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
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

 * : 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 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * , 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.
 * 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

 * 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.
 * Castle View Chinese is open daily 4-11PM.
 * Mizzoni's Pizza is open daily 4:30-10:30PM.
 * Castle View Chinese is open daily 4-11PM.
 * Mizzoni's Pizza is open daily 4:30-10:30PM.

Drink

 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.

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.