The name Carrick-on-Suir comes from the Irish translation of Carraig na Siuire which means the “Rock of the Suir. Carrick as a settlement may have been founded by the gaelic “Deisi” tribe who at one point ruled the whole of Waterford as well as south-east Tipperary. They fended off the Vikings and local raiders until about the late 12th century when the Normans arrived and ultimately shattered their power for ever.

Carrick was one of seven walled towns in County Tipperary developed by the Anglo Normans following their conquest of Ireland in the 12th century. In medieval times, Carrick was the largest town in the county with 36 acres of land enclosed by the town wall. Parts of the town wall are still to be seen in the Ormond Castle areas. 

The town was initially named Carraig MacGriffin after Matthew Fitzgriffin, Lord of the Tudor Manor.  Being both an historic walled town and home to one of the finest Elizabethan houses in Ireland, Carrick-on-Suir has a rich history dating back to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland in the 13th Century.  By the 15th Century Carrick-on-Suir was the most strategically important place on the River Suir after Waterford, and, with the river trade from Clonmel to Waterford, the town was a vital commercial hub for hundreds of years.

With a wealth of historic sites and influential historical figures, Carrick-on-Suir a must-visit town on the heritage trails of Ireland. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of the town, read HERE.