Bike Week Comes to Carlow
NTA and Active Carlow launch Bike Week 2026
Activities run from Saturday, 09 May to Sunday, 17 May 2026
The National Transport Authority (NTA) and Carlow County Council/Active Carlow have today announced details of Bike Week 2026, which runs from Saturday, 09 May to Sunday, 17 May.
Among the events planned in Co. Carlow is:
🚲 Free Bike Hire at the Mullichain Cafe Graiguenamanagh 🚲
On the weekend of the 9th & 10th and the 16th & 17th of May, enjoy complimentary bike hire and take a leisurely cycle along the beautiful River Barrow. Soak up the stunning scenery, fresh air, and peaceful riverside views along the way.
Book through the Mullichan Café on 0868288047.
Bike Week is an annual celebration and promotion of the benefits of cycling, with hundreds of family friendly events including heritage cycles, maintenance workshops, and learn-to-cycle courses taking place across the country.
All 31 local authority areas are involved in Bike Week with events being organised jointly through the local authorities and local sports partnerships.
National Transport Authority CEO, Anne Shaw, emphasises the importance of the week saying:
“The engagement with Bike Week from all the local authorities has again, far exceeded expectations. It’s fantastic to see so many events taking place all around the country. There really is something for everyone this year and I would encourage everybody to get involved.”
Quote from Active Carlow representative, Caroline Shanahan.
“Bike Week is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to get active, enjoy the outdoors, and experience the beauty of the River Barrow in a fun and healthy way. We’re delighted to support initiatives that make cycling accessible to everyone in our community.”
For more information and to see what events are taking place in Co. Carlow, visit www.bikeweek.ie
Those taking part in Bike Week are encouraged to share photos or videos to social media using #BikeWeek and tagging their local authority and Transport for Ireland @TFIUpdates.
Women in Sport Week Video
From high intensity fitness to mindful movement, Women In Sport Week was all about breaking barriers and building community. Here is how the week unfolded: Driving Engagement Through Diverse Activity Inclusive Multi Activity Morning Participants joined us at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel to experience the power of adaptive sports and inclusive play. The Women’s Hike Trailblazers took to the local paths, proving that exploration and fresh air are the ultimate motivators. Introduction to Padel Newcomers hit the courts to discover the fast paced and social world of this growing racket sport. Hyrox Icebreaker Athletes pushed their limits during an energising functional fitness session designed to build strength and stamina. Stretch and Savour A focused group prioritised wellness through Pilates and meaningful conversation, proving that connection is just as vital as the workout. #sameenergy
Community Sports Facilities Fund Workshop
Community Sports Facilities Fund Workshop
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | Starting at 7:00 pm
The former Sports Capital Programme has been re-branded and is now known as the Community Sports Facilities Fund! With a call for applications expected in the coming months, Active Carlow is delighted to host a FREE webinar to help your club get ahead of the game.
Meet Your Trainer: Joanne
This session will be delivered by Joanne, an expert with 16 years’ experience and a passion for making a difference. Joanne has a proven track record of success, having secured over €2.7M in funding for clients since 2023 alone.
Whether you are just starting out or have a draft in progress, Joanne specialises in transforming project ideas into compelling, high-impact applications. She will share her meticulous approach to ensure you are confident and your project stands out to the assessors.
What the Webinar Covers:
This session is essential for club committee members and community organisations responsible for grant applications. We will dive into:
- Eligibility: Who can apply and what projects qualify for funding.
- The Application Process: A step-by-step guide to navigating the system.
- Scoring & Strategy: Understanding the scoring criteria to maximise your marks.
- The Winning Pitch: How to refine your project idea and strengthen your case.
- Expert Insights: Joanne’s top tips for a “grant-ready” application.
Why Attend?
By the end of this session, you will:
- Understand how to prepare a compelling, grant-ready project.
- Feel confident navigating the rebranded Community Sports Facilities Fund process.
- Know how to position your club for the best possible outcome.
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
- Time: Starting at 7:00 pm
- Format: Online Training
- Platform: Hosted on Microsoft Teams
- Host: Active Carlow
Click HERE to register
Active Carlow Unveils Custom Socks Designed by Community Winner
Active Carlow is absolutely thrilled to announce the winner of its recent competition to design a custom Active Carlow sock! The challenge was to illustrate what “being active in Carlow” means to the participants, and the incredibly talented winner is Maria, who attends the Cairdeas Centre.
On Tuesday Morning, the Active Carlow team had the pleasure of visiting Maria, her family, and everyone at the Cairdeas Centre to show them the finished product!
To bring Maria’s brilliant design to life, Active Carlow partnered with Thomp2 Socks. This company was a perfect fit for the project, as they have a fantastic backstory and share the organisation’s commitment to inclusion. Active Carlow is delighted to have partnered with Thomp2 Socks to bring this wonderful design to life.
Maria’s winning design is a vibrant symbol of community and activity in Carlow!
Great News! Our Strategic Plan is Now Easier to Read
We’re incredibly excited to share some big news about our Active Carlow Strategic Plan!
Here at Active Carlow, our main goal is to help everyone in our community get more active, regardless of their background, ability, or age. A big part of that is making sure our own plans and goals are easy to understand for everyone, too!
Why an Easy Read Version? 💡
Our Strategic Plan is essentially our roadmap for the next few years. It outlines all the actions we’re going to take to make sport and physical activity more accessible across Carlow.
We firmly believe that if the plan is about making things accessible, the plan itself must be accessible.
That’s why we worked hard to create an Easy Read version of the plan. This version uses:
- Simple, everyday words and shorter sentences.
- Clear, large text and lots of white space.
- Helpful pictures and symbols to make the ideas clearer.
This means that people with intellectual disabilities, people with lower literacy skills, or anyone who just prefers a clearer layout can now read and understand exactly what we plan to do!
A Big Thank You to the Leap Group! 🤝
We couldn’t have done this without the help of our amazing partners.
A huge shout-out and thank you to the learners from the Leap group at the Delta Centre. We had a brilliant time calling in to chat with them and get their feedback. They reviewed the draft and gave us fantastic ideas to make sure the Easy Read version was as clear and user-friendly as possible.
What’s Next? Get Reading! 👇
Now, it’s time to see the finished product!
We encourage everyone to download and read the Easy Read version of our Strategic Plan. Find out what actions we’re taking to bring more opportunities for sport and physical activity to every corner of Carlow.
Download the Active Carlow Easy Read Strategic Plan here.
We are committed to making Carlow a more active and inclusive place for all! 🎉
Spook-tacular Samhain Festival 2025 at The Exchange! 🎃
Spook-tacular Samhain Festival 2025 at The Exchange! 🎃
Active Carlow and Carlow County Council Community Section invite you to join them for two day’s of frightful fun as part Samhain Festival filled with films, dancing, and games! Join us at The Exchange, Potato Market, Carlow for a family-friendly celebration perfect for all little ghosts and goblins.
🎬 Samhain Festival Movie Nights
Get cozy at The Exchange’s spook-tacular cinema space for two special screenings of Halloween favourites! Popcorn and a juice box are included with every ticket.
Coco at The Exchange
Celebrate Samhain with Disney•Pixar’s Coco — a heart-warming tale of music, memory, and family. Bring your favourite blanket for this colourful, feel-good film!
Hocus Pocus at The Exchange
Join the mischievous Sanderson Sisters for a much-loved classic filled with magic, mayhem, and laughs. The perfect spooky fun for all ages!
Tickets (Pre-booking Essential)
- Family of 4: €15
- Per Person: €5
- What’s Included: Popcorn and a juice box. You’re welcome to bring your own sweets! 🍬
- Book Now: By clicking here.
