Mountain biking in Ireland is underrated globally. The country has a huge range of terrain — from dedicated trail centres to wild mountain ranges — and most of it sees far fewer riders than equivalent terrain in the UK or Europe. Clonmel, in Co. Tipperary, is where I'm from and where I ride. I think it's one of the best bases for mountain biking in Ireland. Here's why.

Mountain biking in Ireland — the overview

Ireland has a growing mountain biking scene. The biggest dedicated trail centres are Ballyhoura (on the Limerick/Cork border — one of the largest in Ireland), the Wicklow Mountains (accessible from Dublin), Ticknock (Dublin hills, close to the city), and various smaller centres around the country. The national parks — Killarney, Glenveagh — offer remote natural riding.

But the best mountain biking in Ireland isn't always at the trail centres. The natural mountain ranges — Kerry, Wicklow, the Tipperary/Waterford mountains — offer technical, remote, rewarding riding that no amount of sculpted singletrack can fully replicate. In the south of Ireland specifically, the area around Clonmel is some of the best.

Why Clonmel is the best MTB base in the south of Ireland

Four mountain ranges accessible within 45 minutes. That's the main argument for Clonmel. The Comeragh Mountains to the south offer the most dramatic terrain — deep glacial coums, rocky ridges, exposed mountain plateau. Slievenamon (719m) is 20 minutes away. The Knockmealdown Mountains are 40 minutes south-west. The Galtees — Ireland's highest inland range — are 45 minutes west. All of these from the same base.

Add to this the local Faobam trail network right on the edge of town, the 46km Suir Valley Greenway for flat distance riding, and a town with accommodation and bike repair facilities. Clonmel is a genuinely complete MTB destination that most Irish riders outside Tipperary haven't discovered yet.

Comeragh Mountains — the headline attraction

If you're visiting Clonmel specifically for mountain biking, the Comeraghs are the must-ride. The Kilcommon Loop is the most documented circuit (~20km, intermediate-to-experienced). The terrain is dramatic — coums, rocky descents, open mountain plateau with views across Tipperary and Waterford. Nothing in the Midlands or south-east of Ireland competes with the Comeraghs for genuine mountain riding quality.

What Clonmel has that trail centres don't

Trail centres are excellent for skill development — shaped berms, structured difficulty grades, consistent surfaces. But they're built environments. The Comeragh Mountains are not built environments. Navigating the Comeraghs develops different skills: route-finding, weather reading, terrain judgement. You're not following signposts — you're reading a mountain.

I'd encourage any rider who's comfortable at a trail centre to come to the Comeraghs and experience what natural mountain riding is like. The first time you descend off a Comeragh ridge with no berm telling you where to go, it's a different feeling to anything at a trail centre.

How to visit Clonmel for mountain biking from elsewhere in Ireland

From Dublin: M7/M8 to Cahir, N24 east to Clonmel. About 2 hours. Alternatively, the train on the Limerick Junction to Waterford line stops at Clonmel — check bike reservation requirements with Irish Rail.

From Cork: M8 north to Cahir, N24 east. About 1 hour 20 minutes. Or via Fermoy and Clogheen through the Knockmealdowns — a beautiful drive that passes through riding territory on the way.

From Limerick: N24 south-east through Tipperary town and Bansha. About 1 hour 10 minutes.

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