Macroom

Macroom (Maigh Chromtha) is a market town in County Cork, southwest Ireland. It stands halfway between Cork and Killarney at a point where the fertile Lee valley gives way to rugged uplands, and the road starts its climb over to County Kerry. Macroom has seen plenty of conflict, as shown by several tower houses and by the castle in town centre, the last major upheaval being the Anglo-Irish and Irish civil war of 1919-22. It's nowadays a quiet place, with a population in 2016 of 3,765.

Get in

Castle gatehouse

Expressway Bus 40 trundles right across Ireland from Rosslare (for ferries from Britain) via Wexford, Waterford, Dungarvan, Youghal, Midleton and Cork to Macroom, continuing to Killarney, Farranfore (for Kerry Airport) and Tralee. From Cork it takes an hour and from Killarney 50 min; this section runs hourly M-Sa and every 2 hours Sunday.

By road follow N22 which links Cork, Killarney and Tralee.

Get around

You need a car to get around this scattered rural area.

See

• 1 Macroom Castle: the best of it is the gatehouse on the main street. This looks like a Victorian cod-medieval invention but actually dates to 1450, though it's much restored and now holds offices. Pass through the gate (it's a public road) and the Desmesne beyond is just parkland and modern buildings, but there's the shell of the castle keep — you see it just as well from the bridge on the main street.
• 2 The Gearagh, 2 km southwest of Macroom, was one of the last primordial oak forests in Europe. In 1954 it was mostly destroyed by logging and flooding when the River Lee was dammed for a hydro-electric power scheme. It's now an extensive wetland, haunted by thousands of tree stumps and abandoned fields and farm buildings. Coarse fishing is permitted, but pike may not be taken.
• 3 Carrigaphooca Castle is a sturdy 14th-century turret 4 km west of town. Carrigaphooca Stone Circle 200 m east is likely Bronze Age, circa 1000 BC; only three stones remain upright in the 5-m circle. Castle and circle are on private land and you can't see much from the wooded highway.
• 4 Prince August Toy Soldier Factory, Kilnamartyra P12 FN79 (5 km west of town), ☏ +353 26 40222. Daily 10AM-4PM. Traditional toy soldiers and other warriors: Lord of the Rings, cowboys, footballers and so on. You can book a one-hour workshop - they make, you paint, for a €12 deposit off your order. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Michael Collins Monument marks the spot where "Ireland's lost leader" was killed on 22 Aug 1922 in an ambush at the tail-end of the Irish Civil War. See Clonakilty, Collins' birthplace, for the backstory.
• 6 Knocknakilla, 10 km north of town, is a megalithic complex from around 1500 BC. There's a stone circle and a nearby wedge tomb. Millstreet Country Park 1 km east has gone out business.
• Gougane Barra: see Bantry for this early Christian site in the hills 30 km west.

Do

• Macroom Community Leisure Centre is just inside the castle gates. It's open M-F 9AM-10PM, Sa 9AM-6PM.
• Macroom Golf Club is along the riverbank south side of town. White tees 5594 m, par 71, visitor round €30-40.
• Derrynasaggart Mountains are the range west of town on the Cork / Kerry boundary. There are various hikes and climbs: the highest is Mullaghanish at 649 m, with radio and TV masts on the summit.

Buy

Gearagh at sunset

• Aldi is the main supermarket, open M-F 9AM-10PM, Sa Su 9AM-0PM.
• Farmers' Market is held in The Square on Tuesday 9AM-2PM.
• There are ATMs outside the Bank of Ireland and the TSB.

Eat

• Macroom Oatmeal is a distinctive local stone-ground meal, produced at Walton's Mill.
• Granville's Bar & Grill, Castle St, ☏ +353 26 20191. W-Su 12:30-9:30PM. Solid trad fare. (updated Nov 2020)
• Vaughan's Cafe, The Square, ☏ +353 26 41060. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Great spot for the Full Irish Breakfast and midday light bites. (updated Nov 2020)
• Castle View Chinese is open daily 4-11PM.
• Mizzoni's Pizza is open daily 4:30-10:30PM.

Drink

Hardware shop, Inchigeelagh

• Andrew Golden's (Gerards), Main St, ☏ +353 26 41753. Quirky trad pub, interior like a hardware store, great atmosphere. (updated Nov 2020)
• TP Cotters (Jacksies), Main Street P12 DX63, ☏ +353 26 41560. M Tu Th 10:30AM-11:30PM, W 5-11:30PM, F Sa 10:30AM-12:30AM, Su 12:30-11PM. Slick friendly pub with beer garden. (updated Nov 2020)
• Dinneen's Bar, Main Street Macroom, ☏ +353 26 41909. Normally a buzzing real Irish bar, but it doesn't serve food - it's too small for a kitchen - so it's been unable to open for most of 2020. (updated Nov 2020)
• Others in town centre are Murray's and JC Murphy's, with Mary Anne's north up Masseytown Rd.
• Top of Coom claims to be Ireland's highest pub. It's in the hills on the Cork / Kerry boundary along a lane to Kenmare, open M-Th 5-10:30PM, F-Su noon-10:30PM.

Sleep

• There are no campsites or caravan parks hereabouts.
• 1 Castle Hotel, Main St, ☏ +353 26 41074, fax: +353 26 41505, reservations@castlehotel.ie. Comfy welcoming hotel, good bar food. There's a leisure centre with gym and pool. B&B double €100. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Coolcower House, Coolcour, Macroom P12 E135, ☏ +353 26 41695, coolcowerhouse@gmail.com. Atmospheric hotel in quiet riverside location. It was built in the 19th century, burnt out in 1921 but rebuilt in traditional style. B&B double €100. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Cannaway House B&B, Lehenagh Carrigadrohid, Macroom (3 km east of town), ☏ +353 26 48877. Charming B&B up a country lane. B&B double €110. (updated Nov 2020)

Connect

As of March 2023, Macroom and its approach roads have 4G from Eir, and 5G from Three and Vodafone.

Go next

• Bantry to the west is a good base for exploring Cork's three peninsulas: Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and Beara.
• Killarney northwest brings you to the scenic Ring of Kerry.
• Cork is the lively city to the east. With your own car, you can also cut across country to Blarney.