The Short Answer

Yes, many visitors see much of Ireland in a seven-day tour. Some visitors even travel to all 32 counties of Ireland within seven days. However, most one-week tours focus on a maximum of three of Ireland’s five main regions.

• Dublin Region
• The Southwest
• The Southeast
• The West
• The North
• The Midlands

The Whirlwind Tour Answer

If you spend a lifetime in Ireland, as I have, you won’t be finished exploring this country, which is littered with historical sites and scenic places. So what if you’ve only got a week?

Funnily enough, people who visit Ireland in a week often see more attractions than people who live here all their lifetime. This is probably because one-week tours are focussed on visiting the most popular tourist attractions, and taking in the most scenic locations.

If you intend to spend one week in Ireland, here is an  itinerary that I recommend. If you hire a car, this route is well signposted — but take a map just in case!

Self Drive Tour 1 – 6 Nights – Type: Scenery, Castles, Dining, Medieval

Starting point: Dublin Airport

Regions: The Southeast, The Southwest & The West

Day 1: Drive from Dublin Airport to Kilkenny City. Visit St. Canice’s Cathedral and Kilkenny Castle. Dinner and stay in Kilkenny.

Day 2: Drive from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel. Lunch in Cashel. Drive from Cashel to Dungarvan. Dinner and stay in Dungarvan.

Day 3: Drive from Dungarvan to Kinsale for lunch. Drive from Kinsale to Killarney. Dinner and stay in Killarney.

Day 4: Explore Killarney National Park. Lunch en route or in Killarney. Drive from Killarney to Dingle. Dinner and stay in Dingle.

Day 5: Drive from Dingle to Cliffs of Moher (via Tarbert ferry). Lunch en route. Drive from Cliffs of Moher to Lisdoonvarna. Dinner and stay at Lisdoonvarna.

Day 6: Drive from Lisdoonvarna through the Burren to Dublin airport for return flight.

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The centre of County Dublin includes the city of the same name, along with the surrounding area, formerly known as the Pale.

Here, grand country mansions can be found alongside gardens filled with both native and exotic plants and sites of paramount importance to both ancient and Celtic and modern Irish history. Despite being one of the smallest Irish counties in area, it is one of the country’s biggest population centers. Dublin attracts large volumes of visitors every year and is a focal point for those travelling to Ireland.

The Dublin City of today is in the process of continual transformation, absorbing a bit of the trendy allure of other popular European cities. Shops, bars and outdoor cafes thrive, with recent Temple Bar redevelopment projects responsible for a great deal of the economic and cultural resurgence.

The City of Dublin is also a genealogical information centre  containing several fine facilities where natives and visitors can access collections of centrally located information about families and family history. Public records can be searched in Dublin at the National Library, Office of the Registrar General, The Public Record Office and Registry of Deeds, and at the National Archives, located on Bishop Street in the city.

The past exists alongside the present in Dublin, in historic buildings and monuments that stand amid the modern bustle of a changing economic and social landscape. A visit to the campus of Trinity College or a stroll along O’Connell Street provide proof enough that this city has long been the site of events that have changed Ireland forever.

Highlights of County Dublin

County Dublin contains sights, sounds and experiences for every taste. In the north of the county, Ireland’s rich heritage can be experienced within two miles of the airport at Swords Castle.

Three miles east of the airport, on the coast, lies the pretty seaside village of Malahide. Here you will find Malahide Castle, one of Ireland’s finest, which boasts a magnificent grounds and Irish arts and crafts shopping.

Staying in the north of the county, Ardgillan Castle is famous for its medieval spectre — the ghost of the lady’s stairs.

On the outskirts of Dublin City, Glasnevin Cemetery and the National Botanic Gardens provide quieter and more contemplative atmospheres. The port city of Dalkey offers picturesque scenery, the Martello Tower, and a beautiful beach to stroll at Sandymount Strand.

In the city centre, there is much to explore, beginning with the historic buildings at Trinity College, where the Book of Kells sits on display at the Old Library.

Passing from the medieval world into the more modern, is a recognized Irish institution in nearby Grafton Street, a shopper’s paradise. St. Stephen’s Green offers a relaxing outdoor atmosphere for strolling or lounging in the centre of the city.

Not far away, many of Ireland’s national treasures are concentrated in the National Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Ireland, and National Museum of Archaeology and History. They are housed in convenient groups according to visitor interest.

The Guinness Storehouse provides an entertaining and enlightening experience for visitors who wish to learn about the most famous brewing company in the world; it offers tasty samples to those so inclined.

Pubs, restaurants and a variety of music, performances and nightlife can be enjoyed all around the city, but are particularly concentrated in the Temple Bar district, known also for its vibrant culture, creative art and design spaces.

O’Connell Street and the famous O’Connell Bridge lead to even more buildings of great historical significance, including the GPO and Customs House. Nearby is the Dublin Writer’s Museum, which houses first edition works of James Joyce, Jonathan Swift and other famous Irish scribes, as well as a variety of manuscripts and personal items.

The fine Georgian architecture of Dublin City is exemplified by James Gandon’s Four Courts building. Medieval and ancient influences can be seen at Dvblinia, an experiential attraction that transports visitors back in time, as well as at the ancient crypt located in the lower level of Christ Church Cathedral.

The eerie emptiness of Kilmainham Gaol marks the execution spot of principal organizers of the Easter Rising, while the Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle contains an award winning museum featuring exhibited materials from the four corners of the earth.

Finally, Dublin Zoo, one of the world’s oldest, provides education and enjoyment for people of all ages, origins and interests. Phoenix Park, where the zoo is located, provides room for a variety of outdoor sporting activities, as well as acres of land filled with monuments and important historical residences.

History of County Dublin

Recorded history in the region of Dublin might possibly extend back to the first century A.D. if, in fact, disputed references to the city in the writings of Ptolemy have been interpreted correctly.

It is undisputed that the ancient port city was occupied by the Vikings for nearly 300 years, as well as the Celts, who called it “Dyflinn” or Dublin. They settled near the black pool, as the name is translated from the Gaelic, where the River Liffey intersects with the River Poddle near Dublin Castle, while the original Celtic town was located a bit further upriver.

Perched on the eastern coastline nearest to mainland Europe, the Dublin area was historically prone to invasion from a variety of sources. When the Normans conquered the province of Leinster in the 12th century, ruling authority was transferred from Tara – Home of the Irish High Kings, to Dublin, where the English ruled the city and the area within the surrounding Pale. These events represent the actual beginning of the conquest of Ireland by the British, and the time when the seeds of the Troubles of the last century were sown.

Dublin celebrated its millennial anniversary in 1988. Visitors from other countries, especially the Americas, marvel at this fact – they are accustomed to cities and towns that where a centennial or bicentennial is considered a huge celebration.

Popular Dublin Surnames

Surnames that are common to County Dublin include:

• Dunne
• Behan
• Moore
• O’Toole
• Plunkett
• O’Casey,
• Hennessey
• Byrne

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The most richly decorated medieval manuscript on the planet, The Book of Kells remains one of Ireland’s most popular attractions.

Housed at Trinity College in Dublin, people willingly stand in long queues  just to glimpse a portion of this masterpiece from the early medieval Celtic world.

The Book of Kells is named for the town where it was discovered in County Meath, northeast of Dublin.

It was here that Saint Columba established a monastery sometime during the sixth century. Three hundred or so years later, a group of monks arrived from Iona, in Scotland, seeking a safe place to reside after being routed by the Danes.

They remained at the monastery at Kells, where they are said to have completed the illustrated and illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels in Latin. It was discovered, strategically hidden for safe keeping in an local bog and removed to Trinity College during the 17th century.

The Book of Kells – Why it Compels

• The manuscript of the Book of Kells is filled with intricately detailed medieval art.
• The text is written in flowing Celtic script filled with skilled calligraphy and embellished with human and animal characters.
• The drawings are rich in symbolism, which scholars have spent years interpreting.
• Portraits of each of the evangelists precede their gospels.
• Analysis of the dyes used to add colour to these impressive works of art has determined that they came from as far away as the Middle East.
• The Book of Kells can be found at the Old Library at Trinity College in Dublin, where visitors can examine the original pages, on display in groups of just a few at a time.

Even Better Than The Real Thing

If you don’t want to queue, or want see more than the couple of pages on display at Trinity, considering travelling to the original find site at to Kells, co. Meath.

A copy of the entire manuscript is kept here, in St Columba’s Church, which is open to the public on a daily basis.

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The Short Answer

For some, Ireland is the most beautiful country in the world, regardless of its weather. Most return visitors to Ireland say that the friendliness of the Irish people is what made their experience great.

The Forty Shades of Green Answer

There is no doubt that Ireland has beautiful, soul-lifting, scenery. But this scenery comes at a price — rain, lots of it, keeps the country greener than anywhere on the planet.

You won’t definitely see rain on your vacation — Ireland has many fine summer days. But it helps to think of Irish sunshine as a bonus, not the default.

Irish Scenery

With your raincoat packed then, you will be inspired by the amazing scenery of locations such as:

• The Cliffs of Moher
• The Giant’s Causeway
• The Dingle Peninsula
• The Mourne Mountains
• The Burren
• Connemara
• The Aran Islands
• Achill Island
• Glenveagh National Park

… to name but a few of Ireland’s scenic places.

The scenery of Ireland is calm and relaxing -- and so is the pace of life, particularly in rural areas where you find the most impressive landscapes.

If you’re not sure what Ireland looks like, think of movies like Braveheart and Lord of the Rings, which were partly filmed in, or inspired by, Irish scenery.

History and Heritage

Inhabited since the stone age, Ireland has a genuinely rich heritage, and much evidence of the past still remains.

• The country has many ancient megalithic sites, many of which are older than Stonehenge or the pyramids, with mysterious inscriptions and symbols
• Ireland also has a rich Celtic history, and examples of this include art and manuscripts, such as the famous Book of Kells
• Around a thousand castles are dotted around the island, many of them in ruins, but some like Bunratty Castle, are preserved in their medieval splendour

Irish Hospitality

• Irish people are famous for how welcoming they are – Open and engaging , no wonder Ireland has traditionally been known as “the land of a thousand welcomes”
• You will find Irish people helpful if you need tips or assistance, or even if you want to strike up conversation while in a pub (do it! Irish people love to talk to visitors

Nightlife

Irish people like to socialise. In Dublin, and in most other major towns and cities, you will find busy venues on any night of the week, not just week.

Irish Pubs

• Ireland has become known worldwide for the “Irish pub”, but the Irish pub is not just a dispenser of alcohol in Ireland.
• Traditionally, the public house has played an important role at the centre of community life, where individuals would gather, particularly at weekends, to catch up and exchange stories, listen to live music, maybe even dance, and generally enjoy themselves.
• Irish pubs are not as prominent in Irish community life as they once were, but you will still find a huge number of them, and a great variety of them across the country, in every city, town and village.

Things to Do

• Ireland has modernised a lot during the last few decades and, particularly in its major cities like Dublin, has a bright, young, increasingly multicultural population
• In urban areas in particular, you will find no shortage of good restaurants, shopping, cinemas, theatres and other venues

Festivals

• During the spring and summer months, there are thousands of festivals held throughout the country
• Each village  competes with the next to showcase its offerings and attract both locals and tourists
• In the larger towns and cities, specialist events such as food festivals or literary festivals are held

So if don’t like soul-soothing scenery, friendly people who make you feel at home, good night-life  great pubs, free live traditional music, and non-stop summer festivals (and I didn’t even mention the castles!) … then you probably won’t like Ireland.

But if the chance of wind and rain and wind will spoil your holiday, try Hawaii … that reminds me: you can surf in Ireland too!

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County Derry Overview

The County of Derry takes its name from its largest city, steeped in centuries of tumultuous history.

Sometimes called Londonderry, depending on the political point of view, this county in the north offers both the beauties of nature in its scenic coastal areas and the Sperrin Mountains as well as a multitude of historical sites dating back to the foundation of Derry City in 546 and beyond.

County Derry Highlights

Many of County Derry’s historical attractions are located within bounds of Derry City, but outlying areas are rich in outdoor attractions — such as forests, nature reserves and beautiful beaches.

The City Walls of Derry are remarkably well preserved, considering that they date back to 1618, marking the boundaries of the city at that point in its long history. St. Columb’s Cathedral showcases relics of the Siege within a 1633 Gothic Church.

A variety of museums, including the Harbour Museum, Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, Tower Museum and Workhouse Museum, chronicle the long and eventful past of the region. Derry sits upon ground that has been occupied for so many centuries that it is literally overflowing with evidence of the lifestyles, struggles and triumphs of its past citizenry.

Recent history can be revisited at Free Derry Corner and by inspecting the Bogside Murals, expressions of the period known as the Troubles during the century just past.

