The
island of Ireland
is steeped in
romantic myth and tradition. The Celtic
God of Love helps lovers solve problems. Legendary Oisin traveled the land with his
sweetheart, Niamh of the Golden Hair, on a magical white steed. Diarmuid and
Grainne, transformed into swans, found eternal happiness. Dublin couples
still visit Whitefriars Church—the final resting place of St. Valentine—to
have their rings blessed before a statue of the saint. The ancient Celtic Druids used plants and herbs for love
potions, the most sacred of which was mistletoe. Today, in Ireland and other parts of the
world, mistletoe is hung at Christmas; a kiss beneath
it is said to seal love forever.
A dazzling-green
emerald in the Atlantic, Ireland is hauntingly beautiful. It's the perfect place for a meandering driving
trip, staying in castles, stately houses, and beautiful inns along the way,
enjoying the freshest of local cuisine and the unique camaraderie found in
pubs.
About five-sixths of Ireland is a sovereign state officially known as the
Republic of Ireland. The remaining one-sixth is
Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom.
Each uses a
different currency, but in many ways they operate as a single entity.
For example, Ireland's official
tourism website covers the entire island, dividing it informally into
seven distinct regions, each with a unique set of attractions.
The
North West: This is probably Ireland’s most romantic region—redolent of times past, with quiet lanes, picturesque villages, steep mountains, and glassy
loughs.
~ Explore the 41,000-acres of lakes, woods, and mountains at
Glenveagh National Park and
Castle. Once a private estate, the property contains one of the nation's finest gardens.
In these rugged Donegal highlands, the 10-acre garden's exotic trees and
tropical plants seem a touch surreal.
~ Walk the
narrow streets of medieval
Cavan,
close to the border with Northern Ireland. It's a bustling place and—with
numerous lodgings and eateries, and being 2 hours equidistant from both Dublin and
Belfast—it makes a good base for visitors.
~ Get to know Yeats Country. This area around Sligo—blessed
with waterfalls, beaches, and walking paths—served as inspiration for many
of the famous poet's works.
~ The
Master Saddler Museum
contains the only collection in the world devoted to saddle- and harness-making. (Counties in
this region: Cavan,
Donegal, Leitrim, Monoghan and Sligo.)
The
East Coast & Midlands: This area stretches from magnificent beaches
in the east to Shannon in the
Midlands. It's filled with great castles, grand homes, and impressive cathedrals.
An extensive network of forest trails and quiet country roads translates to
great day hikes (or multi-day walking trips).
~ Located at
the mouth of Liffey River, affluent
Dublin is Ireland's capital, one of Europe's fastest-growing cities, and
possesses a vibrant and exciting nightlife. The National Museum houses the
single greatest collection of Celtic artifacts in the world.
Dublin is a "young" town—estimates are that half the population is under 30. ~ Garden
lovers gravitate to Wicklow, known
as "the Garden of Ireland" because of the many lavish gardens
surrounding stately homes; many are open to the public.
~ The Hill of Uisneach was the seat of High Kings and
the site of the Druid Fire Cult whose practices, many historians believe, evolved into Halloween. Considered the center of Ireland,
the Hill is believed to possess strong power.
~ In Meath,
learn to do something new: take falconry lessons at
Newgrange Falconry
or, at
Causey Farm, try your hand at Irish drumming, turf cutting, and hurling.
~ Attend a
racing meet at Kildare's Curragh Racecourse,
where the Irish Derby is held each June. ~ Stop in at
Tullynally Castle, topped
with turrets and battlements a-plenty and loaded with 1800s furnishings and
art. The extensive grounds include a Chinese garden, an eroded limestone
grotto, ornamental lakes, and a Tibetan garden of waterfalls and streams. (Counties
in this region: Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly (northern half),
Westmeath and Wicklow.)
The
West: These three counties (Galway,
Mayo and Roscommon), on the very edge of Europe, offer rugged scenery, ancient pagan monuments, and religious shrines. The
West remains an oasis of charm and beauty and, as an old saying goes, it's "an
hour nearer the sunset than the rest of Europe."
~
Croagh Patrick, climbed by
the Faithful in July, is one of Ireland’s best know landmarks, having been
blessed by St. Patrick.
~ Vast and unspoiled
Ballcroy National Park is
dominated by mountains and bogs, including Owenduff bog—the last intact active
blanket bog system in Europe.
~ The
Irish Famine Museum, detailing
the story of the Great Irish Famine, can be found at Strokestown Park House,
which has been restored to its 18th century elegance.
