Ireland 

Google them – on many lists as the best fish and chips in the world.  Portions are large (consider splitting). Good for take away.

Multi award winning seafood restaurant – often mentioned as the best on the country. Ask for the name of the fisherman who caught your dinner and they can tell you

Just don’t miss this Dingle institution with amazing varieties of ice cream. Where else will you find brown bread or sea salt options?

This is one of Dublin’s best gastropubs offering up fancier renditions of classics. Using local ingredients to up the ante on pub fare, it’s well worth the stop. It also offers a great selection of craft beers, whiskey and wine.

Officially Ireland’s oldest pub in Ireland dating from 1198, this is a fun and eclectic bar. Originally set up as a Norman bar, the present building is actually from 1754. There is a palpable sense of history within the charming pub.

Delahunt makes all of it’s dishes in house (including its bread and smoked salmon). It has a constantly changing menu of contemporary Irish dishes. Located in a charming Victorian, it has a great vibe as well. During the day it’s a cafe and at night you can also enjoy The Sitting Room, a bar that […]

This is a tiny restaurant with an open hearth fire in the small open kitchen. This restaurants celebrates delicious vegetables, local meat and fish, and cooks up fantastic chargrilled dishes. It’s a constantly changing menu with sharable plates and a great wine list.

This restaurant is one of Ireland’s cutest cafés, located on Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. Here you’ll enjoy traditional Irish food (Beef and Guinness stew, baked ham salad, an array of cakes including a chocolate cake with Guinness). Most of the ingredients are locally sourced. For an island not known for its […]

This pub is 280+ years old. Established in 1782 it has hosted quite the array of famous performers over the years including Nat King Cole and Judy Garland.

Newgrange, otherwise known as Brú na Bóinne,, is a prehistoric monument in country Meath, north of Dublin. The Neolithic passage tomb is 5200 years old – older than the pyramids and Stonehenge, and is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe. You can walk around the massive tomb then squeeze inside. Huge at 80m in diameter and 13m tall, the white round stone walls topped with grass are impressive.

Possibly the best pub in the entire world, the Courthouse pub serves up amazing music along with frothy pints of beer. There are other pubs in town (we tried them all) but this was by far and away the best. Music typically starts around 21:00. It’s not large so consider arriving early for a seat.

You cannot miss the Skellig Islands. A set of islands off the coast of Ireland, the larger island, Skellig Michael is a A UNESCO world heritage site. This island was inhabited by Christian Monks from the 6th to 12th century. Dizzyingly high, the monastic buildings perch 150 meters above sea level. This is one of the most spectacular places in the whole world.

This is a great museum – even if you are generally not a fan of museums you should see this one. Started in 1877 as a repository for the nation’s treasures, it’s filled with beautiful Celtic metalwork (including the Tara Brooch from the 8th century), bog bodies (ie mummified bodies from the Iron age remarkably […]

12 murals decorate the houses along Rossville Street near Free Derry Corner. Referred to as the People’s Gallery they are the work of ‘the Bogside Artists’, three men who lived through the worst of the Troubles in Bogside. Painted between 1997 – 2001 they commemorate key events during the Troubles: Bloody Sunday, the Battle of the Bogside, Operation Motorman, and the 1981 hunger strike.

This is an evocative and impressive site. Perched on a 300 foot cliff overlooking the Atlantic ocean, Dún Aonghasa is the largest of the prehistoric stone forts of the Aran Islands. The fort consists of three massive dry-stone walls and a chevaux-de-frise, a dense band of jagged, upright stones, surrounding the fort from cliff to cliff, designed to impede attackers.  Originally constructed c.1100BC, it was re-fortified around 700-800 AD.

If you’ve never seen trained border collies work, you owe yourself a visit. It’s really fun to watch the dogs heard sheep and to see them in their natural element. Demonstrations are usually in the afternoon. Located on the road between Killarney and Kinsale through Killarney National Park.

47 acres of some of the loveliest gardens in the world and Wicklow’s most visited attraction, Powerscourt Gardens is an impressive start. You’ll enjoy landscaped gardens, terraces, statuary, lakes, walkways, and hundreds of different types of plants. Highlights include the Japanese Gardens and Pepperpot Tower. 

Tour a full size reproduction of a vessel typical of those that sailed millions of Irish immigrants to the US during the potato famine between 1846 and 1865. Follow your guide around the vessel, often better known as “coffin ships” due to their fatality rate, and meet some of the passengers (costumed actors) who will share their stories of life on board. Tours last 45 minutes. 

Waterford Crystal is famous worldwide, and this small factory is where master craftsmen craft special custom orders and presentation pieces of the glassware. The tour gives an interesting look at how the beautiful craftwork is produced.

Ireland’s second largest national park is Glenveagh. It’s a beautiful park full of lochs surrounded by mountains, bogs, and forest. There are a ton of hiking trails through the park. Look for the golden eagle as well as red deer.
The castle in the park is a beautiful manor house along a spectacular loch offering spectacular gardens.

This lovely monastic settlement with a 1000 year old round tower, ruined cathedral, and high cross, is one of the most significant monastic sites in Ireland. The monastery sits between two lakes in the Wicklow mountains and has stunning scenery.

