travel guide to ireland

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The essential guide to visiting Ireland

Here’s everything you need to know about exploring the Emerald Isle—when to go, where to stay, what to do, and how to get around.

Why you should visit Ireland

Landscapes as green and lovely as everyone says. Literary giants in Dublin; Titanic history in Belfast. A pint and good craic in a traditional pub. The lure of Celtic legends .

Best time to visit Ireland

Spring: Easter and St. Patrick’s Day draw crowds, but not quite as many as in the summer. It’s a bit easier to navigate popular sites in the bigger cities like Dublin and enjoy wildflower-dotted areas along the western coast .

Summer: The peak season brings plenty of events, like the Galway Arts Festival . Cycle a trail like the Great Western Greenway , kayak a blueway , or hike in Connemara National Park .

Autumn:   October festivals, such as the Cork Jazz Festival and the enthralling Púca   Halloween festival in County Meath, start filling the calendar. It’s also a great time to sample the local harvest at farmers markets in towns and villages.

Winter : It rarely snows in Ireland, but it rains quite a bit. There are fewer crowds, so winter visitors will feel more of the local vibe, especially in the pubs. Christmas is big, with holiday events like Winterval in Waterford.

Lay of the land

Cities: Capital city Dublin is easy to explore on foot, with Trinity College, home of the Book of Kells , not far from the EPIC Irish emigration museum beside the River Liffey. Laid-back Galway has a thriving arts and music scene plus ferries to the Aran Islands . County Cork and Limerick are market counties, with the historic English Market at the former and the Milk Market in the latter. Known for its shipping history —and mid20th-century troubles— Belfast is also gaining recognition for its food scene .

East:   In County Wicklow, get lost in Powerscourt and Mount Usher gardens or hike in Wicklow Mountains National Park . In County Meath, history buffs find Neolithic monuments Newgrange and Knowth , plus other Boyne Valley treasures like Trim Castle and Loughcrew Cairns .

Southeast:   The city of Waterford’s Viking roots are on display at the Waterford Treasures museums. In Kilkenny city, follow the Medieval Mile walking trail and explore the narrow alleyways that reveal hundreds of years of history.

Southwest:   Backdropped by mountains like the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, gorgeous peninsulas, and colorful harbors, Cork and Kerry draw artists and writers. Killarney National Park and the Dingle Peninsula are sightseeing favorites during long summer days.

West:   The sea-lashed Cliffs of Moher and the otherworldly limestone plateaus of The Burren are just a few miles apart in County Clare. To the north, County Galway is home to the blanket bogs of Connemara . County Mayo preserves Céide Fields , one of the world’s oldest archaeological sites.

( Follow the trail of Ireland’s legendary pirate queen .)

Northwest:   Flat-topped mountains like Ben Bulben and Knocknarea overlook County Sligo ’s lively surfing scene. Donegal is famed for Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) sea cliffs, endless golden beaches, and hilly or lakeside hiking trails at Glenveagh National Park .

The Midlands:   The River Shannon , the country’s longest waterway, snakes through Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and feeds into Lough Derg , popular for boating. Clonmacnoise , founded in A.D. 544, preserves the ruins of one of Ireland’s most influential monastic sites.

Northern Ireland:   The Causeway Coast leads to the natural wonders Giant’s Causeway and the Glens of Antrim . Visit Derry for its walled city and history. The Mourne Mountains are ideal for solitude and sea views.

Getting around Ireland

By plane:   There are daily flights between Dublin Airport and regional hubs including Kerry Airport and Donegal Airport .

By bus:   Bus Eireann is the national operator with local services in cities and towns. It also runs the inter-city Expressway . Private bus services, such as GoBus.ie , connects cities. Plan journeys via the app or website Transport for Ireland . Services in Northern Ireland are run by Translink .

By train:   The rail network is operated by Irish Rail/   Iarnród Éireann , with good connections between main cities and towns. Trains from Dublin to Galway or Cork take around 2.5 hours. Rail services in Northern Ireland are operated by Translink .

By car: Driving in Ireland is on the left. Ireland’s network of motorways (M) includes the M1 from Dublin to Belfast, the M6 crossing the country from Dublin to Galway, and the M8 from Dublin to Cork. Road types include national (N), regional (R), and local (L). Regional and local roads can be narrow and winding, so allow for plenty of time.

By boat: There are seasonal and year-round passenger ferries servicing Ireland’s populated offshore islands such as the Aran Islands. These are for foot passengers (visitors can’t bring cars to the islands).

( Uncover the hidden legends along Ireland’s southern coast .)

Know before you go

Irish language: Irish and English are the country’s two official languages. Irish (a Gaelic language but not called Gaelic in Ireland) was the country’s first language until the 19th century, when English became dominant. While 40 percent of the population can speak some Irish, it is only spoken daily by about 2 percent of the population, particularly in the Gaeltacht , where place names and road signs are in Irish.

Hours:   Some restaurants open only three or four days, especially in smaller towns or during low season (October to Easter). Kitchens can close as early as 8 p.m.

LGBTQ+ : In 2015, Ireland became the first country to approve same-sex marriage by referendum . Ireland has lively LGBTQ+ communities in the larger cities like Dublin, Galway, and Belfast, and a calendar of pride festivals .

How to visit Ireland sustainably

Outdoors: Help preserve habitats by staying on the main trails and boardwalks. Consider joining a tour led by a registered guide to reduce your impact. Leave no trace—remove trash when picnicking or camping.

Shopping: Purchase from independent shops, markets, and small farms. Look for sustainable souvenirs and locally-made gifts like Aran wool sweaters, pottery and ceramics (the label will indicate where they are made).

Dining: Ireland is a land of fishers, farmers, and makers, so eating local isn’t too difficult. Plus, there are several sustainable tourism initiatives, including Origin Green ’s certification program for food producers. Food tours are easy eco-friendly options, but you can also find individual spots on Tourism Ireland’s website. Tap water is drinkable , so bring a reusable bottle.

What to read

A Short History of Ireland , by John Gibney. The historian takes you through five centuries, from 1500 to 2000, covering key events including the Great Famine and the fight for independence.

Dubliners , by James Joyce. The famed novelist’s collection of short stories depicts life in Dublin in the 1900s.

Travelers’ Tales Ireland: True Stories , by James O’Reilly, Sean O’Reilly, and Larry Habegger. Short stories like kayaking around an island and climbing Ireland’s holiest mountain capture some of the country’s magic.

( For more tips on what to do in Ireland, see our Explorer’s Guide .)

Related Topics

• CITY GUIDES
• CULTURAL TOURISM
• FOOD TOURISM
• ADVENTURE TRAVEL

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Travel Guide Ireland

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Over the past three decades, Ireland has transformed itself with quiet determination. Gone - or certainly on its way out - is the image of a conservative, introspective, rural set of nations. The infamous unrest and violence, between the Republic (Éire) and Northern Ireland (as part of the United Kingdom), have faded away. An outward-looking Ireland has stepped forward, energised by cities no longer weighed down by the Troubles.