County Derry History

• County Derry, as described by its current boundaries, had its beginnings in 1613.
• The county was arranged to the advantage of the Irish Society and the influential livery companies of London, who wanted the boundaries to encompass land on both sides of Rivers Foyle and Bann.
• In those days, Coleraine was the county town, and also the former name of the county itself.
• The city of Derry has a very long history, dating back to the 6th century A.D., when the Celts named it Daire, a word that translates into ‘oak grove’.
• Druids occupied this sacred oak grove until St. Columba established a monastery on the site in the 6th century.
• During following centuries Derry City survived through Viking invasions and the arrival of the English to legally be declared a city in 1603.
• It was destroyed in 1608 in battle following the Flight of the Earls and rebuilt during the Plantation period instituted by King James I to colonise Ulster with Protestant settlers.
• The indelible imprint of the Siege of Derry in 1688 is still visible upon the city’s character today.
• Citizens behind the city walls held off the soldiers of King James for 105 days.

Popular Derry Surnames

Common surnames in County Derry include:

• Gallagher
• Kelly
• Coyle
• Bradley
• McLaughlin
• Doherty
• Kane
• Campbell

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• County Antrim is located on the northeast coast of Ireland, separated from Scotland by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
• Of the 32 counties that comprise the Emerald Isle, Antrim ranks ninth in size and second (to County Dublin) in population
• The County Antrim landscape varies
  • from the surreal basaltic cliffs of the northern coastal regions near the Giant’s Causeway
  • to the lush and fertile lands of the Bann and Lagan River valleys and Loughs Belfast and Neagh

Antrim Highlights

• In Belfast City, the Botanic Gardens contain indoor and outdoor areas that showcase all sorts of plant life.
• Queen’s University campus features historical architecture, artistic and cultural exhibits and libraries
• The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast, well preserved in a charming, late 19th century style, serves food and drink to residents and tourists alike in the authentic atmosphere of an old-fashioned pub.
• Outside Belfast City, a visit to the village of Bushmills provides the chance to see and sample the famous Irish whiskey as it is being made.
• Ballycastle offers charming seaside accommodations in close proximity to the Rope Bridge of Carrick-a-Rede
• The village also proudly hosts On Lannas Fari in the month of August
• County Antrim is also home to Ireland’s most popular attraction — the Giant’s Causeway, a magical series of seaside columns steeped in legend and mystery

History of Antrim

• The first inhabitants of County Antrim were probably Celtic, but settlers from Denmark and Scotland soon joined them.
• It is widely believed that the Hill of Slemish in County Antrim was the place where St. Patrick spent seven years of his youth as a slave before he escaped and returned to England
• Some sites in Antrim became famous during the turbulent period of Irish history referred to as the Troubles — most notably, the Belfast Wall Murals
  • The murals are poignant expressions of the hopes, dreams and emotions of the Protestant and Catholic residents of Antrim County
  • They focus on topics from historic images from the Book of Kells (housed in Trinity College) to memorials dedicated to heroes and freedom fighters of both Irish and non-Irish descent

Popular Surnames from Antrim

Popular surnames associated with County Antrim include:

• Brown
• Burns
• Campbell
• Craig
• Lynch
• Kerr
• Moore
• Mac Gee
• Mac Dougal
• Riordan
• O’Hara
• Scott
• Wilson

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The area of the original monastery is now known as the Diamond, located at the centre of the city. All main Derry streets radiate outward from the Diamond, and extend to the banks of the River Foyle.

Second in size in Northern Ireland only to the city of Belfast, Derry was widely publicized in the late twentieth century for violence occurring there in connection with the Irish Troubles.

History

• The medieval town of Doire that grew up on the site of St. Columba’s monastery, had come under the control of the English towards the end of the 16th century.
• In 1608, a Gaelic chieftan named Cahir O’Doherty, who had given allegiance to the crown, staged an uprising in which he sacked and burned Doire, now Anglicized to Derry.
• In 1613, Derry became one of the first towns constructed as part of the Plantation of Ulster, and was the first planned city in Ireland.
• The aim of this Plantation of Ulster was to populate this northern region of Ireland with English and Scottish Protestant settlers who were loyal to the British crown.
• The financial backing for the reconstruction of the city, along with its walls, came from the  Twelve Companies of the Corporation of London — livery companies who had a strategic and economic interest in the port town.
• The London influence became so pervasive that the city’s name was changed by Royal Charter to Londonderry.

Stroke City

Today the city’s name is a point of contention.

• For nationalists, the London- prefix has colonial or triumphal connotations, associated with years of discrimination for Catholics
• For unionists, shortening the city (or county) name simply to ‘Derry’ is another example of how they are having their history stripped away
• Legally, the name of the city remains Londonderry – but the majority of people who live here call it Derry
• Most of the citizenry are Nationalist /Catholic, but the Derry name is more convenient for many Unionists / Protestants too
• For example, the city’s most staunchly Protestant group are called the Apprentice Boys of Derry
• The name “Derry / Londonderry”  is often used as a politically correct moniker — though it hardly rolls of the tongue. (Try saying it: Derry-stroke-Londonderry)
• For this reason, Derry has been nicknamed “Stroke City”

The Maiden City

Derry’s other nickname, “the Maiden City” stems from the historical fact that the city’s fortification walls have never been breached in battle.

They are more than 30 feet thick in places, and their impenetrable nature is mainly responsible for the nickname. The walls are still standing in good condition, although the city has grown far past these original boundaries. The walls of Derry are ranked among the most well preserved in Europe. Read more.

The Siege of Derry 1698

The toughest test of the walls of Derry was probably the Siege of 1688-89, when a group of young apprentices slammed the city’s gate in the face of King James II and resisted takeover by the Catholic King. The citizens of Derry held fast for 105 days, many of them starving or reduced to eating dogs and cats.

Their survival was instrumental in the establishment of King William II, the Protestant King, on England’s throne.

The US Connection

Many citizens of Derry emigrated to America in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the city developed a strong connection to Boston, where a large portion of the immigrants settled.

In 1932, Amelia Earhart landed in Derry upon completion of her flight across the Atlantic. It is said that the first Derry resident to greet her displayed the traditional local common sense attitude, saying, “Aye, and what do you want, then?”

Bloody Sunday

A more recent event in the history of Derry that left an impression on the country and the world at large was Bloody Sunday, January 20, 1972, when British soldiers fired upon a group of unarmed protesters, killing 14.

Visitors to Derry will see this day memorialised in a variety of ways around the city.

The public inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday were held between 2000 and 2010, with much of the proceedings taking place at the Guildhall in the centre of Derry city. On publication of the findings, on 15 June 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron formally apologised on behalf of the British State

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On the southwestern portion of Ireland, County Kerry is home to some of the most widely recognized locations in Ireland.

Killarney, the Dingle Peninsula, and the County Town of Tralee make “The Kingdom” well known all around the world.

The geography of County Kerry includes mountain and sea, with peaks that number among the highest in the country. Mount Brandon and Mount Carrauntoohill grace the coastal peninsulas. Rainfall is abundant here, and the proximity of the Gulf Stream just off the Kerry coast adds warm water temperatures to the mix, making Kerry the perfect environment for a wide variety of greenery and exotic plant life.

Highlights of County Kerry

• The Ring of Kerry is the premier path of visitors who want to experience a comprehensive collection of the best examples of Ireland’s culture and scenery, and meet and interact with local residents.
• Beginning at the Village of Cahirciveen, the birthplace of the “Liberator” Daniel O’Connell, the Dingle Peninsula contains some of the most breathtaking and unusual coastal scenery on the entire island, in fact, in the entire world. You will hear the rhythm of the Gaelic language here, in an area where it is spoken freely and studied in schools throughout this Gaeltacht region.
• A trip to the Blasket Islands is a visit into Ireland’s past, where life was difficult and primitive. Some of the country’s great literary classics emerged from the hardship and isolation of this beautiful place.
• The “Jewel of Killarney” shines brightly at Muckross Estate and Traditional Farms, where the manor museum holds relics of the traditional past in furniture, art and design.
• Its working farms keep the agricultural past of the region alive, with a dairy, blacksmith shop, cloth weaving and live animals. The attractive gardens blend into the natural woodlands at the edge of Killarney National Park.
• The complete history of County Kerry, The Kingdom, can be vividly experienced at the heritage centre of the same name in the Kerry County Museum at Tralee.
• A variety of exhibits, presented with the use of a variety of interpretative methods accurately represent events and people of the region reaching nearly 8,000 years into the past.

History of County Kerry

On the Dingle Peninsula itself, evidence of human inhabitants extends back in time nearly 6,000 years to the Mesolithic period. The peninsula is dotted with interesting archeological finds from this period, as well as the Stone and Bronze Ages, on into Viking and Medieval Times.

Located in the western part of Munster Province, County Kerry once belonged to County Desmond, ruled by the family of the same name. It was called “the Kingdom”, or Kingdom of Ciar, who was the forefather of the clan O’Connor. This is just one written explanation – there are several schools of thought as to where the name originated.

Modern history began with Henry II taking over rule from the clans of the region, and continues on through centuries marked by the valiant but failed rebellions of the locals against the English. The Penal Laws were strictly enforced here, persecuting those of the Catholic faith-preventing them from owning land, running for public office, and practicing their religion.

A well-known event in the local history of County Kerry was The Dingle Massacre. It took place in June of 1793, when a crowd of locals assembled to ascertain the future of the ongoing policy of the tithe–10% tariff. Rumors had been circulated that the policy was on the verge of being abolished. The gathering was deemed illegal and British soldiers stationed at a nearby post fired upon the crowd, killing fourteen local residents and wounding many more.

The eventful centuries that followed in County Kerry history were filled with struggle and persecution, and also by encouraging milestones such as the Catholic Emancipation, engineered in large part by County Kerry’s own Daniel O’ Connell, known as “The Liberator”. The Famine impacted the region severely in the 1850s. The rural nature of County Kerry made it a prime location for many of the fierce guerrilla battles fought during the Irish Civil War.

Kerry Surnames

Common surnames in County Kerry include:

• O’Sullivan
• Galvin
• Fitzgerald
• McCarthy
• Connor
• Moriarty
• O’Donoghue

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The Ring of Kerry is a hugely popular road route through the southwest of Ireland that encompasses some of Ireland’s best scenery and heritage.

Beginning in the town of Killarney, the Ring of Kerry comprises three roads — the N70,  the N71, and the R562 — that together form a circuitous route through the Iveragh Peninsula.

Visitor Attractions

Worth travelling simply for its stunning views, the Ring of Kerry also offers many visitor attractions, including:

• Kenmare
• Waterville
• Lough Leane
• The Gap of Dunloe
• Caherciveen
• Derrynane House
• The Skelligs
• Staigue Stone Fort
• Moll’s Gap
• Ladies View in Killarney National Park
• Torc Waterfall
• Muckross House
• The Blue Pool
• Ross Castle
• Caherdaniel Ogham Stone
• St Mary’s Cathedral
• Muckross Abbey
• Franciscan Friary
• Kellegy Church
• O’Connell Memorial Church
• Sneem Church and Cemetery
• Beehive Cell
• The Stone Pillars
• Bog Village
• Rossbeigh Beach

Visitors Tips

There are two things to keep in mind about the Ring of Kerry

1. It is so popular with tourists, that the roads often become extremely busy. You may find yourself stuck behind one or more tour buses, especially during summer months.
2. The traditional route (176 kilometres / 110 miles) requires time to explore, especially if you intend stopping off at all the major sites.One day may not be enough.

For a less touristy experience, the best time to explore the Ring of Kerry is during off-peak months, when the weather is still okay, for example, early spring or late autumn.
Also, travel the route in a clockwise direction — that way you will be travelling in an opposite direction to the tour coaches.

Alternatively, in summer, you could try to avoid the coaches by setting out early e.g. 7am, or late, e.g. 3pm. During summer, Ireland’s daylight lasts from 5am through to 8pm.

The Coach Tour Route

Between May and August, 30 or more coaches a day tour the Ring of Kerry. All follow the same anti-clockwise route:

Starting from Killarney, the coaches pass through Killorglin and Glenbeigh and Caherciveen, before their passengers disembark at Waterville for lunch.

After lunch, the coach departs Waterville and travels along the ‘top half’ of the Ring of Kerry, through Cahedaniel and Sneem, via Moll’s Gap and Ladies View in Killarney National Park, before arriving back at Killarney.

The Short Ring of Kerry

For this reason, some travellers opt for alternative, shorter and less congested routes through the Iveragh Peninsula.

There is no official route known as the ‘Short Ring of Kerry’, but the idea is to travel anti-clockwise starting from Killarney and then, at whatever point you choose — using a map of course! –

circumvent the larger ring to meet up with the return leg. There are several different back roads that will allow this, and all of them offer stunning scenery around the Gap of Dunloe and the Iveragh Peninsula.

