. The site includes a cathedral, two round towers, three high crosses, nine churches, and more than 700 early Christian grave slabs. Birr Castle Demesne offers a different focus: its 120-acre park features more than 5,000 plant species, award-winning gardens, and an adventure playground. Other attractions there include family activities, castle tours, the Great Telescope, and the Historic Science Centre of Ireland, with its astronomical, engineering, and photographic achievements.

County Offaly’s landscape also offers a variety of experiences. Clara Bog is considered perhaps the finest surviving example of an ombrotrophic raised bog in mid-western Europe. At Lough Boora Discovery Park, the Sculpture Park combines a 3.3-kilometre walking and cycling route with 24 works by Irish and international sculptors.

Routes and planning

For help getting your bearings, the visitor centre at Lough Boora Discovery Park offers visitor information, public toilets, a café, bicycle hire, a picnic area, and parking. Check the operator’s latest information before travelling.

The Offaly Way covers a different scale: this 32.4-kilometre linear walking route runs from Cadamstown to Lemanaghan. Along the way, sections follow quiet roads, riverside and woodland paths, agricultural land, and paved roads. The route also passes a rare Mesolithic site near Boora. Compared with the 3.3-kilometre route at Lough Boora Discovery Park, it offers a different distance and variety of paths. The Pilgrim Path, meanwhile, runs from east to west through central County Offaly, connecting Ballycumber with the monastic site at Clonmacnoise along the historic Esker Riada corridor.

Discover more destinations: Banagher, Birr, The Curragh, Kinnitty, Rhode, Daingean, Tullamore, Shannonbridge.

For the wider travel overview: County Offaly.