Things to Do in Longford: The Midlands' Hidden Playground

Longford is one of the least-visited counties in Leinster, and that is exactly why a day here goes a long way. You get Ireland's biggest forest resort, a 2,000-year-old timber road preserved in a climate-controlled hall, a cathedral that came back from a Christmas Day fire, and a canal towpath you can have almost to yourself. Here is what is genuinely worth your time, with the practical steers to plan around.

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What are the must-see attractions in Longford?

If you only have a day, build it around the four big ones below. Center Parcs is a destination in itself; the other three sit within a short drive of Longford town and pair up easily.

Center Parcs Longford Forest

The 400-acre forest resort near Ballymahon opened in 2019 and remains the county's headline draw. Its Subtropical Swimming Paradise is the biggest indoor water park in Ireland, and there are more than 100 other activities on site, from treetop ropes to pottery.

It is built around overnight lodge stays rather than day trips, so book a break here rather than turning up. Midweek arrivals are quieter and cheaper than weekends, and the activities book up fast in school holidays, so reserve the ones you care about when you book the lodge rather than on arrival. Full details and dates are on the official Center Parcs Longford Forest site. Its arrival has lifted the whole county: Corlea Trackway nearby saw visitor numbers jump by more than a third in 2024, much of it spillover from families staying at the resort.

St Mel's Cathedral

St Mel's burned on Christmas Day 2009, with the roof gone and the floor collapsed into the crypt. After a five-year, €30 million restoration it reopened on Christmas Eve 2014, one of the largest church restorations in Europe at the time.

The result is worth stepping inside for: bright, restored stained glass and a clean Renaissance-revival interior. Mid-morning light is the best of it. Allow about 45 minutes. See the Longford County Council listing for visiting notes.

Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre

Near Keenagh, the Corlea Trackway is the largest Iron Age timber road of its kind found in Europe, built from oak in 148 BC. An 18-metre stretch of the original togher is on display in a climate-controlled hall, with a boardwalk out over the surrounding bog.

Admission is free, and the centre is run by the OPW. It opens daily from mid-March to early November, roughly 10am to 6pm, with the last tour mid-afternoon. The guided tour plus bog walk runs about 90 minutes. Check current hours on Heritage Ireland before you set off, as it closes over winter.

Royal Canal Greenway

The Royal Canal Greenway runs roughly 130km from Maynooth to Cloondara in north Longford, where the canal meets the Shannon. The Longford stretches are the quietest on the whole route, flat, traffic-free and good for families or a gentle cycle.

The spur into Longford town is about 8km, an easy hour or so each way on a bike. Cloondara, where the canal joins the Shannon, is the prettiest finish, with a restored harbour and lock to look at when you get there. Longford town and Cloondara are both designated trailheads with parking, so you can start at either end. If you do not have your own bike, hire one locally. The official route maps and trailheads are on the Royal Canal Greenway page.

Where can you escape the crowds in Longford?

Longford is short on crowds to begin with, but these corners are where you trade attractions for quiet woodland and water.

Ardagh Heritage Village

About 20 minutes from Longford town, Ardagh is a tidy estate village of stone cottages around a green, laid out in the nineteenth century and a regular winner in the Tidy Towns competition. It is best known as the find-spot of the Ardagh Chalice, the eighth-century silver and gold cup unearthed nearby in 1868 and now held in the National Museum in Dublin. The heritage centre, set in the old schoolhouse, tells that story along with the village's history. The village itself is a pleasant short stop on the way to or from Corlea, and the two pair well into a single morning.

Derrycassin Woods

On the shore of Lough Gowna in the north of the county, Derrycassin has three marked trails through oak and beech. The shortest loop takes about 45 minutes. Late April brings the bluebells out under the trees, which is the time to come if you can.

Ballinamuck 1798 Battlefield

In the north of the county, the village of Ballinamuck marks the site of the final battle of the 1798 Rebellion, where a combined Irish and French force under General Humbert was defeated by Crown troops. A small interpretive centre and a memorial tell the story. It is a quiet, sobering stop rather than a big day out, but for anyone interested in Irish history it carries real weight, and it pairs naturally with Corlea a short drive away.

Barley Harbour, Lough Ree

A small harbour on the Longford shore of Lough Ree, near Newtowncashel, with a little beach and safe shallow water. It is a summer-evening spot rather than a year-round draw: bring a picnic, watch the boats, and let the kids paddle. Lough Ree itself stretches down towards Athlone and is dotted with islands, so it is also a good launch point if you fancy getting out on the water.

How can you make a day of it near Longford?

Longford sits on the edge of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, and the Shannon attractions just over the border in Westmeath and Offaly turn a half-day here into a full one. Athlone is about an hour south and makes the natural pairing.

