It may be hard to move to Ireland but it’s also hard to live in the US right now. Here’s how you can get a visa and make the dream Emerald Isle move.

We recently heard from an Irish playwright currently living in the US Lisa Tierney-Keogh as she explained how she was leaving New York to return to Ireland because America is lacking in compassion. She is far from alone with even the likes of Irish actor Pierce Brosnan claiming that the US and its recent political climate may yet drive him back home.

Irish actor @PierceBrosnan reckons #TomHardy would make a great #JamesBond. While the Navan-born star also says he's so sick of @realDonaldTrump that he'd consider moving back to Ireland. Read full report here...https://t.co/IROIV0UElu

— Hot Press (@hotpress) June 25, 2018

omg. Why didn't I move to Ireland or the UK in 1974 like I wanted to? 😞

USGS scientists now censored by trump. @eileendefreesthttps://t.co/TVpTylK0jL

— RA (@rosieogrady53) June 22, 2018

I'm asking for amnesty to move to Ireland; when they ask me why I'm seeking asylum, I'll say, "Donald Trump."

— Jenifer Jones (@jenynlndn) June 22, 2018

Read  more: Pierce Brosnan considers leaving US over Donald Trump’s politics

On the other hand, the more liberal among us have been praising the progress made by Ireland as it repeals the constitutional ban on abortion just three years after it also became the first country in the work to legalize same-sex marriage by a popular vote.

I SO want to move to Ireland. It’s SO bad here Trump is destroying our Great Country. He is NOT making America great. He is destroying it!

— Chris Bibler (@italiaheart) June 28, 2018

How did Ireland, a Catholic country, actually start to move forward while the US, a secular country, is going backwards ...?!?

— Jennifer (@ladyjennylind) June 28, 2018

As a result, many of you out there may be wondering if it’s really possible to make the move. We have all the answers you need if you plan on moving to Ireland because America is falling apart.

Read more: How hard is it really to move to Ireland as an American?

How to acquire an Irish visa:

As an American citizen, this is possibly the most difficult and uncertain part of the whole moving to Ireland process, but checking with your nearest Irish embassy is a good place to start.

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) was established in 2005 in order to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ in relation to asylum, immigration, citizenship and visas. You can explore the options personally available to you here.

And a few FAQ here.

US citizens can travel to Ireland without a visa for three months but any plan to stay longer than that and you have three main options: go to Ireland to work, to study, or to retire.

The D-visa is a single-entry long-term visa allowing you to travel to Ireland to pursue a course of study, to work or to settle permanently in Ireland with family members who are already residents. (More information can be found here.)

1. One option is to enroll in a course of study but if you plan on staying in Ireland long-term, unfortunately, years spent in the country as a student are not counted as years of residence when applying for citizenship.

2. To be completely honest, if looking for a work visa, it is difficult and there are many reasons why you may not be able to acquire a permit.

You’ll need to have a job lined up before applying for the visa and convincing a company to hire you instead of an EU citizen may be hard. If you do manage to find a job, the chances of you getting a work visa are higher if you earn more. If you earn less than €30,000, for example, it becomes much more difficult.

You can check out the two largest Irish job sites to see what’s available at irishjobs.ie and fas.ie.

3. The third option is retirement and this also demands a lot of cash.

Although one-third of Irish Americans would like to retire in Ireland, rules implemented in 2015 make it increasingly difficult.

The rule requires that retirees have an annual income of no less than $55,138 (€50,000) per person,($110,276/€100,000 for a married couple) for the remainder of their lives in Ireland, regardless of their existing cash on hand or lack of debt.

If you chose to move to a county within Northern Ireland, all this process will be different as you will need to apply for a visa to the UK and submit your application to the UK home office. You can start your application for settling in the UK (Northern Ireland) indefinitely here.

There is also a range of work or study visas available on the Home Office website.

How to apply for Irish citizenship if you can:

It never hurts to try and you may be surprised to learn you qualify. The US also allows dual citizenship with Ireland so no need to give up being an American in case you ever wish to return.

You can find more info here.

If applying for citizenship in the UK, dual citizenship is also allowed. You can find more information on UK citizenship here.

Where are you going to live in Ireland?

House prices, not just in Dublin, but across the country and moving steadily upwards again, although certain quieter counties and towns will of course still offer cheaper accommodation.

While it’s a good idea to have visited the village, town, or city you wish to move to at least once before you move, to get a feel for the neighborhood and attempt to line up accommodation, temporary accommodation is an option. A downside would be, of course, how difficult this could be to coordinate if you plan on bringing most of your US possessions with you. (Do you want to move twice within a short space of time?)

To save yourself money on expensive hostels, hotels, short-term leases and to avoid the sense of floundering on arrival (as a person who moved to the US with no home, no job lined up, and limited post-college savings), we’d advise that you know where you’ll be living before you make the move which may mean a few trips beforehand to secure a home. It doesn’t always happen but with websites such as Daft.ie and the Real Estate Alliance offering advice on buying property in Ireland, you can at least research well before taking the plunge.

Should I bring everything with me from America?

It will depend on where you’re living, and how long you think your savings are going to last/how long you can survive without something in Ireland.

For some recommendations, you can check out this interesting piece previously published on IrishCentral - Things we wish we’d bought when we moved to Ireland (and what we should’ve left behind).

One of the most important things to talk about it also how you'll bring your pets with you! You can read our guide to that here. 

How much will this all cost me?

Again this depends on each case and depends on whether you have a job lined up or not. You will need a large chunk of savings to keep you going without a job. We’d advise taking the cost of your accommodation into consideration and always planning for the worst.

Ireland is also quite an expensive place to live. Many of my friends in Dublin are paying a lot more rent than I am paying in Brooklyn and even my student siblings are all on a par with me in terms of rent.

If you move all of your possessions from the US, you will have to pay to ship them, but if you leave them behind, you’ll need to judge how long you can last without them for in Ireland.

One other big cost to take into consideration is the possibility that you may also need to buy a car, depending on the area in which you chose to live.

Or maybe stay and fight the good fight!

If 90-year-old Ethel Kennedy can go without food to make her voice heard, we can all certainly get involved in some way. It may be tempting to just flee and cut your losses in America but what will happen if we all desert? What about those people who can’t make the move? What will happen to them if we don’t stay and protest?

We’ve put together a list here of the various things you can do to combat Trump’s immigration policies by staying in the US and ensuring immigrant families stay safe.

Are you ready to leave the US? Let us know what you think in the comments section, below.

Planning a wedding in Ireland doesn't have to be stressful. Whether you're on a budget or hosting it at a castle, these tips will get you through. 

Many people come to Ireland to get married each year. Some reasons are their Irish ancestry, or love for the magic that our ancient castles, country homes, ruins, and abbeys have to offer. And of course, there are those that have never been before, they simply want to experience the romance that they hear everyone else talking about. I am very proud to call Ireland my home and feel especially lucky to be back after living abroad for many years. I am fortunate to be able to help couples, just like you, get married in my home country, Ireland.

If you have thought about getting married on the Emerald Isle, or are in the midst of planning a wedding in Ireland from America, here are some tips to help you in the process.

Read more: Best Irish wedding venues from castles to a location beside the sea

Your ceremony:

This is the first thing you need to look at. Do you want a religious ceremony in a church or a civil, spiritual or humanist ceremony to name a few others? Do you want to get married at the Cliffs of Moher or in a castle?

There are lots of rules and restrictions so best to get the facts right in case you need to slightly re-adjust the dream. Click here to read up on civil or religious ceremonies in Ireland. Humanist and Spiritual ceremonies also follow the same rules as a civil ceremony.

Legalities:

Regardless of the type of ceremony you choose, you need to give notice of your intent to marry to the registry office by post because you are not in the country. It is normally three months for people in the country but start this process six months at least beforehand to give yourself enough time.

Contact the local registry office where you want to get married before commencing the notification process. The notice fee is $233 (€200). Click here for all the information you need on what to bring with you etc.

You will also need to be in Ireland five days prior to your ceremony, to meet with the registrar and get the Marriage Registration Form which you will need for the wedding day.  

If you are looking for a blessing only, and not a legal ceremony than this is a lot easier and you have saved yourself the paperwork!

Read more: Ancient superstitions of a traditional Irish wedding may surprise you

Sourcing the right venue and location:

Had you thought about where you would like to get married, and what county? In Ireland, castles, abbeys and country houses are growing in popularity over hotels, and we have many unique venues popping up like art galleries, and museums. I

f you are not using a wedding planner, I recommend you ask a trusted friend in Ireland to go visit your venue for you if you cannot visit yourself. If you can afford to make the trip over, map out visits to a few venues that you have narrowed down that fit your preferences and numbers.

Get the timing right:

Regardless of the time of the year, or season, you choose to get married in Ireland, it is most likely going to rain at some stage or another during the day. Sorry! Best to just be prepared for it. It may not be the tropical downpours that you are used to, it could be just a light shower.

June, July and August are the most popular months to get married. Make sure you look at the calendar to see if there are public holidays around the time you are planning. If you don’t have a preference on the day, go for midweek because it will probably be at a lower price.

Don’t forget the time difference also between Ireland and where you are living.

Your supplier search:

Make a list of who and what you need for the day. If you are planning a small elopement or a bigger day your priorities and needs will be different.

Make sure you research each supplier and look at their portfolios and previous work to see if their style is what you are looking for. One thing that I have had to get used to upon returning to Ireland from abroad, is the slow response time from suppliers compared to overseas. You may need to be a little bit more patient!

And also remember that the weekends are the busiest time of the week because they will be at weddings.

Use Skype/Facetime:

I love Skype and Facetime. They really make it so much easier when speaking to my couples overseas to get a real sense of their personalities. I learn so much more from a Skype call compared a normal phone call and the conversation is so much more personable and open.

Use Skype/Facetime when you can for chatting with your venue or suppliers. I also took my couple for a walk around a venue while they were on Skype – something to think about if you cannot get over to Ireland to view your venue.