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The colourful town of Killarney (population: 9,000) in County Kerry is synonymous in Ireland with tourism.

For those who want Irish-themed shopping, Irish music nights and Irish souvenirs, Killarney is the place to go.

For others, Killarney is a “Celtic themepark” —  too commercialised lacking authenticity. They would prefer to go to further afield, perhaps to the remote hills of Donegal, or to the Gaelic-speaking community of Clare Island, to find the “true” Irish experience.

Whatever your opinion of Killarney, there is no doubt that it is the main town in the centre of a region that has truly stunning scenery. From the stunning Dingle peninsula to the mountain of Corran Tuathail, the rural Southwest of Ireland still offers — despite the country’s recent modernisation — some of the most beautiful, unspoilt and natural environments.

History of Killarney

• Killarney (from the Gaelic Cill Airne meaning The Church of Sloes) has been inhabited since the stone age
• The region known as Aghadoe, on the outskirts of the current town, was long a pre-Christian religious site
• Ogham stones (stones with Celtic markings) remain at Agahdeoe, which are dated to the 7th century
• Around the same time, a monastery was established in the region, historically attributed to St. Finian
• In the 15th century, the O’Donoghue clan erected Ross Castle, which still stands today (read more)
• In 1448, Donal McCarthy Mor built an abbey for the Observantine Franciscans
• The abbey was destroyed during the Cromwellian invasion in 1654 and remains as a ruin today
• In the 1750s, local aristocrat Viscount Kenmare began to developed the town as a tourist centre, erecting major roads
• Notable 19th century visitors include Percy Bysshe Shelley and Queen Victoria

Accommodation in Killarney

As Killarney is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations, hotel accommodation in Killarney is often expensive, especially at peak times of the year. You should shop around online and book well in advance to get the best deal.

Alternatively, you should consider bed and breakfast acccommodation, which is a great — and more affordable — way to experience life close up in Ireland.

Most of Killarney’s family run B&Bs do not have websites.

However, the website BandBIreland.com has a full selection of B&Bs in Killarney.

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Ballyferriter is a coastal village in the Irish (Gaelic)-speaking region, or Gaeltacht, of the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry.

Situated in the westernmost edge of the peninsula, three quarters of this rural community still speaks Irish on a day-to-day basis.

Nearby is a beautiful sandy beach, the Beál Bán strand, overlooked by Mount Brandon, on which an annual horse race is held in June.

The village takes its name from the Feiritéar family, a Norman-Irish family who settled in the region in the middle ages and controlled much of the region, including the Blasket Islands. Ballyferriter literally means Feiritéar town.

The name is also associated with the Irish poet and warrior Pierce Ferriter, who was the last of the Norman lineage, and the last Gaelic chieftan to hold out against Cromwell’s forces.

His homestead, Ferriter’s Castle, now a ruin, is nearby.

Ballyferriter’s Irish Language Schools

During the summer, Ballyferriter’s population swells as students from across Ireland flock to its schools to learn the Irish language.

While learning the indigenous language is mandatory for all citizens in Ireland, Gaelic is not widely spoken outside of Gaeltacht areas.

Spending a summer in a Gaeltacht school, such as those at Ballyferriter, is now an Irish tradition, one that often follows from one sibling to the next, or even from parent to child.

Parents are happy that children are getting immersive language learning, and will hope their children will reap the rewards with improved exam results in subsequent terms. For children, their is a sense of adventure in spending the summer away from home at a Gaeltacht School such as those at Ballyferriter.

Ballyferriter does not only offer summer schools — study is offered year-round for university level students. Adults also come to Ballyferriter to learn Irish.

Irish Music School and Festival

Every year in February, Ballyferriter hosts an annual traditional Irish music school and festival, the Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh.

Places to Visit Near Ballyferriter

There are many interesting things to see within a short distance of the village, including

• Ferriter’s Cove
• Ferriter’s Castle
• Gallarus Oratory
• The Blasket Islands

The post Ballyferriter appeared first on Choose Ireland.

The Gallarus Oratory in the Dingle Peninsula is an early medieval stone church in the shape of an upturned boat.

Overlooking Smerwick Harbour, also known as Ard na Caithne, and about two miles from the village of Ballyferriter, the Oratory is the best example of an unusual architectural style that was once common in this region of County Kerry.

The Gaelic name for the Oratory is Séipéilín Ghallarais, meaning “The Church of the Place of the Outsiders” — outsiders being people who were not from the Dingle region.

History

The oratory had long been dated to the 6th century to the 9th century. But more recently, archaeologists have argued that the 12th century is a more likely date, due to the design of east window.

The oratory would have been a place of Christian worship for local farmers.

Architecture

Along with its unusual shape, what’s impressive about the Gallarus Oratory is that it appears to have built without any form of cement — just stones packed tightly together.

Traces of mortar have been uncovered, however, suggesting that the interior may have been plastered.

The entrance doorway is 5 feet 5 inches high, which suggests that Irish people were shorter in early medieval times than they are today!

The oratory remains firmly intact today, despite the hundreds of years of strong winds from the Altantic, and its unusual V-shaped structure remains.

Visitor Tip – The Visitor Centre is Not Mandatory

As you travel along the road leading to the Oratory (the R559), you will see a sign for the Gallarus Oratory Visitor Center pointing left up a driveway. Here, where you will pay a small fee both for parking and to watch a 15-minute video about the Oratory. There is also a gift shop. From here, you will cross a private field to view the Oratory.

Many visitors enjoy the video and want to buy gifts.

However, you are obliged to stop at this private car park / visitor centre — the Gallarus Oratory is 100% FREE to visit.

How to Visit Gallarus Oratory For Free

• If you prefer not to pay a fee, simply continue past the sign for the Visitors Centre
• Look for the next sign, which says ‘Gallarus Oratory Public right of way’  — this laneway leads directly to the Gallarus oratory
• There is a small free car park beside the oratory

The post Gallarus Oratory appeared first on Choose Ireland.

• Sounds fantastic? There’s a snag — the overwhelming majority of Ireland’s castles lie in ruins.
• Castle ruins have their own, abandoned, ivy-covered charm, and some ruins are tremendously more impressive than others.
• Nevertheless, if you’re visiting Ireland, you’ll probably want to see at least one beautiful castle. Maybe even a castle you can walk into, that has intact bedrooms and royal furniture.
• Heck, you may even want to stay in a castle.

No problem. We’ve compiled this list of 10 must-see castles in Ireland to make sure you aren’t disappointed.

1. Bunratty Castle, County Clare

If you want to experience medieval Irish aristocratic live and feast like a king or queen, Bunratty Castle, famed for its banquets, is worth a visit.

Interior: fully restored, accommodation available.

2. Malahide Castle, County Dublin

This beautiful and fully restored castle, just half an hour by train from Dublin’s city centre, has an adjoining park and cafe/shop that locals adore. Situated in the lovely seaside town of Malahide, it makes for a great afternoon trip.

Interior: fully restored (not for accommodation), guided tours.

3. The Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary

This ancient fortress was where the warrior Brian Boru was crowned High King of Ireland in 1002.

Interior: ruin

4. Blarney Castle, County Cork

By gorrah, if you come to Ireland, you have to kiss the Blarney Stone! While the “Stone of Eloquence” is what makes Blarney famous, it is also one of Ireland’s prettiest castles.

Interior: ruin

5. Ross Castle, County Kerry

If you’re looking for a picture-perfect Irish castle, Ross Castle, by the lake at Killarney, is one that has been drawing tourist snaps for over a hundred years.

Interior: ruin

6. Parkes Castle, County Leitrim

Set on the shores of beautiful Lough Gill near Sligo town, this hidden gen is worth a visit, or even a stay.

Interior: fully restored, accommodation, guided tours.

7. Kilkenny Castle, County Kilkenny

One of Ireland’s largest castles, many rooms are open to the public.

Interior: fully restored (not for accommodation), guided tours

8. Donegal Castle, County Donegal

Set on a picturesque part of the River Esque, this impressive-looking castle is unlike most others found in Ireland.

Interior: ruin

9. Dublin Castle, County Dublin

Located in the heart of Dublin city, this historic castle was the centre of British power in Ireland for many centuries. Today it houses a fantastic museum, the Chester Beatty Library.

Interior: fully restored (not for accommodation), guided tours available.

10. Birr Castle, County Offaly

Described as “One of the seven wonders of Ireland,” Birr Castle doubles as a science centre and observatory.

Interior: fully restored (not for accommodation), guided tours available

The post What are the Best Castles to See in Ireland? appeared first on Choose Ireland.

We’ve picked 10 of the best events in Ireland in June for you to consider.

Irish Coffee Festival, Foynes

This festival in Foynes, County Limerick (where Irish coffee was invented) features free family entertainment, such as fireworks, a pet farm, bands, a carnival, and a children’s forest party.

Start Date: May 31st 2013

End Date: June 2nd 2013

Location: Foynes, Co. Limerick

Listowel Writers’ Week

Top Irish and international writers gather and meet with audiences at varied and imaginative events for this annual literary festival in county Kerry, one of Ireland’s beauty spots.

Start Date: May 29th 2013

End Date: June 2nd 2013

Location: Listowel, County Kerry

Féile Dún Garbháin – The Dungarvan Trad Fest 2013

This traditional Irish music and dance festival, in the picturesque town of Dungarvan, will feature sessions (live ‘jamming’ music performances) and ceilis (Irish dance events).

Start Date: May 30th 2013

End Date: June 3rd 2013

Location: Dungarvan, County Waterford

‘Taste of Dublin’ Food Festival

This three-day culinary event offers food sampling from Ireland’s top restaurants in the beautiful setting of Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens. Features exhibits from over a hundred Irish gourmet food producers, live cooking demonstrations, and ongoing entertainment.

Start Date: June 13th 2013

End Date: June 16th 2013

Location: Iveagh Gardens, Dublin City

Official Site

Taste of Dublin

Kilkenny International Gospel Choir Festival

This three-day festival in the medieval city of Kilkenny features gospel choirs from the USA, Europe and Ireland.

Start Date: June 13th 2013

End Date: June 16th 2013

Location: Kilkenny City

Cork Midsummer Festival

This annual festival in Ireland’s second city features world-class theatre, dance, music, opera, visual art and street entertainment.

Start Date: June 21st 2013

End Date: June 30th 2013

Location: Cork City

Official Site

Cork Midsummer Festival

Deireadh Seachtain na Gaeilge - Irish Language Week Festival

This festival on the beautiful and remote setting of Clare Island, is aimed at promoting and preserving Irish (Gaelic) language and culture. All festival events are held in Irish (Gaelic).

Start Date: June 28th 2013

End Date: June 29th 2013

Location: Clare Island, County Mayo

Carrick-on-Shannon Water Music Festival

This small but popular music festival features a mixture of classical, jazz, traditional and world music in the beautiful riverside town of Carrick-on-Shannon.

Start Date: June 24th 2013

End Date: June 30th 2013

Location: Carrick On Shannon, County Leitrim

Official Site

Carrick Water Music Festival

Drogheda Samba Festival

This celebration of Samba, Latin and African music and dance features mainly free, open-air events.

Start Date: June 28th 2013

End Date: June 30th 2013

Location: Drogheda, Co. Louth

Westport Festival of Food and Music

This annual music festival set in the charming old town of Westport features live rock music and folk music performances.

Start Date: June 29th 2013

End Date: June 30th 2013

Location: Westport, County Mayo

Official Site

Westport Festival

The post Things to Do in Ireland in June 2013 appeared first on Choose Ireland.

I’m Travelling to Ireland in May / July / November – What Will the Weather Be Like?

It will probably be raining.

Just kidding … but there is a large chance that you will see rain if you visit in November, December, January or February. The rest of the year there always around a 50/50 chance that it will rain during a three-day visit.

The weather in Ireland is generally mild and damp. In other words, the winters don’t get too cold (yet are still chilly because of the strong winds), while summers are warm but don’t get very hot.

Skies are rarely cloud-free in Ireland, and a brisk wind blows in from the Atlantic, particularly nearer the coast.

See also, what to pack for a trip to Ireland.

Month by Month Temperatures

As for temperatures, here’s a monthly guide:

January

Average Temperatures: Lows of 6 ºF to Highs  46 ºF

February

Average Temperatures: Lows of 8 ºF to Highs  50 ºF

March

Average Temperatures: Lows of 10 ºF to Highs  50 ºF

April

Average Temperatures: Lows of 13 ºF to Highs  55 ºF

May

Average Temperatures: Lows of 15 ºF to Highs  59 ºF

June

Average Temperatures: Lows of 18 ºF to Highs  64 ºF

July

Average Temperatures: Lows of 20 ºF to Highs  68 ºF

August

Average Temperatures: Lows of 19 ºF to Highs  66 ºF

September

Average Temperatures: Lows of 13ºF to Highs  63 ºF

October

Average Temperatures: Lows of 14 ºF to Highs  57 ºF

November

Average Temperatures: Lows of 10 ºF to Highs  50ºF

December

Average Temperatures: Lows of 8 ºF to Highs  47 ºF

The post What is the Weather like in Ireland in July or August or December or …? appeared first on Choose Ireland.