Brief history

Facts about ireland, where to go in ireland, outdoor activities in ireland, hurling and gaelic football, the midlands: westmeath, longford, offaly and laois, belvedere house, northern westmeath, athlone and around, some history, birr castle, slieve bloom, the four provinces, in search of the authentic irish pub, tailor-made travel itineraries for ireland, created by local experts.

11 days  / from 1908 USD

Fascinating Ireland & North Ireland

Ireland is one of the most popular destinations for tourists: its rich cultural heritage, the beautiful landscapes and the laid-back lifestyle attract many travelers. Visit the famous Giant's causeway, fascinating Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry and many more highlights.

8 days  / from 719 USD

Spectacular Ireland

This itinerary will give you a chance to discover the most spectacular places in Ireland within eight days. Visit the Killarney National Park and the South West Coast of Ireland. Travel back in time during your visit on the Aran Islands and cross the region of Connemara.

6 days  / from 481 USD

Game of Thrones – Northern Ireland

The Seven Kingdoms await you in this Game of Thrones adventure. The incredible landscapes of Northern Ireland make up an enchanting array of fortresses, heart-stopping cliffs and countless small villages steeped in history. A trip to the universe of Game of Thrones is about to begin!

Tailor-made trips for   Ireland

Of course, it's not called the Emerald Isle for nothing; among the romantic preconceptions visitors bring to Ireland, it is their expectations of the landscape that are most likely to be fulfilled. Travel to Ireland and you'll discover an uncommon geological richness and the warming effect of the Atlantic produce an astonishing diversity of terrain on this small island, which is splashed throughout with lakes and primeval bogland.

In the east, the crumpled granite of the Wicklow Hills sits in utter contrast to the horse-grazing plain of the Curragh just a few kilometres away, and in Connemara on the west coast, you can walk from beach to mountain to fen, from seaweed-strewn inlet to lily-covered lough, in a matter of hours. Coupled with the unhurried nature of rural living, this scenic array encourages leisurely investigation, especially on foot or by bicycle.

With the richest store of mythological traditions in northern Europe, the island of Ireland adds further interest to the landscape through the sacred associations of so many of its physical features – few counties do not shelter a pile of stones called “Diarmuid and Gráinne’s Bed”, where the star-crossed lovers are said to have slept together on their flight from the great warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill. But there’s much more than the resonance of place names to this treasure chest of myths, which still has a life of its own in the tradition of storytelling. The great body of Irish literature, though much of it concerns the dysfunction of real life, is often spiked with wild, fantastical imaginings, from Swift, Sterne and Wilde through to Joyce, Flann O’Brien and Seamus Heaney. And unlikely stories and surreal comedy are integral elements of the craic , the talking therapy of Ireland’s pubs. Meanwhile, in the rich culture of traditional music, the two forms that are most likely to enrapture an audience – whether singing along or in silent appreciation – are ballads and sean-nós (“old-style” Irish-language singing), which recount tales of love, history and humour.

Many of Ireland’s mythical deities were reinvented by the Church after the tenth century as historical personages, which can make interpretation of the country’s abundance of historic sites more difficult, especially its enigmatic but awe-inspiring prehistoric tombs, stone circles and hill forts. There are few remnants of the Church itself from the so-called “Dark Ages”, when the monasteries of Ireland clung on as great centres of learning, but their elaborate craftsmanship is evident in surviving illuminated manuscripts. Stone began to be used for religious buildings only in the ninth century, and the country is strewn with fine churches, distinctive round-towers and high crosses from later periods. Doughty castles and tower houses are reminders of the unrest and oppression that followed the twelfth-century Anglo-Norman invasion, while numerous stately homes from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries attest to the power of the Protestant Ascendancy, alongside Neoclassical institutions in the cities and Dublin’s extensive Georgian areas.

There is little vernacular architecture of note, however, thanks to centuries of subjugation as the laboratory for British colonialism. The poverty experienced by ordinary Irish people under foreign rule was not immediately righted by Independence in 1921, and for most of the twentieth century the economy continued to stagnate. The century’s final decade, however, saw a remarkable upswing in Ireland’s fortunes.

The North, though still blighted by sectarianism and gangsterism, received massive British and European investment and achieved far greater stability after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. So rapid was the Republic’s economic growth during the 1990s that it was christened the Celtic Tiger and, for the first time since the Great Famine of the 1840s, immigration began to outstrip emigration. Greater prosperity necessitated an influx of migrant workers, mostly from Eastern Europe and Africa, which presented new challenges to the South’s Catholic homogeneity and the rigid duality of the North. Many Irish people returned from abroad, too, bringing fresh ideas and vibrancy to commerce and culture, after the authoritarianism that followed Independence. However, the global economic crisis of 2008 hit Ireland particularly severely, bringing widespread economic hardship and drastic reductions in public spending, especially in the South. For the visitor, this has meant welcome cuts in hotel and restaurant prices, but in general terms it’s still far from clear what social and cultural effects the crisis will have in the long run.

• Ireland’s landmass has a total area of 84,412 square kilometres, with its coastline stretching for 3152km. Its longest river is the Shannon (358km), largest lake Lough Neagh (387 square kilometres) and its highest point is Carrauntoohil in Kerry (1038m).
• Since 1921 the country has been divided into what is now called the Republic of Ireland, consisting of 26 counties, and Northern Ireland, subject to devolved British rule, which comprises six counties.
• The Republic of Ireland’s population is roughly 4.4 million, with 1.7 million residing in the Greater Dublin area, while Northern Ireland’s population is approximately 1.8 million, with some 650,000 occupying the Greater Belfast area.
• The UK’s 2001 Census reported that 44% of Northern Ireland’s population is from a Catholic background and 53% from a Protestant background, while the Republic’s 2006 Census revealed that 88% of its population is Catholic.
• Irish is the national language of the Republic, according to the constitution, with English recognized as a second official language. However, only around 15% of the population has a good competence in Irish.

Dublin is the Republic’s main entry-point, a confident capital whose raw, modern energy is complemented by rich cultural traditions, and which boasts outstanding medieval monuments and the richly varied exhibits of the National Gallery and National Museum. South of the city, the desolate Wicklow Mountains offer a breathtaking contrast to city life.

Book tickets and tours in Dublin

If you arrive on the west coast at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland’s most spectacular landscapes lie within easy reach. Clare’s coastline itself rises to a head at the vertiginous Cliffs of Moher, while inland lies The Burren, a barren limestone plateau at odds with the lush greenery characteristic of much of Ireland. To Clare’s south, Limerick’s Hunt Museum houses one of Ireland’s most diverse and fascinating collections.

Book Cliffs of Moher tickets and tours

County Kerry, south of Limerick, features dazzling scenery, an intoxicating brew of invigorating seascapes, looming mountains and sparkling lakes. Though the craggy coastline traversed by the Ring of Kerry is a major tourist attraction, it’s still relatively easy to find seclusion. In County Galway, to Clare’s north, lies enthralling Connemara, untamed bogland set between sprawling beaches and a muddle of quartz-gleaming mountains; in contrast, university cities such as Galway and Limerick provide year-round festivals and buzzing nightlife. Further north, Donegal offers a dramatic mix of rugged peninsulas and mountains, glistening beaches and magical lakes.