Read more: Perfect ideas for your Celtic wedding ceremony: Bands, blessings, vows and traditions

Looking after your guests:

There will be lots of information to keep your guests abreast of, therefore best to create a wedding website, rather than send them reams of paper! On the website, I recommend you put details of your venue, your wedding day schedule, include pre- and post-wedding activities, the closest airport, closest accommodation, and perhaps a page with useful tips on traveling to and around Ireland.

I also love reading the story about where you met and why you chose Ireland as your wedding location. It may be an idea to book transport to and from the ceremony location depending on what your plan for the day is. This will save guests having to plan this themselves.

I hope these tips will help you on the run up to your wedding day and as a wedding planner myself, I also recommend that you get a wedding planner on-board to save you the stress that often comes with planning, and to help you with the legal side of things.

Here are a few quick reasons from me as to why you should enlist the services of a planner, especially one based in Ireland.

• Ability to source a suitable wedding venue in Ireland for you.
• Budgets tend to quickly start adding up. A planner will manage and track your wedding budget spend and advise you of average costs you will pay.
• The Gift of Time. You get time back to focus on the things that are really enjoyable. Therefore, you can spend more time finding the perfect wedding dress, thinking about the cake, and planning your big trip to Ireland.
• Let your wedding planner sweat the small stuff. Your planner will worry about things like wet weather contingency and will know the vendors and suppliers who are the best to work with.
• Remove the stress on the day. One the morning, allow yourself to enjoy the build-up. Let the planner do the running around and set up. Furthermore, your planner will also ensure everyone else is where they are meant to be!
• Having lived abroad for years myself, I understand how difficult it is to plan things from overseas. I wish you all the best with your wedding planning and lots of luck for the day you have dreamed of in our magical country of Ireland.

The last thing to do is simply enjoy your big day! 

MartinaO is a Wedding Planning and Styling Consultancy based in Ireland. We work with couples coming to Ireland to get married and assist with everything from finding the right venue, booking the right photographer for being there on the day itself.  Our focus throughout the planning process is on finding new, unique and creative ways to celebrate each couple’s relationship and we pride ourselves on bringing something different to the table.

MartinaO offers bespoke packages tailored to every couple’s needs. We offer ‘Consultation only’, ‘On the Day Coordination’, ‘Style & Design’, ‘Month of Wedding Planning’ and ‘Full Wedding Planning’ packages. It doesn’t matter how big or small your wedding is, or if it is a simple romantic elopement for just the two of you, we would like to be a part of your day to make the dream you have become a reality.

You can find more information at www.martinao.com, on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or on Twitter. 

The FOOD&WINE Awards take place in Dublin this September and we want you to join us. Get your early bird ticket now…before it’s too late!

WHAT: The FOOD&WINE Awards are now in their 18th year and are the most authoritative and prestigious awards in the food industry.

Each year FOOD&WINE shines a light on those chefs and establishments that offer an exceptional dining experience, as well as awarding excellence in service.

This prestigious event is open to everyone and anyone that loves food. The ticket price includes a Champagne reception followed by a five-course meal with matching wines.

You could sit beside your kitchen hero and get the low-down on all the latest in the Irish food world, as well as some excellent restaurant recommendations.

Don’t miss out. Come along and see for yourself!

WHEN:Sunday, 09 September 2018

WHERE:Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin 4.

BUY EARLY BIRD TICKETS HERE:Tickets are priced at €175, but avail of the Early Bird discount of €135, which will be running until 3 August, 2018.

HAVE YOUR SAY: If you have a few favorite restaurants or producers from anywhere in Ireland, we’d love to hear from you. VOTE for your favorites HERE!

A recent crowdfunding initiative started by a London based Irish artist and charity worker is seeking to make a documentary called “The Killarney Story” to address environmental issues in Ireland’s National Parks.

The target for the initiative is to raise $23,000 (€20,000), which is meant to give the Irish government the motivation to work harder at preservation efforts and addressing environmental concerns in these areas.

“Cutting back on the care of Ireland’s National Parks is a false economy. It will be costlier in the long run and shouldn’t continue. We should be treasuring these great spaces. It’s not just because of the huge contribution to the economy they make,” said one member of The Killarney Story team.

Wild wonders, glassy lakes and rugged beauty: find it all in abundance along Ireland's #WildAtlanticWay!

MT @markobrienkerry Killarney National Park, County Kerry pic.twitter.com/pjkC4QVWD4

— Tourism Ireland US (@GoToIrelandUS) May 3, 2018

The premise of the film is largely inspired by concerns that organizations such as An Taisce and the Irish Wildlife Trust have for Ireland’s National Parks.

The producer of the film, Elizabeth Grant, has strong links to Killarney through her family, hence the film focuses around the Killarney National Park, which is one of Ireland’s first out of six national parks.

Read More: New Dublin start-ups focus on social issues like food poverty and the environment

The park in Killarney began with The Bourne Vincent Memorial Act, which was put in place after the endowment of the land by the US senator who owned it.

Nowadays, parks like that of Killarney are in need of more volunteering efforts from the local population and others to fight off the Rhododendron plants and the problematic increase in the deer population. There simply aren’t enough park rangers to deal with the scale of problems facing Ireland’s parks.

Gary Haran was filming red deer in Killarney National Park when one of the new arrivals to the herd, unfamiliar with humans, decided to say hello...

Video via @wilddeerireland (Always exercise extreme caution around wild animals.) pic.twitter.com/wxFOPmfsTv

— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) June 5, 2018

The film aims to be a celebration of the people of Killarney and how their sense of identity is intrinsically linked to the park, as well as what needs to be done to care for it for the future.

For the project, Grant found an award-winning director, Benjamin Scarsbrook, as well as an experienced crew who are passionate about documentary-style filmmaking.

“My two biggest passions are filmmaking and wildlife conservation, to be given the opportunity to combine the two is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Scarsbrook stated as to why he wanted to take part in the project.

Read More: Stop dyeing Chicago river green for Paddy’s Day demand environmentalists

“My recent visit to Killarney really opened my eyes to the beauty of the area which I want the world to experience, but without our help and the help of the people of Killarney, the beauty is not sustainable.”

“By bringing this film to the world, we hope to change the way the park is looked at for the better, preserving what is unquestionably one of the true wonders of the emerald isle.”

Fundraising for the project can be directed to fundit.ie and filming is due to start in September of this year.

From the power and the incredible otherworldly landscape of the Burren and the Giant's Causeway to the wonders of the Shannon - must-see sites in Ireland.

Ireland, like the United States, has some seriously stunning natural wonders. Mainland Europe might have the Acropolis, the Coliseum, the Sagrada Familia, and Piazza San Marco, but Ireland is home to more natural wonders than any of our European cousins. In Ireland you can feel the power of the waves pushed east from North America at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean or wander in solitude down one of the many towpaths along the majestic River Boyne.

How powerful and incredible would that be? From the otherworldly landscape of The Burren to the forests of Slieve Bloom, Ireland has something for everyone whether you're traveling north, south, east, or west.

Here are IrishCentral's top ten natural wonders of Ireland:

The Giant's Causeway

The intriguing lunar landscape of the Giant’s Causeway, in County Antrim, was Northern Ireland’s first World Heritage Site. It has to be seen to be believed.

This stretch of rock is a geological phenomenon, renowned for its columns of layered basalt. It mystified the ancients who believed it to be the work of giant Finn McCool.

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare, have been known to make the most jaded jaws drop.

Standing 700-feet above the raging Atlantic Ocean, the towering cliffs stretch out for a distance of about five miles and offer stunning cliff walks. Make sure to stay back from the edge.

The Cork/Kerry coast

The Cork/Kerry coast is famous for its beautiful white, sandy stretches of beach, many of which have ‘Blue Flag’ status.

Sunny weather brings out the best in the beaches at Youghal Front Strand and Inchydoney, in Cork, or Inch and Banna in Kerry. However, whatever the weather, the beaches are a wonderful retreat from the urban landscape.

Most beaches are easily accessible and you don't have to buy a pass to get on one!

The Ring of Kerry and Ring of Beara

The narrow roads of the Ring of Kerry offer some of the most spectacularly scenic views in Ireland.

It's best to take your time driving the Ring of Kerry or the Ring of Beara and most visitors say it's best done by car. They also say to leave plenty of time to enjoy the trip.

Slieve Blooms, in County Laois

The Slieve Bloom mountains in County Laois are at the very heart of Ireland and offer a chance for the visitor to slow down and really enjoy the scenery.

Hike along leafy forest trails, passing waterfalls and streams, or cycle down the peaceful country roads.

Enjoy the warm glow of a traditional turf fire at night. And sleeping won't be a problem after a day out on the shady forest trails and along the lush green glens.

The Ring of Gullion

The Ring of Gullion, in County Armagh, is a unique geological landform. A ring dyke not found anywhere else in Ireland, the heather-clad Slieve Gullion is surrounded by a circle of low hills 24-miles in diameter.

Slieve Gullion's reputation as Ireland's mountain of mystery arises from its rich associations with Irish legends and myths.

The River Shannon

The River Shannon carves its way through some exceptional countryside and, at 231 miles, is the longest river in Ireland. This enchanting waterway weaves past picturesque villages down to the Atlantic Ocean, at Limerick, and makes an ideal spot for a fishing, boating, or a simply relaxing vacation.

The Burren

Identifying the plethora of flora and fauna in this region in County Clare offers up some spectacular sights, including sheets of gold and cream Arctic-alpine even in May and the 22 varieties of orchids, which flower through the summer months until September. 

The Mourne Mountains

The Mourne Mountain range is an area of outstanding natural beauty with a compact and accessible collection of peaks in the south-eastern corner of Northern Ireland. Clustered within this area are twelve peaks over 2000 feet high, including Slieve Donard, the region’s highest mountain. 

The Boyne Valley

The Boyne Valley is home to some of Ireland's most important archaeological sites. The most famous – Newgrange – predates the pyramids in Egypt by hundreds of years. And, of course, there's the river which runs through the area giving the Boyne Valley its name.

