Experience the history of Munster Vales!

The nights might be getting darker earlier and the weather might be getting colder, but for anyone planning a visit to Munster Vales over the winter months there is still plenty to do and see in the region.

Munster Vales, the area encompassing the Comeragh, Knockmealdown, Galtee, Ballyhoura and Nagles mountain ranges in the south of Ireland, has several fascinating museums and heritage sites where you can learn all about the history of the region.

We’ve outlined some of the many great places that you can visit over the winter months for an entertaining and educational break away.

The Tipperary Museum of Hidden History, Tipperary

Located in the civic centre of Clonmel in Tipperary, this state-of-the-art visitor experience brings Tipperary’s rich hidden history to life through characters and stories. Founded in the 1940s, visitors can immerse themselves in stories of castles and conquests, courage, superstition, murder and death. You can also learn all about rural life in 19th century Tipperary and ‘meet’ a host of characters from the world of sports and entertainment. The collection is also one of the largest museum collections in Ireland.

The de Valera Museum & Bruree Heritage Centre, Limerick

The Éamon de Valera Museum and Bruree Heritage Centre is a must see museum for anyone with an interest in politics. The museum contains a unique and fascinating collection of personal belongings of de Valera, along with a variety of articles which record life in Bruree in the early 20th century. Located where Éamon de Valera grew up, the visitor centre uses audio-visuals, graphic panels and displays of personal memorabilia history to tell his fascinating story. The cottage where he once lived is now preserved and the national school he attended is also now a museum dedicated to his memory.

Thomas Fitzgerald Museum, Limerick

Also in Limerick is the Thomas Fitzgerald Museum in Bruff. Thomas Fitzgerald was the grandfather of John F. Kennedy and this museum is dedicated to his memory and to the world famous family. The museum includes a photo exhibition of the time JFK visited Limerick in 1963, the Fitzgerald family tree mural, and an exhibition from the Caroline Kennedy visit in 2013. There is also a life-size bronze statue of JFK and interestingly, the bible that that is part of the statue is the one that Thomas Kennedy brought with him in 1852 when he emigrated from Bruff to Boston! The visitor centre is…