From Athlone you are within easy reach of Athlone Castle, the early monastic city of Clonmacnoise on the banks of the Shannon, and Sean's Bar, which claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland. String two or three of those together and you have a full day out built around the river. They are Shannon-region stops rather than Longford ones, so treat them as the wider day around the county rather than something in the town itself.

How do you get to Longford?

Longford town is about 90 minutes from Dublin by car on the M4 and N4, and roughly an hour from Athlone or Mullingar. Irish Rail runs direct trains from Dublin Connolly to Longford on the Sligo line, taking around two hours, which makes a car-free day trip to the town and St Mel's perfectly doable. For Center Parcs, Corlea and the lakeside spots you will want a car, as they sit outside the town with limited public transport. If you are basing yourself in the midlands for a few days, Longford works well as a quieter base than Athlone or Mullingar, with the Shannon and the Hidden Heartlands all within easy reach.

What's on in Longford through the year?

The county's calendar is small but real. Worth planning around if your dates line up:

• Spring: the Longford Literary Festival lands in April, a low-key weekend of readings and talks.
• Summer: the Cruthú Arts Festival runs across July and August with exhibitions and events around the town.
• Autumn: the Longford Marathon and its shorter races draw a friendly crowd in late summer, with flat, fast routes that make it a popular first marathon; the Albert Reynolds Autumn School marks the former Taoiseach's local roots with talks and discussion.
• Winter: the Christmas market and the carol concert in St Mel's Cathedral are the highlights of December.

Dates shift year to year, so check the organiser's listing before you travel.

Quick answers about visiting Longford

Is Longford worth visiting for a day? Yes, if you pair Corlea Trackway, St Mel's Cathedral and a stretch of the Royal Canal Greenway, that is a full and varied day. Center Parcs is a separate overnight trip in itself.

How much does Corlea Trackway cost? Admission is free. It is open daily from mid-March to early November and closed over winter, so check before you go.

Is Center Parcs a day trip? No, it is built around overnight lodge stays. Book a break rather than turning up for the day.

Where else should I look nearby? The neighbouring counties pick up where Longford leaves off. See our guides to things to do in Westmeath and things to do in Athlone, or browse the full Leinster guide.

More great Irish days out

Heading further afield? A couple of Ireland's most-booked experiences, all an easy trip from Leinster:

Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. The St James's Gate tour finishes with a pint in the Gravity Bar and its rooftop views over the city. Book a time slot ahead, it sells out at weekends.

Cliffs of Moher day tour from Dublin. A full day out to the Atlantic coast and the Burren, with Galway on the way. A good one-off big day without the driving.

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Where to stay in Longford

Making a night of it? Browse hotels, guesthouses and places to stay in Longford:

See places to stay in Longford on Expedia

Heritage sites in Longford

Longford has 2,659 recorded archaeological monuments, and 2 are set up to visit. See the historic sites in Longford worth visiting →

Walking trails in Longford

Longford has 9 waymarked walking trails on the national register, graded and mapped. See the walking trails in Longford worth lacing up for →

Historic buildings in Longford

Longford has 842 recorded NIAH buildings, 14 of them rated of National or International importance, from Georgian houses and churches to bridges and mills. See the historic buildings in Longford worth seeking out →

Top things to do in Longford

Tubberpatrick, Located only 5km north of Ballinamuck in County Longford, the cemetery at Tubberpatrick contains interesting memorials to honour General Blake and Gunner Magee, both involved in the Battle of Ballinamuck against the English in 1798.

St. Mel's Cathedral

Abbeyshrule Monastery, In 1150, one of Ireland’s first Cistercian abbeys was established in the picturesque valley of the River Inny in Abbeyshrule village.

Ballinamuck Visitor Centre, The Ballinamuck Visitor Centre in County Longford is located in the historic former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks in the picturesque village of Ballinamuck in north County Longford.

Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, The increasing depth of mossy, waterlogged ground made movement from place to place difficult for people living in bog areas in days gone by.

Abbeyderg Abbey and Graveyard, Located just 5km from Kenagh, County Longford, the village of Abbeyderg is home to a 13th century Augustinian monastery founded by Gormgall O’Quinn.

Creative Ardagh, This welcoming, quaint and curious centre is in an old schoolhouse built in 1898.

Knights and Conquests Exhibition Centre, The Knights and Conquests Exhibition Centre in Granard, County Longford, offers a unique, interactive, part-guided tour that will engage and enthral visitors with Ireland's historic past.

Events & attractions: Fáilte Ireland Open Data (failteireland.ie), CC BY 4.0.