Ballymahon between the River Inny, the canal and Goldsmith

The River Inny flows past Newcastle House on its way to Ballymahon; at Ballybrannigan Harbour, canal history and different ways to spend time on the water come together. There are also places associated with the writer Oliver Goldsmith, and a 130 km greenway for cycling. If you are weighing up culture, cycling and activities on the water for your stay, Ballymahon offers several different starting points for planning your trip.

By the River Inny and at Ballybrannigan Harbour

There are numerous fishing spots along the River Inny. The waterway is known for coarse fishing; if you enjoy fishing, you can take this into account when choosing your destination. Inny Kayakers offers guided kayaking tours on the River Inny near Ballymahon. So, alongside fishing, guided river experiences are another option to consider.

Ballybrannigan Harbour is on the Royal Canal Greenway and is an important point on the National Famine Way. Visitors can walk, cycle, go boating and fishing, and watch wildlife here. The Ballybrannigan Canal Stores at the harbour is a working canal warehouse. It is also located where the Royal Canal comes closest to Ballymahon and Center Parks. The harbour brings several interests together in one specific place: you can focus on exercise, wildlife watching or canal history without having to combine these activities into a single outing.

Cycling routes and practical information

The Royal Canal Greenway is 130 km long, and Ballymahon is a suitable starting point or stopover for a cycle ride along the route. Whether you start a ride here or plan Ballymahon as a stop depends on the role you want the town to play in your trip. For local cycling plans, Ballymahon Greenway Cycles on Mostrim Road offers bicycle hire and repair services. The shop also provides route suggestions and free maps. This gives you access to route information before a ride, or a repair service if needed.

Ballymahon is also served by named bus routes: Route 73 from Waterford to Athlone stops in Ballymahon and Longford Town. Along Route 466 between Athlone and Cavan, stops include Ballymahon, Keenagh, Longford Town, Edgeworthstown and Granard. This information helps you place the town within a wider travel plan; for your specific journey, check the relevant connection.

Goldsmith sites in Ballymahon and the surrounding area

At Ballymahon Library, the Goldsmith Festival and Centre offers an insight into the life and career of Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774). Ballymahon also hosts an annual festival associated with Goldsmith over the June bank holiday weekend. If you would like to include cultural discoveries in your stay, you can explore the writer’s story here through both his life and the festival.

Nearby, Pallas lies outside the town of Ballymahon, near Newcastle Demesne. The Goldsmith family home was located there, and Pallas is also Oliver Goldsmith’s birthplace. Visitors can see a commemorative statue, a plaque and a garden in his honour. In Forgney, the village church is where Goldsmith was baptised; the church has a memorial window dedicated to the writer. These places offer different connections: Pallas recalls his origins and family, Forgney his baptism, and the memorial window commemorates him.

You can prioritise the destinations and activities mentioned according to your own interests, rather than focusing your stay on a single theme.

Discover more places

For more destinations, find Mosstown, Lanesborough, Cloondara, Granard, Killashee, Edgeworthstown, Moyne and Longford here.

For the broader travel overview: County Longford.