About Visiting Us
We are situated in a very rural part of south east Ireland, near the villages of Borris and Bagenalstown (pronounced Bag-nails-town), only 90 mins drive from Dublin airport. Accommodation in the area is very good – village hotel, heritage guest houses, family-run Bed and Breakfasts, self-catering houses, farm-stays and AirBnB.
If you don’t find the information you are looking below, please get in touch as we’d be very pleased to help you plan your visit to us.
Where We Are
Glenn Lucas Woodturning Study Centre
Flander’s Cross, Knockclonegad, Garryhill near Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, IRELAND R21 PC79
Sat Nav co-ordinates: Latitude: 52.654961 Longitude: -6.868155
PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT open to the public but BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
We are open for classes, booked in advance. For visitors wishing to buy bowls, tools or DVDs, visits are by appointment only. To avoid disappointment, please do not simply show up without prior arrangement as this is a working production studio and classroom.
How To Get To Us
By Road
Directions
From the M50 take the M7. Get off the M7 at JUNCTION 11, you are now on the M9 Kilkenny/Waterford Road.
Get off the M9 at EXIT 5, signed N80 to ROSSLARE. You do NOT need to go into Carlow town.
Drive approx 4 miles and pass Fighting Cocks pub (landmark) – half a mile after this pub go to the centre of the road and turn RIGHT to Fenagh/Garryhill/Milltown Engineering.
Drive 4 miles and straight up through Fenagh village and LEFT at the top of the village for Garryhill.
4 miles further and you pass (landmark) Garryhill Handball Club on your right, continue straight on the Borris Road for another 1.5 miles and take a RIGHT at the first crossroads (with sign) – you will see an orange and white sign for Glenn Lucas Woodturning.
We are the first house on the left – new, cream coloured bungalow, workshop behind.
Take the N9 Kilkenny road.
Drive for approx 10 mins (passing the Institute of Technology on your left and then the Dolman Hotel on your right). At EXIT 6 drive through a series of roundabouts following signs for Leighlinbridge/Bagenalstown (do not get on the M9 motorway)
Watch carefully for signs – turn left for Bagenalstown (also called Muine Bheag) at junction called Royal Oak.
Drive into Bagenalstown until you have to stop in the centre of town (Railway House pub on your right) at a flat roundabout, and turn right for Borris (R705).
Just as you leave the town take a left (L3001) over a small railway bridge, following signs for Kiltealy/ Ashlawn Garden Centre.
Drive a windy main road for 6 miles until you reach a STOP sign at a crossroads. Turn left.
Drive for one mile and take next LEFT- you will see an orange and white sign for Glenn Lucas Woodturning – turn left. (There is also a brown sign for Templemoling Cemetery to the right).
We are the first house on the left – new cream coloured bungalow, workshop behind.
Take the M9 Dublin Road.
After approx 15 miles turn off the M9 at EXIT 7 for Bagenalstown/Paulstown/Leighlinbridge.
Watch for a RIGHT for Bagenalstown.
Drive into Bagenalstown until you have to stop in the centre of town at a flat roundabout (Railway House pub on your right) and turn right for Borris (R705).
Just as you leave the town take a left (L3001) following signs for Kiltealy, Ashlawn Garden Centre.
Drive a windy main road for 6 miles until you reach a STOP sign at a crossroads. Turn left.
Drive for one mile and take next LEFT- you will see an orange and white sign for Glenn Lucas Woodturning – turn left. (There is also a brown sign for Templemoling Cemetery to the right).
We are the first house on the left – new cream coloured bungalow, workshop behind.
Car Hire
The usual hire companies all have bases at the airport – Do remember we drive on the left-hand side of the road. Roads around Glenn’s are narrow and the hedgerows bushy. If you prefer not to hire a car, don’t worry, we will help you with car-pooling with other students or taxi-sharing to and from the workshop to the local village if you are staying locally.
Taxi
Book our local taxi/hackney and they will pick you up from airport – we can book him if you wish, just let us know. He is MUCH cheaper than getting into a cab at the airport. TAXI Terrence Kelly (sheep farmer and part-time taxi man, no email, only mobile) +353 85 707 7437. Approx €180 each way per airport trip. His prices for trips to and from local places are very good.
The workshop is in a rural area, 6 miles from Borris village or 7 miles from Bagenalstown village. So if you have no car, you will need the local cabbie PRE-BOOKING ESSENTIAL to get you around. It is about €8 TO €10 per person per trip when there are 2 or more, to local village/accommodation to workshop, or to nearest village/pub/local hotel for evening meal.
Groups
For a group, we can organise cost-effective mini-bus pickup from airport if required.
By Coach
Airport shuttle service – ROUTE 736 run by bus company ‘JJ Kavanagh’ from Dublin Airport – Carlow – Waterford
Our nearest stop is ‘Paulstown Apple Green Service Station’. The cost is about €20 per trip. Airport to Paulstown takes 2.5 hours. See the JJ Kavanagh Timetable here → Collection from the shuttle can be organised with your accommodation provider or a local taxi driver (advance booking essential).
