Bus Hire in Tullamore

Tullamore is the county town of Offaly and sits on the Grand Canal, the 18th-century waterway connecting Dublin to the Shannon. The town is most widely known for Tullamore D.E.W. (Dew, Est. Whiskey), one of Ireland's best-selling whiskeys; the Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre on Bury Quay (in a restored 1897 bonded warehouse on the canal) is the town's principal visitor attraction. The Grand Canal runs through the centre of the town, with a pleasant towpath walk between Tullamore Harbour and the canal locks to the east.

Tullamore is within day-trip range of the key heritage sites of the midlands: Clonmacnoise (35 kilometres west via the R436, approximately 45 minutes) is the most important early medieval monastic site in the country; Birr Castle and Demesne (30 kilometres south via the N52) has Ireland's finest formal gardens with a Victorian telescope (the Leviathan of Parsonstown, the world's largest telescope for 75 years) and a box hedge maze. The Charleville Forest Castle (2 kilometres west of Tullamore town) is a Gothic Revival castle of 1812, one of the finest examples in Ireland.

Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre

The Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre (Bury Quay, Tullamore, on the Grand Canal) is housed in a restored Victorian bonded warehouse from 1897. The tour covers the history of Tullamore D.E.W. from its 1829 origins (a fire that year, caused by a hot air balloon landing on the distillery, destroyed much of the town and prompted the first major rebuilding in the town's history) through to the current production at the Clonminch distillery on the edge of town. The guided tour includes the blend hall, the bonded warehouse, and a tasting of three expressions. Group tours are available with advance booking; coach parking is on Bury Quay adjacent to the visitor centre.

Birr Castle Demesne and the Historic Telescope

Birr Castle Demesne (30 kilometres south of Tullamore via the N52, approximately 35 minutes) is a 120-acre garden estate with Ireland's finest formal gardens. The Leviathan of Parsonstown -- a 183-centimetre reflector telescope built by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, in 1845 -- was the world's largest telescope for 75 years and is preserved in its original mounting in the castle demesne. The formal gardens include a 9-metre-high box hedge planted in the 1780s (the world's tallest box hedge according to Guinness World Records), a kitchen garden, and a pinetum. The Science Centre in the stable yard covers Birr's scientific heritage. Coaches park in the Birr Castle demesne car park.

Grand Canal and Charleville Forest

The Grand Canal (running through central Tullamore, 131 kilometres from Dublin to the Shannon) is walked and cycled along its towpath between Tullamore Harbour and the locks at Ballycommon. The canal was built between 1756 and 1804 and was the main commercial waterway between Dublin and the midlands; it is now a leisure waterway with canal hire boats and tow-path cycling. Charleville Forest Castle (2 kilometres west of Tullamore town via the Charleville estate driveway, accessible by coach) is a Gothic Revival castle built in 1812 to designs attributed to Francis Johnston. It is privately owned and open for tours by appointment; the grounds contain a remarkable ancient oak woodland (the oaks are estimated at over 400 years old).

What Bus Hire Costs in Tullamore

As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Tullamore runs around 370 to 700 EUR per day, a midi-coach (around 35 seats) around 500 to 980 EUR per day, and a full-size coach (49 to 55 seats) around 660 to 1,260 EUR per day. Tullamore is a smaller midlands market with good year-round availability. Summer demand is modest; the main group market is distillery tours and heritage excursions to Clonmacnoise and Birr. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle and driver. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges, so send your details for a free quote.

Services Available in Tullamore