Bruff combines its location on the Morning Star River with traditional shopfronts and clear connections to history. A free audio guide takes you around the town; the Thomas Fitzgerald Centre is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Fitzgerald. Nearby, Grange Stone Circle offers another place to visit. Check whether the audio guide is available before your trip.

Bruff on the Morning Star River

Bruff lies on the Morning Star River, which is crossed by two bridges in the town. Numerous traditional shopfronts shape its appealing streetscape. The riverside setting and the façades reveal different sides of the town: its connection to the water on the one hand, and the character of its streets on the other. Together, they give a tangible impression of what distinguishes Bruff beyond its historic names.

History and crafts in Bruff

The free “Ballyhoura Audio Tour – Bruff” takes you around the town and shares its history and that of the surrounding area. It also tells the story of Thomas “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald. In this way, the audio tour connects a walk around Bruff with a local historical figure. You should check again before your trip to see whether the audio guide is available.

The Thomas Fitzgerald Centre is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Fitzgerald, the grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The Centre displays photographs of the President’s visit to Ireland in 1963 and Caroline Kennedy’s visit to Bruff in 2013. The exhibition thus brings together two memories, different in both time and place: one visit to Ireland and a later visit specifically to Bruff.

Ballyhoura Ceramics offers another facet of the town. Under this name, Eithne Hehir makes high-quality, one-off ceramic pieces in her studio at the Old F.C.J. Convent in Bruff. Studio visits are by appointment. The ceramics complement the historical themes with a tangible example of craftsmanship in Bruff, so plan your studio visit in advance by making an appointment.

A place to visit nearby

Grange Stone Circle is presented as a place to visit when exploring Bruff and lies near picturesque Lough Gur. This lets you look beyond Bruff’s streets and riverside setting to another named place in the surrounding area. In the wider Limerick destination, Lough Gur is of international significance for its rich archaeology and environment.

More to explore in the wider Limerick destination

The Limerick Greenway is a 40-kilometre, traffic-free route for walking and cycling. It connects the landscape of West Limerick with Rathkeale, Ardagh, Newcastle West, Templeglantine and Abbeyfeale. The Greenway can be accessed at several points; as the access arrangements may change, check the entry points before making specific plans. Structures also offer points of interest in their own right: the Barnagh Tunnel on the Greenway is 115 metres long, and Ferguson’s Viaduct is a cast-iron viaduct.

At Lough Gur Lakeshore Park, you can take guided or self-guided tours of the exhibition, as well as individually tailored guided tours of the archaeological monuments. These options add practical ways to explore the exhibition and monuments to Lough Gur’s significance. As tour arrangements may change, check the current options before including them in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Galbally, Adare, Pallasgreen, Ballyneety, Castleconnell, Askeaton, Kilfinane, Templeglantine.

For the wider travel overview: Limerick.