Read more:11 places in Ireland you have to visit (VIDEO)

Countless people we have come across have talked about going to Ireland “someday” and when that day comes they better have these magical spots on their list of places to visit. 

 For the magical Saturday mornings in Dublin’s city to the wild and almost inaccessible highlands of Donegal here’s a list of places in Ireland you should most certainly add to your list. 

A Dubliner’s Dublin

 As the song goes “Dublin can be heaven”. Especially on a sunny summer’s morning in Stephen’s Green, or a stroll down Grafton Street, the main shopping fare, and breakfast in Bewley's coffee shop where you will feel like you have stepped back in time.

The charm of Dingle

 The fishing boats at Dingle. The Gaelic speaking town at the heart of the West Kerry Gaeltacht is a wondrous place to be.

 Tiny cobblestoned streets, beautiful Atlantic scenery, wonderful pubs and craic and the soft tones of the oldest language in Europe. Perfect.

Sun going down on Galway Bay

Galway City is the jewel of the West of Ireland, with the liveliest social scene in the whole country. Be there for Galway Races or the Arts Festival and watch the city come to life with a million musicians, gamblers, actors, and entertainers.

Yeat’s Country

“I will arise and go now” to Yeats Country, essentially County Sligo, awash in memories of the greatest poet in the English language.

He name checked every little town and village river and pools that could “scarcely bathe a star”.

Go see his grave at Drumcliffe under the majestic Ben Bulben mountain and visit Rosses Point and Strandhill. Earth has nothing to show more fair.

The River Shannon

To see old Shannon’s face again. John F. Kennedy was captivated by the beauty of the Shannon region during his visit to Ireland in 1963 and it easy to see why.

It encompasses both Limerick and Clare and stretches form glorious beaches like Lahinch and  Kilkee to the rugged grandeur of the Cliffs of Moher and inland to wonderful little towns and villages.

Tara of the Kings

The Hill of Tara was the center of the old civilization in Ireland, where kings were crowned and battles were fought and won and tribes made merry. In County Meath, just 20 miles or so from Dublin, take a giant step back into the past.

The Northern Ireland coast

 “I wish I was in Carrickfergus” and the beautiful Northern Ireland coastline north of Belfast.

Unspoilt and untouched because of the former Troubles, the road north from Belfast is a magical mystery tour of the Giants Causeway, quaint little towns and wonderful beaches. You can spy Scotland in the distance.

"You take the high road” to the Donegal highlands

Again County Donegal’s highlands are impossibly remote and almost inaccessible, but well worth the effort. Towering mountains, wild seas, and gorgeous scenery, they are perhaps Ireland’s best-kept secret.

The Lakes of Killarney

They say that the lakes of Killarney are fair and indeed, they are.

The County Kerry town was first made famous when Queen Victoria of all people, pitched up there for a vacation back in the 1890s. She knew well what she was doing, not just the lakes, but also the mountains the valleys. The streams – a must-see destination beloved by Americans.

The Mountains of Mourne

Just across the border lies Warrenpoint and several little fishing villages, all in the shadow of the mighty Mourne mountains, which do indeed sweep down to the sea at this precious spot. The golf courses are magnificent – Ryder Cup star Rory McIlroy grew up here.

* Originally published in 2011.

Once in a lifetime show combines of 130 years of beloved National Geographic history footage perfectly synchronized with an original symphony.

National Geographic’s incredible spectacle Symphony for our World will have its European premiere in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick in September. The show was a sell-out success throughout the United States, leaving audiences spellbound in its wake. For one night only, it will be aired in Ireland, its European début.

Symphony for Our World combines awe-inspiring National Geographic natural history footage perfectly synchronized with an original symphony, performed live on stage by the National Geographic Symphony Orchestra, led by Irish Composer Kenneth Rice.

Read more: National Geographic captures color and beauty of Ireland in 1927

The impressive 80-piece orchestra will perform the symphony and theme created by Emmy- and BAFTA-nominated Austin Fray and Andrew Christie of Bleedin Finger Music (The Hobbit, Startrek Beyond) with the Limerick Chamber Choir to an audience seated in the Mackey Stand.

Irish audiences will be treated to a 90-minute immersive symphonic experience, a feast for the eyes, for the ears and for the heart.

Presented on two of the largest high definition screens in Europe, the groundbreaking imagery is made up of 130 years of beloved National Geographic history of the world’s most incredible wildlife spectacles. From ice diving foxes in Canada, to hammerhead sharks maneuvering their way through the Indian Ocean, the footage captures a world that few will ever see in real life.

Driven by a five-part composition, Symphony for Our World pairs artistry with science as it brings viewers from the depths of the sea, up to the coastlines, onto land, through mountains and into the sky. Each environment will be accompanied by a different orchestral movement, resulting in a powerful musical tribute to the beauty and wonders of our wild world.

The Irish producers of the show, CWB.ie have worked closely with their US counterparts JMP Entertainment, Inc. in securing this unprecedented event for Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds. Hosting an event of this stature will bring in an estimated socioeconomic boost of €6 million to the region and it will also highlight the city as destination for high profile events other than sporting occasions.

Read more: Why Donegal is National Geographic’s Coolest Place in the World

Speaking of the inaugural event Eanna ni Lamhna a well-known environmental commentator and wildlife enthusiast said "There is great interest in how wildlife live in each different ecosystem on earth and this show follows living things from the depths of the ocean all the way to the skies above with glorious images.

“The musical performance enhances the whole experience. Making footage like this is becoming more and more difficult as we humans continue to over-exploit the planet we all share. Enjoy watching it and appreciate the fragility of these ecosystems which are so rapidly being adversely affected by our lifestyles."

Tickets are from €59.50 incl. booking fee and will be available from 9am, on Friday, July 6, 2018 from www.ticketmaster.ie and usual ticket outlets.

The event itself takes place at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, Saturday, September 29, 2018.

Read more: How to find out if you have Irish Viking ancestry

Explore the history of the 1916 Easter Rising where it happened and learn about modern Ireland through state-of-the-art digital displays and authentic artifacts at this award-winning experience, in the heart of Dublin

The award-winning GPO Witness History visitor center is located in the iconic GPO (General Post Office) building on O’Connell Street, Dublin. This unmissable experience is a must see on your visit to Dublin.

At GPO Witness History visitor center guests can explore the fascinating story of modern Irish history and the 1916 Easter Rising in this spectacular setting. The history of modern Ireland is brought to life through electronic touch screens, video, audio-visual booths, sound, and authentic artifacts.

The visitor center also features the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation Exhibition - the first ever permanent exhibition on the Irish Flag to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the first flying of the Irish Tricolour in 1848.

The GPO was the communications hub of Ireland and headquarters of the men and women who took part in the 1916 Easter Rising. The Easter Rising set in motion an unstoppable chain of events which would ultimately lead to the creation of the Irish Republic.

Today the GPO building remains as the headquarters of the post office in Ireland as well as being an enduring symbol and a place of commemoration. The building has been witness to over two centuries of history (originally built in 1818) and it remains one of the oldest operating postal headquarters in the world.

GPO Witness History visitor center has won numerous awards including the Micheletti Award at the 2017 European Museum Academy Awards. This prestigious award is the European prize for innovative museums in the world of contemporary history, industry, and science. The judges at the European Museum Academy Awards were effusive in their praise of GPO Witness History:

"The center is a perfect example of 20th century history in retrospect, dealing in an even-handed way with a very emotive subject that would have been impossible even a decade ago. It is an extraordinary achievement, an historical challenge that has been transformed into a reconciliation center which also poses questions for the future. Our warmest congratulations go to the whole team."

Relax after your visit to the museum in the courtyard café and browse the gift shop which is open to the public. This iconic venue is also available for private functions and events.

For further information and bookings visit www.gpowitnesshistory.ie or email info@gpowitnesshistory.ie.

* Opening hours: (open year-round) Monday – Saturday:10:00 – 17:30, Sunday and Bank Holidays: 12:00 – 17:30, July & August (Late Opening Thursday): 10.00 – 20.00. Last admission 1 hour before closing.

The location, address, history and some images of the Great Hunger Irish famine memorial in Dublin, Ireland.

Top on the list of tourist attractions for many Americans visiting Dublin is the Famine Memorial near the Custom House, a heartbreaking and poignant work that reflects the most tragic period in Irish history that changed the country forever. But what exactly is the famine memorial in Dublin? We look at the story and history behind it and why it's so important. 

Read  more: Shocking interactive map shows how the Great Hunger changed Ireland

What is the famine memorial in Dublin, Ireland?

The Famine Memorial in Dublin Ireland is a collection of statues designed and crafted by Dublin sculptor Rowan Gillespie and presented to the city of Dublin in 1997.

The statues depict the starving Irish people walking towards ships to bring them overseas to escape the hunger and poverty of the Irish famine; the women, men and children shown in the memorial as skeletal figures wearing nothing more than rags.

“Famine” (1997) was commissioned by Norma Smurfit and is a commemorative work dedicated to those Irish people forced to emigrate during the 19th-century Irish Famine.

What is the famine memorial in Dublin’s history?

In 1840s Ireland, many of the country’s poor population had come to rely on the potato in their diet. In 1845, however, a late blight caused by the water mold Phytophthora infestans is believed to have been accidentally imported from North America and began to appear throughout the country’s potato crops. The first year only saw partial crop failure but the returning blight from 1846 to 1849 resulted in the nation’s potato crops being almost completely destroyed.

With the potato crop destroyed, the Irish suffered years of mismanagement and mistreatment from their colonial power, England, which saw other food products shipped off the island while the people there remained starving. Little else was done to protect the Irish people from hunger and as a result, a million and a half people died and a further million emigrated from the country.

The lack of aid from the British during this time has led some to question whether it can, in fact, be called a famine, although many of the main historians specializing in the area continue to call the dark period of Irish history "the Irish famine" or "the Great Hunger."

In an attempt to commemorate a tragic event that changed Ireland forever, memorials such as this one in Dublin have been established around the world, often depicting Irish figures traveling toward emigration or the ship that carried them there.