~ Galway's
Oyster Festival brings people
from around the world to four jam-packed days of music, oyster tastings,
gourmet delights, and the all-important oyster-opening championship, and the
Galway Arts Festival is one of the largest such events in Europe.
~
Céide Fields is the
most extensive stone-age monument in the world.
Shannon
Region: Imbued with the pastoral tranquility of the river Shannon and the open moors,
the area offers a glimpse of Ireland in ancient times.
~ Picnic beside the
Cliffs of Moher, where the
continent falls dramatically into the Atlantic.
~ Stop at
Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, for a double-treat: a beautifully restored 15th century fortress,
complete with furnishings and tapestries; and a "living
village" that recreates 19th century Irish life.
~
Burren National Park
is almost pure limestone, yet hosts a diversity of animals as well as lime-
and acid-loving flowering plants; imagine Arctic-Alpine and Mediterranean
plants living side by side. Amazingly, many orchids can be found there.
~ The
Clonmacnoise Monastery overlooking the River Shannon was founded in 545,
but today's oldest building dates "only" to 909. A visitor's center and
museum offer a great overview before touring the site. (Counties in this
region:
Clare, Limerick, Tipperary (northern half) and Offaly (southern half).)
The
South West: Kerry and Cork counties contain some of Ireland's
most scenic areas. Consider driving the
Ring of Kerry, a highly-popular (i.e., crowded), 105-mile
circular route passing through or near many captivating villages and sights.
Or walk an equivalent route, the
Kerry Way.
~ Take a boat
to Skellig
Michael, a well-preserved 7th-century monastery community on the largest of the
two Skellig Islands—it's a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
~ Everybody's heard of
Blarney Castle, but many
non-Irish are surprised to learn it actually exists. The Blarney
Stone—Ireland's symbol of eloquent speaking—resides here. The story goes that,
once you kiss it, you'll never again be at a loss for words.
~ If you're up for it, climb Carrauntoohill, the country's highest mountain
(3406 feet). But beware: the route up can get crowded.
~
The southwest is also home to the port city of
Cobh, where the Titanic made its last call before entering the Atlantic
on its ill-fated journey.
~
Fota House & Gardens is Ireland's
finest example of regency architecture, set against superb gardens and an
arboretum.
The
South East:
Waterford, Ireland's oldest city,
is home to renowned Waterford Crystal; take a tour of the company's visitor
center, seeing how the crystal is designed and manufactured.
~ Each
summer since 1950 Wexford has
hosted a respected
Opera Festival.
~ Kilkenny
Castle sits on a site occupied by castles since 1172, when a Norman
knight known as Strongbow built a wooden tower. Portions of today's stone castle
date back to the early 1200s.
~ It's a
treat to tour Castletown House, the
nation's largest, earliest (1729), and finest Palladian-style home. One of
its notable features is the celebrated Long Gallery. The 80-foot-room,
decorated in blue and gold, was originally intended as a picture gallery, but was
eventually used for informal entertainment and theatricals. The Gallery
houses an extensive collection of portraits.
~ Ireland's
smallest county is Carlow, filled with tiny
villages and bordered by the granite Blackstairs Mountains. Add to this its
remarkably lovely and unspoiled environment, and it's the perfect place for
a biking trip. (Counties in this
region:
Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary (southern half), Waterford and Wexford.)
Northern Ireland:
You can't go wrong with the
Antrim Coast Road (the A2). It hugs a gorgeous coastline,
offers up an ever-changing scenic menu, and provides all sorts of goodies
along the way.
~
For example, it's home to the mysterious
Giant’s Causeway, where a
long-ago volcanic explosion resulted in tens of thousands of interlocking
hexagonal basalt columns; it's considered one of the world's wonders.
~
The
Mourne
Mountains—a granite range of awesome beauty—is here.
~
You can take a tour at
the old Bushmills distillery; the
nation's only working distillery open to the public, it was founded in 1608.
And don't just drive by
Londonderry—definitely
stop for a visit; it's one of the few remaining walled cities in Europe. ~
Nestled beside the sea in a fertile river valley and surrounded by hills,
Belfast is the island's
second-largest city. Vibrant and forward-thinking, much of the cobbled downtown area
has been given over to pedestrians, making it a great place to walk about,
shop, and café-sit. The city is jam-packed with entertainment venues,
restaurants, clubs, museums and more.
(Counties
in this region: Antrim,
Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone.)