This 1300 year-old dry stone church was made without masonry – stones just fit together and yet it’s watertight. It’s one of Ireland’s prettiest ancient buildings and gives you a really good sense of just how long Christianity has been in this country. Gallarus is clearly marked by a signpost off the R559, 8km northwest […]

The  crossing from Rossaveel port to Kilronan on Inishmore takes 45 minutes. There are 3 sailings daily. You can grab a bus from Galway if you don’t have a car. The crossing can be a bit rough but the boats are fast and comfortable

This is a really great distillery tour (and we far prefer it to the Jameson tour in Dublin). Bushmills is the world’s oldest licensed distillery in the world – it began producing whiskey commercially in 1608. The whiskey itself is made with Irish barley and water from the the River Bush. Enjoy a very informative and interesting distillery tour and afterwards have a few samples of your choice in the tasting room. The hospitality room offers a decent lunch as well. 

This is an interesting museum located along the Dingle Peninsula that tells the story of the inhabitants of the remote (and now abandoned) Great Blasket Islands, their cultures, and history. The museum itself gives a great view of the islands.

This is a giant neo-gothic country mansion built in the 1860’s. Later it became a boarding school run by benedictine nuns until the school closed in 2010. You can visit some open rooms downstairs (nuns still live upstairs). The main reason to visit however is a view from the lakeshore, Pollacapall Lough, and possibly a stroll through the gardens and to see the Gothic Church.

A group of six different vintage farmhouses offer an experience of what life was like in the Irish countryside during the 1930s and 1940s prior to rural electrification and widespread mechanization. The farms include cottages, farm animals, fresh bread and butter making demonstrations. 

A stately Victorian house and gardens in Kilkenny National Park which is seen via guided tour. The house which was built as a hunting and fishing lodge is set among beautiful gardens and along Middle Lake, filled with impressive objects (stuffed trout, stag heads, portraits, furniture) – 70% are original. From here it’s easy access to Torc Waterfall and Muckross Abbey.

The relatively recently developed museum focuses on the story of the Irish Diaspora around the world. 70 million+ people throughout the world claim Irish ancestry. The museum is high-tech and interactive. Start with a “passport” and proceed through galleries following the story of why people left. Hours: 10am-6.45pm, last entrance 5pm

A restored 15th century towered castle on the shores of Loch Leane. A 45 minute guided tour leads you through the castle. 

This is the national cathedral of Ireland. It was constructed in the 13th century in the gothic style. Jonathan Swift (of Gulliver’s Travel’s fame) was Dean of the cathedral for 32 years and is buried here. It’s a lovely cathedral in which to wander around. Grab a free tour to learn more. 

The current impressive church is built from a mix of periods of history but is mostly neogothic from an 1870’s restoration. It’s large underground crypt is the oldest structure in Dublin. 

Temporarily closed for renovations until 2020 See how the wealthy (and their servants) lived in early 1800’s Dublin in the elegant restored townhouse museum

A great place to stop and sample some seriously good porter in your drive around the peninsula. It’s a delightful break from the beer you’ll find elsewhere in the country (there’s nothing wrong with Guinness, but it’s nice to have a change). The brewery offers many other varieties as well. Offers a decent lunch selection […]

Kilkenny Castle is one of Ireland’s most visited sites sitting above the River Nore. Its history dates back to the 12th century. In the summer you can enjoy a guided or self-guided tour (in the winter it’s only guided tours). Make sure to see the Long Gallery’s painted roof and marble fireplace.

We don’t usually promote shops, but this is a great place to stop at where you can browse and enjoy a timeless icon of Irish craftwork. All of the items are handknitted using traditional patterns. The small Island community of Inis Mor began this craft and continues the practice to this day. For many centuries […]

This is the historic 700 year old castle which was the site of British rule over Ireland for years. It is now used for state functions. Built on the site of the first viking settlement in Ireland, enjoy a tour through state apartments and get a look at the original town wall. Though sparse inside, it’s still an interesting visit. 

This relatively new museum inside the General Post Office (headquarters for the Easter Rising Rebellion of 1916) explains the Easter Rising and origins of the Irish Republic. It’s an interesting overview of the times, interactive, and explores all the origins and facets of the Rising.  

This 16th century merchant’s house in Kilkenny is a great example of Tudor architecture and offers lovely restored medieval gardens. It houses a museum with sparse artifacts including a Viking sword. The walled garden has fruit, vegetable, and herb areas as well as an orchard.

McCrossan’s City Tours provides an hour long walk that gives an overview of the city’s history. It includes a visit to the walls, bog side, the history of troubles and a visit to the most pertinent sites, etc. This is a great introduction to Derry and the history of Northern Ireland. 

The Musical Pub Crawl is led by two professional musicians who perform tunes and songs while telling the story of Irish Music. The pub crawl goes through Temple Bar. You’ll visit classic pubs and enjoy Irish storytelling and music at its best. You’ll visit Oliver St. John Gogarty’s, Haypenny Bridge Inn, and Branigans Bar. Tour is 2.5 hours.

Grab your pint at the Tap Tavern before heading out at 21:00 for “A hilarious Monty Python-seque comedy ghost tour of Kinsale loosely based on the town’s rich history”.

This is a 4 star hotel, within Derry’s city walls with 93 modern and large rooms. It offers free parking.

A pretty 3 star hotel in Westport’s town center. It offers 54 large and modern rooms as well as a good breakfast. It’s family owned, ideally situated, and charming.

This guesthouse offers six large rooms with a guest library on the leafy South Mall in Westport. It includes parking and light breakfast. All rooms have private bathrooms. Cash only, but a great value. It’s still very close walk to town center and overlooks the Carrowbeg River.

Highly rated and recommended lodging in a great location in Kilkenny. Formerly a Carriage House and Stable Yard for Kilkenny Castle, it’s now charming accommodations. Enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast.