Graignamanagh (pronounced Graig-na-Manna),is a picturesque town on the Carlow/Kilkenny border. Recently the locals voted to use the gaelic form of the word without the 'ue', which was an anglicised version of the name. Graignamanagh means "the Village or Valley of the Monks". The monks in question, Cistercian, arrived here in 1204 and built the longest Cistercian Church in Ireland - 212ft. An 18th century, seven-arched bridge, built by George Semple crosses the River Barrow with the splendid Brandon Hill as an imposing backdrop. White water rushes over a weir and the towpath is merry with wild flowers.

This is a popular boating centre and a base for the pleasure barges on the river Barrow. The river is navigable south to St. Mullins where it joins the tidal waters linking with the Nore River and Inistioge and leading to New Ross and the open sea. Northwards it links with the Grand Canal at Lowtown.  Graignamanagh is also a popular angling centre. Graignamanagh is one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. And if that sounds like a cliché then Graignamanagh could be the town that prompted the cliché. The place oozes history at every corner and 2004 was a particularly significant year being the 800th anniversary of the foundation of Duiske Abbey. Duiske is the heart of Graignamanagh and was in its day the largest and most grand of all the 24 cistercian monasteries in Ireland.The scenic location of Graignamanagh makes it an enchanting place for visitor and locals alike. The river Barrow flows right through town and is a great amenity for boating, swimming and fishing. The Blackstairs Mountains and Brandon Hill provide a majestic backdrop for the town and great stomping ground for the many hillwalkers that visit the region..