Things to Do Near Dublin

If you’re planning a trip to Ireland, you’ll likely be starting in the capital city of Dublin. Many tourists might not spend much time in the touristic city itself, but instead visit the famous Irish countryside. While Dublin is picturesque, the Irish countryside is even more so. However, if you’re going to be visiting Ireland, your visit wouldn’t be complete without a city break in Dublin.

Spending a few days in Dublin

Accommodation in Dublin is plentiful and varied. As a city popular with weekending tourists from the UK and Europe, Dublin has many options for cheap accommodation. By staying somewhere affordable, you’ll be able to visit more of the historical sites in and around Dublin. Or, you know, just be able to afford more beer.

Spend a few days in Dublin to experience the nightlife and see some of the sights before you head into the countryside. There is plenty to see and do. Visit the Dublin Castle or just explore the area around Trinity College. The library at Trinity College is one of the most impressive sights in the city and is home to the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from the 9th century.

Scenic drives from Dublin

After a few days in Dublin, save some money by getting out of the city and renting a car for some scenic drives. Ireland has a reputation for a scenic countryside and most of it can be reached within a one or two day trip from Dublin.

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist destination is an area along the coast with almost 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns. The interlocking rocks are volcanic in origin, though there have been various myths associated with their formation as well. Visiting Giant’s Causeway isn’t very possible to visit in a single day from Dublin, so staying in a small town in the northern countryside is recommended.

Use http://www.wimdu.co.uk to find places to stay while you’re traveling through the Irish countryside.
Another popular scenic drive outside of Dublin is in southeastern Ireland through Sally Gap in the Wicklow Mountains. The 27km road passes through moorlands and a valley, near the scenic lake Lough Tay and over some forested hills & mountains.

Day trips from Dublin

If you’re planning to stay based in bed & breakfast in the Dublin city centre rather than out in the countryside, consider taking some day trips to get out of the city. Glaway Bay on Ireland’s west coast is a popular and easy day trip from Dublin. Along Galway Bay are the sandstone Cliffs of Moher, at a height of 203 metres (666 feet). Within view from the steep, vertical cliffs are the Aran Islands. If you stay late, watching the sunset from the cliffs is a great photo opportunity.

Another day trip from Dublin is to Cork and the nearby Blarney Castle. The 15th century castle is built on solid limestone rock and is most famous for Blarney Stone, a boulder that you’re supposed to kiss for good luck at flattery. After getting that good luck kiss, there’s nothing better than a fresh pint of Guinness back at a Dublin city pub.

Walking in Ancient Lands

My sisters and I have dreamed about visiting Ireland since we were little and recently we were lucky enough to finally go on the vacation of our lifetimes! Ireland is an amazing country full of beautiful sites and friendly, welcoming people. As sisters, we all had different opinions about where to go and what to see but we agreed unanimously that visiting the Aran-Islands was our favorite part of the entire trip.

On The Ferry

We took a boat from Doolin to Inis Mor for the first leg of our journey and then island hopped by boat, visiting both Inis Meain and Inis Oirr. We caught the 10am ferry from Doolin to Inis Mor and reached the island in about 90 minutes. The boat ride was enjoyable and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The ferry owners were very helpful in suggesting things to do once we got to the islands.

Inishmore

Don Aengus was the most impressive site by far on Inishmore (Inis Mor). I’m a huge fan of architecture and archeology so I was duly impressed with this  stone fort. Perched atop a cheer cliff and overlooking the Atlantic ocean, we had to head about 1000 yards uphill from the visitor’s center to reach the fort.  Be sure to pack a great pair of hiking sandals for women. I didn’t and besides for listening to my sister’s “I told you so’s,” my feet paid dearly for it!

There is also a van available to take you to the top of the hill, though we opted to hike it. Standing at the edge of the cliff, looking out at the ocean with the salty wind blowing through our hair, we felt we were in a medieval fairy tale.

Shipwrecks and Photo Opportunities

On Inishere (Inis Oirr) we made a bee-line for the site of the Plassey shipwreck, my sisters being huge fans of pirates and ghost ships. There are no ghosts but we were still impressed with the rusted out wreckage lying eerily silent on the rocks of the beach. We were able to take some amazing photographs of the wreckage, highlighted by gray clouds in the background.