If you intend to travel to Ireland and use your cellphone — be warned. You could face a bill of hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. The bill will be even greater if you call other Americans on their US cellphones while they are in Ireland.

Cellphones and Mobiles – What’s the Difference?

In Ireland and the UK, cellphones are called “mobiles” or simply “phones”. People will understand what you mean when you say “cellphone”, but Irish people won’t use that word.

Method 1: Unlocked Phone With Prepaid SIM Card

If you want to use your cellphone in Ireland, and avoid the exorbitant charges from your local carrier, you will need to

a) Get your phone unlocked

b) Buy a prepaid SIM card that will work in Ireland.

The tricky part of this equation is part (a) – unlocking your phoen.

What does unlocking the phone mean?

If you’ve bought your phone on a contract, the phone is linked to a specific company — the service provider or carrier — e.g. AT&T.

If want to use a signal from a different carrier, the phone won’t work. It is locked, or tied to a single service provider.

American carriers like AT&T don’t have a local presence in Ireland, so you have to pay huge roaming fees while you are there.

American carriers are also reluctant to unlock phones, even if you tell them you are travelling abroad. After all, they stand to make a lot of money from your vacation usage.

Can I unlock my phone myself?

It depends on what type of phone you have. For older phones, or pay-as-you-go phones, you simply need the unlock code.

For example, if you own a Nokia 9500, you can unlock the phone by typing an unlock code into the phone.

To obtain the code, you should simply call your service provider, or go to your local phone store. You may be charged a small fee (typically around $15).

You will be asked for the IMEI or serial number of the phone. This is a unique, 15-digit number located under the battery. On Nokia phones, it is found by typing  *#06# on the keypad.

For iPhones, smartphones and newer phones in general, unlocking is more difficult.

For these types of phones, unlocking basically means “jailbreaking” the phones and is not recommended. Not only is jailbreaking your phone a legal gray area, it is a formidable technical challenge — a bit like trying to install Linux on a Windows computer — not a task for the average Joe!

Where Can I Buy a Prepaid SIM Card That Works in Ireland?

You can also pre-paid SIM cards from Tesco, which is one of Ireland’s largest supermaket chains — a sort of Irish Walmart: http://shop.tescomobile.ie/sim-cards.aspx

Other stores in Ireland, such as newsagents and corner stores, or mobile phone stores, often sell prepaid SIM cards.

Other Tips

Don’t forget to pack a converter, so that you can charge your phone up.

Method 2: Buy a Cheap Irish Cellphone

Okay, okay, this doesn’t strictly answer the question “how do I use my U.S. cellphone in Ireland?” But it’s an option worth considering. If you’re travelling in a group, it may be worth considering buying individual Irish cellphones — cheap but functional models, to use during your stay.

The post How to Use Your U.S. Cellphone in Ireland appeared first on Choose Ireland.

Package tours to Ireland can be expensive. You can save a lot of money if you book your own vacation to Ireland.

1. Book your flights

Dublin is Ireland’s main airport and most international flights arrive here. There are also smaller airports at Cork, Belfast, Shannon and Knock.

Rather than hunting for the cheapest fare on each individual airline site, I recommend using a consolidator website, like SkyScanner.com

I use SkyScanner to find the cheapest airline fares to/from Ireland.

If your dates are flexible, you can ask Skyscanner to show you the best fares for a particular month.

Skyscanner then searches all airlines that fly to Ireland (here, I chose Dublin) and displays the results and lets you see all the best fares for that month.

2. Take public transport or hire a car

Public Transport

If you’re staying in Dublin or another large town, public transport can be a great budget option, especially for a short break.

• On the negative site, using public transport may restrict your itinerary to urban areas, as some of the (many!) rural locations in Ireland are not frequently served by buses.
• I recommend hittheroad.ie as a route planner for any trips in the Dublin area, and getthere.ie for trips outside the capital.
• Buses are usually cheaper than trains in Ireland.
• Buses are often faster too — lots of good roads and motorways were built during the economic boom

Hiring a Car

You should book your hire car in advance to avoid excessive fees. There are lots of different car hire sites, and you can compare deals, but again I recommend using a rental car consolidator site. The largest of these that I know is Autoeurope.com

AutoEurope gets the lowest trade rates from all the big brand car hire companies, including Aviz, EuropCar, Herz and Budget, and passes a large chunk of the discount to you. In fact, in my experience, AutoEurope is usually up to 25% cheaper than renting directly from the brands themselves.

3. Create an itinerary

You will need to do some research here. There are lots of sample itineraries online, and your own itinerary depends on

• How long you’ve got
• What attractions you would like to see, e.g. castles, cities and towns, romantic places?
• Browse through the places to stay here on ChooseIreland to get some ideas

For example, this 6-night itinerary I put together has a mixture of castles, medieval towns, scenery and heritage.

Plan Your Daily Drives

If you’re going to be driving, use Google Maps to plan your drive times.

For example, type Dublin, Ireland to Kilkenny, Ireland into Google. You will see a map with driving directions and driving times. This should give you an idea of distances and how much you can reasonably expect to drive on any single day.

4. Book Hotels, B&Bs or Hostels

Hotels

Irish developers built hotels furiously during the Celtic Tiger economic boom. The supply of hotel rooms generally now exceeds demand, and there are bargains to be found.
Once again, I recommend using consolidator sites. In my experience, Hotels.com usually has rates that beat or at least match any other site, including the hotel’s own official site.

Tip: You will always get a discount from Hotels.com. Just type type “Hotels.com discount code” into Google.

If that doesn’t work, add the current year and month to the end of the search query, e.g. “Hotels.com discount code March 2013″.

For example, at the time of writing, I found a code “10OFFMARCH” that says you will get a 10% discount off any Hotels.com booking

B&Bs

B&BIreland is a consolidator website for Ireland tourist board approved B&Bs. Many of these bed and breakfasts don’t have their own websites, so you are unlikely to find them elsewhere online.

A lot of visitors like to stay in B&Bs, partly because they are up to 50% cheaper than hotel rooms, but also because the offer the old-style Irish hospitality treatment.

• In recent years, many regular visitors have switched from hotels to B&Bs because the hospitality experience in Irish hotels “is not the same as it used to be”.
• B&Bs, however, allow visitors to spend time in a traditional Irish family home, and hosts become de-facto tour guides.

Hostels

Hostels are another option and remain very popular with those travelling on a budget.

If you haven’t stayed in a hostel before, you may be surprised to learn that you can book private rooms as well as shared dorms.

Hostelworld has a probably the largest selection of Irish hostels to choose from.

5. Just Do It!

What are you waiting for?!

Go ahead and plan your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Ireland now, and soon you will experience incredible history and heritage, fantastic scenery and wonderful people that make this little country with a big heart so special.

The post How to Plan a Vacation to Ireland on a Budget appeared first on Choose Ireland.

The Short Answer

The Gathering is a “global homecoming” for people of Irish descent. It is the name given by the Irish Tourist Board for a huge range of events, festivals and clan meet-ups to be held across Ireland in 2013.

The “Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May” Answer

The Meeting At Farmleigh

In 2009, prominent business leaders from Ireland, and of Irish extraction, gathered at a think-in to discuss the Republic of Ireland’s economic future. The country had suffered a sudden economic crash after the “Celtic Tiger” period of economic growth, which lasted roughly between 1995 and 2008,

Held at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the guests of the Irish government included, among others:

• Craig Barrett, former CEO of Intel Corporation
• James Hogan, CEO of Etihad Airways
• Brendan McDonagh, CEO of HSBC North America
• Paul McGuinness, manager of U2
• Denis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel
• Anita Sands, managing director of Citigroup in New York
• Willie Walsh, CEO of British Airway

The Idea for The Gathering

One of main strands of the think-in was how Ireland could reach out and integrate more closely with its huge worldwide diaspora.

The forum recognised that many millions of people, particularly in the UK, the US and Australia, identified themselves as “Irish”, yet these people were not recognised in Ireland as being part of the wider Irish community. By creating closer ties with this diaspora, Ireland could benefit in two was

1. Politically and strategically, through the allegiance of a large number of influential individuals affiliated to the country
2. Economically, from additional tourism revenues

At the Farmleigh forum, The Gathering Ireland 2013 was proposed as a way of promoting closer ties Irish diaspora, who may begin to learn more about their Irish ancestry and thus become more ‘affiliated’ with Ireland, while also generating tourism revenue.

The Gathering is Embraced Locally

Unlike many other Irish Tourist Board initiatives, the Irish Gathering 2013 was embraced at grassroots level. Across towns and villages of Ireland, communities began organising events such as family reunions to be held in 2013.

Criticisms

The most famous critic of the Gathering has been Irish actor Gabriel Byrne. Speaking on Matt Cooper’s popular radio show, a clearly irate Byrne — who was previously the Irish cultural ambassador to the US — has dismissed the Gathering as a marketing gimmick.

“People are sick to death of being asked to help out in what they regard as a scam,” said Byrne.

“Most people [living in Ireland] don’t give a s**t about the diaspora,” he argued, “except to shake them down for a few quid [dollars].”

Is the thoughts of the author, Michael Heraghty, on the Choose Ireland blog post: Is the Irish Gathering 2013 a marketing gimmick?.

The post What is the Irish Gathering? appeared first on Choose Ireland.

I was listening live to actor Gabriel Byrne when he spoke to Matt Cooper on The Last Word about the Irish Gathering 2013.

• “People are sick to death of being asked to help out in what they regard as a scam,” said Byrne who, until 2012, was the official Irish cultural ambassador to the US.
• “Most people [living in Ireland] don’t give a s**t about the diaspora,” he argued, “except to shake them down for a few quid [dollars].”
• Byrne added that “many who left Ireland for the US feel abandoned by the Government – and that the bridge between Ireland and its diaspora is broken”.
• “When I was growing up in Dublin,” Byrne continued, “[American visitors] would be laughed at” … [Irish people] would say “here come the Yanks looking for their roots“.

I agreed with much of what Byrne said.

The Gathering does, admittedly, have an element of the marketing gimmick.

Thousands of events that have been relabelled as Gathering events. The vast majority of these events (for example, St. Patrick’s Day Parades) would have taken place in 2013 anyway, Gathering or no Gathering.

Cherishing the Irish Diasp0ra

On the other hand, I do believe in what Mary Robinson called cherishing the Irish diaspora.  Unlike the idea for the Gathering, the notion of embracing the Irish diaspora was not born at an Irish economic forum.

In February 1995, Robnsions, then President of Ireland, delivered a heartfelt speech entitled “Cherishing the Irish Diaspora - On a Matter of Public Importance”, in which she addressed “the 70 million people worldwide who can claim Irish descent”.

For many Irish people, this was the first time they had heard the term “diaspora”. Previously, many living in Ireland could not conceive that people living elsewhere — not born in Ireland — could be “Irish” as well.

In the words of President Robinson:

“I chose the title of this speech – cherishing the Irish diaspora – with care. Diaspora, in its meaning of dispersal or scattering, includes the many ways, not always chosen, that people have left this island. To cherish is to value and to nurture and support. If we are honest we will acknowledge that those who leave do not always feel cherished.”

Cherishing the Irish diaspora, then, does not mean welcoming the Irish diaspora to Ireland, although that may be part of it. It also means ensuring that the Irish diaspora abroad — many of whom, as Gabriel Byrne pointed out, may not be able to afford to come to Ireland, are made to feel part of the wider Irish community.

As President Robinson said, we can do this with communication:

“We are at the centre of an adventure in human information and communication greater than any other since the invention of the printing press.” And that was in the mid 1990s!

Reading Mary Robinson’s speech has made me re-consider what purpose ChooseIreland.com can serve for the Irish diaspora.

What do you think?

What do you think? Is the Gathering just a tourism bandwagon? Or is it a genuine opportunity for Irish people to reach out to their diaspora around the world, and welcome them home?

The post Is the Gathering Ireland 2013 a Marketing Gimmick? appeared first on Choose Ireland.

Ferriter’s Cove, a small bay  located at the most westerly point of Dingle Peninsula, has evidence of Ireland’s most ancient farming settlements.

Ferriter’s Cove is a popular sea-fishing spot. Catches here include cod, sea bass, coalfish, cod, dogfish, pollock and flounder.

The cove offers fantastic raw scenery, with strong Atlantic waves gushing into the bay — but Ferriter’s Cove is famous for more than scenery.

Near Doon Head and the village of Ballyferriter, this important Bronze Age Site was excavated throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and made a major contribution to our understanding of ancient Irish history.