👻 Halloween Disco & Games!
Join Active Carlow for two afternoons of music, laughter, and mischief! This FREE event is packed with fun for children aged 4 to 12.
What’s Happening?
- Live DJ and dancing
- Halloween-themed games and colouring
- Face painting
- Creepy decorations!
Details
- When: Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th October
- Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Who: Suitable for children aged 4 – 12, of all abilities
- Entry: FREE entry — no need to pre-book, just show up and join the fun!
- Costume Bonus: Come in costume for bonus points! ✨
Event Location and Contact
📍 Where: The Exchange, Potato Market, Carlow
📞 More Information:
Come along for a festival filled with spooky tunes, playful chills, and magical memories! We can’t wait to see you there! 🕸️🧛♂️
Step it Out at the Carlow Autumn Walking Festival 2025
Carlow Tourism has issued its annual call to walkers nationwide to step it out in the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East this October as the Carlow Autumn Walking Festival returns for its 2025 edition.
Running from Friday, October 3rd – Sunday October 5th, the festival promises a weekend of fresh air, adventure and discovery, across Carlow’s mountains, forests, rivers and villages.
The festival is a celebration of everything walking has to offer – from physical challenge to relaxation and from mindfulness to heritage. With over 15 walks on the programme, each graded A, B or C, there is something for everyone on the festival programme.
A and B Walks are led by experienced guides from Tullow Mountaineering Club and the Blackstairs Ramblers – these treks range from half-day to full-day adventures across the Blackstairs Mountains and beyond, perfect for those eager to test their stamina and enjoy panoramic views.
C Walks, organised in conjunction with Active Carlow are designed for beginners and those seeking a gentler pace. They offer a wonderful introduction to Carlow’s countryside, with plenty of time to take in nature and local stories.
Highlights of the 2025 programme include:
- The opening night hike at 6.30pm on Friday, 3rd October – a magical experience under starlit skies.
- A nature walk with Éanna Ní Lamhna, broadcaster and biologist, exploring the wildlife and habitats of the Blackstairs.
- The much-loved mindfulness meditation walk in Clogrennan Forest with wellness expert Mary Clare Harte, designed to re-connect mind and body through nature.
- This year sees a focus on the River Barrow, Ireland’s second-longest river, with three C walks, all relatively flat, giving participants the chance to experience and complete some of the most memorable stretches of the Barrow Way. These include St Mullins to Graiguenamanagh, Bagenalstown to Leighlinbridge and Maganey to Carlow Town.
Walkers will also enjoy trails through the Scullogue Gap, Tomduff Hill, Slievebawn, Black Rock Mountain, Kilbrannish Forest, Drummond, Knockmulgurry and more, each ending with light refreshments of soup, sandwiches, tea and coffee and a chance to share stories.
Launching the festival, Michael Walsh, Chairman of Carlow Tourism, said:
“The Carlow Autumn Walking Festival has always been about connection – with nature, with people, and with County Carlow which enjoys such a great range of walks. This year’s programme brings together challenging hikes, gentle C Walks, themed nature and history experiences, and opportunities for mindfulness. It’s the perfect way to embrace autumn before the clocks change and the evenings shorten.”
Full programme details, starting points, and booking options are available at www.carlowtourism.com/walkingfestival or by phoning 059-9130411. Special accommodation packages for the weekend can be found at www.carlowtourism.com/specialoffers
For further details please contact:
Eileen O’Rourke, Carlow Tourism
E: eorourke@carlowtourism.com
T: 087-23792132 | 059-9130411
W: www.carlowtourism.com
Age Friendly Sports Day 2025
Age Friendly Sports Day 2025
Age Friendly Carlow is excited to announce that it will be taking part in the Age Friendly Sports Day on Thursday, 25th September, at the National Indoor Arena, Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a fun, active, and social day out. Best of all, it’s a free event and a bus from Carlow will be provided.
