Discover Ovens: Golf, History and Nature

Ovens in County Cork brings together three distinct themes for trip planning: golf, the history of Kilcrea Friary, and nature experiences in nearby Farran Forest Park. If you’re looking for hotels in Ovens, these themes can help you prioritise your own interests before choosing.

Golf in Ovens

Lee Valley Golf Club is located in Clashanure, Ovens, County Cork. Lee Valley Golf & Country Club has an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Irish Ryder Cup player Christy O’Connor Jnr. The course has been included three times in Golf Digest’s list of Ireland’s 100 best golf courses. The club lists visitors and club members as users of its facilities; check current operating arrangements directly with the club before visiting.

Kilcrea Friary and the history of the place

Kilcrea Franciscan Friary in Ovens was founded in 1465 by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry. Kilcrea Friary is a state-owned National Monument and is cared for by the Office of Public Works. Visitors can see the unique multi-windowed sacristy and the scriptorium north of the choir. This is the most richly decorated part of the building. A visit therefore combines a specific founding date with insights into named rooms of the friary.

Church and procession

The Church of St. John the Baptist in Ovens was built in 1831. It underwent extensive renovation in 1985 and 1986 under the direction of Fr. Declan Crowley, who later became known as Canon Declan Crowley. Ovens therefore has a friary founded in the 15th century, a church built in 1831 and an extensive renovation from the 1980s, representing different historical periods.

A parish notice from June 2023 mentions an annual Eucharistic procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi after the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Check the current schedule before making plans.

Trails and nature in Farran Forest Park

Nearby Farran Forest Park lies on the southern shore of Inniscarra Lake, a reservoir, and offers views of the water. The trails vary considerably in the time they take: the Enclosure Trail is 1.1 km long, takes about 25 minutes and is rated easy; the Woodland Loop covers 3 km, takes about an hour and is considered moderate.

The park’s wildlife enclosure is home to red deer, fallow deer and ducks. A branch trail leads to Mallard Cove, where you can watch fish jumping. Zipit offers a high ropes course in the park with 86 activities and more than 800 metres of zip lines. Alongside the woodland trails, wildlife watching, reservoir views and a high ropes course therefore offer distinct themes for trip planning.

More themes in the wider destination of Cork

Those who explore Cork beyond Ovens will find other distinct historical and horticultural themes. Barryscourt Castle was built between 1392 and 1420 as an Irish tower house. Charles Fort in Kinsale was constructed between 1677 and 1682 to protect the town and harbour; its walls and ramparts offer views across the harbour. Fota Arboretum covers 11 hectares and is home to rare, delicate trees and shrubs that grow outdoors. Fota’s gardens also include an ornamental pond, formal pleasure gardens, an orangery and a sun temple.

Discover more destinations: Glanmire, Monkstown, Carrigaline, Cullen, Lamanagh, Coachford, Glantane, Tracarta

For the wider travel overview: Cork.