Book tickets and tours in Limerick

Dotted around the west coast are numerous islands, providing a glimpse of the harsh way of life endured by remote Irish-speaking communities. The Arans are the most famous – windswept expanses of limestone supporting extraordinary prehistoric sites – but the savagely beautiful landscape of the Blasket Islands, off Kerry’s coast, is equally worthy of exploration.

On Ireland’s southern coast, Cork’s shoreline is punctuated by secluded estuaries, rolling headlands and historic harbours, while Cork city itself is the region’s hub, with a vibrant cultural scene and nightlife. To Cork’s east, Waterford city houses the wondrous Viking and medieval collections of Waterford Treasures, while, in Ireland’s southeastern corner, Wexford’s seashore features broad estuaries teeming with bird life and expansive dune-backed beaches.

Book things to do in Cork

Inland the Republic’s scenery is less enchanting, its Midland counties characterized by fertile if somewhat drab agricultural land, as well as broad expanses of peat bog, home to endangered species of rare plants. However, there is gentle appeal in Ireland’s great watercourse, the Shannon, with its succession of vast loughs, and the quaint river valleys of the southeast.

Numerous historic and archeological sites provide fine alternative attractions. The prehistoric tomb at Meath’s Newgrange and the fortress of Dun Aengus on Inishmore are utterly mesmerizing; County Cork features many stone circles; and there’s a multitude of tombs and ring forts across the west coast counties. Stunning early Christian monuments abound, too, including those located on Skellig Michael and the Rock of Cashel and atmospheric sites at Clonmacnois, Glendalough and Monasterboice. Of more recent origin, the Anglo-Irish nobility’s planned estates, developed during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries around impressive Neoclassical mansions, are visible across Ireland.

Much of Northern Ireland’s countryside is intensely beautiful and unspoilt, though most of the major attractions lie around its fringes. To the north are the green Glens of Antrim and a coastline as scenic as anywhere in Ireland, with, as its centrepiece, the bizarre basalt geometry of the Giant’s Causeway. In the southeast, Down offers the contrasting beauties of serene Strangford Lough and the brooding presence of the Mourne Mountains, while, to the west, Fermanagh has the peerless lake scenery of Lough Erne, a fabulous place for watersports, fishing and exploring island monastic remains. Evidence of the plantation is also provided by planned towns and various grand mansions, often set in sprawling, landscaped grounds.

To get to grips with the North’s history, a visit to its cities is essential: Belfast, with its grand public buildings, was built on the profits of Victorian industry; Derry has grown around the well-preserved walls of its medieval antecedent; and the cathedral town of Armagh is where St Patrick established Christianity in Ireland. Further insights are provided by tremendous museums, including Derry’s Tower Museum and Down’s Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

Discover more places in Ireland

• Cork Travel Guide
• Donegal Travel Guide
• Dublin Travel Guide
• Galway Travel Guide
• Kerry Travel Guide
• Kilkenny, Carlow and Wexford Travel Guide
• Limerick and Clare Travel Guide
• Louth, Monaghan and Cavan Travel Guide
• Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon Travel Guide
• Tyrone and Fermanagh Travel Guide
• Waterford and Tipperary Travel Guide
• County Mayo

Hurling and Gaelic football are among the fastest and most physical sports in the world, and well worth catching on your travels, whether on TV or, preferably, live. Rugby and soccer are also widely followed, while going to the races is a great day out, with less of the snobbery sometimes found in Britain. Golf (see Outdoor activities) is also hugely popular north and south of the border.

Both Gaelic football and hurling, Ireland’s two main indigenous sports, are played at a rollicking pace on huge pitches, 140m long and 80m wide, between teams of fifteen; goalposts are H-shaped, with three points awarded for a goal, when the ball goes under the crossbar into the net, and a point when it goes over the crossbar. Over two thousand clubs in villages and parishes all over Ireland vie for the privilege of reaching the club finals, held on St Patrick’s Day at 80,000-seater Croke Park in Dublin, one of the largest stadiums in Europe (see Croke Park and the GAA Museum), while the more popular and prestigious intercounty seasons begin with provincial games in the early summer, reaching their climax in the All-Ireland County Finals in September, also at Croke Park. Details of all fixtures for hurling and Gaelic football can be obtained from the Gaelic Athletic Association (wwww.gaa.ie), while there’s always something of interest on wwww.anfearrua.ie, an independent fans’ forum.

Hurling is played with a leather slíothar, similar in size to a hockey ball, and a hurley (or camán), a broad stick made of ash that is curved outwards at the end. The slíothar is belted prodigious distances, caught and carried on the flattened end of the player’s hurley. It’s a highly skilled game of constant movement and aggression that does not permit a defensive, reactive style of play. Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary are the most successful counties, while Clare, Galway, Offaly and Wexford have emerged in the modern era. No county from the North has ever won an All-Ireland Final, though the sport is very popular in the Glens of Antrim and parts of the Ards Peninsula in County Down. Camogie, the women’s version of hurling, is becoming increasingly popular, and is also well worth watching. Dublin has won the most camogie All-Irelands, though the most successful teams in the modern era have been Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary.

Book tickets and tours in Kilkenny

Gaelic football has similarities with both rugby and association football, but its closest relation is Australian Rules Football; indeed every autumn, Australia play Ireland in a hurly-burly series of “international rules” matches that are known for their frequent brawling. The round Gaelic ball, which is slightly smaller than a soccer ball, can be both kicked and caught. However, running with the ball is only permitted if a player keeps control by tapping it from foot to hand or by bouncing it, and throwing is not allowed – the ball must be “hand-passed”, volleyball-style. Whereas hurling’s strongholds are in the southern counties of the island, footballing prowess is more widely spread – Kerry is the most successful county, followed by Dublin, then Galway, but there are plenty of strong teams in Ulster at the moment, notably Tyrone.

Rugby union and soccer

Rugby union and soccer are very popular in Ireland and tickets for international matches, especially for rugby, can be hard to come by. The Republic’s home soccer matches (wwww.fai.ie) and Ireland’s rugby matches (wwww.irishrugby.ie) are played at Dublin’s recently rebuilt Aviva Stadium (formerly Lansdowne Road). Northern Ireland’s soccer matches (wwww.irishfa.com) are played at Windsor Park, Belfast. For the international rugby team, which is a joint Republic–Northern Ireland side, the main event of the year is the Six Nations Championship, a series of international games played in February and March against England, France, Wales, Scotland and Italy. You’re more likely to get tickets, however, for matches featuring the four provinces, Munster (which includes Irish rugby’s natural heartland, Limerick), Leinster, Connacht and Ulster, in the Europe-wide Heineken Cup or Amlin Cup or in the Magners League.

Soccer is played semi-professionally in both the North and the Republic, organized into the Carling Premiership and the Airtricity League respectively. Both international teams field most of their players from the English leagues; Manchester United and Liverpool are the most popular clubs among Irish fans. Glasgow Celtic are also popular both north and south, Rangers in the North, with support following Catholic and Protestant divisions, respectively.