By Rail
Rail link – Waterford/Kilkenny main line. From Dublin Heuston Rail Station to Bagenalstown/Muine Bheag (pronounced Mwin-eh-veug). Collection from the train can be organised with your accommodation provider or a local taxi driver (advance booking essential). The rail station is 10 mins drive from our workshop.
Accommodation Recommendations – check out www.borriscarlow.ie for information about the area and lots to discover.
For an excellent quote from these providers, mention that you are coming on our class.
The Step House Hotel, Borris Village
The Stephouse is not open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It is often very busy Fridays & Saturdays with weddings.
[t]: +353 (0)59 977 3209
[e]: info@stephousehotel.ie
[w]: www.stephousehotel.ie
Joyce's Inn, Borris Village
[t]: + 353 59 9773468
[e]: info@joycesbar.ie
[w]: https://joycesbar.ie/accommodation-borris/
Kilgraney House & Herb Gardens, 4 km from Borris or Bagenalstown
Lorum Old Rectory Guesthouse, 4 km from Borris or Bagenalstown
Email/phone enquiries preferred for better rates for our class participants.
[t]: +353 (0)59 977 5282
[e]: enquiry@lorum.com
[w]: www.lorum.com
The Storehouse Walkers Hostel, Rathanna village
Blackstairs Eco Trails, near Rathanna Village
[t]: +353 (0)59 9773184
[e]: blackstairsecotrails@gmail.com
[w]: www.blackstairsecotrails.ie
Explore The Area
Exploring, during or before and after turning…
Tourist Information
Carlow Tourism
Our county tourist information body. Detailed information for visitors on everything local to our area.
Visit: www.carlowtourism.com
Ireland’s Ancient East
For visitor information on the south eastern side of Ireland.
Visit: www.irelandsancienteast.com
Discover Ireland
Tourist and visitor information for the whole of Ireland.
Visit: www.discoverireland.ie
Here is a cute little video about a few things to be prepared for when coming to Ireland
Walking, hiking & cycling
There are lots of hikes, walks and interesting cycle rides in the area. The River Barrow in particular has a lovely towpath running alongside it and it is very peaceful for both walks and cycling. Walking in the Blackstairs mountains is an all-year round activity with guided walks and foraging available.
Here is a useful guide to the River Barrow with downloadable maps: www.carlowtourism.com/the-barrow-way/
You can hire bikes for cycling the mainly grassy path by the river here: www.watersideguesthouse.com
Guided walks and foraging (they also have charming Shepherds huts to sleep in) are available here: www.blackstairsecotrails.ie
River safaris or rent your own kayak. www.gowiththeflow.ie
Here’s a film made by Glenn whilst walking locally.
Pubs & Eating Out
Typically in the evenings after a busy day on a 3-day or 5-day class, the students and Glenn arrange to have supper in the local hotel, or fish and chips in the local pub. After freshening up, carpooling is encouraged, or we share a cab to the local eatery. Partners and friends are welcome to join in.
Our local village of Borris is off the beaten track but is a popular location on Fridays and Saturdays for weddings – there may be little accommodation that is available then. The Borris pubs, Joyce’s or O’Shea’s are family-run and good fun. Osborne’s Pub, featured in our short video, in the tiny hamlet of Rathanna about 6 miles from us, is also a treat.
Have quiet pint at O’Shea’s family pub in Borris or in Joyce’s family pub where there are regular music sessions.
Fine dining is available at The Stephouse Hotel and they also have casual dining with the same great food, in the hotel bar. Another great local restaurant is Clashganny House.
Exploring & Other Activities
If the weather is not great for walking, there are nice towns and villages to explore and some great pubs and restaurants. The biggest towns close to us (30 mins drive) are Kilkenny City and Carlow Town (both accessible by 10 min train journey from our nearby train station in Bagenalstown).
Other Suggestions…
Visit local gardens on the Carlow Garden Trail.
Visit Borris House our local Heritage House and Gardens located in Borris Village (Check opening hours).
Visit the beautiful Duiske Abbey & Monastic Site (pronounced DU-shh-K) in the nearby village of Graiguenamanagh (pronounced GRAYG-na-man-ah).
Other popular activities in our area are: canoeing, bike hire, cookery courses, horse-riding, foraging in the mountains, felt-making, painting and much more…
See below for some links for local summer arts festivals:
Festival of Writing & Ideas
Carlow Arts Festival
Kilkenny Arts Festival
If you’d like to discover another local craft, why not spend a day with feltmaker/textile artist Nicola Brown. (Booking is essential). Watch this beautiful short video about her cottage-based workshop on Eco-printing
Or join the Borris Lace-makers who meet every Wednesday morning – newcomers welcome and can use their special beginner kit.
Golfing available nearby:
Borris Golf Club
Carrigleade Golf Course
Carlow Golf Club
Mount Juliet Golf Course
Visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship Museum in New Ross, Co. Wexford.
A Night In Dublin?
A lot of our visitors “top or tail” their visit to us with a night or two in Dublin.
Here’s a great short movie made by The New York Times on things to do in Dublin
Other things to do in and around Dublin:
Trinity College & The Book of Kells
The Brazenhead Pub
The Guinness Storehouse
A Day trip to ancient celtic site New Grange – Brú na Bóinne.