The Ferriter’s Cove Excavations

The excavations at Ferriter’s Cove were begun by renowned Irish archaeologist, Professor Peter Woodman and his team in 1983, after a local amateur archaeologist discovered a stone age flint knife.

When Woodman began his excavations, Ferriter’s Cove was believed to be a Neolithic (late Stone Age) site.

Among Woodman’s team’s findings were:

• A grindstone
• 13 stone axes
• A group of polished sandstone pebbles, containing patterns and other marks that revelead they been used as tools or utensils
• Dumps of shells
• Plant and animal remains, including cattle bone
• A small amount of human bone
• Various hearths (fire / cooking areas)

Of the 13 axes that Woodman’s team discovered, most intriguing was a group of five mudstone axes bundled together. The manner in which they were clumped together in the silty soil suggested to Woodman that their owner’s had purposefully hidden them. An analysis of the materials contained in the axes suggests they were made just a few miles south near Dunquin.

What the Excavations Revealed About Ancient Ireland

The results of Woodman’s excavations showed that Ferriter’s Cove was inhabited during the Mesolithic (middle Stone Age) period. In fact, carbon dating indicated that the mudstone axes were from around 4350BC.

• This was a hugely important discovery, because previously archaeologists had thought that Ireland was largely uninhabited during the Mesolithic period, apart from a small areas in the East.
• Other sites, such as the Ceide Fields at Mayo, have since given further evidence of communities on Ireland’s west coast during the Mesolithic period.
• The cattle bones found at Ferriter’s Cove are the oldest cattle bones found in Ireland or the UK
• Scientists now believe the meat may have was imported, and that the cattle did not necessarily live with the people, who had a diet mainly of seafood
• The marine diet was revealed in an isotope analysis of the human bone remains
• The large dumps of shells are also thought to be evidence of shell fish consumption

The post Ferriter’s Cove appeared first on Choose Ireland.

Highlights

Those interested in Ireland’s ancient past will not be disappointed by a visit to Carrowmore Megalithic Burial Ground, where forty acres of passage tombs, dolmens and other ancient stone and earthworks are loosely arranged in a mysterious spiral layout. It is the largest and oldest site of its kind in Ireland.
Newer and more genteel surroundings can be experienced by visiting Lissadel House, the former home of the Gore-Booth family. One of its more famous members, Countess Constance Markievicz, once lived here, and W.B. Yeats frequently visited the mansion. It sits on a majestic hill overlooking Sligo Bay, and is open to visitors during the summer season.
Another house of interest is Parkes Castle, a 17th century fortified homestead located near Sligo Town. Parts of the structure date back to its origin in the 12th century.
Sligo Town itself offers shopping, restaurants, and pubs that feature a variety of traditional music and dance performances. Walking through the streets of this charming town on Sligo Bay, visitors can enjoy unique shops, pubs and eateries housed in traditional Irish style buildings.
Historic places of interest in Sligo Town include the Yeats Memorial Building, home to an art gallery and poetry institute dedicated to the life of the famous Irish writer. Sligo Abbey is a fascinating authentic medieval ruin that has been partially renovated. Sligo County Museum, located in a former church building, displays works of art as well as relics of local history.
Opportunities for outdoor enjoyment in County Sligo are numerous, starting with the beaches near Sligo Town. Rosses Point is a scenic resort area that looks out over the sea to Oyster and Coney Islands. Yachting and golf are also available nearby.
North of Sligo Town lies Glencar Waterfall and Lake, mentioned in the poetry of Yeats. It is a romantic and serene place from which to absorb the outdoor beauty of the region at its finest.

History

County Sligo’s name was derived from the bounty of shellfish found just off its shores, which served as a reliable food source for early settlers during the months when weather made agricultural pursuits impossible. The name comes from the Gaelic word Sligeach.
The historic tombs located at Carrowmore Megalithic Burial Ground indicate that people inhabited County Sligo from around 5,000 B.C.
Sligo Town was founded by Vikings, and the many castles and fortified homes that once occupied the region are indicative of the need for protection. Because of its location, Sligo Town was vulnerable to attack from a variety of sources throughout its long history.
County Sligo was deeply involved in the Rebellion of 1798, and Sligo Town contains a statue of Bartholomew Teeling, a local participant, memorializes the event.
The Great Famine of the mid 1800’s affected County Sligo extensively, and many of its residents were forced to emigrate in order to survive. Memorials to those painful years can be seen at Sligo Town, a place which put forth a valiant recovery effort and is today a busy commerce centre and modern city that proudly remember and displays its traditional roots.

The post County Sligo appeared first on Choose Ireland.

The post Sligo Town appeared first on Choose Ireland.

The Yeats Memorial Building, is a distinctive redbrick Victorian building in the centre of Sligo Town, overlooking the River Garavogue.

The Yeats building is dedicated to celebrating the life and work of the national poet of Ireland William Butler Yeats.

Located at the west end of the Hyde Park Bridge, the building also serves as the headquarters of the Yeats Society.

History

The Yeats Memorial Building Today

Today, the Yeats building houses a permanent displays of photographs, known as Yeats Photographic Exhibition.

An Art Gallery features a permanent collection, as well as holding contemporary art exhibitions throughout the year.

A library of books and other artefacts of interest to Yeats scholars is also held here.

The building is free to the public, and also contains a pleasant cafe.

The Yeats International Summer School

Each August, the International Yeats Summer School is held here. Students of Yeats enjoy daily lectures, readings, and trips to significant sites in the writer’s life and works, such as the Lake Isle of Innisfree, located in the region.

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Sligo Library is housed in a former Gothic Revival church, designed and built in 1851 by Belfast firm Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon.

Previously the home of Sligo’s Independent Church, which had been founded by Scottish and English evangelicals, the building was converted to the Sligo Library in 1954. The adjoining minister’s house, built in 1867, became the Sligo County Museum in 1955.

Museum

The main attraction of this enjoyable museum of local history and art, is the Yeats Memorial Room.

It displays many of the poet’s personal items, such as letters, photographs, and the flag used to cover his coffin when he was buried nearby at Drumcliff. Also proudly displayed here is Yeats’ Nobel Peace Price for Literature, awarded in 1923.

The rest of the museum focuses on local archaeology and history, with items such as a fiddle used by Michael Coleman, the traditional Irish music star, and artwork by Jack Yeats on display in the adjoining church.

Official Site

Sligo Library

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The Short Answer

YES – if you want to enjoy your honeymoon in a serenely beautiful land of ancient heritage and romantic dreams.

NO – if you want to relax on a tropical beach soaking up the hot sun.

The “Castles In the Air” Answer

Let’s get one thing straight. Ireland has a mild, damp climate. Mild means it rarely gets very cold, or very hot. Damp means you may get wet.

No-one vacations in Ireland for the good weather. (Aside: you may get lucky. Some summers do produce nice, extended bouts of sunshine — just don’t count on it.)

So why would anyone have their honeymoon in Ireland? Well, here are the reasons that people who have honeymooned in Ireland usually give:

1. Ireland is a serenely beautiful country

Ireland-lovers are drawn by its natural beauty and – outside of Dublin, the capital city — its calm solitude.

This peacefulness is found in Ireland’s natural environment — from trickling hillside springs to glorious bays and beaches, but also in its people, and their slower, more relaxed pace of life.

When you come to Ireland, you can experience this natural beauty, this serenity, up close. There are literally thousands of beautiful, scenic places in Ireland. This website lists just some of them.

2. Irish Happiness

In Ireland, a popular expression is “I’m happy in my own skin”. This means that  someone is generally content in life.

Irish people use this expression a lot.

Indeed, Irish people have consistently been surveyed to be among the happiest people in Europe.

Irish people are also quite open and friendly — they like to talk to visitors and interact with them. If you holiday in Ireland, and meet Irish people, you will find that the happiness of Irish people genuinely rubs off on you.

3. Ireland Has a Rich and Ancient Heritage

Whether you’d like to spend your honeymoon in a genuine medieval castle, or visit a 5,000 year old farm — you can do all of this in Ireland.

Ireland has a history that spans different eras and many relics of those periods still survive today. If you’d like to experience a truly unique culture — like traditional Gaelic music handed down through generations, or ancient Celtic art preserved in stunning manuscripts and gold artefacts, you’ll find it all in Ireland.

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Nicknamed the ‘Disneyland of Beer’, the Guinness Storehouse is the visitor centre for the most famous brewery in the world.

Founded by Arthur Guinness at the ramshackle site of the old St. James Gate Guinness Brewery in 1759, it has become one of the most well known and prosperous corporations in Ireland. The company is widely recognized for its production of a distinctive dark stout with a thick, creamy head.

Although the Guinness factory is not open to visitors, the four story building next door, known as The Guinness Storehouse, contains a variety of visitor attractions, and is Dublin’s most popular tourist attraction.

The Guinness Hopstore

• The Guinness Hopstore houses the World of Guinness Exhibition, the Cooperage Gallery, and the Gilroy Gallery.
• The exhibits include interactive presentations that take the visitor through the process of brewing and bottling from start to finish.
• Visitors come to understand the reasons for the unique appearance and taste of the Guinness product, from a Master Brewer.

The Cooperage Gallery

The Cooperage Gallery contains an interesting collection of tools used to build the storage casks formerly used in the brewery, and the Gilroy Gallery showcases examples of John Gilroy’s innovative graphic design.

World’s Largest Stout Glass

The world’s largest stout glass is also located on the premises, and stands over 200 feet high. If it were filled with Guinness beer, this amazing structure would contain 14.3 million pints.

Spectacular Views of Dublin

The foamy head of the glass houses a restaurant and bar, providing visitors with spectacular views of the city of Dublin to enjoy while they drink their complimentary pint.

Taster’s Laboratory

A recent addition is the Taster’s Laboratory, where visitors gain insight into the methodology of the professional tasters and get the opportunity to practice this coveted job.

Warning: Queues

At certain times, particularly around spring (especially near St. Patrick’s day) and summer months, queues for the Guinness Storehouse can form. You may be waiting in line for an hour or more just to get in.

Is the Guinness Storehouse worth a wait of an hour? Perhaps not, but we have put together some tips on how to avoid waiting in line at Guinness.

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The Short Answer

Right here at Choose Ireland – read our article about the Dundrum Shopping Centre, which contains a list of all the shops.

The Long Answer

Uh, that’s it. Sorry the list isn’t on this page — it’s easier to maintain if it’s on the main Dundrum Town Centre page.

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The Short Answer

Yes, providing your dog or cat

• is at least three months old
• has a microchip ID
• has a rabies vaccination
• has a follow-up blood at least three after the vaccination, to ensure it is successful
• has a European PETS passport (the vaccination is a precondition)
• has been treated for dog for tick and tapeworm

The Barking Mad Answer

The law in the Republic of Ireland may sound crazily strict — but for good reason, since the country has been successful in keeping rabies out of the country.

Here are those items in more detail:

1. Make sure your dog or cat is at least three months old
2. Give your cat or dog a microchip ID - The chip, typically inserted below the skin at the back of the neck, helps identify your pet if it gets separated from you. This is something your vet can do and it is not painful for the animal – Important Note: In many European Union countries, a readable tattoo is a valid form of ID, but Ireland and the United Kingdom only admit microchipped animals
3. Have your pet vaccinated against rabies after being microchipped – Even if  you had your pet inoculated in the past, you will need to get up-to-date shots
4. After about four weeks, return to your vet for a blood test - in fact, the waiting period will vary depending on the animal — your vet will advise you — but the purpose of the test will be to see if the vaccination has worked
5. Ask the vet to issue you with an EU PETS passport - if the blood test is successful, your vet will be able to issue you with this passport, which is a requirement when entering any European Union member state (including Ireland and Northern Ireland)
6. Tick and tapeworm treatment - Not more than 48 hours before you enter Ireland, and not less than 24 hours, you need to take your dog or cat to a vet again, this time to be treated for ticks and tapeworms.

What about Accommodation in Ireland with Pets?

There are a number of hotels in Ireland that allow pets — you need to check the individual hotel website to be sure.

However, may cat or dog owners prefer to stay in Bed and Breakfast accommodation when they take their pet to Ireland, because:

• Certain, tourist-board approved B&Bs are marked as ‘pet friendly’
• These pet-friendly guesthouses are usually family run
• Their hosts are typically pet lovers, who understand the needs of dogs and cats
• B&Bs owners can offer advice about for pet owners, such as places to take your dog for a walk
• B&B rooms tend to be cheaper than hotels

The B&BIreland.com website has a list of all pet-friendly, tourist-board approved B&Bs. These B&Bs typically do not have their own individual websites.

What about Northern Ireland?

• The laws about brining pets into the Republic of Ireland are very similar to those about bringing pets into the UK.
• You will need the same European PETS passport, which requires the rabies vaccination as a prerequisite.
• Once you arrive in either Ireland or Northern Ireland with the correct documentation, however, you and your dog can typically travel freely between both states, since there is no physical border.

