10 of The Best Things To Do in Ireland
Ireland is one of my favorite places in the world. It’s a good thing, too, since I own one of the longest-running tour operations in Ireland. Fortunately, I visit whenever I like, which is often. If you have just one chance though, do this, please. Try some of these ideas, or encourage your clients to do so.
Here’s my list of the top 10:
1. Fly over Ireland
As the night sky lightens and the mists dissolve, Ireland appears. Nothing heightens the senses as your first glimpse of the Emerald Isle. Many shades of green can be spotted in postage-stamp pastures, framed by stone walls. Yes, it really is that green.
2. Go to a pub
Pubs are great places for a quick meal or for tea or coffee or soda and a great place to talk with the locals. The pubs are gathering spots for the local Irish community, not alcohol-fueled bars. By the way, you can generally bring a child into most pub at any age. Many Irish pubs have traditional music evenings once a week. Go. No doubt, you’ll meet a colorful group of eccentric Irish characters, who will be long-remembered after you return home. Here is one: http://www.lynotttours.com/i-dublintours.htm
DUBLIN LITERARY PUB TOUR:
Join a colorful group of actors as they depict the lives of writers and poets of long ago, visiting pubs and reciting their works. Dublin is the world's most famous drinking city, and that of course is all down to the unique atmosphere and endless variety of it's countless pubs. Explore the capital city of Dublin on a literary pub tour which gets you acquainted with some of the city's more than 1,000 pubs. You are then free to spend your time exploring the Dublin of writers, poets and madmen on your own. Daily, all year. Walking tour. Transportation not included.
3. Stay at a manor house
Located throughout Ireland, these charming country house hotels are full of character and personality and are some of the most stylish and unique places to stay in Ireland. The country house hotels exude that special combination of nostalgia, tradition and homey atmosphere in comfortable and luxurious surroundings. Enjoy leisurely breakfasts, country walks, cozy log fires. Relax in drawing rooms with deep sofas. Special ones are Renvyle House in Connemara, and Rathsallagh House in Wicklow. http://www.lynotttours.com/i-luxury.htm
4. Hear a storyteller
The Seanchi of old, the Irish word for storyteller, entertains even today with oral tales of fairies, Celtic warriors and legendary deed-doing. Find a pub with turf fire glowing, where tales are presented and songs sung, a perfect setting in which to take you back through the romantic mists of time. You’ll listen as history comes alive. Some great ones are the Cottage Bar, Salthill, in Galway (Wednesdays) and the Brazen Head, Dublin (nightly except Monday, May-September).
5. Visit Cobh
Cobh (pronounced cove) in the southwest was originally a small fishing village, and then the base for the British Navy. Many of the ships that sailed to America departed from Cobh, so if your ancestors hailed from Ireland, they may have left from here. The heritage center documents the hopes and aspirations of those who traveled from here. It is a very moving experience. Cobh is a picturesque town, and is associated with the loss of the Titanic and Lusitania. The graveyard for many of the victims is in the town.
Now, it is a port of call for many cruise ships around Great Britain and Ireland, with shore excursions to nearby Blarney Castle or Kinsale.6. Visit Kinsale in County Cork
County Cork is filled with unique gourmet specialty producers - cheesemakers, basket weavers, and even an old fashioned English food market. Cork's pretty coastal town of Kinsale is just one of many places serving up mouthwatering seafood. Walk the colorful narrow cobbled streets down to the harbor, see the colorful shop-fronts and enjoy the scenic views. Visit the star-shaped Charles Fort with its spectacular views and learn about Ireland's history. The Old Course, one of the most challenging golf courses is here, too. Known as the Pebble Beach of Ireland, the course juts into the Atlantic, and rises hundred of feet above high dramatic cliffs. It is surrounded by ocean on all sides.
7. Behold the Cliffs of Moher
The rugged Cliffs of Moher, looming above the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean far below, offer spectacular scenic vistas. A visit to the Cliffs, one of the most outstanding coastal features of Ireland, was formerly a wind-blown scramble up a rocky incline. Now, a state of the art visitor center describes the geology and history of the area, and provides an indoor viewing platform of nature’s glory and the nesting grounds for many Atlantic sea birds. The Cliffs of Moher are just north of Shannon.