Going to the races is a hugely popular and enjoyable day out in Ireland. A good place to get a sense of the Irish passion for horses is the National Stud in Kildare, while for details of all meetings, go to Horse Racing Ireland’s websitewwww.goracing.ie. The Irish Grand National is run at Fairyhouse in County Meath on Easter Monday Easter Monday, followed in April by the five-day Irish National Hunt Festival at Punchestown in County Kildare; at the Curragh, the classic flat-race course in Kildare, the Irish 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas are held in May, the Irish Derby in late June or early July, the Irish Oaks in July and the Irish St Leger in September. Dublin’s race course is Leopardstown, while notable local meetings are held at Galway, Killarney, Listowel, Sligo and Downpatrick. One local oddity worth mentioning is the meeting at Laytown in County Meath, the last remaining beach racing under Jockey Club rules, held once a year when the tides are at their lowest.

Ireland is a great place for getting out and about. Cycling is one of the best ways to appreciate the quiet pleasures of the Irish countryside, while walkers can take advantage of generally free access across much of the countryside and a number of waymarked trails. With over 120 sailing and yacht clubs, plenty of lakes, rivers and sheltered coastline to explore and some great beaches for surfers, there are many opportunities for watersports enthusiasts, too. The North is covered bywwww.outdoorni.com, a comprehensive guide to outdoor activities and adventure sports.

Signposted cycling trails in the Republic include the Beara Way and the Sheep’s Head Cycling Route in Cork, and the Kerry Way. Trails in the North, however, are better documented and promoted: for detailed information on the many routes here, the best places to start are wwww.cycleni.com and wwww.sustrans.org.uk. They include the Kingfisher Trail (wwww.greenbox.ie or wwww.cycletoursireland.com), which also stretches into Leitrim and Cavan. Other cross-border routes include the recently signposted, 326-kilometre North West Trail, mainly on quiet country roads through Donegal, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Sligo.

Walking and mountain climbing

There are dozens of waymarked walking trails in the Republic, ranging from routes through or around mountain ranges, such as the Wicklow Way, the Táin Trail, the Slieve Bloom Way and the Western Way, to walks around entire peninsulas, like the Sheep’s Head Way, the Beara Way, the Kerry Way and the Dingle Way. The Ulster Way in the North, the oldest and longest waymarked walking trail in Ireland, has recently been redeveloped as a 625-mile circuit of the whole province, taking in the Giant’s Causeway, the Sperrins and the Mournes; it’s now divided into link sections, which can be skipped by taking public transport, and quality sections, and further development is planned. For information on these trails in the Republic, go to wwww.walkireland.ie, which also has details of day walks and of the many walking festivals around the country. In the North, wwww.walkni.com has comprehensive information on all aspects of walking. Some councils and local tourist offices have produced helpful map guides for the main routes too, but you should always get hold of the relevant Ordnance Survey map and carry a compass.

Other walking highlights include the ascents of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo and of Carrauntoohil, for more experienced walkers, in County Kerry, the easily accessible Bray–Greystones walks in County Wicklow and just about anywhere in Connemara, notably the excellent, new Diamond Hill trail in the national park; not to mention walks in the Wicklow and Killarney national parks.

Mountaineering Ireland, an organization that covers hill-walking and rambling, as well as climbing, maintains a compendious website (wwww.mountaineering.ie). Other useful walking websites include wwww.simonstewart.ie and wmountainviews.ie, while wwww.climbing.ie is devoted to rock climbing. Guided walking tour operators are available on wwww.discoverireland.ie and wwww.discovernorthernireland.com.

If you need help in a real emergency on the mountains, call t999 or t112 and ask for mountain rescue (wwww.mountainrescue.ie).

Birdwatching, horse-riding and golf

With a wide variety of migrating flocks, including a large number of rare species, visiting its shores, Ireland is a great place for birdwatching; Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, Cape Clear and Castle Espie are especially fruitful hunting grounds. The best general contacts are wwww.irishbirding.com, Birdwatch Ireland in the Republic (wwww.birdwatchireland.ie) and, in the North, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (wwww.rspb.org.uk).

Horseriding, whether over the hills or along the beaches, is also a popular pastime, for both novices and experienced riders, who also have the option of multi-day trails rides. The Association of Irish Riding Establishments (wwww.aire.ie) maintains standards among riding centres in the Republic and the North and publishes details on its website.

Golf, which was probably first brought to Ireland by the Ulster Scots, attracts huge numbers of visitors every year; the Golfing Union of Ireland, based in Kildare (wwww.gui.ie), provides details of over four hundred clubs, north and south, with online booking.

Fishing and watersports

There are plenty of opportunities for sea angling and dozens of rivers and lakes for fly- and game-fishing. For information, the best places to start are the tourist-board websites, wwww.discoverireland.ie and wwww.discovernorthernireland.com. Great Fishing Houses of Ireland (wwww.irelandflyfishing.com) covers twenty or so specialist hotels and B&Bs.

Ireland’s many sailing clubs include the Royal Cork Yacht Club, established in Cobh in 1720, which is thought to be the oldest in the world. Dozens of regattas, such as Calves Week in Schull, and traditional boat festivals, such as the Wooden Boat Festival in Baltimore and Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvarra, are held every year. The most popular areas for sailing are the relatively sheltered waters of the east coast, especially in Dublin Bay; Cork Harbour and west Cork; Lough Swilly on the north coast of Donegal; Strangford Lough in County Down; and some of the larger lakes, such as Lough Derg in County Clare. For further information contact the Irish Sailing Association (wwww.sailing.ie).

Canoeing and kayaking

Inland waterways and sheltered coasts – notably in west Cork, Dingle and Waterford – also offer canoeing and kayaking opportunities, ranging from day-trips and touring to rough- and white-water racing. The Irish Canoe Union’s website covers courses and clubs in the South (wwww.canoe.ie), while the North has a more comprehensive website, wwww.canoeni.com, that includes canoe trails for multi-day touring. See also wwww.irishseakayakingassociation.org.

Surfing, windsurfing and kite-surfing

There are some superb beaches for surfing (wwww.isasurf.ie) and its spin-offs, windsurfing (wwww.windsurfing.ie for the Irish Windsurfing Association, with a list of providers; wwww.windsurfingireland.net for likely locations) and kite-surfing (wwww.kitesurf.ie for the Irish Kite-surfing Association, with a list of schools; wwww.kitesurfing.ie for likely locations). For kite- and windsurfing, some of the best spots are: Rosslare, County Wexford; Tramore, County Waterford; Castlegregory, Kerry; Rusheen Bay, County Galway; Keel Strand, Achill and Elly Bay, Belmullet, in Mayo; Lough Allen, Leitrim; and Rossnowlagh, County Donegal. Surfers head for: Garrettstown and Inchydoney, County Cork; Inch and Brandon Bay, Kerry; Lahinch, Clare; Easkey and Strandhill, County Sligo; Bundoran and Rossnowlagh, County Donegal; Portrush, Antrim; and Tramore, County Waterford.