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For nearly 800 years it served as both a fortress and a private home. It is said to be the oldest Irish castle continuously inhabited by the same family, the Talbots. They lived here from 1185 right up until the last Talbot died in 1973. Legend has it that 14 Talbot cousins breakfasted at the castle before riding out to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 never to return.

The house is beautifully furnished with period furniture and also boasts an extensive collection of Irish portrait paintings, mainly from the National Gallery. Many alterations have made been over the years made to the Castle itself, but the surrounding parklands have barely changed in 800 years. The grounds are also open to the public, and appeal to all visitors of all ages.

A major feature of Malahide Castle Demesne is the beautiful Talbot Botanic Gardens.

Private banquets are held the medieval great Hall for 30-76 persons. Tours are available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Finnish and Japanese.

Facilities in the Castle include a craft shop and restaurant. Coach, bus and car parking is available.

A recent addition is the fantastic Avoca store, foodhall and cafe, which is very popular with locals,

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The Short Answer

These following list is only a sample:

• Big Wave Surfing
• Paragliding
• Canoeing
• Sailing
• Water skiing
• Scuba Diving
• Hang Gliding
• Rock Climbing
• Gorge walking
• Kite buggying
• River tubing
• Zip lining
• Zorbing
• & More

Top Tips for Adventure Sport / Extreme Sport Nuts Who Plan to Visit Ireland

• Look out for B&B accommodation with the ‘Adventure Seekers welcome’ logo (shown above) – these are family-run guesthouses whose hosts typically have more information about local adventure sports than any websites or guidebooks
• Most adventure sports are best enjoyed during the season from March through October, with the possible exception of caving.
• Check with local organizations for more information about your favourite adventure sports – kayaking and canoeing, hang gliding and paragliding competitions and festivals are held throughout the season — and you may want to enter, or to attend as a spectator.
• Pay attention to weather conditions and forecasts, observe common sense safety rules and make sure that you have the required training and skills to participate. Classes for beginners are offered in many sports – take advantage of them if you need to.
• Be aware of insurance requirements when planning your trip, and make sure that you have the necessary coverage in place.

The “Whoa, What an Adrenaline Rush!” Answer

Your vacation is the perfect time to try a new, pulse-pounding activity and experience the adventure of a lifetime. Ireland offers plenty of opportunity to make memories of new ‘firsts’ as well as to revisit favourite sports with a completely new and breathtakingly beautiful scenic backdrop.

Adventure sports and extreme sports are growing in popularity in Ireland, particularly among stag and hen parties seeking “something different”.

Water sports like canoeing, sailing and water-skiing are widely enjoyed across Ireland’s coastal regions, inland waterways and rivers, and adventure seekers find new experiences around every bend.

Scuba divers experience the world of wonder beneath the waves off Ireland’s shores. Between March and October, divers explore numerous underwater shipwrecks and unique rock formations, and come face to face with marine life that inhabits the waters around the island from Antrim to Donegal, Mayo to Galway and Dublin to Wexford.

Hang gliding and paragliding offer a brand new perspective on the lush countryside, rolling hills and dramatic coastal scenery, as well as the quiet inland lake country.

Rock climbing and caving provide adventures that are more earthbound in nature, from the tops of the Mourne Mountains in County Down, to the rolling hills and deep caves of the Burren at County Clare.

Adventure holidays are increasingly popular, taken at resorts that offer a variety of adventure schedules, with lodging and meals provided — at one convenient base location.

Ireland is famous for its surfing, particularly its big wave surfing at locations such as the Cliffs of Moher.

In the last couple of decades, a number of extreme sports adventure centres have cropped up, aiming at both corporate visitors and tourists. These centres offer extreme activities such as gorge walking, kite buggying, river tubing, zip lining, zorbing and many more.

Make sure to research individual centres well however, as some of these extreme sport business do not last more than a season or two — it’s a tough market.

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The Short Answer

Yes! If you like walking in the open air, you’ll love the panoramic paths, magical mountain trails and historic country roads of Ireland.

The Tough as Old Boots Answer

All across the country, there are walking trails to match your desired level of exercise.

Hillwalking is also a great way to experience the country. You can:

• Enjoy spectacular views from the walking trails that wind to the tops of hills and over the crests of the seaside cliffs
• Move off the beaten paths to more fully explore historically and geologically important areas
• Move at your own pace and gain deeper access into the lifestyle and culture of Ireland’s residents and their communities.

Why and Where to Walk in Ireland

Walkers gain a more intimate experience of Ireland than, for example, those on a city break. When surveyed, they often report a more satisfying visiting experience.

With around thirty very popular trails marketed by the Irish Tourist Board, and countless small rural treks to choose from, you be spoiled for choice if you want to engage in Irish sightseeing on foot.

Villages and towns are conveniently spaced so that cross country walkers are able to reach lodging and dining facilities each evening.

Of the clearly marked trails of varying lengths that criss-cross the island, one of the oldest and most challenging is Wicklow Way. It meanders from the outer suburbs of Dublin through the mountains of the same name, rising to altitudes over 1600 ft and travelling through forest, pasture and bog for a breathtaking 85 miles.

Other notable trails include the Kerry Way, which encircles scenic Killarney, and the Ulster Way, featuring the breathtaking scenery of the northern coast.

The Mourne Mountains in the northeast and rugged County Donegal in the northwest are also popular places to hike the foothills.

Tips for Hill Walking Enthusiasts in Ireland

• Complete information on popular trails, including maps, can be obtained from the Irish Tourist Board and the Countryside Access and Activity Network for Northern Ireland (CAAN).
• Be sure to pack extra clothing in preparation for changeable weather, along with other essentials such as a flashlight, compass and extra food.
• When planning an especially long walking tour, it might make sense to carry a tent.

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The Short Answer

OMG yes! It’s as if Ireland’s landscape was created for cyclists!

The Pedal to the Metal Answer

The gently sloping hills and glorious flat roads connect a perfectly spaced collection of cities, towns and villages. Country paths and dramatic seaside vistas attract cyclists of all levels of dedication, from beginner to seasoned enthusiast.

Rental shops are plentiful all around the island the island, and you can ride at will on a daily basis and choose your destinations spontaneously, or plan a well structured tour that combines beautiful scenery with popular attractions such as historic castles, churches, museums, working farms, parks, museums, and of course, pub stops for rest and refreshment.

Popular Bike Trails in Ireland

Here are some popular routes:

• Ride from Dungarvan through Dunmore East and Tramore to experience some dramatic seaside scenery that includes beautiful beaches and dramatic cliffs.
  • Picnic amid the pastoral beauty of the Midlands, enjoying country roads and stopping to visit one of the scenic forests for a hike.
  • Take an extended tour through the often recommended Roscommon, Mullingar, Athlone region.
• For a more strenuous trip that delivers the reward of truly magnificent landscape, ride through Killarney, Dingle and Glengarrif. The road may be long, but many cyclists declare it one of the best in all of Ireland.

Tips for Cyclists Visiting Ireland

• Equipment rentals are readily available for a deposit (refunded upon return) and a daily or weekly fee. Rent at your starting point, and then return your rental at another location, as many of the cycling equipment rental businesses have multiple stores.
• Reserve your bike ahead of time, especially if you are visiting between May and September, the busiest months for Irish cycling, and tourist traffic in general.
• If you are an avid biker, bring your own ride. Airlines will transport bicycles, charge them as checked luggage, and even provide packing cartons and other materials.
• Traffic is, for the most part, not a problem when cycling in Ireland. In peak months it may get a bit congested in certain areas, such as the roads in the vicinity of the Ring of Kerry.
• Remember Ireland’s changeable weather when packing for your excursion and include rain gear as a precaution.

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The Short Answer

Yes, horses, horse riding, breeding and racing occupy a place at the very heart of Irish history.

The Straight from the Horse’s Mouth Answer

Down through the centuries, horses have carried warriors into battle, pulled the ploughs of the country’s farmers in the fields as well as the carriages of nobility in the streets of Ireland’s cities. Even today, horses remain a vital part of country as a popular interest among visitors.

Whether you choose a fully-equipped equestrian holiday at one of the many comfortable resorts in Ireland, such as Castle Leslie, where riders stay at the lodge and take lessons, ride trails and participate in jumping competitions; or you wish to make horse riding just one activity of many in your overall Irish vacation, you’ll find a diverse range of activities to make your visit complete.

Ride trails by the sea and along the beach for a taste of freedom that you’ll won’t soon forget, walk through the dense forests and climb the hills on horseback, and enjoy a brisk run through wide open fields that border quiet country roads.

Well equipped equestrian centres are located throughout Ireland, offering cross country riding, indoor arenas, and a wide assortment of equipment and instruction programs for riders of all levels of experience.

For a break from riding that keeps your focus on horses, stop at the National Stud, just outside Kildare, and enjoy an inside look at the traditions and practices of the breeding industry. Acres of land and hundreds of horses – foals, mares and stallions, await your visit.

You might also want to take a tour using the popular horse drawn wagon caravans, a unique way to tour the countryside at a leisurely pace while being gently guided by your equine escorts.

Tips for Horse Riding Enthusiasts in Ireland

• If horse riding is to be a major part of your visit to Ireland, consider the time of year when planning your holiday. Horse riding can be even more enjoyable in spring or fall, and scheduling during those times can help you to save money and avoid crowds.
• Pack carefully, choosing clothing and shoes suitable for riding and the season. Don’t forget appropriate gloves!
• Get in shape. If you have been physically inactive for months and you arrive to a strenuous schedule of riding, you might spend the rest of your holiday sore and uncomfortable. Limber up and prepare for the exertion of riding, and plan some time into your trip for relaxation as well.
• Be sure that you have the proper insurance coverage, in case of accident.

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The Short Answer

Ireland’s offers some of the best fishing in the world. The abundant waterways of Ireland provide scenic and challenging venues for avid fisherman from all over the world on a year round basis.

The Fisherman’s Tips Answer

• Consider booking a specialist Angling Bed and Breakfast for your group or family, or yourself, as the owners will have the local angling knowledge that will help you in your fishing adventure.
• Many of these fine fishing-dedicated B&Bs are located very close to Ireland’s prime fishing lakes and rivers. You’re bound to enjoy the camaraderie of the other guests as well.
• Unlike hotels, the majority of Ireland’s B&Bs do not have websites, so I recommend you through you book through B&BIreland.com  to make sure you get a Tourist-board approved accommodation
• Licences and permits are required for certain fishing situations, such as when you fish for salmon. Be sure to tag and log your fish as required.
• Be aware of ‘fly fishing only’ areas on rivers and estuaries. Obtain permits when fishing private venues as required, as your license does not allow you to automatically enter and fish without prior consent of the club or individual who owns the land used for access.
• Follow the rules. There is a two rod limit for fresh water angling as well as a one fish limit before June 1.

The “Holy Mackerel!” Answer

Ireland’s calm inland lakes, dramatic coastal waters and pristine, spring-fed rivers are home to a variety of popular game and sport fish.

Local businesses are well prepared to meet every angler’s needs, from chartered boats, tackle rental, and bait and license sales to warm and friendly accommodations with meals included.

Anglers are lured to the region by notoriously strong and sly populations of salmon, brown trout and sea trout, which make for exciting sport fishing, especially in the clear Irish rivers.

Coarse fishing is also very popular, and the lakes in Meath, Cavan and Westmeath counties are brimming with pike, trench, perch, carp, bream and rudd.

Deep sea fishermen depart from Irish ports in pursuit of popular species such as tope, fighting flounder and different varieties of sea bass. They enjoy casting their lines into the waters that surround the sunken vessels off Ireland’s shores. Experienced anglers know that huge conger, link and Pollack line in wait below, and the lucky ones will return to shore with a trophy to be proud of.

Where river meets the sea at Ireland’s estuaries, increasing numbers of anglers try their arms at salt water fly fishing as they enjoy the company of the abundant wildlife and the simple pleasure of being outdoors in this beautiful land.

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The Short Answer

You betcha! It may be chillier and windier than southern California, but Ireland gets large, sometimes monstrous, Atlantic waves.

The No Waves, No Glory Answer

The rugged coastal regions in the west and north, along with the southern Irish shore, revel in the powerful impact of the waves of the mighty Atlantic as they make their way toward the more serene shorelines of Europe, providing excellent conditions for surfers from around the world.

In summer, they flock to the beaches at Portstewart Strand, widely recognized as one of Ireland’s top spots for powerful surf. Lesser known is Lahinch, in County Clare on the western coast, which is sometimes overshadowed by its popular golf courses, but well known and appreciated among Irish surfers. Strandhill and Easkey in County Sligo are also popular spots.

Ireland is particularly attractive to big wave surfers, an extreme sport that has grown in popularity with the success of the documentary movie “Riding Giants” (2004).