- When: Thursday, 25th September
- Where: National Indoor Arena, Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown
- Cost: Free
- Bus: Provided from Carlow
There are 10–15 places available for Carlow participants, with a nationwide limit of 120. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The closing date to register is Monday, 15th September.
To register, please contact the Age Friendly Carlow Office:
- Phone: 087 214 5262
- Email: agefriendlycarlow@carlowcoco.ie
Carlow County Council launches landmark Local Sport & Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow and Local Sports Partnership Active Carlow Strategic Plan.
Carlow County Council launches landmark Local Sport & Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow and Local Sports Partnership Active Carlow Strategic Plan.
Carlow has marked a significant milestone in community development with the launch of the Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow 2025 - 2029 and the Local Sports Partnership Active Carlow Strategic Plan. The event, held on Wednesday 27th August in SETU Carlow South Sport Campus, brought together local and national leaders to celebrate a shared commitment to increasing participation in sport and physical activity across the county.
The Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow is one of four pilot initiatives nationally, developed as a direct action of the National Sports Policy. It represents a whole-of-council approach, formally adopted by Carlow County Council and shaped through extensive consultation with over 600 residents, young people, stakeholders, and community representatives. The plan sets out clear priorities including more low-cost and beginner-friendly opportunities, enhanced promotion of existing activities, and a strong emphasis on inclusivity for under-represented groups.
Launched alongside it, the Active Carlow Strategic Plan 2025–2029 is the first strategy under the Local Sports Partnership’s new identity, Active Carlow. Guided by the theme Moving Together, it details how the Partnership will deliver the actions of the county-wide plan in practical, measurable ways through programmes, partnerships, and community initiatives.
Speaking at the event, Leas Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Cllr Daniel Pender, said:
“This is a proud day for Carlow. The Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow represents a whole-of-council commitment to ensure that every person, regardless of age, ability, or background, can access opportunities to be active. Alongside it, the Active Carlow Strategic Plan provides the roadmap for delivery. Together, these two plans form a powerful framework for real change in our communities.”
Minister of State, Deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, welcomed the launch, noting Carlow’s role in shaping the national agenda:
“The Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan is more than a local initiative; it is part of a national effort to raise participation in sport to 60% by 2028. Carlow has shown leadership by listening to its community, aligning with national ambition, and ensuring that inclusivity and accessibility are at the heart of this work.”
Louise Burke, Director of Participation in Sport Ireland, highlighted the significance of Carlow’s leadership:
“Local Sports Plans are a key participation objective of the Government’s National Sports Policy. The launch of County Carlow’s Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan is a big milestone for the county and its communities. With the development of this plan, Carlow County Council and Active Carlow have set out a strong ambition for the future of the county and how best to improve the physical activity levels of Carlow residents. I want to congratulate all involved in this plan and look forward to seeing Carlow ‘Moving Together’ more in the future.”
Chief Executive of Carlow County Council, Coilín O’Reilly, emphasised the council’s leadership and collaboration:
“These plans reflect the voices of our community, supported by national leadership from Sport Ireland and delivered locally through strong partnerships. The rebrand to Active Carlow captures the energy and ambition of our Local Sports Partnership, and with the theme Moving Together, we are committed to building a healthier, more connected Carlow.”
The development of both plans was a collaborative effort, drawing on the expertise of S3 Solutions, input from Carlow County Council staff and management, and guidance from the Active Carlow Advisory Committee and Local Sports Partnership team. Together, this partnership has captured the vision, energy, and momentum of Active Carlow as it begins this new chapter.
Both plans are aligned with Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland, and the National Sports Policy, ensuring that Carlow is firmly positioned at the forefront of sport and physical activity development in Ireland.
You can read both documents here:
- Local Sport and Physical Activity Plan for County Carlow (CC2502-Local-Sports-Plan.pdf)
- Active Carlow Strategic Plan (CC2502-Active-Carlow-Strategic-Plan.pdf)
