Special Places to Explore
There was a time when I had separate articles for Irish visitor attractions and areas to be explored. When it began to feel muddled, I put them together during a period of consolidation. Hopefully, this growing compilation does justice to what is there to be seen.
Various diversions have meant that a trip like that which recently based me in Galway for explorations not only of the city itself but also the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Connemara and the Aran Islands. Though the skies were grey much of the time, there was enough sun to remind me that I need to do this kind of thing more often. Maybe such thoughts could lead me to spend a weekend in Killarney or a few days around the counties of Mayo or Donegal.
These would complement the other more limited excursions that I have undertaken over the years. Travels with my late parents took me around various haunts in counties Limerick, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford. School trips added the counties of Dublin, Galway, Mayo and Wexford and a flying visit added Wicklow to the list. Apart perhaps from the last of these, it has felt that the others ran to someone else's timetable, so relaxation was not such a possibility, so personal exploration in one's own time would be invaluable.
The latter enticing thought means that slow travel would be in order, so walking and cycling would be perfect. It takes time to find lesser visited quarters, so zipping about the place would do it no justice at all. Revisiting places where not so much time could be spent would be worthwhile. With pleasant weather, all such ventures would be all the more memorable.
Around Ireland
Coillte is the Irish counterpart of the U.K.'s Forestry Commission, and this is their website devoted to active folks wanting to visit their woodlands. A brief look confirms that there is a good deal of variety on offer, and another visit to the site looks to be in order.
Sometimes, it is very nice to get an overview, and that's the role that this website from the Office of Public Works performs. Various possibilities for a visit are collected by region, with their descriptions included as well. Anything that can start the generation of ideas can only be a good thing because ideas often beget other ideas.
National Parks & Wildlife Service
This is the government organisation that not only operates all the national parks in the Republic, but has a wider wildlife conservation role too. Some of the more complete National Park websites find their way into this listing, but they and the others link into this hub too.
Since this covers an area comprising parts of two Irish provinces, I thought it to be best to include it here. The provinces in question are Connaught and Ulster while the counties are Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Donegal. A few of these may be off the normal tourist trail, so any promotion that they get has to be of value. The website serves all the usual necessities for planning a trip, and that includes finding places to go and things to do while there. The overview has to be of use.
This website may share its name with a book on the same subject (albeit with a certain partiality to kayaking) but they appear to be separate entities. Irish offshore islands probably do not have the same profile as their Scottish counterparts and have suffered neglect and depopulation in recent centuries, as you will find described in Diarmaid Ferriter's On the Edge, but they remain alluring nonetheless. The website may have had its most recent update in 2014 but still may have its uses, so it remains in this listing.
This cross-border agency looks after a number of Ireland's canals and other waterways like Lough Erne together with the Shannon and the Barrow rivers. All offer ample opportunities for recreation that are not always water-based; in fact, walking and cycling are other possibilities. Given that the meeting places of water and land are often scenic, these inland shores certainly will be worth savouring, so it is good to have somewhere to inspire and to assist in planning.
Connaught
There may be a road connection to the island these days, but that does little to change its geographical classification. It also makes much of what it offers for outdoor activities. Surfing increasingly comes up as one of these, but there also are opportunities for walking and cycling. An article in the sadly defunct Walking World Ireland highlighted something that is troubled elsewhere in Ireland: access to the countryside. The commonage on Achill can be freely rambled, and the setting on Ireland's dramatic west coast has to be a bonus.
They remain outposts of the Irish language and culture, and this is the place on the web that celebrates the delights that await visitors to these islands. Their compact nature should not fool anyone because a certain Tim Robinson extricated enough raw material for two books from these offshoots from the Burren on the mainland. His efforts concentrated on Inishmore, but he also mentions Inishmaan too.
North Mayo might not strike you as a visitor destination, but there's hill country and bogland to be explored here, though the latter may not make the best terrain for walking (there's the Bangor Trail for that). To my knowledge, this is not the best known of the Irish National Parks, but that might be because it is so new. That might make it a good place to escape the stresses and strains of modern life, then.
For millennia, peatlands in North Mayo buried an ancient field system that is around 6,000 years old. Their discovery was accidental and happened while turf cutting, but subsequent archaeological investigations have revealed evidence of farming from antiquity. This is the website of the associated visitor centre, and there are tours of the site on offer too.
