9th May: Roscrea to Thomastown

May 9^th The third stage: Roscrea to Thomastown 79kms.

Roscrea was almost completely deserted at 7.30 when I went out to take some photographs of the picturesque shop fronts. It was chilly too and I certainly felt it as, later on, we climbed gently out of Roscrea on the bikes into the Timony hills and then down to the crossroads at Ellin. The cold and threatening rain apart we were making  good time on the lonely roads even if disaster nearly struck at the turn to the next  village where a speeding tractor ( even the tractor drivers defy the common cliché of the relaxed Irishman) came within a few centimetres of crushing my Cannondale that I had left, admittedly carelessly, lying on the grass verge, its back wheel protruding onto the tarmac. Just before that incident though we had come upon by chance - even my brother didn’t know of it - a spectacularly slender 9^th century tower that had survived a Viking attack in 846, standing scores of metres high almost in someone’s back garden. Extraordinary, to say the least. Even more surprising, perhaps, was that in the ruined monastery next to the tower, someone had constructed a handball (fives) court!  The pretty village of Freshford with its triangular green, and its water pump like a ship’s wheel was our first real stop after 41 kms. From there it was an easy but potentially dangerous ride along the main road 14 kms into the attractive, bustling and thriving metropolis of Kilkenny. Unfortunately an insistent drizzle dissuaded me from taking pictures of its imposing castle. Wishing to avoid the main road to Thomastown  we searched for the minor road which followed the river Norr to Bennetsbridge.  Be warned. It can be reached only by taking your life in your hands and pushing the bike across the very busy Kilkenny ring road, and then, having survived that, struggling through a patch of  wasteland and a hedge. The effort is worth it though because the ride down to Bennetsbridge, past magnificent houses set in acres of their own land, is very pleasant indeed, which can not be said for the final 9 kms into Thomastown where the traffic is as manic as ever. Thomastown itself, though, defies its first disappointing impressions. Not only does it have the magnificent Jerpoint Abbey on its doorstep but in the town itself are Sol’s Bistro and The Blackberry Café, both very highly recommended.

An excellent third stage through very pleasant countryside with – again - expansive views over to distant hills, in very chilly conditions and under glowering skies which turned to rain in the late afternoon. A tailwind in the morning was welcome; the moderate headwind in the afternoon less so.  The empty country roads are a delight, the busy main roads require close concentration. 

79 kms   

Total 196 kms