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Scuba diving

Right in the path of the warm North Atlantic Drift current, Ireland offers some of the best scuba diving in Europe, notably off the rocky west coast. Information is available from the Irish Underwater Council (wwww.cft.ie) and wwww.ukdiving.co.uk.

Cathedral and colored houses in Cobh, Ireland © Giancarlo Liguori/Shutterstock

Ireland has two hugely popular, indigenous amateur sports, hurling and Gaelic football , which occupy a special place in the country’s social fabric as ancient games whose renaissance was entwined with the struggle for independence. When played at the highest level, Gaelic football is a fast, skilful and muscular sport, in which the strongest rivalry is between old adversaries Dublin and Kerry. It’s more widespread, though more recently developed, than hurling, which is said to have descended from a game played by the legendary warrior Cúchulainn. With its heartland extending in a rough, low-lying arc from Wexford to southeast Galway, hurling is an exciting, intricately skilled stick-and-ball game that’s said to be the fastest team-sport in the world. Inter-county matches grab the limelight, but the backbone of the Gaelic Athletic Association are parish clubs throughout the country, which are the heart and soul of many communities, with around 300,000 members. If you can’t get to a match yourself, the best place to get a flavour of these passionately supported games is the Croke Park GAA Museum in Dublin.

Obeying the siren call of the west coast, most foreign tourists, and indeed Irish holidaymakers, put their foot down to motor through the Midlands as quickly as possible. It’s true that you’re unlikely to want to make a comprehensive tour of the area, but if you fancy a stopover off the main radial routes out of Dublin, there are some compelling sights, and a surprisingly varied landscape, to discover.

The dairy farms of County Westmeath (Iarmhí) are interspersed with large, glassy lakes, including Lough Ennell to the south of Mullingar, the county town, on whose shores Belvedere House is well worth a short detour off the N4. Among the county’s more northerly lakes nestle the quirky gardens of Tullynally Castle and the pastoral charms of the Fore Valley, where you can poke around medieval monastic remains and be entertained by their wondrous legends. The N4 ploughs on through County Longford (An Longfort), mostly rich grasslands but blending into Ulster’s drumlin country in its northern third. In the south of the county, the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre gives a fascinating glimpse of a prestigious but ill-fated Iron Age road-building project.

The River Shannon and its seasonal floodplain delineates most of the Midlands’ western border, running down through Athlone, a major junction town that lies on the M6, the railway and the Westmeath–Roscommon frontier. Just south of here, the major ecclesiastical site of Clonmacnois enjoys a dreamy setting above the river’s meanders and meadows. Elsewhere, County Offaly (Uíbh Fháilí) is known for its bogs, but the charming town of Birr, with its imposing castle and Georgian terraces, makes the best base in the Midlands. To its east rises the attractive bulge of Slieve Bloom, with a thick topping of blanket bog, beyond which County Laois (pronounced “leash”) is mostly lush grazing and cereal land.

These counties were mostly beyond the Pale, the enclave around Dublin that the Anglo-Normans retreated to in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and indeed Offaly is named after the Uí Failí (O’Connor Faly), Irish chieftains who would attack the Pale and then retreat to their strongholds deep in the boglands. In the sixteenth century, however, this region was fairly comprehensively planted, when land was confiscated from native Irish owners and given to loyal English landlords. In 1541, Westmeath was split off from County Meath, and in 1556 Offaly and Laois were created as “King’s County” and “Queen’s County”, respectively, with the latter’s main town named Maryborough (now Portlaoise) after the current monarch. Bypassed by the Industrial Revolution, many of the planned estate-towns that were attached to these landholdings remain to this day, along with the vestiges of a slow, steady rural style of living.

Set in lush cattle-country, MULLINGAR, the county town of Westmeath, holds little of interest for visitors, except as a base for visiting Belvedere House, a Georgian mansion in a lovely setting on Lough Ennell.

The house stands in abundant gardens 5km south of Mullingar on the N52. The house was built in the 1740s by Richard Castle as a hunting lodge for Robert Rochfort, later the first Earl of Belvedere, the so-called “Wicked Earl”, whose main pastime seems to have been making life hell for his wife and brothers. In 1743 he falsely accused his wife Mary of having an affair with his brother Arthur and imprisoned her for the next 31 years at their nearby main residence, Gaulstown. It was only when the Earl died that she was released by their son, whom she no longer recognized. Meanwhile, the Earl had successfully pressed charges of adultery against Arthur, who, unable to pay the damages of £20,000, lived out his days in debtors’ prison.

The house itself, which commands beautiful views of the lake, has been painstakingly restored and authentically refurbished by Westmeath County Council. It holds some gorgeous fireplaces of carved Irish oak with Italian marble insets, but is most notable for the exquisite craftsmanship of its rococo ceilings, the work of a French stuccodore, Barthelemij Cramillion. Look out especially for the vivid depictions of the Four Winds, a fire-breathing dragon and a horn of plenty in the dining room, while the library, intended for night-time use, features sleeping cherubs wrapped in a blanket of clouds, a crescent moon and stars, and on the cornice a swirl of flowers with their heads closed.

THE GARDENS

A feud between Robert Rochfort and his other brother George was behind one of the gardens’main sights, the Jealous Wall. When George commissioned Richard Castle in the 1750s to build Tudenham House, a much larger mansion than Belvedere, just a kilometre away, the Earl of Belvedere spent £10,000 building this huge Gothic folly, three storeys high and nearly 60m long, just to block the view. Other features include a Victorian walled garden, enclosing an unusual collection of Himalayan plants, playgrounds for kids and a café in the old stable block by the entrance. Or you can just take a stroll around the extensive woodlands and lawns: the 45-minute Earl’s Trail, for example, will take you along the lakeshore and back, past an octagonal gazebo, a folly known as the Gothic Arch and a restored ice-house.

The far north of Westmeath shelters two compelling and whimsical attractions, the gardens of Tullynally Castle and the Seven Wonders of the Fore Valley, near CASTLEPOLLARD, a pretty eighteenth- and nineteenth-century village laid out around a large triangular green.

Tullynally Castle

A little over a kilometre northwest of Castlepollard on the Granard road, Tullynally Castle has been the seat of the Anglo-Irish Pakenhams, later Earls of Longford, since the seventeenth century. Remodelled as a rambling Gothic Revival castle to the designs of Francis Johnston in the early 1800s, it remains the family home, open only to prebooked group visits (minimum 25 people) and for occasional concerts. The extensive gardens, however, and tea rooms are open to casual visitors in the summer. Terraced lawns around the castle overlook parkland, laid out by the first Earl of Longford in 1760. From here winding paths lead through the woodland to lakes, a walled garden with a 200-year-old yew avenue and a limestone grotto, as well as a Chinese garden complete with pagoda and Tibetan garden of waterfalls and streams.