If you’re considering a trip to Ireland, I strongly recommend that you plan enough time for a day trip to the Aran-Islands or even enough time to spend two or three days. There are great options available as far as places to stay go,  including homey bed and breakfasts, at the ports of the mainland and on the islands themselves.

Samantha Wilson is a blogger who writes about travel and tourism. She enjoys visiting new places and getting the best deals for her buck.

Summer Fun In Irelands Coastal Town

If you fancy trying out good times in Ireland, think about a visit in September – and join in the fun of one of the biggest and oldest parties that the Green Isle has to offer. It’s the Galway Oyster Festival and it runs from 23rd to 25th September so you’ll still have time to explore the town and local environment. There are lots of flights to Ireland and getting to Galway is easy, so don’t miss out on a chance to see Ireland at its best.

The Oyster Festival

The 57^th Oyster Festival in 2011 will kick off with the Oyster Opening Championships. After the Oyster Opening is over – at around 8.00pm,  all the oysters are offered up for a feast in Festival Marquee. It’s quite a fashion event too, with everyone dressed up to nines for the Oyster Festival Gala Ball. There’s even a Best Dressed Competition too.

There are lots of events to, dances, and Guinness, of course, in all its forms, to sample. This is generally the last big party of the summer, and it’s a real live wire event with approximately 12,000 visitors a year. The streets are full of people, and there is a real party atmosphere – everyone is up for a good time. When you need a breather, take a stroll down to Quay Street, under the old Spanish Arch and onto Salthill, for some lung expanding fresh air.

Galway Town Traditions

There’s plenty of culture here – lovely galleries, and museums, and of course, the evening brings lots of live music onto the streets and in the big Marquee, so you can dance the night away. There’s a great market held on Saturdays, just outside St Nicholas’s Church, everybody brings all sorts of items, so its good fun to rifle through the baskets and tables. If you are feeling in a generous mood you might want to buy your sweetheart a Claddagh Ring, thought to be designed in this part of Ireland. It’s a pair of hands, holding a heart, which is topped by a crown. If you wear the ring with the heart facing outwards, it means the owner’s heart is free, and when pointing inwards, it means the owners heart belongs elsewhere – keep an eye out for them.

The Green Green Grass

Galway countryside is lush and beautiful. You can visit Letterfrack and Leenane and enjoy the peace of the Twelve Ben Mountains at Connemara.  You’ve also got an opportunity to visit the Isle of Aran by ferry, where life is slower paced and fishing is still very important for the local economy. It’s Europe’s most westerly point. The coastline is quite dramatic too, very rocky with stretches of gold sand. If you feel in need of some exercise, why not try out a surfing lesson as Rusheen Bay, where the local surfing schools can help you to get up on your feet and coping with the big swells.

It’s fun, lively, and very friendly in Galway – there are some excellent deals at the moment to visit Ireland, and getting here is so easy. Make sure you’ve booked some accommodation – it will get really busy during the festival week, and you’ll want somewhere to rest your weary head after all those oysters, and all that Guinness and dancing! Find yourself a cheap flight and its just a few hours away to a really exhilerating holiday.

Great Landscapes of The Green Isle

When you think of Ireland, what comes to mind? Rugby, rainy weather, Guinness? Granted, that could one way of surmising the place. But what about Ireland’s greenery, its landscape reflecting the soft hills and rugged coastline?  Ireland is made to be walked, and it’s made to be admired from atop gigantic, sweeping mountains.

So, what better place to do that then at the southern area of County Kerry? Co. Kerry is an undulating realm of mountainous scenery, splattered with puddles of blue, draped in lush oak woodlands. One very popular hiking route is the Co. Kerry Way; a well signposted looping walk that starts and finishes at the honey-pot town of Killarney in which, incidentally, there are some quality Ireland restaurants. It takes walkers across the Iveragh Peninsular, through some of the country’s most desolate and wild areas. Along the way you’ll pass through more than a dozen towns and villages, each offering accommodation in the forms of hostels, inns and B&Bs (but, sadly, none of the castle-style hotels Ireland has to offer!).