Connemara's hill country has appealed to me for a long time, yet it took until August 2018 to make a first visit. That was beset by weather that did not show off the place to its best, so another visit is in order. Until then, these websites should allow you to get a feel for the rocky charms of this part of the world.
Mayo has its peopled islands and this is one of them. It has a history involving monastic life and the "pirate queen" Grace O' Malley. Having a situation at the mouth of Clew Bay makes it easy to reach for a spot of exploration.
With it containing the fourth-largest city in the Republic of Ireland and being the second-largest county in Ireland, there should be much for a visitor here, and that certainly is the case. In fact, the city itself has a lot to explore and acts as a hub for day coach tours extending into Connemara and nearby north Clare. The city's coach station is a busy place in the high season, with numerous tours leaving and scheduled bus and coach services to convey their share of tourist traffic too. The Aran Islands and Inishbofin are not so far away either, so it can feel as if there is too much to explore in one sitting. Maybe multiple visits are in order.
The Aran Islands aren't the only inhabited examples of such things off the coast of Galway, as Inishbofin proves. With the right weather, it looks an interesting destination and views of the mainland should be promising with the Twelve Bens on view, especially on a clear day.
Sadly, the powers that be forbid landings on this island off the coast of Sligo because of the lack of a harbour. Otherwise, Sligo Boat Charters and Inishmurray Island Trips would get you there and away very happily, since there have been no problems until the controversy arose. Let us hope that it gets sorted soon because it was the site of an early Christian monastic settlement and the human connection did not stop there.
It may be a small place, but that doesn't stop it from staking out its place on the web. It has its passenger ferry connections too, and you'll find it between Inishbofin and Clare Island. Some island-hopping may be in order, and nothing is overbearing in size anyway.
It is Ireland's third-largest county and has a lengthy coastline with offshore islands, so there should be plenty for a visitor here. After all, there are plenty of walking routes and there is a National Park to explore. Other land-based activities like cycling are accommodated, and those favouring water-based ones naturally have plenty of options.
During my explorations around Galway in 2017, I passed through this village a few times. My following the Western Way from near Maam Cross brought me to Oughterard on foot after a day with ample views of nearby Lough Corrib. Both the long-distance trail and Ireland's largest freshwater lake bring people here, and that is little wonder given what is on offer. There are plenty of activities available to occupy visitors, so there is no need to be blinded by the possibilities of Connemara that are just a little further west along the N59.
For whatever reason, the oddly named Suck River came to mind and I decided to find out where it was, intending to uncover the origins of the name. That was what brought me to Roscommon, where a long-distance walking route around the river valley is shared with nearby County Galway. It is not the only river around here, for the River Shannon marks out the county's eastern boundary and offers a lot, since it is the longest river in Ireland (and even Britain has nothing to match it for length). That should give plenty of reasons to visit this overlooked part of Ireland, and there are other walking possibilities there too.
The place bills itself as Connemara's most picturesque village and counts Time Robinson, author of a duology on the Aran Islands and a trilogy on Connemara itself, among its residents. More active visitors should not be disappointed either, with walking and cycling being just two of the possibilities. Public transport connectivity may not be as good as elsewhere, but it is somewhere worth seeking nonetheless.
In truth, it could be one of Ireland's lesser-known destinations, but you will find Yeats Country and the iconic Ben Bulben awaiting exploration. There is coastline too, so it is not all about land-based activities like walking and cycling.
The town's situation at the head of a bay studded with islands is one reason for coming here, and hills like Croagh Patrick are there to be walked also. Transport connections are good too, with daily bus services from Knock Airport and Galway to complement direct daily train services from Dublin. In summer, there even is a bus journey between Galway, Clifden and Westport that takes in Connemara too. With the appropriate weather, this could become a memorable part of Ireland to explore.
Leinster
It is in a part of Louth that is somewhat removed from elsewhere in the county. Part of the reason is its being sited on a peninsula, and the proximity of the border between Éire and Northern Ireland might have something to do with it too. It was a search for a Greenway that brought me to this website, but there appears to be little reference to that or to the Táin Way, another long-distance footpath. Nevertheless, the portal remains useful for all that, since those walking outings would need accommodation and other planning anyway.
