Published: Friday, 22nd January, 2010 11:28am

Glowing review for Offaly in Lonely Planet

Offaly's tourism industry received a boost this week when the county was given a glowing review in the new edition of Lonely Planet's Ireland guidebook.

The 9th edition of the popular travel guide was published on Wednesday and it described Offaly as "a hidden gem" boasting attractions such as "the magnificent ecclesiastical city of Clonmacnois" and "the wonderful heritage town of Birr."

The guidebook expressed concern that "traditional Ireland" was disappearing but it said "a genuine slice of rural Irish life" could still be found in the Midland counties of Offaly, Laois, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon.

It noted that "the green and watery county of Offaly" was not on many Irish visitors' itineraries but suggested savvy tourists should investigate its attractions.

The guide's introduction to the county stated that, in addition to the "must-see" attraction of Clonmacnois, "this hidden gem of Ireland is home to atmospheric Georgian towns, numerous castles and a burgeoning foodie culture."

Birr was singled out as "one of the most attractive towns in the Midlands, with elegant pastel Georgian buildings lining its streets, a magnificent old castle, a good choice of restaurants and lively nightlife with excellent live music."

Despite its appeal, the guide said, "Birr remains off the beaten track and you can enjoy its delights without jostling with the crowds."

Tullamore, meanwhile, was described as "a bustling but workaday place with a pleasant setting on the Grand Canal."

The town was "most famous for Tullamore Dew whiskey" and its old distillery and heritage centre "mixes intriguing local history with booze propaganda."

Discussing Offaly's other sites and attractions, Lonely Planet said "sleepy Shannon Harbour is a tiny but picturesque town that was once a thriving trading centre."Shannonbridge was also described as "sleepy" and "picturesque" by the travel guide.

Yet another "sleepy" town was Banagher, though the guide said it "bursts into life in the summer months when the busy marina is awash with boaters."

"For the rest of the year, (Banagher) is a pleasant backwater with pastel-fronted houses marching down the long main street to the banks of the River Shannon where there are some impressive fortifications."Clonmacnois was "gloriously placed overlooking the River Shannon" and was "one of Ireland's most important ancient monastic cities," the book said.

Kinnity was depicted as "a quaint little village that makes a good base for exploring the Slieve Bloom Mountains."

Kinnity Castle was "one of Ireland's most renowned mansions" while Leap Castle, between Kinnity and Roscrea was branded "Ireland's most haunted castle."

Two Offaly pubs - JJ Hough's in Banagher and Killeen's Village Tavern in Shannonbridge - are also listed among the 'Top 10 Traditional Midlands Pubs' in the Lonely Planet guide.