Taking things down a notch, moving a little further north, and opting for a more level landscape than the zigzagging Co. Kerry, there exists a place made for exploring which won’t require a rucksack full of survival gear and trekking poles, namely The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare. They line Ireland’s wild west coast, and are a beautiful sight.  The rocks are jagged like fork lightning, these cliffs are home to some historical ruins such as The O’Brien’s Tower. It was built by a local landlord in 1835 because, even then, tourists were flocking to the place.

If you’re worried about travel and how to get around places like Co. Clare, don’t be. There are plenty of travel links (buses, trains, boats) around the area if you don’t want to drive yourself, and they go to all sorts of destinations. The same goes for Killarney. The Irish really want you to see their splendour, so transportation’s not a problem.

To finish off, there’s a self-exploratory walk around a small island just offshore from Dalkey, a suburb in Dublin. Getting there is easy if you’re staying in Dublin, just grab a southbound train to Dalkey, walk down Railway Road, turn right at Coliemore Road, and there’s a hut with a signpost for ferry trips across to the island – €10 per person. Because of its size, Dalkey Island has no hiking trails but walkers are free to explore at their own pace. On the island, you’ll find a number of historical ruins, namely the 7^th Century St Begnet’s Church and the Martello Tower, a small coastal defence fort built in the 19^th Century.

Ireland really is one of the best places to explore on foot. It provides a huge variety of walks for both experts and beginners. There are mountainous areas, sheer, cliff-lined coastal walks, forest tracks and trails, all are sign-posted, well defined and ready to be explored by eager ramblers.

This post has been submitted by Guy Arnold, from leafy Hertfordshire, England, who is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing. Specialising in poetry, and travel writing being a new passion!

Summer in Cork City Ireland

Some of Ireland’s most beautiful sights are found in Cork City. Cork is built on an island on the River Lee, which divides into two channels, flowing around the island. A bustling city, Cork boasts of a variety of summer festivals and events filled with music, visual arts, dance, theatre, and more.

Cork Midsummer Festival

Cork Midsummer Festival provides 16 days of fun-filled entertainment and excitement beginning June 11 and ending June 26, 2011. Visit Blackrock Castle and Observatory located on the banks of the River Lee. Originally, the castle was built by the Cork citizens as a fort and watchtower to protect the entrance to the river against pirates and other invaders.

Blackrock Castle Observatory

The Cork Institute of Technology and Cork City Council collaborated and opened Blackrock Castle Observatory, the Space for Science. Blackrock Castle Observatory is home to Cosmos, Cork’s fun place to learn more about the universe. An award-winning exhibition, Cosmos features discoveries of  life forms on Earth and their significance for outer space life. Visitors can also enjoy the Cork Science Café, Movies by Moonlight, Open Night First Fridays – just some of the regular events held at Blackrock.

The Legend of The Blarney Stone

Blarney Castle is famous for its Blarney Stone; legend has it that the Stone  has the ability to confer eloquence on all who kiss its granite surface. It’s a steep climb to reach the Stone – 100 steps to reach the top of the castle where the Blarney Stone sits, so make sure your climbing legs are working! Rock Close is located on the castle grounds where you can see a set of  Wishing Steps, Druid’s Cave, Witch’s Kitchen, and many more delights for those who enjoy a bit of magic! Sixty acres of parklands are within the castle groundin including a Lake Walk, the Fern and Poison Gardens (!) and more. Stroll up to the 19th Century Blarney House and discover the charms of the Old Ice House, Climbing Plant Wall, and Belgian Beds.

Irish Performing Arts Festival

The “Irish Performing Arts Festival,” is a national arts festival for those with intellectual disabilities, their families, friends, and supporting artists. It was founded in 2008 by a music therapist with COPE Foundation, Eoin Nash. He wanted to offer people a chance to share and display their artistic gifts at a national level. Its been a great success over the previous two years and festival organisers for the COPE Foundation are working to make this festival an annual event. The Festival takes place in performance venues and theatres throughout Cork City and County, and includes drama, dance, singing, and instrumental performances.

There are many hotels in cork to choose from. Whether you are looking for a place in the heart of Cork overlooking the city,  a luxurious four-star hotel in a secluded walled-garden setting, a hotel near the Airport, or overlooking Cork’s famous River Lee, you are sure to find the perfect accommodations base for you to enjoy a week or two in this beautiful City.

