An easy drive from Dublin, Kilkenny is a terrific base for touring Ireland’s southeast counties. Located just off the city’s ‘Ring Road’ – the road that circles the town- the Hotel Kilkenny offers modern comfort and amenities for an Ireland family vacation. Staying at Hotel Kilkenny The Hotel Kilkenny was booked as part of our…
Our tour with IrishTourism.com began in Kilkenny and we couldn’t leave without revisiting the castle , where quite a bit has changed since our first visit to Kilkenny Castle in 2008. The biggest change is that my children are older. While they still loved the play area on the grounds, they also enjoyed walking the…
Beyond being a chocolate shop and cafe, the Chocolate Garden of Ireland can take you ‘behind the scenes’ of chocolate making. Participate in a Chocolate Workshop and learn where this tasty treat comes from, why really good chocolate costs more and even make your own souvenir chocolate to take home! The Best Hot Chocolate in…
When you close your eyes and picture Ireland, what do you see? If the answer includes round towers and high crosses, then you’ll want to be sure Clonmacnoise in County Offaly is part of your Ireland itinerary. Located in the heart of Ireland at what once was a major crossroads where the north/south route of the…
It is said that you haven’t truly visited Connemara until you have touched the hand of the Connemara Giant. Perched atop his pedestal in Recess, halfway between Galway city and Clifden , Conn is my first welcome to Connemara. Read More: Clifden- The Capital of Connemara The Legend of the Connemara Giant We were woefully…
The Irish are natural storytellers, and often their tales are best told through song. Such is the ballad of Dan O’Hara. For refusing to pay increased rent (due to increasing the windows size in his cottage), Dan and his family were evicted and forced to emigrate to New York. Dan’s wife and three of his…
Just the name, Connemara, evokes such wondrous imagery. The “wild west” of Ireland, where roads may or may not drop you into the Atlantic Ocean as it crashes against the shore. The place where famed Connemara Marble is cut from The Tweleve Bens mountain range. Where romance tumbles with sadness and ends in hope at Kylemore Abbey. Yes, Connemara…
A quick jaunt from Killarney or Limerick, the Dingle peninsula is a terrific destination during an Ireland family vacation. The Dingle Skellig Hotel, perched on the edge of Dingle Bay, offers spacious family rooms, a tasty breakfast buffet and is an easy 5 minute walk from the center of Dingle town. What to Do on…
It was the penguins that drew us to Oceanworld Aquarium in Dingle . And by us, I mean my daughters- especially my eldest, who is just crazy about them. While I had fond memories of the staggering beauty of Slea Head Drive and my first view of town from Connor Pass, all Brenna had to…
It’s one of Ireland’s top destinations, visited by nearly one million people annually. No one can deny the Cliffs of Moher are simply stunning. Standing high above the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, you can see for miles along the coast and even across the water as far as the Aran Islands on a…
It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a short city break, or a full week or two away. Dublin glitters in all its glory this time of year and you will not be disappointed. The capital city is more alive than ever and there are few cities in Ireland which seem to capture the…
One of the most common questions I receive when helping people plan their Ireland family vacations is, “We want to visit Dingle. Can we do it in a day trip from Killarney/ Adare/ Cork?” I answer honestly – yes, you can. But you will likely feel rushed, and you may have to cut short or…
As if 2020 didn’t bring about enough disaster, late in the year Dingle’s famous dolphin, Fungi, disappeared, never to be seen again. While many hope he just left the waters of Dingle to join a pod of dolphin, it is much more likely that Fungi raced beside his favorite boats as a final goodbye, then…
I’ve had the great fortune to drive the Dingle Peninsula twice; the first time in 2002 when I made my first trip- solo- to Ireland, and more recently with my daughters. Each time the breathtaking scenery has left me entranced. Photo after photo of rugged shorelines, crashing waves, and sites so ancient the time elapsed…
The Dingle Peninsula stretches into the the Atlantic Ocean, windswept and dramatic, as if it were trying to escape County Kerry. There Are Only Two Roads into Dingle As you can see by the map above, only two roads will lead you onto the Dingle Peninsula: the N86 and the R561. The N86 The N86…
Please allow yourself a minimum of 3 hours to depart Ireland from Dublin Airport to the US when traveling from May thru October. Even in January, Aer Lingus recommends 3 hours. Unlike many international airports with many multiple terminals, the Dublin airport has two, aptly named Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 2, which opened…
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How long is the ‘perfect’ Ireland vacation? Everyone has an answer but the scientific study may surprise you.
Kylemore Abbey is one of the most recognized buildings in all of Ireland. This romantic castle, nestled at the base of a mountain on the edge of a glistening lake in the wilds of Connemara, brings to mind fairy tales, stories of everlasting devotion, and, as with all good stories, tragedy. The story of Kylemore…
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…