Callan Abbey Meadow Walk
This trail is the first in a series of wheelchair accessible walkways that link architectural, archaeological and cultural sites in and around the town of Callan.
Trail length: Less than 1km
Duration: Twelve to fifteen minutes
Difficulty: Relatively easy and relaxing
Footwear: Walking shoes
Terrain: Relatively flat with gentle slopes. The pathway consists of compacted limestone chipping & grit
Highest Point: All gradients are kept within the limit of 1:12Download the PDF File: Click here
Download the Google Earth File: Click here
Download the GPS Track: Click here
Parking: Please use the free parking facilities in the adjacent car park.
Caution: Parents/guardians please ensure that children are supervised particularly near the river bank area and crossing the footbridge. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.
Callan Town
Callan is situated on the King’s River in the sunny south-east of Ireland, about 15 kilometres from Kilkenny City along the N76 national road network. Steeped in history, Callan has a wealth of historic landmarks, famous people and architectural sights. Attractions include the Norman Motte, the ruins of a monastic settlement of the 15th century and the recently restored 19th century Workhouse. Callan’s fame moreover lies just as much with its people as with its buildings and monuments, with an impressive list of sons and daughters. The list includes Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice who was born on the outskirts of the town, the artist Tony O’Malley, the Candler family who founded the world famous Coca-Cola Company and the architect of the White House James Hoban to mention but a few. Callan serves as a market town for the surrounding agricultural hinterland and nowadays it is also recognised as a developing centre for the arts. In 2007 Callan celebrated 800 years of the granting of the town’s charter.
Along the Trail
The Abbey Meadow is situated on the north banks of the King’s River in the town. The wheelchair accessible trail begins at the entrance to the Abbey meadow and continues around the boundary edge of one of the town’s earliest surviving developments, a 15th Century Augustinian Abbey. This national monument located in the centre
of the Abbey Meadow consists of the remaining church ruins of an ancient Augustinian monastery.
As we turn right along the pathway to the river bank, the creative Kilkenny of Collective Arts Talent (KCAT) Art & Study Centre overlooks the Abbey Meadow on the right. This building, once the
location for a sausage factory is now a unique, artistic centre and the exterior walls portray this quality with an impressive, imaginative mural.
Seating is provided along the route particularly along the riverbank. Tradition states that Callan (or in Gaelic Callainn) is called after the High King of Ireland Niall Caille who was drowned while trying to cross the river with his army in 844AD during the height of the Viking wars. The river subsequently became known as the Kings River (or
Abhainn Ri). The King’s River is an important fishery and has a significant crayfish population, which is a protected species. It also provides a perfect location for canoeing and kayaking, offering long stretches of peaceful waterways and for the more daring further down the river, a number of challenging weirs and rapids. Plant and animal communities are influenced by numerous factors including substratum type, water force, nutrient content, water quality, water depth, human disturbance and shade. In this section of the King’s River the vegetation includes floating and submerged aquatics with fringing emergents in shallow water or overgrowing the banks. This vegetation helps to slow down the river and allows the river habitats to survive.
Flora and Fauna
Native wild flowers are dotted through the agricultural amenity grassland of the meadow itself, resulting in an abundance of butterflies and honeybees. Dandelion, or Caisearbhán in Irish, is one of the most common wild plants found here and is recognisable by its large golden flowers and toothed leaves. Other broadleaved herbs such as the daisy family, clovers and plantains are common. Hedgerow habitats are found along the boundary wall near the edge of the path. These hedgerows tend to support a high proportion of spinose plants such as hawthorn, blackthorn and
bramble. The stone walls sustain a diverse flora with abundant lichens, mosses, ferns, ivy and other common native species which include creepers and grasses. Along some parts of the boundary wall an occasional tree, shrub or bramble has overgrown. These hedgerows also provide food and shelter for insects, birds and
other animals, forming corridors that permit wildlife to move between habitats.
Native and non-native trees are dotted along the pathway including ash, sycamore, beech, elder and chestnut – Some of these are scattered about the Abbey Meadow Park.
The Country Code reminds us that we are all guardians of our landscape and to take care to protect flowers, plants, animals, and trees.