The Cliffs of Moher have become famous for a sixty-foot monster wave known as Aill na Searrach, which featured in the Irish documentary movie ‘Waveriders’ (2007).

When to Surf

Due to the chilly temperatures of the wild Atlantic waters, surfing is best for the timid during the late summer and early fall seasons. But the brave can be seen on the beaches year round, with the right attire and equipment, to enjoy some of the most rewarding waves of the year. Late fall, winter and spring bring even colder waters, but storms at sea bring bigger waves to the island’s shores than any other time of the year.

Windsurfing

Windsurfers also enjoy the Irish coast; the powerful breezes and waves make for a brisk, scenic outing. Windsurfing is also popular along the wide inland lakes and rivers.

Equipment Hire

Surf schools, equipment sales and rentals can be found wherever water and weather conditions make the sport especially satisfying, and always offer surfers an opportunity to brush up on their current skills and learn new ones. Regional and state wide clubs sponsor surfing tournaments and festivals throughout the summer season.

Tips for Surfers Visiting Ireland

• In many prime surfing locations, beach access is attained through private gates and roadways. Be careful to observe parking regulations and protect the environment from litter and other types of damage.
• Take lessons, if you are in need of instruction and want to surf. The Irish Surfing Association sponsors classes at all levels at a variety of locations around the country.
• Observe safety rules. Buy or rent the proper equipment before you head out to the waves, review conditions with other surfers and select a beach with conditions that match your level of skill and experience.
• Familiarize yourself with surfer’s etiquette; observe how it is used on the beach and follow it when you enter the water. Obey the rules to avoid collision and injury, and to make some friends among your fellow surfers and enjoy the day.

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Short Answer

Can you play golf in Ireland??? Can a bear s**t in the forest?! ! Hell, yes!

(If your wife lets you.)

Blow Your Socks Off Answer

• Golf is a popular pastime in Ireland – the island boasts over 400 courses, a many of which are internationally renowned for their quality.
• International tournaments that have been played in Ireland including the European open and the Ryder Cup.
• Ireland is a paradise for lovers of links courses.
• The abundance of courses helps explain why the country has produced so many top golfers, including Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, all of whom have won U.S. majors

Ireland’s Links Courses

Notwithstanding from the celebrity- designed parkland courses that typically feature on golf tours, there are 50 or more excellent seaside links courses scattered around the country’s coastline. Examples include Portmarnock in Dublin, Royal Portrush in Antrim, Ballybunion in Kerry and Rosses Point in Sligo.

These coastal links courses offer much cheaper fees and offer a fantastic playing experience, particularly to those unfamiliar with true (not man-made) links golf – its lumpy, undulating fairways, roughs with thick patches of fescue and gorse, shifting sandy sinkholes and pot bunkers.

The dramatic coastal scenery and often-inclement weather — though rarely too harsh for Ireland’s golfers! — only adds to the challenge.

Irish links golf may be punishing, but it is all the more exhilarating when the ball goes in the hole. No wonder that Golf Digest magazine once claimed that the “Best Golf Trail in the World” belonged to Ireland’s west coast counties.

ChooseIreland’s Tips for Golfers Visiting Ireland

• At any time of the year, even summer months, bring an umbrella and wet gear, just in case.
• The best time to play golf is during the months of May to August. Most courses are playable from 7am or 8am up until 10pm or even 11pm, depending on lighting.
• Green fees can be expensive however, particularly on the big name courses.
• Lesser known courses can be just as good, and charge a fraction of the price.
• To avoid disappointment, try to book courses well in advance. Most golf clubs have websites that allow bookings, or your hotel should be able to do it for you.
• Don’t underestimate travel times in getting to golf courses. While distances on the map may look short, roads are often narrow and winding, particularly when getting to coastal links courses. Ask your hotel for an estimate of the journey time.

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The Short Answer

He’s not actually buried in Dublin, but the bones of Saint Valentine can be found in Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin.

The Longer Answer

The human remains of Saint Valentine were gifted to an Irish Carmelite priest, Father Spratt in the sixteenth century by Pope Gregory, after the pope was impressed by one of Father Spratt’s speeches.

The relics arrived in a sealed casket accompanied with a letter of certification from the pope, still held by the Carmelites.

The letter says the casket contains the remains of Saint Valentime, which were removed especially from a cemetery in Rome. They casket also contains a vessel which was doused in Saint Valentine’s blood. However, the inner box with these items has never been opened.

Read more about the Shrine of Saint Valentine

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St. Michan’s Church is best known for the mummies in its underground crypt.

Located on the eponymous Church Street not far from the Old Jameson Whiskey Distillery, this plain-looking medieval chapel does not stand out. Indeed, most Dubliners are unaware that St. Michan’s is a tourist attraction. The structure is simple and drab, with a large 15th century battlement tower being the one impressive feature.

Aside from the tower, the rest of the current structure dates from the 17th century. Historians believe this was a reconstruction of an earlier Viking church, erected by the Danes in 1095.

St. Michan’s church has a charming and unusual interior, which has been likened to a courthouse.

The Composition of Handel’s Messiah?

Another notable feature is a beautiful 18th century organ. It is claimed that George Frideric Handel composed his most famous work, The Messiah, on this organ.

• However, records show that the original manuscript composition was completed a few months before Handel’s arrival in Dublin, in December 1741
• He continued to revise it and recomposed individual movements for several years afterwards.
• Handel first performed The Messiah  in Dublin on 13 April 1742, on the stage of the Great Music Hall, Fishamble Street.

The Crypts of St. Michans

Do not visit St. Michan’s without seeing the underground vaults – they are well worth the small entrance fee.

This spooky mummy museum was not created intentionally — underground crypts like this exist beneath many churches in Ireland.

In St. Michan’s, however, the coffins have gradually eroded over time, revealing the corpses. The corpses on the other hand have been naturally mummified. Scientists  speculate that the limestone in the basement, or the presence of methane gas from the swampy soil below, may have been the agent that caused the erosion and / or mummification.

Either way, the result is a mummy chamber that has been created both naturally and ethically – no church would have exposed the bodies in its coffins deliberately.

Meeting the Mummies

• The corpses date from between 400 and 800 years ago.
• The oldest, nicknamed “The Crusader” is a Norman man believed to have lived during the 13th century.
• At six feet six inches, he was remarkably tall for that era, and would have stood more than a foot higher than most of his peers.
• His arm pokes out of the casket and it has become a tradition to “shake hands with the Crusader”. Most people just touch his hand lightly, lest they snap a finger off!
• The vaults are believed to have been visited in the late 19th century by Dublin-born writer Bram Stoker. It perhaps served as inspiration for his most famous novel, Dracula.

Visitor Tips

• St. Michan’s church and its crypts are open to visitors on Saturdays throughout the year and on weekdays during the summer.
• On Sundays and on other certain other religious holidays, however, the church is closed to visitors except regular churchgoers.
• Access to the crypts is via a narrow stone staircase, so use appropriate footwear and take care descending.

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The Chester Beatty library, former European museum of the year, contains many international artefacts.

This very special treasure of Dublin exists courtesy of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968), an American of Irish descent who made his millions in the Canadian mining industry.

Beatty enjoyed collecting works of art and religious manuscripts from the Middle and Far East. After amassing a truly unique collection, he donated it to Ireland, where it is currently housed in the clock tower building at Dublin Castle. He was proclaimed the first honorary Citizen of Dublin in return for his generosity.

The Chester Beatty Library museum contains a diverse and amazing collection of artefacts from the Muslim world, including Turkish and Persian paintings and nearly 300 Koran manuscripts created by the finest calligraphers across the Arab world.

Also on display, Babylonian clay tablets from 2700 B.C., Greek papyri from the 2nd century and manuscripts from Egypt written in the Coptic language.

From the Far East, there are imperial robes from China, as well as Chinese jade books, written on thin pages of real jade with gold ornamentation, and Japanese paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries. Also popular – 18th and 19th century Parabaiks from Burma, collections of folktales with magical illustrations on paper made from mulberry leaves.

Many manuscripts are religious in nature, true treasures written to enlighten the world about various religious traditions. These items include:

• Buddhist literature
• Confucian scrolls
• Jewish texts
• The Pauline Letters, from 180-200 A.D.
• A papyrus fragment of St John’s Gospel, taken from the oldest New Testament in existence, from 250 A.D.

There are also touch screen computer presentations on various religions as well as the art inspired by them.

The Chester Beatty Library also houses some contemporary art exhibitions within its space, has an exquisite, peaceful garden, and a gift shop that offers some truly unique souvenirs based on the treasures located in the museum itself.

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Built in 1701, Dublin’s Marsh’s Library is one of the world’s longest-surviving public libraries and is an attraction that particularly appeals to book lovers.

Located not far from Christ Church Cathedral on St. Patrick’s Close, almost hidden behind St. Partick’s Cathedral, the library today is still open to the public, and is one of Dublin’s true hidden gems.

History

When Archbishop of Dublin Narcissus Marsh (1638-1713) decided to open a public library, the concept — allowing ordinary people access to expensive books for free — was relatively radical.

The idea has spread from England, where public libraries had sprouted up in industrious cities such as Bristol, Ipswich and Norwich. Chetham library in Manchester, built in 1653, has the title of the world’s oldest remaining public library. Marsh’s is still a library but has not added new books since the 18th century, and is more like a museum today.

Marsh’s Library Today

Stepping into Marsh’s, you are treated to an experience of an 18th century library — very little has changed since the library first opened.

The first thing that strikes you is the charming musty scent of the ancient leather-bound books, around 20,000 of them, either purchased by Archbishop Marsh or donated to him.

The main categories of the books in the library are

• Medicine
• Navigation
• Math
• Travel
• Science
• Music
• Religion
• Classical literature

These are the topics that would have been of interest to readers in the early 1700s.

Both the layout and furnishings of the library — including the dark oak bookcases, seats and shelves — remain little changed from its present day.

Also of interest are the cages — rooms at the side of the building where visitors were locked in while reading one of the libraries more expensive titles, to prevent stealing.

Visiting the Library

Marsh’s today operates as a visitor attraction rather than a modern library. A small fee is required to enter (FREE for children).

Visitors are requested to take photos, to preserve the books, and also not to touch ancient books with their hands, without surgical gloves.

When done visiting the library, your exit passes through a fine gift shop.

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Ireland is divided into geographic regions called counties.

• There are 32 counties on the island
• The Republic of Ireland comprises 26 counties, while Northern Ireland accounts for the remaining 6 counties
• Counties are bound up with identity
• Many Irish people, particularly those in rural areas, are fiercely proud of their county of birth
• Inter-county rivalry is very strong, particularly in the Republic of Ireland, and among nationalists in Northern Ireland
• This rivalry is often expressed through sport, especially through the native games of Gaelic football and hurling

Learn more about Ireland’s Counties

• Antrim
• Armagh
• Carlow
• Cavan
• Clare
• Cork
• Derry
• Donegal
• Down
• Dublin
• Fermanagh
• Galway
• Kerry
• Kildare
• Kilkenny
• Laois
• Leitrim
• Limerick
• Longford
• Louth
• Mayo
• Meath
• Monaghan
• Offaly
• Roscommon
• Sligo
• Tipperary
• Tyrone
• Waterford
• Westmeath
• Wexford
• Wicklow

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Highlights

Although Limerick City is continually developing and modernizing itself, there are still many historically important elements located within its limits. Hunt Museum, located inside the Customs House which was erected in 1765, displays Irish paintings and historic metal works as well as other pieces from the collection of benefactors John and Gertrude Hunt.
Archeological treasures and a learning centre that focuses on regional history can be found at thirteenth century St. John’s Castle, located along the river, and the city’s oldest church, St. Mary’s Cathedral, still retains its palatial beauty.
Having survived alternating periods of prosperity and destruction throughout its long history, Bunratty Castle is a classic monument, devoted to the celebration of Irish heritage. A castle, in some form, has stood at its site along the River Ratty since the Vikings first placed a fortified settlement there. In 1250, the Normans built their structure, which was destroyed in battle and refurbished over and over again, across the centuries. Today, visitors see a remarkably well-preserved monument that displays medieval artifacts and hosts authentic medieval banquets.
AdareVillage sits clustered around the former manor house of the same name and offers visitors a rich heritage experience filled with shops, music, dance and architectural wonders to explore.

