Reader Question: If you had to choose one side of the island for your first visit, which would it be? This is a great question, though it is much like asking a parent which child is their favorite. I love it all! So which ‘side’ of Ireland for a first vacation? That may be entirely dependent…
The Burren, famous for its barrenness, is one of the most unique places in Ireland. Its limestone terrain, hardy vegetation, and rugged animals, both wild and domestic, make the Burren a contrast. Barren limestone gives way to open grazing land. The limestone cliffs drop abruptly into the ocean. And beauty appears out of nowhere. Too often…
A falconry experience in Ireland is not to be missed. During our stay at Mount Falcon we had the opportunity to join Jason Deasey, the owner of the Falconry at Mount Falcon, and his adorable Hungarian Vizsla, Chili, on a hawk walk. The mews at Mount Falcon are located in the circle of Woodland Lodges in…
If the owners of Mount Falcon Estate would let me live in one of their Woodland Lodges I would move in tomorrow. My family arrived after a day spent in the tight quarters of our rental car. From Westport we drove Mayo’s untamed portion of the Wild Atlantic Way, wind and rain alternating their battering of us as we drove…
Please note: The original Doolin Hostel is now the Doolin Inn. Read my Doolin Inn review here. The Doolin Hostel is now in the building across the road and while still a very nice hostel which features dorm & private rooms and a complimentary continental breakfast each morning, the information in this article is not…
Enclosed by high walls and water, Enniskillen Castle feels every bit the intimidating stronghold it was built to be. Once inside, however, the feeling is quite different, with exploration waiting around each corner. Built nearly 600 years ago by the Maguires, Enniskillen Castle was important for its strategic placement at the juncture of Upper and Lower…
Summer in Ireland won’t offer you and your family huge commercial theme parks or even guarantee you sunshine but you can be sure that you’ll experience nature like you’ve never seen it, discover history that you never dreamed of and find yourself immersed in a culture that can only leave you wanting more. Check out…
The Mamore Gap, in the Inishowen Peninsula, offers some of the most stunning views along the most northerly part of the Wild Atlantic Way. It is also home to Donegal’s Magic Road. A ‘Magic Road’ or ‘Gravity Hill’ is actually an optical illusion. A slight downward slope appears to be sloping upward, due to the…
It had only been a year since our first visit to Birr Castle Demense and a return wasn’t initially in our plans. Until I received an invitation to come play at their newest attraction. But, as luck would have it, we had just returned from Ireland mere days before – a return trip just wasn’t possible….
Ireland has an amazingly vast history for such a small island. Celts, Picts, Vikings, Normans, and the English all called Ireland theirs at one time or another. A stroll through Ireland’s history at Craggaunowen takes you from the late Bronze age (1200-500 BC) through the Elizabethan Period (1558-1603) in an interactive history lesson that is…
Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny is the perfect hotel for your visit to the north of County Donegal, Glenveagh National Park, and the stunning Inishowen Peninsula. The hotel is easy to find as you enter Letterkenny via the N56 or N13/14 and is just east of the Port Bridge Roundabout and its stunning Polestar sculpture….
Bunratty Castle is familiar to visitors to western Ireland. Located just south of the Shannon Airport, you pass the majestic castle walls on your way to Limerick and destinations south. Famous for their Medieval Banquets, which are fabulous but not a great option with young children, Bunratty Castle also offers a less expensive and livelier…
Traversing heather-pocked peaks and harmonious forests, the Ring of Kerry is a popular tourist trail situated on Ireland’s mystical and unblemished South-West coast. The 120 mile route covers vast expanses of imposing wilderness, welcoming hamlets and secluded waterways, as well as one of Ireland’s most spectacular storm pillaged coastlines. To find out more about what…
Few visitors realize that Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city. Established by Viking raiders in 853, the city was established, overthrown by native Irish and re-established a number of times by both Viking and Norman invaders. Today you can revisit over 1000 years of history in three Waterford museums. The Museums of Waterford Treasures Known collectively…
Horse racing is the sport of Kings, and the birthline of many winners of races across the world can be traced to the Irish National Stud in County Kildare. Only 30 miles from Dublin, the National Stud is a terrific first stop if you’ve just arrived in Ireland, or a great final day exploration…
Peat bogs have long provided the Irish with the sweet smelling fuel visitors look forward to seeing stacked on hearths across the country. But when the peat has all been cutaway and the land is out of production, what is to be done with it? Ireland’s Lough Boora Discovery Park were once one of the oldest…
When planning a family vacation in Ireland, most people think of the history and the landscape. Few think of science. Yet, that is exactly what you will find at Birr Castle Demense in County Offaly- a world of science spread across the estate of the Earls of Rosse. Visiting Birr Castle Demense Birr Castle is…
Many tourists in Ireland pass through the Ballyhoura region and don’t even realize it. This area of southwest Ireland, stretching from just south of Limerick city through the northern part of County Cork, isn’t marked on any map. And though you will drive through it on the way to destinations like the Rock of Cashel or the…
Ireland is well known for its walks. No matter where you are in the country, it’s likely that you are near a marked way of some sort. County Offaly is filled with such walks. The Offaly Way, the Slieve Bloom Way and half a dozen Looped Walks weave across and through the county. To combat…
Ireland is a land filled with true magic. It permeates the earth, promising untold wonders if you will only search just a bit deeper. Lough Gur, in County Limerick, may be the most magical place of all. Long before Ireland became the ‘Land of Saints and Scholars’, it was the land of Druids and Celts. …