County Carlow

County Carlow is situated in the South-East of Ireland within the province of Leinster. It is an inland county, is the second smallest in the country and the third-smallest in terms of population. The River Slaney flows through its eastern part, which is an extension of the granite area of County Wicklow. The west of the county is situated on the fertile limestone valley of River Barrow (the second-longest river in Ireland). The north-west of County Carlow is the undulating upland land. On the border with County Wicklow, there are the Blackstairs Mountains with the highest peak of 796m. The main town is Carlow, a bustling market town with an ancient history and tradition. For such a small county, Carlow has a lot to offer to the visitors. There are many noteworthy castles and manor houses as Huntington Castle, Borris House or Lisnavagh House. There are also many important megalithic sites as for example Coolasnaghta Stone Row, Knockroe Rock Art or Brownshill Portal Tomb which has a granite capstone weighing over 100 tonnes, making it the one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Amongst the most important monastic monuments of County Carlow are Clonmore Early Christian Site, The White Church (ruins of the 10th-century oratory), St Laserian\'s Cathedral and St Mullins Monastic Site. For the outdoor activists, there are golf courses, horse riding and many walking trails.