Tommy:
Have you ever gone to play Carlow while you were in that part of Ireland? I saw it when I was first there in 1983, but it was during a stretch of awful wet weather, and inland courses were mostly swamped. With Tom Simpson having been involved there, I suspect there was more to it than I can remember, but I haven't been back in that corner of the world since.
I have played it a few times many years ago. It is about ten miles from the monastery (Bolton Abbey, Trappist) I go to every year. As you know it was touted the best inland course in the country for years. It just might be a contender anyway and I have played a couple dozen inland courses. I have only played it in November. I like the rolling terrain and I think the greens themselves have good movement and the bunkers are well placed. he strength of the course is a good collection of par threes. The par fives are a bit short but it is a very good inland course. Mount Wolseley, a Christy O'Connor jr design, is nearby but is not as interesting as Carlow. The last time I was at TEC I met a couple Carlow members. They told me that in the summer the fairways are rock hard and the course plays like a links. In November the course is a tad slow but it sure is green. That said, it has generally been firmer than other area inland courses. The course drains well. The last hole is a fun par five that is reachable and oddly enough plays downhill to the clubhouse.
By the way a former abbot of Bolton Abbey had a Carlow membership and played a couple times a week. I will be there again this November. Maybe I'll have one of the monks drive me to the course and can get another look at the course.
The courses at the K Club, Carton House, Powerscourt, and Druid's Glen are more difficult but I don't think they are necessarily better.