The underpass on Carlow's second inner relief road, with part of the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in the background.
Carlow town has undergone significant development over the past 10-15 years. New inner relief roads, housing estates, and shopping centres have dramatically changed the face of the town. In 1994, the first major shopping centre in Carlow opened, and this was followed in 2003 with the opening of the Fairgreen Shopping Centre . It's a short walk from one to the other, however when the latter establishment opened many people deserted the main shopping thoroughfare in the town, Tullow Street. While it seems that the number of shoppers on the street is growing, it's not quite as busy as it was in the 1990s.
The town is home to two third-level colleges - Carlow I.T., on the Kilkenny Road, and Carlow College (known locally as St. Patrick's College). The student population Carlow town is 3,000 strong, contributing to the growth in the number of student apartments, and the aforementioned nightlife.
Until 2005, the town was home to one of two factories in Ireland which produced sugar. Amid much controversy, the 80-year-old plant was closed, leaving only office staff with jobs. Since then, the land has been idle, however in November 2006, Greencore (the owners of the facility) announced plans to invest €1.1 billion, and turn the 333 acre site into a new commercial, residential, and community hub. Its set to create 2,000 jobs if completed, and will also feature a 35 acre riverside park, with a further 30 acres reserved for leisure and amenity purposes.
This project, known as Carlow Gateway, is in the mere planning stages, and is unlikely to be completed for several years if given the go ahead. However, it is a sign of the continuing development which has radically transformed the town in the past two decades, and is a welcome sign of confidence in an area which has seen more than its fair share of job losses in recent times.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about County Carlow
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in County Carlow - updated May 2024
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County Carlow Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