History

The Celts came to County Limerick circa 400 BC. Evidence of earlier settlers has also been discovered, some of it dating back as far as 3500 BC.
Christianity, upon its arrival, brought a focus on the pursuits of art and learning to the area. These pursuits were encouraged and advanced by the local monasteries, where works of writing and painting were produced, along with advanced decorative metalwork, such as the Irish treasure known as the Ardagh Chalice.
The Vikings came to County Limerick and forged the beginnings of Limerick City in 922. The Normans were in control later, when the official county boundaries were established.
Struggles for power between the Normans and the English were nearly continuous in the sixteenth century, escalating to the point where they became the Desmond Rebellions. It was during this particularly brutal series of battles that most of the local property was seized, especially that of the area ruling Geraldines.
During the 1600s, County Limerick became the battlefront of the Cromwellian sieges, and Limerick City endured a yearlong attack in 1650-51. The latter part of the century brought more fighting in the form of the Jacobite-Williamite War.
Persecution of County Limerick Catholics continued for centuries afterward, and a large number of area residents emigrated during the Famine years of the 1840s. County Limerick also figured prominently as a point of conflict during the Irish War of Independence in the 1920s.
Some of the historical flavor of Limerick was successfully portrayed in the famous biographical novel Angela’s Ashes in 1996. The book, written by Frank Mc Court and based on his youth in Limerick City, was later made into a film that received worldwide acclaim.
Apart from a few historic exhibits, the Limerick City of today is a changed place – McCourt’s rather bleak surroundings have been replaced by a growing city filled with high tech companies, colleges and universities, and expanding port facilities.
Common surnames in County Limerick include: O’Brien, Fitzgerald, Collins, McKeough, O’Grady, Fitzgibbon and Woulfe.

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Located on King’s Island in Limerick, King John’s Castle offers panoramic views of the city and the River Shannon from its distinctive drum towers.

History

• Erected between 1200 and 1210 on an old Viking site, this five-sided Norman castle with round corner towers was once surrounded by a moat.
• It was repaired and rebuilt several times, particularly in the 17th century.

Features

• The round towers are the most distinctive features of the castle, which is mostly a shell.
• The  north side of the castle walls still reveals evidence of a serious bombardment in 1691.

Visitor Centre

The site also contains an interpretive centre for visitors, and an archaeological centre that displays authentic excavated houses from pre-Norman times.

Visitor Tips

• The interior of the castle is a ruin and has been renovated, so don’t expect rooms decorated with medieval furniture.
• For the reason above, the castle is most impressive from the outside — that’s where you will get the best photos.

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St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral began as a palace, and some parts of the original building still stand.

History

The cathedral was founded by King Donal Mor O’Brien, who was also responsible for the cathedral at Cashel and Holy Cross Abbey, Tipperary.

It was restored several times during the Victorian era.

Features

A mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles, the majority of the present day structure survives from the restoration of the building in 1580 by Bishop Folan.

The interior includes beautiful stained glass windows, as well as ornate wood carvings on the misericords (support shelves) of the choir stalls

These misericords are the only remaining pre-Elizabethan carvings in Ireland.

The 21 carvings represent popular middle-age symbols, including

• a unicorn goat
• a griffin
• a sphinx
• a wild boar
• a swan
• an eagle
• a cockatrice holding its tail
• the Lion of Judah with a dragon
• an angel the head of Henry IV
• a dragon biting its tail
• two antelopes with intertwined necks

The main altar consists of an impressive 13-foot long stone slab.

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Irish Fireside
Packed with great articles about what to see and do in Ireland, one of the best features of the Irish Fireside blog are its excellent podcasts, which consistently ranks among the iTunes TOP 100.

An American in Ireland
In March 2010, San Franciscan Clare Kleinedler moved from Los Angeles to Drogheda, and later to Dublin. This is her blog.

Built Dublin
Not your typical blog, this winner at the 2012 Irish Blog awards looks at the everyday architecture on the streets of Ireland’s capital city.

Edible Ireland
For those interested who want Irish recipes with their blog

Discover Ireland Blog
This is the official blog of the Irish tourist board — it’s kept up-to-date with  good posts by different writers.

The post Are There Any Good Blogs About Ireland? appeared first on Choose Ireland.

Highlights

County Kilkenny is one of the favorite regions for visitors who come to Ireland, and with good reason. It offers a variety of enjoyable opportunities to experience Irish history, culture and entertainment and take part in the everyday life of its residents.
One popular place to do examine the local history and learn about the people of the area is Kilkenny Castle, which is distinctive among Irish castles in its design. This particular fortress had its origins back in 1172 when Richard de Clare (Strongbow) first placed a lookout structure on the site. Hi son in law built a stone castle on the area a few decades later. The Kilkenny Castle of today is open to the public for visitation and displays exhibits of historical memorabilia that once belonged to the area’s former ruling family, the Butlers.
Jerpoint Abbey is a medieval monastery that has occupied its location on the banks of the River Arragle since the latter part of the 12th century. The abbey has a captivating history to reveal to visitors, along with an amazing collection of medieval art and relics. The building itself can be considered a work of art because of its architectural design, which includes the presence of quite a few attractive and unique decorative carvings.
Kilkenny City is the heart of the county, also known as Ireland’s “Medieval Capital”. Well-preserved buildings from the middle ages sit side by side with stylish townhouses that were built and at one time inhabited by the local aristocracy during the Georgian era, when Kilkenny City was among the most fashionable places in Ireland.
The city today is thriving due to its current focus on the arts, traditional crafts and design. The presence of crafters and artisans is evident in the wide selection of specialty shops, galleries and craft centres.
Kilkenny City also features striking examples of religious architecture. St. Canice’s Cathedral, an awe-inspiring example of a traditional house of worship, has a 102 ft high round tower located on its grounds. Black Abbey is widely famous for its antique stained glass window art.
Among the notable examples of secular architecture, Rothe House exemplifies the elegance of the Tudor Era and Kyteler’s Inn is the oldest of its kind in Kilkenny City – and has a very interesting story to tell.
County Kilkenny also offers dramatic natural beauty to enjoy at Dunmore Cave, a three-chambered complex which has been designated as a national monument and is filled with some of the largest and most intricate calcite formations in all of Europe. Traditional stories tell about the days long ago when the caves were used by the locals as a hiding place during the vicious Viking raids.

History

County Kilkenny is located within the boundaries of the former kingdom of Ossory, an ancient domain of Leinster province. It was ruled by King Cerball during the ninth century. His ancestors rose to fame and power in Kilkenny, along with those of the famous families of Mc Morrough and Butler.
Kilkenny Castle was created from necessity during the violent period surrounding the Norman Invasion in 1172. Initially, it existed as a wooden guard tower erected by Richard de Clare. His successor and son in law, William Marshall, replaced it with the stone castle that is visible today in 1195.
Kilkenny City served as the Catholic capital of Ireland during the English Civil War in the mid seventeenth century. It functioned as the administrative centre where the citizens from near and far came to form an Irish parliament, known as the Confederation of Kilkenny. The parliament held its meetings here from 1293 to 1408. Citizens joining together fronted a strong opposition to the persecution of Catholics, sustaining their effort until Oliver Cromwell destroyed it in 1650.
The Statutes of Killkenny were written and enacted by the Confederation of Kilkenny in 1366. They were designed to prevent the intermarriage of the Anglo-Normans to the native locals and to preserve the integrity of the Gaelic language and cultural traditions.
During the nineteenth century, the citizens of County Kilkenny passed an initiative that helped to ease the pervasive poverty made worse by the landlords who took advantage of their tenants and often drove them to workhouses with exorbitant rents, tithes, and all too frequent evictions. In Callan Village, the Tenant Protection Society was created to control rents and evictions in response to nationwide urgings of Catholic champion Daniel O’Connell.

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Kyteler’s Inn is a pub in the centre of Kilkenny that has been reconstructed from the remains of a 12th century Inn.

History

The medieval inn was home to Dame Alice de Kyteler, who outlived four husbands, and was accused of poisoning them. She was involved in the world’s first ever witch hunt. Dame de Kyteler managed to avoid being burnt at the stake, but her servant Petronella did not.

The Inn is famous for its connections with this story, and with its connections with the ghost of Kilkenney. Read more about the witch of Kilkenny.

Today, the inn serves as a popular restaurant and pub, complete with a statue of Dame Alice on display in its cellar.

Traditional Music

Today the Kyteler’s Inn is popular with its live traditional music, which is held nightly.

Official Site

Kyteler’s Inn

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Dame Alice de Kyteler (or Kettle, as the name would be known today) was born in Kilkenny in 1280, the only child of a prominent Hiberno-Norman family.

Born at Kyteler’s House, now known as Kyteler’s Inn, the noblewoman and her servant Petronella were involved in the world’s earliest recorded witch trial.

Widowed Four Times

Dame de Kyteler outlived no less than four husbands:

• The first was William Outlawe
• The second was Adam le Blund
• The third was Richard de Valle
• The last was Sir John le Poer

The last of the husbands, John le Poer became sick in 1324. Realising he was dying, he changed his will to make sure his wife would be compensated.

Accused of Witchcraft

After his death, le Poer’s children from his previous marraige, who had lost their inheritance, joined forces with those of the other husbands. They accused Dame de Kyteler of poisoning their fathers, and casting evil spells on them.

They also accused her and her followers of

• Denying the Catholic faith
• Witchcraft
• Blasphemy
• Running a brothel
• Dismembering animals

They brought their complaints to the Bishop of Ossory, Richard de Ledrede.

The Inquisition

The bishop convened a Court of Inquisition, which comprised five knights and several noblemen to go through the facts of the case.

The bishop had an ulterior motive — he believed that the wealthy city of Kilkenny was becoming increasingly secularised and independent, and he wished to re-establish the church’s power in this city.

After much investigation, guided by the bishop, the Inquisition concluded that there was a coven of witches, or ‘heretical sorcerers’, operating in the city. The ringleader of the coven was believed to be Dame de Kyteler.

 The Bishop’s Plan Backfires

Bishop de Ledrede decided that the Dame should be arrested, and wrote to the Chancellor of Ireland, Roger Outlawe, making the request. However, the Chancellor was Alice’s former brother-in-law, and decided not to prosecute.

Through another brother-in-law, the bishop himself was arrested, and imprisoned for 17 days. He was released after an investigation by the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, John Darcy.

Burned at the Stake

The events served only to further motivate de Ledrede. He continued to pursue the Dame and her ‘accomplices’. He had many of her poorer servants jailed and, under duress, they confessed to sorcery.

On learning of these alleged confessions, Dame Alice fled. It is believed she went to England. No records of her exist after 1324.

The bishop and his minions searched her house, and in the town centre, publicly burned items claimed to have been found there, including:

• Ointments
• Powders
• Dead men’s fingernails
• The fat of murdered infants
• Various other ‘abominations’

Bishop de Ledrede had Alice’s servant, Petronella de Meath, tortured, under accusations of heresy.

Petronella eventually confessed to witchcraft. Petronella de meath was flogged and burned at the stake in 1324, a scapegoat for the witch hunt that needed a culprit.

Petronella was one of the first people to be charged with witchcraft in Europe, and was the first person in Ireland to be burned at the stake for heresy.

It is possible that several other of deKyteler’s servants were also burned at the stake, though no records exist as to their fate.

The Ghost of Kilkenny

Some believe that a ghost still lurks around Kilkenny’s streets late at night. Sightings have been claimed at Kyteler’s Inn.

Many older people believe it is the ghost of Alice de Kyteler, who was forced to flee, accused of witchcraft. Others believe it is the ghost of Petronella, who was the first person in Europe to be burned alive at the stake for witchcraft.

The post The World’s First Ever Witch Trial – The Ghost of Kilkenny appeared first on Choose Ireland.

Rothe House is Ireland’s only remaining example of a 17th century merchant’s townhouse.

• This charming Tudor style dwelling was built between 1594 and 1610 by John Rothe, former mayor of Kilkenny
• Roth House is open to the public as a museum, housing a collection of costumes, artefacts from the Bronze Age and other relics
• It is home to the Kilkenny Genealogical society and contains a facility dedicated to local genealogical research

Garden

The Rothe House Garden, divided into two sections, aims to recreate an urban garden of the early 17th century.

• The walled section contains herbs and vegetables such as Deer Tongue lettuce.
• The charming orchard area has apple varieties such as Scarlet Crofton  Blood of the Boyne.

The garden was opened by President of Ireland Mary McAleese on April 11, 2008.

Official Link

Rothe House

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Just south of St. Canice’s Cathedral, you can find Kilkenny’s Black Abbey.

The abbey is named after the Dominican order of monks, known for their black capes, who founded it in 1225.

History

• The priory was established in 1225 by William Marshall the younger, Earl of Pembroke.
• Despite becoming a property of the British crown in 1540, Dominican communities remained there until sixty years. In 1603, they were eventually evicted, when it was ordered that the building become a courthouse.
• Cromwell’s forces destroyed the priory building in 1650, leaving only the walls.
• In 1816, they Dominicans rebuilt a church on the site.
• In 1979, the building was fully restored .

Features

The abbey houses the famous five-gabled, stained glass Rosary Window, depicting the life of Christ in gleaming sapphire and ruby glass.

Also featuring intricate stone carvings, Black Abbey is a true medieval marvel.

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