The town is sat on the banks of the River Shannon, so I would be at a loss when figuring out the county or province to which it belongs, but it is in Westmeath, which answers the question. Not without reason does it claim to be in the heart of Ireland, and I found it because of a nearby Greenway that follows the alignment of an old railway line. There are other attractions that you will find on this website, and Ireland's longest river has to be one of those.
It is Ireland's capital city, and many visit without much further than its outskirts. That said, you do have Howth if you fancy a coastal walk and a visit to Marlay Park will get you near the Dublin Mountains. Personally, I reckon that is an overreach for many visitors, given the attractions of the Guinness Storehouse and the Temple Bar. Still, there are historic sights like the GPO and Kilmainham Jail alongside the delights of the massive Phoenix Park, such as the People's Park and Dublin Zoo. The list has started to build already, and it only scratches the surface.
This Wicklow valley remains on my walking wish list, and it got on there, thanks to routes featured in Walking World Ireland. Aside from the scenery, there is historical interest too, with monastic buildings from the time of St. Kevin still with us. With this spot being in the heart of numerous hills, not all services are to hand, so it's good to see the website listing the ones that are there. Accommodation and dining details are there, as you'd expect, so it makes a good place to look when planning an excursion.
A recent visit to the county of Wicklow had me considering a visit to the village of Enniskerry to explore its hilly surroundings. Nestling in among these and not that far from there is Powerscourt with its landscaping and its waterfall among many other attractions. Prime hillwalking country is not far away either, so that really makes it a destination for lovers of fine countryside. Having chosen Kilmacanoge and Great Sugarloaf hill, I have yet to visit the place, but the photography on the website does no disfavours.
Wicklow Mountains National Park
Being near Dublin, this area should be well frequented, but I found that there remain quieter corners on my first visit and that took me to the Great Sugarloaf near Kilmacanoge (not that I am convinced if that is in the national park, though). Of course, every first visit needs following up with another, though that has eluded me so far. It's something that I need to set to rights.
Munster
This village on the Dingle peninsula has its claims to fame in the form of being a home place to the Antarctic explorer Tom Crean and the sculptor Jerome Connor. What draws me though are the hills that surround the place and there also is a network of walking routes that take you into them. One of these is the Dingle Way and that is how I got to spend time there on a bank holiday beset by cloudy skies and occasional dampness with some periods of sunshine at times. There remain excuses for a return there, so this website and its partner blog will be useful for making the most of any future visit. As you would expect, the usual needs like accommodation and information on things to do are served, while this is somewhere that is easy to reach without a car.
It may be that my only encounter with Baltimore was on a primary school day trip to nearby Sherkin Island. This was the first of a few of these with others going to Cobh, Dublin and Clare. The West Cork trip included a return boat trip, a trot around an island and a stop in Macroom on the way home. There were donkey or pony rides too, but I gave that a skip for whatever; maybe it was because it was the first time. If there ever is a return, the other nearby islands of Heir and Clear could be destinations should I decide to use the village as a hub for a spot of additional exploration.
The cause of my finding this website was a search for the one regarding the Beara Way long-distance trail. There is information here too about that hike around this rugged part of Ireland, shared between the counties of Cork and Kerry. The mountains may not be that high, but this is but a finger of land extending into the Atlantic Ocean. The mix of mountain and coast was what drew my late parents so often, and I came with them too. It has been ages since I have been hereabouts, so a return is long overdue.
You'll find this one not far from the shores of Castletown Berehaven at the mouth of Bantry Bay. Like anywhere else, it's the prospect of wonderful walking or cycling that arouses the interest and, with the Beara Peninsula nearby, there should be plenty on which to feast the eyes on a good day.
Its antiquity would be enough justification for a visit, but some rogue needed to invent a ruse that kissing a stone in the castle's battlements would grant you eloquence too. That needs a good head for heights, even with folk hanging onto you while doing the feat. My only visit took to the castle's top, and that needed enough of a head for heights, let alone the other caper. That was on a grey day, so I'd like to see the place and its gardens when the sun is out; that would make for the pleasing photographic results that I like to savour.