Read more: The real story of Queen Victoria and the Irish Famine

What is the famine memorial in Dublin, Ireland’s location, and address?

The famine memorial in Dublin is located on Custom House Quay in the Dublin Docklands. Its address is the North Dock, Dublin, Ireland.

This location of “Famine” within Dublin is a particularly appropriate and historic as one of the first voyages of the Famine period was on the “Perseverance,” which sailed from Custom House Quay on St. Patrick's Day 1846.

The crew and 210 passengers captained by Captain William Scott, a 74-year-old native of the Shetland Isles, all arrived safely in New York on May 18, 1846. This is a tale of survival very different to that of the further ships which left Ireland for America, which came to be branded “coffin ships” because of the death and disease suffered by those who traveled aboard.

The ships were so named because the brutal passage aboard these ill-equipped vessels often meant death for passengers. The coffin ships ferried some 1.5 million Irish to North America during the later years of the 1840s as they fled famine and poverty in their native isle. With a further million dying of hunger in Ireland, Irish of all ages took their chances on passage to Canada or the United States in a quest for refuge. 

In June 2007, the second series of famine sculptures by Rowan Gillespie was unveiled by President Mary McAleese on the quayside in Toronto's Ireland Park to remember the arrival of Irish famine refugees in Canada.

Just a few steps away from the sculpture on the Quays is also a tall ship moored in the water that is set up as a famine museum. The Jeanie Johnston is a replica famine boat and is more than a fitting backdrop to the memorial statues.

Images of the famine memorial in Dublin:

Have you visited the famine memorial in Dublin? Is there a famine memorial in your own city? Let us know in the comments section, below.

From crossing the bord in County Armagh  to exploring the ancient tombs at Killevy, Christopher Moriarty crosses into Northern Ireland to find many interesting places.

From the Dublin Mountains on a clear day you can see the Mountains of Mourne – sweeping down to sea. And to their left, an isolated, round-topped hill rises. Its name is Slieve Gullion and on its slopes lies one of the most beautiful mountain drives in Ireland. What is more, it is only an hour’s run from the center of Dublin’s fair city. It is even closer to Drogheda in neighboring County of Louth, where we ended our last trip.

Before crossing the Border for County Armagh, we spend a while in a small but important corner of Louth. This we approach by taking the exit for Faughart from the marvelously complicated roundabout of the same name. In a couple of minutes, the world of motorways and fast transport is left behind and replaced by gentle byways bordered by hedges of hawthorn. This is the land where the great St. Brigid was born and reared before she moved south to establish a nunnery beside Curragh of Kildare.

Just after you pass beneath the railway line a signpost shows the way to her shrine. There, a modern oratory stands on the green hillside, backed by a beautiful grove of ancient beech trees. Little streams of clear water flow down the hillside, and parts of these are marked for special veneration by the attachment of pieces of cloth to bushes. Usually, a place for solitary meditation, the shrine caters for throngs of devotees at time of the saint’s festival in February. Turn left after leaving the shrine and next right to find the hilltop cemetery which contains an impressive array of memorials carved in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Across the road from the cemetery, a large earthen mound can, with some difficulty, be seen through a gap in the hedge. This is a motte, built to command their territory by the first Anglo-Norman warriors to settle in Ireland nearly nine hundred years ago. But better by far than either tombstone or motte is the view that this hill commands over the great plains around Dundalk and away to sea at Clogherhead. The Motte is a reminder of the strategic importance of spot. It is the southern entrance to Gap of North, a vital pass between provinces of Ulster and Leinster and the scene of numerous encounters between armies both legendary and historical. Among the historical personages was Edward Bruce, slain here in 1318.

Go back to the T-junction and turn right, drive northwards for a mile and look out for Moyry Castle on the left. A green gateway, almost hidden by a hedge, gives access. Built to the order of Elizabethan general Lord Mountjoy, in an effort to keep men of Ulster out of the fertile plains to the south, it was a strictly functional fortress, standing on a rock outcrop but commanding a wonderful view over the Gap of North and away to Slieve Gullion itself. Then downhill past the castle and turn right where the road forks, once more pass beneath the railway line and then stop and park at the gateway opposite a junction on left. Walk eastwards along the hedge until you meet an enclosure in the third field. That is home of the most ancient known Christian stone monument in Ireland. Seven feet tall, Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone bears an inscription in Irish to the memory of a gentleman named Ternoc, son of Bic, who died round about 716 AD. Its design is unique, the main pattern is a collection of inscribed crosses, most of them with arms ending in curlicues.

After these diversions, we are ready to scale the slopes of Slieve Gullion itself. Go northwards parallel to railway embankment, turn left at the next crossroads and right when you pass the church at Drumintee, following road B113. After a mile, a big signboard on the left welcomes you to Slieve Gullion Forest Park and Courtyard. Take a rest and a wander around the grounds attached to the splendid stone farm offices and stable yard built in the 1840s. Restored and transformed to life as a park administration and information center, it also contains a restaurant.

If you are bursting with energy and fitness, you may find a track to the summit of the mountain – especially recommended as the site of the highest stone-age Passage Grave in Ireland. Otherwise turn left at the exit to the car park to embark on the perfectly wonderful mountain drive, a well-built road but so narrow that you are allowed to go in one direction only. Setting off amongst stately pine trees, it winds its way higher and higher, leaves the woodland and climbs through a landscape of boulders and heather, offering incomparable views of a very substantial chunk of Ireland.

Back on the lower slopes, continue northwards to visit the ancient monastic foundation of Killevy. Go downhill opposite to its entrance, across crossroads and follow the road to the viewing spot high on the slopes of Ballymacdermot Mountain. As well as a noble panorama that includes the Mountains of Mourne,  the road takes you to a very fine specimen of a Court Tomb, a stoneage construction that may pre-date Passage Graves by a thousand years. Go back towards the west and then head north when you meet the long, narrow lake called Camlough. In the village of the same name, you may enjoy some of the best potato chips cooked in Ireland, and also see one of the politically inspired wall-paintings that grace gable ends of many Ulster buildings.

Two miles due north of Camlough is our final stopping place, a settlement as far removed from the mountain slopes and farms of our trip as can be imagined. It is the village of Bessbrook, where water from a millpond provided power for a great 19th-century linen mill. Far from satanic, Bessbrook mill was owned by the Quaker Richardson family. They believed passionately in the welfare of their employees and provided them with well-built and comfortable houses, each with a large garden so that they could produce their own vegetables. The village lacked only pubs, pawnshops, and police, Richardsons believing that alcohol and money-lending were root causes of problems that demanded policing in other communities.

On outskirts of the village, a Quaker Meeting House stands surrounded by neatly marked graves of generations of past worshippers. Turn left when you leave the Meeting House and look out for entrance to Derrymore House. A National Trust property, it is usually open to visitors, but even when closed is worth looking at: an 18th century thatched ‘cottage’ on an enormous scale set in beautiful parkland.

* Originally published in our sister publication Ireland of the Welcomes. 

If every myth and legend about Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone were true, it would be the most significant rock in history. Here are the facts of this favorite Irish tourist attraction.

Unfortunately, most of the myths and legends surrounding Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone seem to be fabrications, to say the least.

The stone was put into a tower of the Blarney Castle in 1446 and has become one of Ireland’s most successful tourist attractions. As the legends go, if one kisses the stone, they are said to be bestowed with the gift of eloquence and the skill of flattery.

Where the stone exactly came from and how we arrived at our current understanding of the stone remains uncertain. The lack of a clear history has allowed mythological explanations to take prominence to what the Blarney Stone is and was.

Let's take a look at the popular tales, myths, and legends surrounding the Blarney Stone.

Read more: Blarney Stone myths rubbished by Scottish geologists

The first story involves the goddess Clíodhna and Cormac Laidir MacCarthy. Cormac was troubled with a lawsuit and feared the ruling would be against him. He prayed to the goddess Clíodhna and she told him to kiss the first stone he finds on the way to court. In the morning, MacCarthy kissed the first stone he found and immediately was given the ability to speak with eloquence. MacCarthy won his case and afterward brought the stone to be incorporated into the parapet of the Castle.

The most plausible of the tales involves Queen Elizabeth I and Cormac Teige McCarthy. Queen Elizabeth, I, wanted Irish chiefs to ‘occupy’ their own lands under title from her. Cormac Teige McCarthy, the lord of Blarney, was able to use his words and wit to keep the queen satisfied without officially signing over the rights to his land. Some assert that the stone gave Cormac the gift of eloquence after an old woman told him of the stone’s power while others believe no magic to having gone into Cormac’s ability to avoid the Queen’s wishes without offending her.

The official Blarney Castle website explains that “we believe a witch saved from drowning revealed its powers to the MacCarthys.” As the story goes, the witch simply told the MacCarthys of the stone’s great power in thanks for saving her life.

 Read more: Frightening Irish demons and monsters from Celtic myth

Others believe the Blarney Stone spent some time in Scotland. How the stone ended up in Scotland is whole other mix of tall tales that go all the way back to the Prophet Jeremiah. It is said that the Blarney stone was originally the stone of Jacob from the Book of Genesis and was brought to Ireland by the Prophet Jeremiah. The stone was first used in Ireland as an oracular throne and would become known as the Lia Fail or ‘fatal stone.’ It was next said to serve as the deathbed pillow for St Columba before being removed to the mainland of Scotland.

In 1314, Cormac McCarthy sent 5,000 men to aid Robert the Bruce and Scotland in their fight against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. Many believe the blarney stone to be a piece of the stone of the scone, or stone of destiny, the seating place of the first King of Scots during his coronation in 847. The stone is said to be gifted to Ireland as a thank you for supporting Scotland at the Battle at Bannockburn. Modern technology dismisses the notion that the Blarney Stone originated anywhere outside of Ireland.

Read more: Take a tour around the stunning grounds of Blarney Castle (VIDEO)

Some suggest that the stone was brought back to Ireland during the crusades. They assert that the Stone of Ezel, where David hid from Saul on the advice of Jonathan, ended up as the Blarney Stone.