What You’ll Find When You Visit Skerries

We’re happy to introduce a new contributor, Elaine Smith, who would like to share some thoughts about the seaside village of Skerries. Elaine is also interested in  Irish Gifts and claddagh rings. Thanks Elaine!

Skerries is a seaside village on the north side of Dublin, around 20 miles from Dublin city center and is a  forty minute train journey from Connolly Station. Skerries Train  Station is situat ed about 1 mile from the main village of Skerries. The view from the train as you ride into Skerries is breathtaking and the first things you’ll see are two wonderful restored windmills and the beautiful sea view.

The Windmills  

The Windmills, which include a watermill were previously used for grinding wheat, corn, barley and nowadays are a wonderful tourist attraction and heritage center. They are a unique buildings which have been painstakingly restored over the years. Their story can be traced back to the early 16th century when the land was owned by the monastery of Holmpartic and then by Lord Holmpatrick who returned much of the land back to the people of Skerries. Milling continued for many years and up until the mid-1980′s, was still producing bread and confectionery. After 10 years of restoration work, it’s a great day out with fantastic facilities.

Life in Skerries Village

During the summer months,  Skerries is a busy village,  especially at weekends. On the sea front you’ll see lots of windsurfing, especially when there is a good westerly breeze. Weekends can be filled with a variety of sports activities including cycling, triathlons and swimming with many events throughout the year.

On Wednesday evenings you’ll find some of the local pubs play traditional music. These are mainly open sessions where anybody with a musical instrument can come along, play and have ” the craic “. Sometimes you can get up to 20 musicians sitting around enjoying a pint of Guinness and playing music in a wonderful atmosphere.

If you’re looking for good food, there are plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from. Olives Cafe offers wonderful coffee and outdoor seating with optional indoor seating when it’s raining. Over at the harbor, you’ll find a number of bars which offer a super selection of food. Generally, there’s no need to book a table -  many people will just have a drink at the bar while they wait for a table to be free. You will find lots of seafood on the menus, as you would expect from a seaside village!

Ardgillan Castle

The parkland around Ardgillan Castle  is situated just outside Skerries on the coastline, offering magnificent views of the Rockabil Lighthouse and the Mourn mountains,  which are about 40 miles north of the park. In total, there are over 194 acres of parkland which includes gardens, woodland and rolling pasture land.

You can take a guided tour of the Castle which will take about 30 minutes. The availability of Castle tours can vary, depending on the time of year,  but it’s open seven days a week during  July and August and the Park is open all year round.  To the right of the Castle you will find beautiful gardens,  including a walled garden and a rose garden. In June, July, and August you can take a guided tour which will help demonstrate the wide variety of plants. Just down the hill about hundred 150 m from the castle you can find the “Ice House”  – this was recently re-discovered in 1985, when work was being carried out in the park. It’s the predecessor to a refrigerator!

Skerries has so much to offer visitors -   beautiful countryside,  fantastic scenery, friendly people and lots of  local history and colour – come for a visit and enjoy ” the craic” !

Travel Directions – Belfast to Derry, Northern Ireland

The A2 in Northern Ireland stretches from Newry, up past the historic city of Belfast, before ending in Derry –  recently voted as the UK City of Culture for 2013

Distance: 128 miles,  Roads: A2

Useful postcodes for your satnav: BT54 6LS (Ballintoy, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge)

BT57 8XH (Bushmills Distillery)

The winding road hugs the coastline,  northeast of the country, passing through the beautiful Glens of Antrim en route to Derry.

Ballycastle and Ballintoy

The town of Ballycastle was a favourite holidaying spot for the writer, CS Lewis, and visitors can explore the rugged coastline on their travels to the town.

If you’re feeling particularly brave, take a drive to the village of Ballintoy and take a walk across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which bridges a 20 metre-wide chasm, connecting the mainland to Carrick Island. The bridge is open all year round.

Drive 20 minutes east of Portrush and walk amongst giants at the world famous Giant’s Causeway landmark, or enjoy a sip of the local tipple on a “tour and tasting session” at the world famous Bushmills Distillery (BT57 8XH).  This distillery is open 7 days a week and runs tours every half hour, giving you the opportunity to sample some good Irish whiskey. Just remember not to drink and drive!

You might like to see our previous blog post on travelling in Ireland.