8. Visit Achill Island
The windswept Achill Island, on the west coast of County Mayo, is associated with a female pirate (Grace O’Malley), 5,000 year old megalithic tombs and promontory forts. The site that stays with you, however, is the Deserted Village. There are approximately 80 ruined stone houses in the village. Each house consisted of just one room and this room was used as kitchen, living room, bedroom and even stable. Once a thriving community, the village was a victim of the famine, and became abandoned. It is reachable by road.
9. Kilkenny
Kilkenny dates from the sixth century. What makes the town important today is that it is the finest example of a medieval town in Ireland, with a cathedral, castle, and even a craft shop housed in the stables of the castle, where some of Ireland's finest designs are made. The town, just 1 ½ hours southwest of Dublin, is haunted by the spirit of Dame Kyteler, who was hanged for witchcraft in the 14th century. The spirit resides at Kyteler's Inn, but roams the streets of Kilkenny as well.
Have a pub lunch at Langton’s, Ireland’s "Pub of the Year" for many years. In fact, it won so many times that the owners were asked to withdraw from the competition to give someone else a chance.10. Newgrange
Just north of Dublin is an historic site older then the Pyramids! Newgrange, the large cairn, or burial site was erected during the Stone Age. Legend has it that the people here worshiped the sun, because the Newgrange tomb is situated so that the sun shines into the chambers on the shortest day of the year, December 21st.
My complete list is much longer. After all, I have been to Ireland more than 40 times. Just ask me for a copy.
Ellen McNulty is President of Lynott Tours, Inc. Known for small scheduled group tours, FITs, customized self drive and chauffeur driven programs, and special interest travel in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The company will celebrate 40 years in Ireland in 2010.
www.LynottTours.com Emcnulty@LynottTours.com
11. Go to a Garden
You may not know that Ireland has a temperate climate, warmed by the Gulf Stream. There are even palm trees in Ireland! Many public gardens, and some private ones can be visited. Some of my favorites are here: http://www.lynotttours.com/i-GARDENS.htm
12. National Gallery
The National Gallery of Ireland houses the national collection of Irish and European fine art. Admission to the collection is free. www.nationalgallery.ie. It’s right in the center of Dublin, and you could easily spend a few hours there.
13. Drive the Atlantic Coast
See the glorious west coast of Ireland along the Grand Atlantic Drive - a craggy seacoast, a road lined with charming villages. The roads twist and turn. The rocky crags are best enjoyed April through August, when the area is alive with flowers.
14. Take the family
There’s no doubt about it – the Irish love kids, and Ireland is a wonderfully welcoming place to visit for families with children. Most public places and visitor attractions cater for those children, with changing facilities, children’s menus, high chairs and ramps for strollers. Visit Ireland - a land where a warm welcome is found at every corner, every doorstop and every pub.Visit the places your grandfather went, the tales he heard, the songs he sang.
15. Rent a cottage or a castle in Ireland or Britain for a family reunion. . When you'd like to be on your own, in a village of 8-10 identical cottages with other vacationers from around the world. Walk to the local store, cook your own meals for that finicky eater, and have your own home away from home for a week or more. Each cottage sleeps a family easily and cheaply. There is a large courtyard and grassy lawn area joining the cottages, which makes it very easy for everyone to get caught up on the years while the kids all play. Cars are provided, so each family takes their own unique day trips to destinations like Blarney Castle, and more. In the evening we all get for dinner and more social time. How about life on a
farm
16. But what will you eat?
Fortunately, the days when Irish vegetables are cooked for an entire week are long gone. Most people are very impressed at the quality of new Irish cooking. About the only thing that is not readily available is peanut butter. Bring your own.
One of the greatest transformations in these countries in recent years has been in cuisine. Once known for its unappetizing meals, Ireland now boasts numerous Michelin-starred restaurants. A good place to start: http://www.goodfoodireland.ie
My complete list is much longer. After all, I have been to Ireland more than 40 times. Just ask me for a copy.
Ellen McNulty is President of Lynott Tours, Inc. Known for small scheduled group tours, FITs, customized self drive and chauffeur driven programs, and special interest travel in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The company will celebrate 40 years in Ireland in 2010. www.LynottTours.com Emcnulty@LynottTours.com
>
>