A few people have even been brave enough to suggest that the Blarney Stone is the same stone that Moses himself struck to provide water for the Israelites after escaping slavery in Egypt.

Have you visited Blarney Castle or kissed the Blarney Stone? Which of these stories do you think is the most likely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section, below. 

*Originally published in July 2015. 

The Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet, William Butler Yeats’s childhood summers spent with relatives in Sligo had a formative influence on the poet for the remainder of his life. 

The otherworldliness of the countryside, combined with local folktales intermingled with his own imagination to create a Tir na n’Og of the heart. To explore this country, from Ben Bulben to Knocknarea, from Drumcliffe Churchyard to the Glencar Waterfall creates a personal nexus, outside of time and space, in which the spirit of the writer and mind of the traveler can intermingle and co-exist for a brief interval.

Down Yonder is a lovely bed and breakfast in Rosses Point, a short thirteen-minute drive west and north of Sligo town. Looking west from the top of the road, reveals the flat marshland and beyond the wild swells of the Atlantic.   Out the back garden, you can view flat-topped Ben Bulben that dominates the landscape for miles around.  I had traveled from Dundalk to Sligo to dip my toes into the Atlantic Ocean and to pay my respects to Ireland’s greatest poet of the twentieth century. 

Read more: Remembering the genius of WB Yeats on the anniversary of his death

"Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim gray sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night ...                                                                                                           Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand."

- From “The Stolen Child”

Eavan O’Hara is the perfect hostess, making guests feel welcome and appreciated, yet never intruding on one’s privacy.  The rooms are extremely well-appointed.  The beds are large and sumptuous by Irish standards, and, were it not for the natural and literary life beckoning outside, one could well spend the whole day in bed staring out the window at magnificent Ben Bulben whose visage changes by the hour depending on the weather.

I arrived at the bed and breakfast in the late afternoon and settled in.  I was hungry and thirsty and asked the hostess for a casual place to dine, not too far of a walk. 

A little jaunt downhill brought me right into the village of Rosses Point overlooking Sligo Bay and the Atlantic. Harry’s Bar and Gastropub is a character pub with a nautical theme, maritime memorabilia and chotchkies, a decent grill menu with a nice variety of meats, veg and seafood. 

Read more: Top ten W.B. Yeats quotes in honor of his birthday

I settled on a burger and chips.  Nicely done, with a little rocket salad.  And, naturally, a pint.  They have a number of craft beers and the Guinness is well-poured.  The bartender was a young Aussie fellow.  Just been on the job a couple of weeks.  Genuinely friendly and knowledgeable. 

After dinner, I adjourned into the restaurant proper. There are aquariums everywhere and even a well that serves as a table!  I got chatting with a couple of the locals only to learn that there was a table quiz that evening and would I like to join their team? Who wouldn’t? We didn’t win the quiz night, but we did manage to work our way through a few pints and some wonderful conversation.  Walking up the hill in the rain with my new-found friends was a prize I’ll always treasure.

The morning dawned dull and gray and drizzly but the breakfast in the dining room certainly dispelled any gloom.  The coffee was delicious and the full Irish breakfast:  white pudding, black pudding, rashers, sausage, eggs, and tomato was certainly substantial and would stand in for lunch.  There was a wonderful side table with local preserves and yogurt, cereal and fruit.  T

he company was delightful and the host ensured that proper introductions were made. It was more like a family breakfast than a meal with strangers.  The conversation ranged from the Wild Atlantic Way, friends and family abroad and, of course, Yeats Country and all that was on offer.

After breakfast, I browsed through some brochures in the front lounge.  I decided, given the weather, a trip to a cemetery was in keeping with the layers of cloud and low-hanging clouds.

 Yeats Country - Drumcliffe Cemetery

“Under bare Ben Bulben's head                                                                                              

In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid,

An ancestor was rector there                                                                                                   

Long years ago; a church stands near,

By the road an ancient Cross.   

No marble, no conventional phrase,

On limestone quarried near the spot

By his command these words are cut:  

    Cast a cold eye                                                                                                                                On life, on death.

    Horseman, pass by!”

- From "Under Ben Bulben"

William Butler Yeats and his wife George are buried on the grounds of St Columba’s Parish Church. The church was founded by Columba (St. Columkille) in the year 574 on land donated to the church. 

There are the remains of a medieval round tower, whose top has been blown off, probably by ancient lightning and a beautiful, ornate high cross, embellished like the Book of Kells with knots and spirals and human and animal forms.

Like the high crosses at Monasterboice in County Louth, this beautiful example tells a number of Bible stories, including Daniel in the Lion’s Den.  The grave itself is to the left of the church door (which is decorated with a pair of beautiful swans, reminiscent of Yeats’s poem, "The Wild Swans at Coole." Yeats’s great-grandfather was a rector at the church.

Read more: Irish singer’s haunting version of WB Yeats' "16 Dead Men"

Yeats Country - Ben Bulben

“A little girl who was at service in the village in Grange, close under the seaward slopes of Ben Bulben, suddenly disappeared one night about three years ago. There was at once great excitement in the neighbourhood, because it was rumoured that the faeries had taken her.” 

 - From  “Celtic Twilight”

Ben Bulben is a table mountain unique in Ireland, a remnant of glaciated Carboniferous-age shales and a part of the Dartry Mountain Range.  Ben Bulben is so often viewed from a distance, particularly from the coast, that it’s iconic characteristic shape becomes imprinted on the mind, but there is a lovely walk beneath the cliffs and up close the mountain is monolithic and can easily overwhelm the senses.

The North face is formidable, but a gentle climb is easily accessible from the south. 

Ben Bulben is associated with many stories and myths, including the voyages of Fionn Mac Cumhail, the story of Diarmuid and Grainne and the tale of St. Columba and the battle over the ownership of a gospel. St. Columba allegedly made a secret copy of a gospel owned by The Abbot Finian.  When the ownership of the copy was contested, the High King himself ruled and declared, “to every cow her calf, to every book its copy” establishing the first legal precedent for intellectual property. 

This did not sit well with Columba who declared war over the dispute, a battle which was fought on the slopes of Ben Bulben and cost 3,000 lives.  St. Columba was so distraught at the slaughter that he exiled himself on the Isle of Iona off the coast of what is now Scotland and where some scholars claim the illustrious Book of Kells was written and illuminated.

Yeats Country - Knocknarea

“The wind has bundled up the clouds high over Knocknarea,                                     And thrown the thunder on the stones for all that Maeve can say.                        Angers that are like noisy clouds have set our hearts abeat;                                     But we have all bent low and low and kissed the quiet feet                                       Of Cathleen, the daughter of Houlihan.”

- From “Red Hanrahan’s Song About Ireland”

A cairn of stones at the top of Knocknarea marks the final resting place of Yeats's Queen Maeve, warrior Queen of Connacht and principal character of the Táin (the Cattle Raid of Cooley).

Throughout her life, Maeve had many lovers and husbands but there was never any doubt as to who was in charge.  At the foot of the hill, the path is wet and extremely muddy, sure cause for a soaker in spite of the hiking boots on my feet.

It is a steep walk up to the top, but I was rewarded with a beautiful panorama, the flats of the Rosses below and to the south, Strandhill, home to surfers and the Voya Seaweed Baths.  Seaweed baths are an age-old tradition and if you’ve never experienced one, it is quite an experience.  The steaming hot mess of Irish kelp and hot water is surprisingly simultaneously relaxing and rejuvenating.  Not to be missed.

Yeats Country - Glencar Waterfall

“Where the wandering water gushes                                                                                     From the hills above Glen-Car,                                                                                               In pools among the rushes                                                                                                         That scarce could bathe a star,                                                                                                 We seek for slumbering trout                                                                                                   And whispering in their ears                                                                                                     Give them unquiet dreams.”

- From “The Stolen Child”

 Last day and farewell to Down Yonder and the Rosses but on the journey east and homeward bound, a little side trip to the Glencar Waterfall. 

The Glencar Waterfall is located just across the Sligo border in County Leitrim.  Though not a waterfall on the scale of Niagara, this picturesque beauty seems to speak volumes about the singular beauty of Ireland.  It is the kind of place where you can imagine fairies dancing, the water spraying downward, bubbling and gurgling and telling wild tales of the nearby woodlands. 

It is a place of repose and the kind of natural habitat that could draw you in and never let you go.  The kind of spirit that Yeats conveys so well in his poetry and that had such a dramatic effect on his life and his work and that leaves us breathless and wanting more. Having only skimmed the surface of this country so beloved by this great poet, I am sure I will be back for another draught before long.

More details, room rates or reservations for Down Yonder can be found here or you can call +353 89 210 3639 or email info@downyonder.ie.

Christopher Moriarty travels west and north, and through the magic of Burren in Co. Clare to bring us all the best tourist attractions and the best things to see along the way.

Even the smallest map of Ireland shows two great indentations on the west. One is Shannon Estuary, the other is Galway Bay and the coast between them is that of County Clare.

One of the most wonderful coastlines in the world, it displays some of the finest cliff scenery together with a fantastic lunar landscape – to say nothing of a great variety of more commonplace but totally entrancing countryside. A trip of just 43 miles (69 km) of it can be comfortably accomplished on a summer’s day, though it would be more satisfying to spend a great deal longer.

We begin our journey at Spanish Point – where a charming sculpture in pale grey limestone of a 16th-century galleon commemorates visit in 1986 of King and Queen of Spain. The reason that they came was to remember the fate of some the of ships of the Spanish Armada which had been wrecked close to the shore four hundred years previously.

Read more: Unearthly drone footage of The Burren, County Clare

The coast remains as dangerous as ever, with hidden reefs abounding. But today its long sandy beach and splendid surf have made it a haven for water sports and it is the home of one of a number of surfing schools in the vicinity. In common with other villages which we will visit, Spanish Point is well supplied with all sorts of accommodation and good food.

The road northwards keeps close to the coast, giving a view of a great expanse of Atlantic Ocean to the left and rolling countryside of Clare on the right. The green fields with their stone walls make a very pleasing patchwork pattern but, by Irish standards, it has a very unusual appearance because trees and hedges are virtually absent from this landscape.

