The main town in the county is Carlow Town, which is home to 40% of the county's population. Although small by international standards, Carlow has been one of Ireland's fastest growing towns for some time, with a population of nearly 20,000 (including environs) according to the 2006 Census.
Tullow is in the northeast of the county. It continues to see development, with many new projects in the pipeline.
Bagenalstown is just off the N9, which connects Carlow to Waterford (although commonly referred to as the "Kilkenny Road", as the road branches off to serve Kilkenny). It's along the River Barrow.
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.
One of the newer landmarks is the Liberty Tree. The fountain was constructed in the late 1990s to commerate the victims of the 1798 Rebellion. Along the banks of the Barrow are the ruins Carlow Castle, which was built in the early 1200s. However, almost three-quarters of the castle was demolished in 1814 after an ill-fated attempt to destroy the interior.
Alongside the castle is Graiguecullen Bridge, a low five-arch structure which spans the width of the Barrow. A short distance away is the Croppies Grave, where the bodies of 640 United Irishmen who died in the 1798 Rebellion are buried. It's quite near the 12.8 acre Town Park, which is situated along the Barrow and also features a playground.
Just outside town you'll find Ducketts Grove, a Georgian mansion which the local council is in the process of redeveloping with a view to allowing visitors access to the building. It can currently be seen from the adjacent roadside. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1930, but what remains is still quite impressive.
Three kilometres east of Carlow town is Browneshill Dolmen. It's a portal tomb which is 5,000 years old. Its capstone is the largest in Europe, weighing over 100 tons. The Haroldstown Dolmen, which is regarded by some as one of the most attractive in Ireland, can be found along the Tullow to Hacketstown Road.