The Fore Valley

To the east of Castlepollard off the R195 Oldcastle road, the Fore Valley is a charming, bucolic spot, sheltered between two ranges of low, green hills and dotted with some impressive Christian ruins. Around 630, St Fechin founded a monastery here, which had grown into a community of three hundred monks by the time he died in 665. Over the centuries since, various sites in the valley have become associated with Fechin’s miraculous powers, known as the Seven Wonders of Fore, though in truth they’re far from jaw-dropping – it’s unlikely that you’ll be converted to this brand of folk religion, but the wonders add some fun and interest to an exploration of the locale. The historical and supernatural sites are all within walking distance of the village of FORE at the heart of the valley.

The Seven Wonders

To the west of the village, on the south side of the road, stands St Fechin’s Church, now roofless, the oldest remaining building in the valley, dating probably from the tenth century. Over its main entrance there’s a massive lintel inscribed with a small cross-in-circle: the first wonder, the stone raised by St Fechin’s prayers. Up the slope and across from the church, you’ll find the Anchorite’s Cell, a fifteenth-century tower to which the mausoleum chapel of the Greville-Nugent family was added in the nineteenth century. Practising an extreme form of asceticism that was popular in the early and high Middle Ages, anchorites would stay in the tower, meditating and praying alone, with food brought to them by local people, until they died. Inside the chapel, an inscription commemorates the last hermit of Fore, and probably of all Ireland, Patrick Beglin, whose body is “hidden in this hollow heap of stones” – the second wonder, the anchorite in a stone. Like the other hermits, Beglin had vowed to remain in the cell until he died: in 1616, he fell trying to climb out, and broke his neck – thus enacting his promise.

Back down the slope and across the road you’ll see the water that will not boil, a holy well known to cure headaches and toothaches, where in the nineteenth century rites were performed on St Fechin’s Day (January 20). In the spring stands a dead ash tree, gaily festooned with sweet wrappers, stockings, knickers and coins (which caused the copper poisoning that killed the tree) – the fourth wonder, the wood that will not burn. Nearby, a stream that runs underground from Lough Lene to the south resurfaces at the ruined St Fechin’s Mill – the mill without a race.

A couple of hundred metres across the marshy valley floor rise the substantial but compact remains of Fore Priory – the monastery built on a bog. It was erected in the early thirteenth century, one of very few in Ireland to follow the rule of St Benedict, the fifth-century Italian ascetic. Attached to the central cloister, of which several Gothic arches remain, you’ll find the church to the north, the chapterhouse to the east, with the dormitory above, and the refectory to the south. A little away from the main buildings, up a small slope, there’s a circular, thirteenth-century columbarium, where the monks kept doves, an efficient source of meat in the Middle Ages.

The seventh wonder is a little removed from the others to the south of the village – ask for directions at the coffee shop. A short woodland walk will bring you down to the attractive shore of Lough Lene, which is dotted with small, green islands. A stream flows out of the lake, apparently in the wrong direction, passing under an overgrown arched bridge, before disappearing into a sink hole (to emerge at St Fechin’s Mill) – the water that flows uphill.

Straddling the Shannon at its midpoint, ATHLONE is the bustling capital of the Midlands and an important road and rail junction. It probably derives its name from the Táin Bó Cúailnge, in which the remains of the white bull of Connacht, the Findbennach, after its defeat by Ulster’s brown bull, are scattered throughout Ireland; its loins came to rest here at Áth Luain, the “Ford of the Loins”. A bridge was first built over this ford in 1120 by Turlough O’Connor, king of Connacht, which was replaced by a stone bridge by the Anglo-Normans in 1210, who were also responsible for the mighty castle. The latter still casts a formidable shadow over Athlone, having weathered some bloody fighting during the Cromwellian Wars and the War of the Kings of the seventeenth century. Today, the town supports an important college, the Athlone Institute of Technology, as well as various civil-service offices and high-tech firms, but its main function for tourists is as a jumping-off point for the monastic site of Clonmacnois. Fewer visitors know about the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, but the evocative, 2000-year-old wooden road preserved here is also well worth a visit.

Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre

It’s a little tricky to get to the fascinating Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, which is actually across the county border in Longford and signposted along a minor road off the R392, 20km northeast of Athlone, but its isolation in the midst of a desolate bog only adds to the appeal of the place. In 1984, Bord na Móna (the Peat Board) discovered a buried togher, an early Iron Age trackway, while milling turf here in Corlea raised bog. Dated to 148 BC, the trackway was made of split oak planks up to 4m in length that were meant to float on the bog surface, one of the most substantial and sophisticated of many such prehistoric roads found in Europe. However, the builders knew more about woodworking than the properties of the bog, because within ten years the heavy planks had sunk into the peat – which preserved them perfectly for the next two thousand years. The road connected dry land to the east with an island in the bog to the west, but it’s clear that such a prestigious construction was intended for more than just the movement of animals by farmers: it may have been part of a ceremonial highway from the Hill of Uisneach, the ritual “centre of Ireland” that marked the division of the five ancient provinces, between Mullingar and Athlone, to the royal site of Rathcroghan in Roscommon, via the narrow crossing of the Shannon at Lanesborough.

Clonmacnois

The substantial remains of Clonmacnois, pre-Norman Ireland’s most important Christian site, enjoy an idyllic location on the grassy banks of the gently meandering Shannon. Here the river descends at a shallow gradient through flat land that floods extensively in winter, but in spring, the receding flow leaves beautiful, nutrient-rich water meadows, some of the last of their type in Europe. The Shannon Callows, as they are known, become the summer home of rare wild-flowers, grazing cattle, lapwings, curlews, redshanks and rare corncrakes.

The monastery was founded, as a satellite of St Enda’s house on Inishmore, in around 548 by St Kieran (Ciarán), who with the help of Diarmuid of the Uí Néills, the first Christian High King of Ireland, erected a wooden church here. Kieran brought with him a dun cow, whose hide later became Clonmacnois’ major relic – anyone who died lying on it would be spared the torments of Hell – and who was commemorated in the Lebor na hUidre (Book of the Dun Cow), the oldest surviving manuscript written wholly in Irish. Perfectly sited at the junction of the Slí Mhor, the main road from Dublin Bay to Galway Bay, and the major north–south artery, the Shannon, the monastery grew in influence as various provincial kings endowed it with churches and high crosses. With a large lay population, Clonmacnois resembled a small town, where craftsmen and scholars produced illuminated manuscripts, croziers and other remarkable artefacts, many of which can be seen in the National Museum in Dublin. However, between the eighth and twelfth centuries the site was plundered over forty times by Vikings, Anglo-Normans and Irish enemies, and church reforms in the thirteenth century greatly reduced its influence. In 1552, Athlone’s English garrison reduced it to ruins, though, as the burial place of Kieran, it has persisted to this day as a place of pilgrimage, focused on the saint’s day on September 9.

The visitor centre and high crosses

Clonmacnois’ three magnificent high crosses have been moved into the excellent visitor centre to prevent further damage by the weather. (Outside the Office of Public Works has erected all-too-faithful replicas, complete with erosion – an attempt to recreate their appearance when first carved would have been far more constructive.) The finest is the Cross of the Scriptures, a pictorial sermon showing the Crucifixion, Christ in the Tomb and the Last Judgment. It was erected in the early tenth century by Abbot Colman and Flann, the High King of Ireland, who may be depicted together (with Flann holding a pole) in the bottom scene on the shaft’s east face. Standing 4m high, the cross is carved from a single piece of sandstone and may originally have been coloured. The other two crosses are about a century older and much simpler, the South Cross featuring the Crucifixion surrounded by rich interlacing, spirals and bosses, while the North Cross is carved with abstract Celtic ornaments, humans and animals.