Eight miles of this road brings you to Lahinch, a small town immortalized by comic genius Percy French in his song on the ways of the West Clare Railway. The railroad has long departed, but the seaside resort that it helped to create remains, even with its delightful main street of 19th-century shops and houses.

A mile of golden strand provides both safe bathing for ordinary people and fantastic surf. Two golf links lie in the shelter of sand dunes. And there is plenty to do there if it rains.

The road from Lahinch crosses the estuary of Inagh River and proceeds to Liscannor, an old fishing village, and an even older citadel, as marked by the tall remnant of an ancient castle that stands out above houses.

At the harbor, you may see specimens of traditional fishing boats of the west of Ireland, black-painted cloth-covered curraghs, vessels which combine exceptional seaworthiness with enough portability to allow the crew to carry them up beach out of reach of breakers. The same harbor has superb modern power boats which wait to take visitors to Aran Islands or for trips around the corner to view the great Cliffs of Moher from the sea.

Liscannor is famed as the source of paving stones which are used far and wide throughout Ireland. They have a corrugated surface created by wanderings of marine worms five hundred million years ago when much of Ireland lay beneath a warm, tropical sea. As you leave town, towards west, you pass an emporium which celebrates the love of stones. The Rock Shop stocks stones and a wealth of objects made from them from all over the world, a truly amazing collection of color, arts, and crafts – and they have a café, too.

Read more: Six Irish tourist spots make Lonely Planet’s world top 500 list

On the hillside three miles (5 km) farther on, a large car park on right announces that you have reached the Cliffs of Moher and some of the grandest scenery on earth. Forming a bastion five miles (8 km) long and rising to seven hundred and one feet (214 meters) above the ocean, the cliffs drop sheer to boiling surf below.

Many thousands of seabirds nest on the ledges and thousands of visitors come to walk the cliff paths. Moher has welcomed visitors for centuries – but it was made even more welcoming in the first decade of 21st when the superb visitor center was created, mostly underground and incorporating all the best technology in an eco-friendly building. Take a walk around the center and enjoy, in particular, the exquisite photographs of cliffs – then go outside and have your breath taken by their grandeur.

North of Moher, next village is fabled Doolin, in a little seaside valley, with a narrow main street and a harbor which is not much more than a cleft in the rock.

While the nearby cliffs have a sense of rugged austerity, Doolin is a place of warmth and welcome. One of the great centers of traditional music, it is inhabited not only by musicians but by quite a collection of artists in other disciplines. There are hostels and B&Bs, numerous pubs and small local craft shops. No fewer than three ferry companies provide day trips to nearby Aran Islands. The ferries are about the most modern entities in Doolin, the rest is as the naturally old world and simple as can be found anywhere in Ireland.

A little to the north of Doolin you may visit a particularly fine show cave, presenting some of the very best stalactites to be seen anywhere. Just beyond it, Ballynalacken Castle perches dramatically on a hilltop, surrounded by a small forest – just about only one in west Clare. A comfortable hotel stands nearby. The road runs between green fields and into the wood and comes out the other side to a total change of scenery.

Read more: Can’t get enough of Doolin, Co. Clare!

You are entering an extraordinary region of karstic limestone, not just tree-less but almost grass-less, too. The land rises to north and east, while the ocean beats on shore to the west.

Over most of Ireland, the landscape is green, or maybe brown in the moorland. But here it is a pale grey, bare rock forming flat pavements in some places, cliffs in others.

That is very far from being the whole of it. All around are little patches of green turf and wildflowers, white, yellow and purple. The month of May is the best time to see them – but the Burren is bright any time of year. The flowers are an extraordinary assemblage, many of them confined to high mountains or arctic wastes – except here, where they live by the seaside.

You drive northwards for ten miles (16 km) through this wonderful wilderness until a little lighthouse appears on left below the road. It marks the point of Black Head where Galway Bay begins and you turn towards east. The seaside village of Ballyvaughan – with plenty of good food available – marks the end of our coastal trip.

From there you have the choice of turning south for Ennis, capital of County Clare or heading eastwards to Galway, both of them less than an hour’s drive away, through the fabulous scenery. But much better to settle for a few days in more remote parts with their plethora of comfortable dwellings in all conceivable shapes and sizes.

Have you journeyed through West Clare? Let us know of your trip in the comments section, below. 

*Originally published in Ireland of the Welcomes in 2013. 

Head to IrishCentral’s Facebook page at 11 am, Monday, July 9, to take a live tour of the exhibit dedicated to the “Black O’Connell.”

Until January 29, 2019, Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University is hosting a special year-long exhibit in the Lender Special Collection Room at the Arnold Bernhard Library on the Mount Carmel Campus dedicated to American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman Frederick Douglass.

“Frederick Douglass in Ireland: ‘The Black O’Connell’” traces the time that the former slave spent in Ireland, exploring how he came to playfully refer to himself as “The Black O’Connell,” comparing himself to the great Irish Catholic Emancipator Daniel O’Connell, after which Dublin’s O’Connell St. is named.

Join the tour live on our Facebook page Monday, July 9, at 11 am. 

Born a slave in Maryland, Douglass escaped at the age of 20, traveling north. where he quickly established himself as a talented speaker and writer.

To avoid being captured and returned to slavery, he traveled to Europe, spending the first four months of his exile in Ireland and returning there three more times in 1846. Douglass described his time in Ireland as “transformative” and as “the happiest days of my life.” In 1847, he returned to America, his freedom having been “purchased” by female abolitionists.

Read more: New production aims to highlight Frederick Douglass's connection to Ireland

“Both Douglass and O’Connell are towering figures in the struggle for civil rights throughout the world,” said Christine Kinealy, a history professor and founding director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute.

“Their contributions to social justice transcend time and place, religion and race. Their special relationship and mutual respect remain inspirational today. The institute, working with colleagues at Quinnipiac, is delighted that it can help to bring this story to a new generation.”

The “Frederick Douglass in Ireland: ‘The Black O’Connell’” exhibition explores the time Douglass spent in Ireland in 1845–46 and the impact the country had on his personal and political development.

Read more: Daniel O’Connell's final tragic plea to save Ireland from Famine

A highlight of his stay was meeting his hero, the Irish nationalist, and abolitionist, Daniel O’Connell. It was while speaking in front of O’Connell that Douglass made an impassioned plea for his enslaved people to find their own “Black O’Connell.” Throughout his life, Douglass would playfully refer to himself in this way.

To join the tour live head over to our Facebook page at 11 am on Monday, July 9, here and be sure to tell us where you’re watching from.

A former Aran Islands ferry is due to be converted into a hotel that will be docked at Custom House Quay on the River Liffey in Dublin.

According to The Journal, the hotel will be based on the national heritage ship PS Naomh Eanna, which has recently been permitted to dock at the Custom House Quay as part of a larger plan to revitalize the Docklands neighborhood of the city.

Former Aran Islands ferry to be transformed into floating Liffey hotel https://t.co/knJ1tyf4Jk

— Hacketts (@HackettDigital) July 6, 2018

The ferry had been used to carry people and supplies from Galway to the Aran Islands and back, but had fallen into disrepair after years of constant usage. It has been berthed in Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock since 1989.

Initially, there were plans to scrap the ship because of safety concerns that were found during an examination of the hull. However, through private funding of around $7.7 million (€6.6 million) and extensive restoration efforts, the ship is set to be a 28-bedroom hotel.

Read More: Nail-biting footage as cat saved from Dublin's River Liffey by passerby

The restored ferry will “represent the shipbuilding legacy of the Dublin Port area and will recall her past service to the Aran Islands from Galway,” as the ship’s campaign group said in a statement.

The group is aiming for the project, which will take place in the 250-year-old Ringsend Graving Docks, to take around nine months in total.

It's little wonder that golf is among Ireland's most popular sports considering the golf courses in Ireland have to be the most beautiful in the world. If you're traveling to Ireland book your tee time today!

Golfing has become synonymous with Ireland. Golf is the fourth most popular sport in the country and even back in 2012, the sport brought $215m into Ireland's economy. 

Famously Mark Twain said "golf is a good walk spoiled" but in Ireland you can get the best of both worlds playing in some of the most stunning countryside in Ireland. 

Check out IrishCentral Tours top golf trips here:

Wild Atlantic Way Golf Tour

7 Day Golf Tour

6 Day Golf Trip

There are options all around the country, from the wilds of the west to others a short ride from the major cities so if you're visiting Ireland you should consider booking in.

Channel your inner Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, whoever your Irish golfing hero maybe, and get out there and take in some of the best golf courses in Ireland.

Royal County Down, County Down

Located in Newcastle at the foothills of the Mountains of Mourne, Royal County Down enjoys a drier climate than the rest of the Emerald Isle.

The course has attracted many professionals. Tiger Woods and Tom Watson have played there for preparation for the Open Championships Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland’s current star, often plays around. Royal County Down will host The Irish Open in 2015.

Portmarnock, County Dublin

The Canada Cup, The Walker Cup, and The Irish Open are just some of the championships that have been played at this course located outside of Dublin’s fair city. The practice facilities boast of a driving range, short game area, putting and chipping green, which are all at a championship standard.

Royal Portrush, County Antrim

The Royal Portrush, which is the only club in Ireland to have hosted The British Open, houses both the challenging Dunluce Links championship course and the lesser-known but also challenging Valley Links course. The Dunluce Links were voted number 12 in the world by Golf Magazine

Waterville, County Kerry

Located in the south of Ireland, Waterville hosts a practice facility and short game area with fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding hills. The practice facility is surrounded by hedge walls, which provide some relief from the winds which prolongs the playing season.

Ballybunion, County Kerry

The Old Course features challenging holes nestled in grassy dunes and has been frequently rated among the top courses in the world. The Cashen Course on Co. Kerry’s shoreline is a more wild looking course with rolling dunes.

Lahinch, County Clare

Called the “St. Andrews of Ireland” by Herbert Warren Wind, Lahinch features some two challenging courses and hosted the South of Ireland Championship. Also on the green are some goats that are descended from goats owned by an old Lahinch caddie.