This is one of Ireland's renowned landscape areas because of its uniqueness. Limestone pavement is not common on the island, so this hosts a variety of rare flora as a result. Given this, it should come as little surprise that there is a National Park to be found here, and it forms part of a UNESCO Geopark too. It helps that there are walking and cycling trails around the area and the Geopark website has details of local bus services, so you may not need a car to make a visit.
It is Ireland's southernmost island bastion of the Irish language, yet it is easily accessed by passenger ferries from Baltimore and Schull on the Irish mainland. This is not a large spot by any means, but there are walks to enjoy and places to stay on a longer trip. Should the weather be obliging, doing so might become a most memorable experience.
There are other entries on this list that you will find in this county, with its dramatic mix of limestone pavement landscape and coastal cliffs. What this county lacks in altitude, it has in other ways, and there are beaches to be discovered and traditional Irish culture to savour. It deserves its place on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.
Being an island, Ireland has plenty of dramatic coastline, with some of it gaining more fame than other parts. Among the former are the 8 km long line of cliffs in northwest Clare, and the section around O'Brien's Tower has featured in many a calendar. Apparently, a visit on a clear day will grant you views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and Connemara. This being Ireland, you definitely ride your luck there with the weather.
This is not a town that immediately would come to mind as a destination during a trip to Ireland, but this well-presented website does its utmost to promote the place. The town is in the south of Co. Tipperary, and scenic parts such as The Vee and Knockmealdown Mountains are not too far away either. If you are after somewhere attractive, that is far away from the madding crowds, then it looks as if this could be somewhere worth considering.
Here, we are talking not just about a city, but an entire county as well. It also happens to be the largest one in Ireland, so there is plenty here. Many could be turning their attention to West Cork, especially with its hosting the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way, but other parts of their allure too. Much of it is known to me from my upbringing in West Limerick and university education in the second-largest city in Éire. My mother came from North Cork, so there were plenty of reasons to get to know the place apart from visiting the likes of Doneraile Park or the Ballyhoura Mountains. Other spots like Gougane Barra and the Beara peninsula were favoured by my parents, so they are well known to me. My own explorations have been limited to Cork city, Cobh and Kinsale, but there is a multitude of excuses to extend this around West Cork alone, and I have not got as far as East Cork yet.
The Dingle peninsula is so worth visiting that it's gratifying to see a website helping you to do the same. From the names on some of these information resources, you'd think that the western end is where you need to be, but there's something to be savoured on the northern and eastern ends too.
There cannot be many islands that are linked to the mainland using a cable car, but this is one. You will find that at the end of a narrow road on the Beara Peninsula, and I have not seen it since a long day outing from home with my family back in the 1990's. So long as the journey across Dursey Sound is not too stirring, I fancy the idea of hiking on the island, with its three villages and its pleasing location. That would need cooperative weather, but the lure of seeing a green island in the blue sea still works its magic. The name comes from Thursey, the Norse for "bull island", and that tells you a little of its history, but times are quieter now than those days of piracy and plunder.
Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
Before Shannon Airport came into being at Rineanna on the County Clare shore of the River Shannon, Foynes in County Limerick was a major stopover for transatlantic air travellers. the advent of jet aircraft put paid to the propeller-engined flying boats, so Foynes has been left a quieter place that still operates as a port. All that is left now is the history of what must have been a glamorous era in air travel, and the museum is housed in what once was the airport's terminal building, which apparently also is where "Irish Coffee" was invented. As if that were not enough, there is even a replica Boeing B314 flying boat on display, and that is unique when none of the originals remains extant. There is a maritime museum showing a flavour of the port's history too, so it looks like an interesting place to spend some time in a part of Ireland that may not come to mind immediately as somewhere to visit.
The proximity of the Gulf Stream means that plants flourish in this island garden that you would not expect in West Cork, let alone Ireland. In my case, there was a childhood visit that was never followed up, though I did think of the place when pondering a day trip from Cork to Glengarriff not so long ago. It is not open year round, and you need a boat trip to get there and back, so the website proves invaluable for working out any logistics.