Elsewhere in the visitor centre there’s a good audiovisual on Kieran’s life and the history of Clonmacnois, and an interesting reconstruction of a dairthech (oak house), the type of small oratory that would have been built out of wood at this and other monasteries throughout Ireland before stone began to be used in the tenth century.

Most of Clonmacnois’ nine churches are structurally intact apart from their roofs, the largest being the cathedral straight in front of the visitor centre. It was built in 909 by Abbot Colman and King Flann, but its most beautiful feature now is the fifteenth-century north doorway, featuring decorative Gothic carving surmounted by SS Dominic, Patrick and Francis. The last High King of Ireland, Rory O’Connor, was buried by the altar here in 1198. Several smaller churches encircle the cathedral, notably Temple Ciarán, the burial place of St Kieran, dating from the early tenth century.

In the western corner of the compound rises a fine round tower, erected in 1124 by Abbot O’Malone and Turlough O’Connor of Connacht, High King of Ireland and father of Rory. There’s another round tower attached to the nave of Temple Finghin, which is Romanesque in style and thought to date from 1160–70.

In a peaceful, leafy glade about 500m away from the main site and signposted from the east side of the compound, the Nun’s Church is the place to escape to if a fleet of tour coaches descends. Founded by Queen Devorguilla, who retired here as a penitent in 1170, it boasts a fine Romanesque doorway and chancel arch carved with geometrical patterns.

Top image © Lukasz Pajor/Shutterstock

Around 45km south of Athlone at the confluence of the Camcor and Little Brosna rivers, BIRR is the Midlands’ most attractive town, planned around the estate of Birr Castle, the home of the Parsons family, later the Earls of Rosse. Around Emmet Square – formerly Duke’s Square, but the unpopular statue of the Duke of Cumberland, victor over the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, is long gone from the central pillar – you’ll find several broad Georgian terraces, graced with fanlights and other fine architectural details, notably St John’s Mall to the east and Oxmantown Mall to the north off Emmet Street. Birr is not yet on the country’s main tourist trail but supports some appealing places to stay and eat, making it an excellent base from which to explore the Shannon, Clonmacnois and Slieve Bloom. The town comes to life in mid-August during its Vintage Week and Arts Festival (wwww.birrvintageweek.com), when shop assistants, bar staff and townspeople deck themselves out in historic regalia, and there’s a varied programme of street theatre, music, and art exhibitions.

A monastery was first founded here in the sixth century, later becoming famous for the Mac Regol Gospels (now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford), an illuminated manuscript named after the early ninth-century abbot and bishop. Birr was settled by the Anglo-Normans, who built a castle here in 1208, later becoming the site of an O’Carroll stronghold between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the 1619 plantation of their territory, known as Ely O’Carroll, however, Sir Laurence Parsons was given Birr, which became known as Parsonstown. A descendant of his set about reconstructing the town in the 1740s in Neoclassical style, a development which continued in stages until as late as the 1830s.

Lying to the west of Emmet Square, Birr's forbidding Gothic castle itself is not open to the public, but there’s plenty of interest in the Historic Science Centre in the coach houses, which also shelter a pleasant summertime café, and in the varied grounds. In the nineteenth century, the Parsons family gained an international reputation as scientists and inventors, partly it would seem because they were educated at home. The third Earl of Rosse, William Parsons, devoted himself to astronomy, and in 1845 built the huge Rosse Telescope, with a 72-inch reflector, which remained the largest in the world until 1917. It was fully reconstructed in the 1990s, along with the massive, elaborate housing of walls, tracks, pulleys and counterweights needed to manoeuvre it, which can be seen in the garden. The fourth Earl, Laurence, and his mother, Mary, a friend of Fox Talbot’s, were eminent photographers, while Laurence’s brother, Sir Charles Parsons, was carving himself a varied and colourful career, which included building a small flying machine and a helicopter in the 1890s and spending 25 years unsuccessfully trying to make artificial diamonds. He’ll be best remembered, however, as the inventor of the steam turbine and for his exploits at the 1897 Spithead Naval Review, celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee when, frustrated at the Royal Navy’s foot-dragging, he gatecrashed in the Turbinia, the first steam-turbine ship, racing through the fleet at the unheard-of speed of 34 knots. Within a few years the technology was adopted by navies and passenger liners around the world. All of this is set in historical and global context in the Science Centre, with plenty of astrolabes, cameras and other instruments and some lively audiovisuals.

You could easily spend a couple of hours strolling around the beautiful castle grounds (demesne), especially if you buy the booklet on its fifty most significant trees. Beyond the wild-flower meadows, which are left to grow tall until July every year, lie a nineteenth-century lake, a fernery and fountain, and the oldest wrought-iron suspension bridge in Ireland, dating from 1820. The walled gardens feature the tallest box hedges in the world, which are over three hundred years old, as well as intricate parterres and paths canopied with hornbeams in the formal, seventeenth-century-style Millennium Garden.

To the east of Birr, straddling the Offaly–Laois border, rises Slieve Bloom, the “mountain of Bladhma”, named after an ancient Connacht warrior who sought refuge here. Although it extends only for about 20km across and down, the massif provides welcome relief from the flatness of the Midlands and a refuge for wildlife including bog plants such as the insect-eating sundew, and birds including skylarks, kestrels and the rare peregrine falcon. The waymarked 77km Slieve Bloom Way describes a heavily indented circuit of most of the range, before passing underneath the highest point – Arderin (527m), which means, rather hopefully, the “height of Ireland”; shorter, signposted walks are detailed on the very useful website, wwww.slievebloom.ie. OS map #54 covers the whole of Slieve Bloom, while East West Mapping (wwww.eastwestmapping.ie) produces a useful 1:50,000 map-guide to the waymarked trail, available from local bookshops. For something more organized, get in touch with the Slieve Bloom Rural Development Co-operative at the community centre in Kinnitty, who run a walking festival over the bank-holiday weekend in early May and guided walks every Sunday afternoon thereafter until November.

The best base on the Offaly side of the mountains, within walking distance of the Slieve Bloom Way, is the charming village of KINNITTY, which huddles around a triangular green that’s traversed by a tiny stream.

Ireland divides into four provinces , loosely corresponding to ancient kingdoms: Leinster (covering counties Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow); Munster (Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford); Connacht (Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo); and Ulster (Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone in Northern Ireland, plus Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan in the Republic). They do not have a political role, but crop up in everything from Gaelic games to weather forecasts.

If the Irish didn’t invent the pub , they’ve certainly espoused its cause with great vigour. Indeed, alongside the local church and the betting shop (for men), the pub retains a pivotal place in Irish society. It’s the place where stories are narrated, deals and pacts are made, jokes are told and, sometimes, traditional music is heard. During the 1990s, the “Irish pub” concept (albeit with “authentic” period decor manufactured in Dublin) spread to far-flung points of the globe. Yet experiencing the real thing on its home turf is still an unbeatable experience.

