Rathwood Home and Garden World

Rathwood Home and Garden World sits in the countryside near Tullow, County Carlow, and combines a large shopping and garden destination with a range of family activities. Alongside an extensive garden centre, it offers home and garden furniture, homeware, gifts and a boutique showcasing Irish design, as well as a beauty salon. Visitors can pause at one of two eateries: The Merry Tree, serving locally sourced food and coffee, or the more casual Wood Shed Cafe beside the play centre.

Families are well catered for. The Ark is an indoor play centre aimed at younger children, and the Rathwood Express train carries passengers on a trip through the forest, around the duck pond and back to the courtyard. There is also an animal park, woodland walks and a hedge maze planted in the shape of the island of Ireland, with each county laid out to scale and markers indicating county towns and rivers.

The surrounding forest is threaded with planned walking routes stretching over four kilometres, including a shorter wheelchair-accessible path and a longer looped walk. Throughout the year Rathwood hosts events at its Big Top in the heart of the forest, with seasonal favourites such as the Halloween shows and the Santa Train. The site lies close to other local attractions, including the Chocolate Garden of Ireland and Rathgall Hillfort.