It's a vague memory now, but I think that I may have visited this spot once upon a time. Others value it too, since a certain Andreas Byrne created a photographic feature in Outdoor Photography from photos that he made there and very appealing did they look too. Clearly, the people who own the place have realised the potential of somewhere with the sort of hilly terrain that attracts folk like me and there are views across Kenmare Bay towards the Iveragh Peninsula and Macgillicuddy's Reeks too. For the longer walks, they like to be told beforehand, but everything else is as per your whims. The website does the place no disfavours, though I do find myself asking how you'd make a living from a venture like this; that may make me more appreciative with cash contributions should I ever get to visit again.
This very probably is Kerry's scenic jewel in the crown and its nucleus is the Bourne Vincent Memorial Park, which was gifted to the Irish nation. Many of the attractions surrounding Killarney that you care to mention are part of the government property, and it draws 1.5 million visitors annually. For all that, there still are quiet places away from the madding crowd for those seeking them. That said, I do feel that the website seems a little rough around the edges and could do with a bit more in the way of TLC. Nevertheless, it remains a useful introduction to a fascinating part of the world.
These days, it is famed for being one of Ireland's gourmet centres and is the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way, but it has its share of history too. All that means that there is plenty to see and guarantees a high level of culinary quality too, so it is worth making your way here from Cork city by bus or car. My own acquaintance is limited to a very fleeting visit, but it needs more.
This website surprised me by including Kilkee in its remit, and that is not the only unexpected thing, for it has an unusual landing page. The home page is more conventional, as is the inclusion of villages like Kilbaha and Carrigaholt, places that I only ever visited on a single day trip involving a drive as far as Loop Head lighthouse. When we got there, it was foggy and thoughts of falling over a vertical cliff kept any rambling under control. On a clear day, the surrounding views may be magical, and it is a very quiet part of the world where the rush of modern life is all but absent. Places such as these are precious in these frenetic times.
This is the largest lake on the River Shannon, and you'll find it not too far to the northeast of Limerick City. In addition to the water sports activities that you'd expect of such a large body of water, there's also the Lough Derg Way, the long-distance trail that took me onto the website in the first place.
Muckross House, Gardens and Traditional Farms
It's a strange visitor attraction website that directs you to prices before telling you what is on offer. For that reason, I have directed you away from the default home page to where you should start. Apart from braving warnings about the gates closing exactly at the appointed time (most important when you bring in a car), you can enjoy the grounds of Muckross House without charge or impediment. It's when you want to explore the inside of the restored country pile that you need to pay, but it was worth it when I was last in there.
If you were to ask my late father where the Ring of Kerry is, and he would have struggled to tell you, since there are many scenic driving tour possibilities in County Kerry. The renowned one though is that on the Iveragh Peninsula, and it is that which this tourism association website serves. It has all that anyone needs for arranging a trip to the area, and not just motorised tourists, either. In fact, the Kerry Way long-distance walking trail gets a mention, and it's hardly a surprise that many would want to immerse themselves among the highest hills in Ireland. For those seeking more urban surroundings, there are links to websites for towns and villages too.
Coastal scenery is predominant around this West Cork village, and there are offshore islands to be explored too. Ireland's southwestern extremity Mizen Head is not so far away either, and the website covers this and other nearby spots like Goleen and Ballydehob. Many are drawn here again and again by what they find, and that may be as much about peace and quiet as it is about the surroundings and the local people.
Perhaps surprisingly, you'll find the word "company" used on this organisation's website. Speaking for myself, I am more accustomed to seeing more neutral descriptions being used, but it is state-owned, so there's a certain civic-mindedness to the enterprise. It manages several heritage attractions in counties Clare, Limerick and Galway. These are mainly castles like Dunguaire, Craggaunowen, Bunratty or Knappogue, but more ancient spots like Lough Gur come within their sway too.
This is one of West Cork's bigger places, and it has its uses as a transport hub too, with numerous bus connections with Cork city. The town is set in from the coast, and some say that it was settled after nearby Baltimore was ravaged by Algerian pirates. Still, the coastline is not that far away and there are opportunities for cycling along minor roads while there also is an annual walking festival, so this is a walking destination as well.
