The ruins of Kilduff Castle on the N24 define the edge of Pallasgreen. The surrounding area also features historic houses, churches and scenic spots. Those interested in architectural history will find a range of features and uses, while the “Off the Beaten Track” tour offers its own route idea.

Castles and Historic Buildings

Kilduff Castle in Mountcatherine is a gable-fronted tower house and a 17th-century house. Its ruins are a striking feature of the landscape at the edge of the village. Its architectural form and present condition give the site two distinct characteristics: Kilduff can be viewed both as a historic building and as part of the landscape.

Coonagh Castle in Coolbaun is a medieval site. Together, the two places offer different points of connection with Pallasgreen’s history: one is a named building with a specific architectural classification, the other a site classified as medieval.

Country Houses and Former Uses

The country houses can also be distinguished by their described features. Linfield House in Linfield has a large walled garden and extensive outbuildings; the roadside lodge is part of the property. Mountsion House in Mountsion is a country house with an imposing gateway. The Rectory, also known as Pallas Glebe, is in Moymore and is likewise a country house. The garden and outbuildings are the main features at Linfield, the gateway at Mountsion, while the Rectory is primarily identified as a country house.

Two protected historic buildings in Garrane More, New Pallasgreen, point to a different kind of former use: the former R.I.C. barracks and the former Erasmus Smith School. As a barracks and a school, they bring former institutional functions into view alongside the country houses. Nearby, Pallas House stands on the west side of Old Pallas. The Apjohn family had it built in the 1790s—a specific point of reference in the architectural history of the area.

Churches and Memorials

Near Pallasgreen, at the northern end of Nicker, stands the detached Roman Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist in Lackanascarry, Nicker. Its cruciform plan and construction around 1820 give it a distinctive architectural form. The church grounds also include the well-known outdoor Stations of the Cross.

A life-size statue in Pallasgreen commemorates Paddy Ryan. It was erected in his hometown in 2004. The old Mass Rock on Knock Grean offers a view across the valley towards Slieve Phelim. Sarsfield's Rock marks the nearby spot where Sarsfield surprised a night camp; from there, panoramic views extend to the north, east and south. The two sites connect landscape and history in different ways: at the Mass Rock, the view across the valley takes centre stage, while Sarsfield's Rock combines a vista with a historical connection.

Landscape and Tour Route

The “Off the Beaten Track” tour in Pallasgreen/Templebraden passes through a landscape bounded by the Slieve Phelims to the north, the Galtees to the east and the Ballyhouras to the south. It starts at Erasmus School in Pallasgreen and visits, among other places, Sarsfield's Rock in Ballyneety, the basalt columns at Linfield Quarry and the site of the 1921 Dromkeen Ambush. The route returns to Pallasgreen via the N24, where refreshments are available. Check whether the tour is currently offered before making plans.

The buildings and viewpoints offer different themes to explore during a stay in Pallasgreen; the tour, by contrast, provides its own route framework.

Discover more destinations: Knocklong, Abbeyfeale, Clarina, Cill Mocheailóg, Croom, Kilfinane, Ballyorgan, Templeglantine.

For the regional travel overview: Limerick.