Tralee, County Kerry

The Tralee Golf Club was named to the Top 10 Ocean Courses with good reason. Each hole has a picturesque view and a story behind it. Designer Arnold Palmer said about the course, “I designed the first nine [holes] but surely God designed the back nine.”

K Club, County Kildare

Arnold Palmer designed the two courses at this club located in the Kildare countryside. The courses provide plenty of challenges with water hazards, rolling fairways, and long greens. After a round of golf, guests can stay at the five star Kildare Hotel, Spa, & Country Club.

County Louth / Baltray, County Louth

County Louth, sometimes called Baltray, has hosted both National and International events at the amateur and professional level. The natural beauty of the area combined with the strength of the course led “Golf World” magazine to call the course, “one of the best-kept secrets of Irish golf.”

Adare, County Limerick

Robert Trent Jones, Sr’s masterpiece sits against the backdrop of the Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort. The 18 hole championship course features aquatic challenges of a 14-acre lake in the first nine holes and the River Maigue throughout the course. Adare is a short drive from Shannon Airport.

Source: Top 100 courses in Ireland from Golf Digest Ireland.

* Originally published in 2011.

A rainy holiday in Ireland made for dramatic footage for one man and his video equipment on a family vacation driving around the lush green island.

Matt Coakley, along with his wife Holly and 11-month-old daughter Cecilia, spent ten days traveling around Ireland, in May 2015 and filmed (when it wasn’t raining) from above. The results are truly stunning.

Coakley told IrishCentral how he ended up on the road around Ireland with his family in tow.

“Not long after we met four years ago, my wife Holly and I started talking about wanting to go to Ireland together. In March another of my YouTube videos became successful, which gave us the opportunity to fulfill our dream and travel to Ireland.

"So in early May Holly, myself, and our 11-month-old daughter Cecilia flew into Dublin and spent the next nine days traveling around Ireland.”

The countryside in Ireland is certainly dramatic, but what exactly were you looking at?

Here are your answers:

Sandy Cove, Skibbereen, County Cork

Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

Benbulben Mountain, County Sligo

Slieve League Cliffs, County Donegal

Dunluce Castle, County Antrim

Carrick-a-Rede, County Antrim

The Coakley clan really got around during their short visit and managed to do it in comfort and style by all accounts.

“We had purchased a self-driving/B&B vacation package, so we were able to travel where we wanted. We opted to do a big loop, going first to Co. Cork, then working our way north, loosely following the Wild Atlantic Way, ending with a quick jaunt through Northern Ireland and then back to Dublin,” Coakley explained.

Obviously, the trip went beautifully (see video), but we asked Coakley out of everything they experienced what was his highlight of the visit.

“The two days we spent at Sandycove House in Castletownsend, near Skibbereen,” Coakley said “It was so peaceful, with some of the prettiest views from both our room and the breakfast room, and plenty of opportunities to walk along the coastline.

“We also loved An Chistin Beag, in Skibbereen. It was very good, with inexpensive food in a relaxing atmosphere.”

He added, “And no one paid me to say these things. It's all because we personally enjoyed them.”

Amazingly, Coakley and his family are now making these videos into a longer adventure, creating videos for their trip RV-ing across the United States this summer and fall. You can follow their adventures at the site www.BlankByDrone.com.

Coakley hopes that making these videos can become something more permanent for his family.

He said, “If it continues to go well we will keep going. We would love to come back to Ireland and make individual videos of each county. That may be ambitious, but gotta dream big, right?”

County Louth town will play host to the world’s largest celebration of Irish music, song and dance this August.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 is the largest celebration of Irish music, song and dance in the world and its coming to Drogheda, County Louth. This year’s Fleadh, which is sponsored by the Credit Union, will be held from 12th – 19th of August and boasts some of the country’s most talented musicians, singers and dancers including Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill, Zoë Conway, Damien Dempsey, Pádraigín Ni Uallacháin, Sibéal Davitt and Gerry O’Connor.

This year’s line-up has been described as one of the most exciting to date, with an array of artists of local, national and international significance including the Hot House Flowers, Julie Fowlis, Frankie Gavin, Odhrán Ó Casaide, Mairead and Triona Ni Dhomhnall, Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny, Moya Brennan& Cormac De Barra, Ulaid, The Voice Squad and Sibéal Ní Chasaide. Completing the line-up are Kieran Hanrahan, this year’s recipient of the third The Flanagan Brothers Award, Michael Holohan, Mick O’Brien & Family, banjo player Stevie Dunne, the RTÉ Contempo Quartlet and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a program that also celebrates Irish traditional music song and dance and its importance through families and the inter-generational exchange that takes place.

Commenting on Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Dr Labhrás Ó’ Murchú, Ardstiúrthóir Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann said: “Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is now the largest and most unique cultural festival in the world. Its significance is cultural, economic and social and it is a tribute to all those who kept our cultural traditions alive down through the decades. Drogheda is an ideal venue for this celebration of whom we are as a people.”

People are also invited to take part in various other activities surrounding the Fleadh, including the incredibly popular Scoil Éigse, which offers people of all ages the opportunity to participate in workshops and traditional music sessions to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Irish music. It is estimated that approximately 900 musicians will attend Scoil Éigse workshops in Drogheda this August.

This year’s Fleadh offers an extensive youth program which aims to increase student’s awareness of Irish culture and tradition and encourage them to become actively involved in the celebrations for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. The school children of Drogheda and the surrounding region are leading the charge when it comes to participation and initiative, by taking part in musical events and arts and crafts programs with their local communities.

Whether attending for one day or the entire week, Drogheda and County Louth as a whole offer a wealth of attractions and the warmest of welcomes to visitors this August. 

Tickets are now available to purchase for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 and the line-up of events and performances, which will take place every day from Sunday 12th through to Sunday 19th August 2018, is available to view at www.fleadhcheoil.ie.

How many of these fascinating factoids about the Kerry Kingdom did you know? From the county motto to Tom Crean, spectacular countryside and Charlie Chaplin! Here's what you need to know.

With stunning sights such as the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, and the Skellig Islands, County Kerry is one of the most famous and beautiful of Ireland’s 32 counties.

Read on for 10 of the most interesting and surprising facts about County Kerry– adapted from Brendan John Murphy’s recently released County Kerry: 101 Interesting Facts.

The Kerry motto is “Cooperation, Help, and Friendship”

County Kerry’s Irish motto, “Comhar, Cabhair, Cairdeas,” translates to “Cooperation, Help, and Friendship.” The blue and white mountains in the center of the County Kerry crest symbolize Kerry’s mountains – the highest in Ireland. The crown at the top stands for the Ciarraige, the pre-Gaelic people who gave their name to the county. The crosses on either side of it represent the monasteries of Ardfert and Aghadoe. The boat represents St. Brendan the Navigator, who is said to have discovered America long before Columbus did.

Kerry is home to Ireland’s highest mountain and mountain pass

Carrauntoohil, in the MacGillycuddy Reeks range, is Ireland’s highest mountain, standing at 3,409 feet. The Reeks themselves stretch across 12 miles of the stunning Kerry landscape and also include Ireland’s second and third highest mountains – Beenkeragh (3,313 feet) and Caher (3,284 feet). The Reeks are also home to Ireland’s highest lake, Cummeenoughter Lake, nicknamed “The Devil’s Looking Glass,” which is 2,320 feet above sea level. The Conor Pass, near Dingle, is Ireland’s highest mountain pass.

One of the greatest Antarctic explorers was from County Kerry

Tom Crean (1877 – 1938) was born near Annascaul, Co. Kerry. A seaman and Antarctic explorer, he was part of the Discovery and Terra Nova expeditions led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott to the South Pole. He was also part of Ernest Shackleton’s mission on board the ship Endurance (1914-16) and became the hero of the doomed venture. During the Endurance expedition, the crew abandoned ship after it became locked in the ice of the Wendell Sea. They sailed in three small boats to the desolate Elephant Island before Crean and five companions, including Shackleton, journeyed 800 miles in the tiny James Caird to South Georgia, marched 40 miles across its uncharted, glaciered interior to reach a whaling station and returned for the castaways on Elephant Island. After making it to safety, Cream returned to Annascaul, where he set up the pub, The South Pole, with his wife, Ellen.

The first transatlantic telegraph cable traveled from Co. Kerry to North America

Valentia was the eastern terminus of the first commercially viable transatlantic telegraph cable which stretched from Valentia to Heart's Content, Newfoundland in 1866. Transatlantic telegraph cables operated from Valentia Island for one hundred years, linking Europe and America for the first time ever.

A plaque was unveiled on the island in 2002 commemorating the extraordinary achievement of linking the two continents.

Kerry has been called “The Kingdom” since the first century

It’s said in Kerry that, “There are only two kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Kerry.” Use of the nickname “The Kingdom” to refer to Kerry dates back to 65 AD when one of the O’Connor clan took control of the area. The O’Connor chieftain’s name was “Ciar” (pronounced “keer”) and his descendants became known as “Ciar-raigh,” (pronounced “keer-ree”), which roughly translates to “Ciar’s people” or “Ciar’s kingdom.” Ciarraigh was later anglicized to Kerry.

Charlie Chaplin was a fan of Co. Kerry

The silent film star, whose last wife, Oona O’Neill (daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill) had Irish ancestry, found a home away from home in Waterville, Co. Kerry. Chaplin (1889 – 1977) traveled with his family to Waterville many times throughout the 60s and 70s, often staying at the Butler Arms Hotel. To this day, a statue of Chaplin overlooks Ballinaskelligs Bay in Waterville, and each summer the town is host to the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival.

“M” in James Bond was inspired by a Kerryman

It is widely believed that James Bond’s boss, “M,” was inspired by a man named William Melville (1850 – 1918) from Sneem, Co. Kerry. After moving to London as a young man, he joined the then newly formed London Metropolitan Police, where he was a founder of the Special Irish Branch, which monitored Irish Nationalists and subversives. Melville was a Catholic and supported Home Rule for Ireland.