Its history may be a penal and military one, but this is now a visitor attraction as a result. The star-shaped Fort Mitchel once housed military and convicted occupants and is the main draw for folk to cross to the island from nearby Cobh. My own family has its associations with the place too, for my late mother's father was incarcerated here for membership of the IRA during the struggle for Irish independence. From that time, we have an heirloom in the form of a Tara broach made from a half-crown coin which was made in the prison; handily, there was a jeweller imprisoned too, so the knowledge was there to be passed along to others.
There may be a seasonal ferry operating between April and October that serves the mainland near Cahirciveen, but this island is linked to the mainland all year round by road, though it is something of a round trip, hence the car ferry. When my late parents went touring around these parts, they were in no hurry, so I doubted that they used the ferry. While I have yet to venture around it, the location does look stunning and the Skellig Islands are nearby too, though getting to them is a challenge given the vicissitudes of the local weather. Staying on dry land, walking possibilities are a source of personal curiosity, so it is useful that this website lists a few.
When I put in place a West Cork album in my online photo gallery, I wanted to add a map, and it then struck me quite how large West Cork is. In fact, you could say that it starts just outside Cork city and extends west and north from there. There is a lengthy coastline, so it is not difficult to see how this forms the southern part of the Wild Atlantic Way. You can be as active or as inactive as you want and my inclination towards the former means that hill and coastal walking is an interest, so it is just as well that there is a growing network of trails. Gougane Barra is one place to go and was one of my late father's favourite spots, but there was more of West Cork to see, with the Beara Peninsula being another among several of their haunts. There is much more than even this, and I wonder if repeat visits keep some busy for a lifetime, while encouraging others to make a new life for themselves in the place of their affections.
August 2022 saw me embark on a day trip to Bantry and I ventured out to Whiddy Island for a few hours. It is not a large place, but it does have its tourist amenities while also enjoying a regular passenger ferry service. The details of all of these are on the website too. On the day f my visit, the bright sunshine showed off views of the Beara Peninsula and Sheep's Head Peninsula well, apart from the amount of heat haze that summer sun can spring.
Ulster
Both of these places hug the Donegal coastline, and two long-distance trails pass by them for good reasons; the coastline is of a dramatic variety. Also, Slieve League is found to the south of Glencolmcille and that is Europe's highest sea cliff. Handily, bus services operated by McGeehan Coaches and Bus Éireann get you to both places, so long as you plan things with a degree of care. Ardara (pronounced ard-rah) also has its walking festival, so there are plenty of reasons to visit this part of Donegal.
This is another coastal town in County Donegal that is in the south of the county. Naturally, it makes much of being on the route of the Wild Atlantic Way, so several outdoor activities are on offer and the River Erne reaches the sea nearby too, while Lower Lough Erne is not so far away either. The town is also on the route of several long-distance bus routes, so it is easy to reach too.
Parts of the county already get a mention on here, so it probably was not before time that the whole place got its own entry, especially given that Donegal is one of those parts of Ireland that I would like to visit sometime. The mix of stunning coastal scenery and alluring hill country is what attracts me, and there are islands to explore too. The northernmost tip of the island of Ireland is found here too and the next patch of land directly north of Malin Head is South Uist, part of Scotland's Western Islands, so that gives you a sense of the geography here as much as North America making the next landfall in the west. This is a corner of Ireland that is on the edge of Europe, so that must mean that getaways from everyday stresses are inevitable.
Cavan, like neighbouring Fermanagh across the border in Northern Ireland, has its share of lakes. Like nearby Connaught, there are hills to be found and there's a sense of Leinster to be found too, apparently. That makes it sound like a crossroads between three Irish provinces, and one that seems to be overlooked too. for a time, it garnered a reputation for having the worst and roughest roads on the island, though I now wonder if the Celtic Tiger years dispatched that side of Cavan's reputation. From a feature in a recent issue of Ireland of the Welcomes, there appears to be a good deal to see in the county, and this website tells you more.
Some photos of Donegal hills remind me of the time that I went exploring Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. While I cannot be sure if that remark applies to what is found on the Glenveagh estate, this is another of those places that have got onto my to-do list. This website should help the planning of a visit to the area.
It was one of David Herman's walking guides that brought this dramatic location to my attention, particularly because of their claim to being the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe. That there is a hike along their extent is another reason for my interest, and this is another scenic part of Ireland that I have yet to visit.
