Local Activities

Just a mile down the road lie the wild gardens of Ballysaggartmore Towers. This is the most amazing gate house in Europe! The builder blew all his money on the entryway, and ended up living in a modest cottage.

There are a host of 18 and 9 hole Golf courses within a 25 mile radius, including the lovely 9 hole beneath the Castle that is only a three minute drive from Ballyrafter House.

Equestrian centres dot the landscape in this historic riding country. Most particularly, Ballyrafter Equestrian Centre is our next door neighbour. It features an Indoor riding centre for inclement weather or to practice your jumping skills. Cross country pony treks are also on offer.

We're at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains. There you'll find a host of walks. The premier walk in the Knockmealdowns is along the crest of the range where you follow a wall built in famine times as work relief. The wall marks the boundary between Counties Waterford and Tipperary and the poor men who built it worked for pennies. Hauling themselves to the top of the hills daily, many of them were dying of hunger. But this was the only way on offer to earn a living and to keep their families alive. The strength of the wall some 160 years later is a testament to those desperate times.

Less strenuous strolls along the Blackwater River and around Lismore Town are available by just walking out the gate.

And, of course, there's the fine fishing to be found in the area. For more on local activities, check out our pages on fishing, Lismore, the mountains and beyond, and seaside visits.