In 1903, Melville became head of the British Secret Service and went by the code name “M” to hide his identity. In 1909, the British War Office set up a counter-espionage service, the Secret Service Bureau, later named MI5 and MI6. William Melville was appointed Chief of the Bureau, and many of the tactics and methods developed by him are still in use to this day. The nature and secrecy of Melville’s work meant he was practically unknown. However, the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming, did know about him because he too worked for the Secret Service.

 Kerry is home to Ireland’s oldest thatched cottage

Where is the oldest thatched house in Ireland? Co. Kerry, of course. Sheehan’s Thatched House at Finuge Cross, near Listowel, was built over 300 years ago and is the oldest surviving authentic thatched house in Ireland.

The house is a three-bay single story example of a “direct entry” type of traditional Irish house. It is rectangular in plan, with each room opening into the next without a passage or central hall, and the entrances and windows are found on the side rather than the end walls. The walls are of rubble stone construction, finished with a lime-based wash. The house also features a traditional half-door, which in the bygone days offered important advantages: it allowed a good deal of both daylight and fresh air into the house while at the same time keeping the angry hens out. It also served as an armrest while the owner chatted to a passing neighbor.

The house is owned by the Sean McCarthy Committee and was purchased and renovated in 1993 in memory of the beloved local storyteller, writer, musician, and broadcaster.

The world’s oldest footprints can be found in County Kerry

More than 385 million years ago a large amphibian animal walked on soft sediment on the shoreline of Valentia Island in Co. Kerry. The footprints are preserved in the rock as shallow impressions. This large amphibian was known as a Tetrapod and the footprints are the oldest known fossilized footprints in the world. They are also the earliest record of vertebrates moving onto land, breathing air, walking on all four limbs, and are also the first fossil record of an amphibian animal.

Kerry is home to Ireland’s oldest traditional fair

Puck Fair, Ireland’s oldest traditional festival, is over 400 years old. It is the only festival in the world where a wild mountain goat is crowned king. The festival, which runs from August 10 to 12 and is expected to attract 80,000 visitors this year, was said to be linked to the Celtic festival of Lughnasa, which symbolizes the beginning of harvest. The goat was a symbol of pagan fertility.

Every year locals captured a wild goat in the Macgillycuddy Reeks and brought it back to town. Mulvihill writes that one of the best-known goat catchers was Michael 'Butty' Sugrue, once known as Ireland's strongest man.

The “Queen of Puck,” usually a young schoolgirl crowns the goat “King Puck.” The goat is placed in a small cage on a high stand for three days as the locals celebrate with markets, entertainment and pubs staying open until 3am. At the end of the fair, the goat is released back into the wild.

What's your favorite thing about County Kerry? Let us know in the comment section, below.

Get off the beaten track, become an intrepid explorer and visit some of the lesser known ancient gems in Ireland.

One of the things I love most about Ireland is that in every county, city, town, and village around the country there is usually something fascinating to discover. 

As an archaeologist, I love visiting the multitude of heritage sites around Ireland, and the country is packed with iconic historical sites like Newgrange, The Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle. While absolutely wonderful places to visit, sometimes it can also be very rewarding to stray off the beaten path and explore some of the lesser known gems of Ireland. 

Here are five suggestions to add to a must-see list for any intrepid explorers, they are all free to enter and you’ll often find you have them all to yourself. 

Carrowkeel Megalithic Tomb Cemetery, County Sligo

The megalithic cemetery of Carrowkeel still remains one of the most spectacular and breathtaking archaeological landscapes in Ireland and is simply a must-see for anyone with an interest in our prehistoric past.

The tombs are situated at the northern end of the Bricklieve Mountains, in County Sligo, and cover a number of the peaks that tower over the surrounding landscape. They are passage tombs and were built around 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic period. This was the time of the first farmers in Ireland, the people who began to cut back the dense forests that covered the country to create fields for tillage and pasture. 

Arguably the most famous passage tomb cemetery in Ireland is the Brú na Bóinne (Bend of the Boyne) including the iconic sites of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth, but Carrowkeel is equally as important, with fourteen tombs. Of those tombs three (Cairns G, H, and K) are very accessible.

You’ll find Carrowkeel around 30km or so from Sligo Town. Aim for Castlebaldwin on the N4 road between Sligo and Boyle, and the tombs are well signposted from there. For more detailed directions and information on the history of the site please visit our blog post at TimeTravelIreland.

Rindoon Deserted Medieval Village, County Roscommon

Rindoon is one of Ireland’s best preserved deserted medieval towns. The castle at Rindoon is thought to date to 1227 and was constructed by Geoffrey de Marisco. 

It appears that de Marisco was a villain on a Game of Thrones level of nastiness. He was Justiciar of Ireland between 1215 and 1228 and took full advantage of the young King Henry III by being as corrupt in his dealings in Ireland as possible. He amassed huge swathes of land and a fortune by seizing goods, lands, and taxes in the King's name and then keeping the rewards for himself. He was eventually dismissed from office in 1228. He was even excommunicated from the Church for misappropriating funds (the money was just resting in ye olde account apparently).

When you visit the site you can encounter the remains of the medieval castle, church, town walls and you can even still make out the plots where houses and field systems give tantalizing glimpses of everyday life in medieval Ireland. Rindoon is a fantastic site to visit, and as well as the intriguing history and archaeology, it makes for a lovely walk. Rindoon is roughly halfway between Roscommon town and Athlone on the N61 and it is well signposted from the road. The main part of the site is about a 15min walk through fields, the fields are full of livestock (cattle and sheep) so do remember to bring appropriate footwear and please close all gates behind you.

For more information about Rindoon and for the story of the villainous Geoffrey de Marisco please see my blog post at TimeTravelIreland.

The Rock of Dunamase, County Laois

Perched on a steep rocky crag above the low lying plains of Laois, The Rock of Dunamase is one of the most atmospheric sites to visit in Ireland. The first historical reference to the Rock of Dunamase came from the Annals that record it being plundered by Viking raiders in 843 AD. 

But the site was extensively refortified after the Norman invasions of Ireland. The site was said to be part of the dowry given by Diarmuid MacMurrough when his daughter Aoife married the leader of the Norman invasions, Richard de Clare (Strongbow). Strongbow appointed Meiler FitzHenry, a famous Norman knight, as custodian and he began to fortify the Rock to ensure the Normans would have a foothold in the notoriously dangerous borderlands between the Norman colony and the Gaelic Irish kingdoms.

The Rock passed to the most famous knight in medieval Europe, William Marshall, when he married Isabel de Clare, daughter of Strongbow. Most of the visible remains on the site today probably date to Marshall’s time. He was an extremely progressive lord who is responsible for some of Ireland’s most famous castles like those at Kilkenny and Carlow.

Dunamase is a wonderful place for a walk and is easily accessible off the N7.

You can discover the story of Dunamase by downloading our free MP3 audio guide to the site – visit AbartaAudioGuides to get your free copy

Castleroache, County Louth

One of the best of Ireland’s hidden heritage treasures, Castleroache is possibly the finest example of Ireland’s mid-thirteenth century castles. It is thought to have been constructed by Lady Rohesia de Verdun in 1236 to serve as a bastion of defense for the Anglo-Norman colony in Louth against the Gaelic tribes of Ulster.

Lady Rohesia was a formidable woman and is said to have thrown the castle’s architect through one of the tower windows so he could never reveal the castle's secrets. Castleroache has to be one of the most impressive heritage sites I have visited in Ireland, and it is one of those sites that is so massive, so imposing and so breathtaking that pictures cannot do it justice. It is one you must experience for yourself to gain a true impression of its size and grandeur.

For more information about its history and instructions on how to find it at TimeTravelIreland.

The Towers, County Waterford

The ‘Towers’ is one of the best examples of a nineteenth-century folly existing in Ireland today. The Towers were commissioned by Arthur Kiely-Ussher around 1835. He had inherited over 8,000 acres of land in the area and quickly gained a reputation for being a harsh and cruel landlord.

It is said that his wife had become deeply envious of Strancally Castle, built by Arthur’s brother John Kiely, and hectored Arthur to build a residence to outshine that of his brother. Plans for an extravagant mansion were drawn and work began on the long and winding carriageway, with an ornate gate lodge. They then constructed the elaborate bridge over a small stream, with large towers flanking each side of the bridge. 

However, their grandiose ambitions quickly outstripped their funds and they ran out of money soon after completing the bridge. Their dreams of building a huge mansion were never to come true. They spent their days living in the now demolished Ballysaggartmore House and must have despaired as they traveled along their stunning carriageway, knowing that it would never lead to the mansion they had so desired.

Kiely-Ussher’s folly has left us with a superbly atmospheric and unique place to go for a walk.

The site is pretty easy to find, just take the R666 from Lismore heading towards Fermoy (signposted left after the bridge past Lismore Castle). You’ll find the Towers after about 3–4km well signposted on the right-hand side. 

For more information about the history visit TimeTravelIreland.

Top tip!

If you plan on visiting a number of heritage sites around Ireland consider purchasing an OPW Heritage Card. It allows you to visit as many OPW heritage sites (including Newgrange, The Rock of Cashel, Trim Castle and hundreds more) as you like for a year.

The cards are exceptionally good value at €21 ($30) for an adult, €16 ($22) for seniors (60 years old and over) €8 ($11) for students and children under 18, and just €55 ($75) for a family (that includes two adults and a reasonable number of children under the age of 18).

As Newgrange alone costs €11 per adult, the Heritage Cards are a great way to save money on your trip. 

For more information please visit HeritageIreland.ie/en/Info/HeritageCards. And don’t forget to download your audio guide to some of Ireland’s most iconic heritage sites from my website www.abartaaudioguides.ie.

* Neil Jackman is the owner of www.abartaaudioguides.com, a new Irish company passionate about making the incredible story of Irish history and heritage accessible to all by offering downloadable MP3 audio guides and apps. He also authors the htimetravelireland.blogspot.ie highlighting great historical sites to visit around Ireland.

* Originally pubilshed in 2014.