Travel advice for Ireland

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Ireland

• Eating and drinking in Ireland
• Travel Tips Ireland for planning and on the go
• How to get to Ireland
• Getting around Ireland: Transportation Tips
• Best time to visit Ireland

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Although it’s a relatively small island in Western Europe, Ireland has a huge diversity of scenery and terrain as well as a rich cultural heritage. Dramatic coastlines have been carved out by the Atlantic Ocean, leaving endless unspoiled beaches and rocky peninsulas; inland you’ll find rolling green pastures, peat bogs, and quiet lakes. Throughout the country, forts, megalithic tombs, castles, and stone villages offer evidence of history, culture, and tradition. Pubs and traditional music add to the experience, and many visitors say it’s the friendliness of the Irish people that leaves a lasting impression and brings them back.

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Photo by Michelle Heimerman

When’s the best time to go to Ireland?

One of the favorite topics of conversation in Ireland is the weather, which largely determines the best time of year to visit. Be prepared for any weather at any time—and for a detailed conversation with a local about it.

The best time to visit is between May and July, when temperatures are at their warmest and days are longest. July and August make up the high season, when prices are steepest and accommodations and attractions busiest.

Spring, particularly from March onward, and autumn (particularly September) are pleasant; attractions will be less busy and prices good.

The weather can be unpredictable even in summer, so always be prepared for a chilly breeze or shower of rain. Other busy times of year include St Patrick’s Day (March 17), Easter, school holidays, and bank holiday weekends.

In winter, many attractions, hotels, and restaurants close from December to February, when weather is harsh and days are short. But if you do travel then, you can get good deals, and tourist attractions (when open) will be quieter.

How to get around Ireland

Direct flights from Britain, Europe, and the USA arrive at the main hub, Dublin Airport. There are also airports in Shannon, Cork, Knock, and Belfast—and smaller regional airports such as Donegal and Sligo. The main airlines operating flights between Britain and the Republic of Ireland are Aer Lingus and Ryanair. It is also possible to ferry from Britain or France, sailing into Dublin, Rosslare, or Cork. The main operators are Irish Ferries, Stena Line, P&O, Brittany Ferries, and Norfolk Line Ferries.

Distances are not huge, and highways link the main cities. Car rental is readily available and is recommended for sightseeing for at least some of your trip, as it allows you to go to the more interesting places and stop off when you want. Note that car rental and fuel can be expensive (book ahead in high season). Other options include trains , which link the larger cities and are usually reliable, and intercity buses , which serve the main towns and cities. Many private bus companies operate on these routes, too. There are flights between Dublin and all of the regional airports. Drivers drive on the left side of the road in Ireland, and some rural and coastal roads can be narrow.

Food and drink to try in Ireland

The quality of the meat and seafood stands out in Ireland. You can eat very well here, as Ireland has plentiful gourmet restaurants, innovative chefs, and ethnic cuisines, particularly in larger urban centers, and most towns have a farmers’ market for fresh produce. Tuck into seafood, Irish cheeses, Irish stews, and breads. The traditional breakfast—a fry-up with bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, black-and-white pudding, and brown bread—can be found in most hotels. Lunch often centers around soup and sandwiches or sliced, cooked meats. Watch for “early bird” dinner specials in restaurants—typically, these are two to three courses at a special price, served before 7 p.m. Most pubs serve food, and prices are good.

Culture in Ireland

Some of the oldest cultural highlights in Ireland include the Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange (which, dating to 3200 B.C., is older than the Pyramids or Stonehenge) and the Book of Kells, which dates to 800 A.D. Everywhere you go in Ireland you’ll encounter music, dance, the performing arts, and literary festivals. Ireland has produced nine Nobel laureates including Seamus Heaney, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw, and W.B. Yeats. It’s also the home of U2 and Riverdance. You’ll find traditional music sessions in pubs in nearly every town. The Irish-speaking areas in the country—known as Gaeltacht areas—are mostly in the west and northwest and there are Irish language TV and radio channels. For sports, the traditional pastimes of Gaelic football and hurling (played with a stick) are played in hundreds of Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs all around the country.

The biggest annual festivals include St Patrick’s Day (March 17), when most towns have a parade and festival, the Galway Arts Festival (July), Cork Jazz Festival (October), Dublin Theatre Festival (September/October), Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (February), Galway Oyster Festival (September), and West Cork Food Festival (September). And most Irish towns have their own annual festival, usually during summer. Fair Day, on August 15, has been an annual festivity for at least two hundred years. Kenmare is one of the few remaining Irish towns that continue to honor the tradition. It’s the one day when farmers and animal owners can bring their cattle, horses, sheep, chickens, ducks, and donkeys to the town square to sell or trade in the streets. Over time the fair has grown to include stalls where all manner of other goods and services are sold—from antiques and bric-a-brac to fortune-telling.

Local travel tips for Ireland

- The currency in Ireland is the euro. - Tipping is discretionary and is usually around 10 percent in restaurants and for table service in pubs. - Travel in Ireland is usually safe, although beware of pickpockets and thefts from cars, especially in urban centers. The police are called the Gardaí , and the telephone number for emergency services is 999. - As stated above, always be prepared for a sudden change in weather—a raincoat and sweater will come in handy, even during the summer season.

Guide Editor

Yvonne Gordon is an award-winning travel and features writer based in Ireland.

Ultimate IRELAND Travel Guide

Ireland is a country located in Northwestern Europe .  Dublin is the capital and well worth spending some time in. The whole country is gorgeous and we can’t say enough good things about how amazing a visit to this country is for the traveler.

We spent 3 full weeks road-tripping and this is our extensive Ireland travel guide to help you plan your trip.

Between the landscapes, colors, pub culture and history you could easily max out a 90-day visa, although most travelers spend an average of 2 weeks in the country.

One of the biggest highlights is renting a car upon arrival and heading off on a road trip to  explore the Wild Atlantic Way .

Destinations

Ireland travel: quick tips, don’t visit ireland without:.

UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER

GET A GUIDEBOOK

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

IRELAND BUCKET LIST

See the cliffs of moher.

This is one of the most famous natural places in all of Europe and is an Ireland itinerary must. Looking out over the Atlantic Ocean truly makes you feel like you’re on the edge of the world. 

DRINK GUINNESS IN A PUB

Ireland has a very fun and intense pub culture that you simply cannot miss during a visit. Belly up to the bar, order a Guinness and get ready to converse with the locals. They love to chat and share their stories.

DRIVE THE RING OF KERRY

One of the most scenic driving routes in Ireland, the  Ring of Kerry  navigates the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and south coast. Along the way, you can expect plenty of mountains, moss, and narrow roads. 

MORE THINGS TO TRY IN IRELAND

There is no shortage of great things to do in Ireland during your visit and the biggest problem you’ll face is fitting them all into your itinerary.

Each city has it’s own offering and unique things to check out during a visit, so be sure to look at our city guides once you decide where you’re itinerary will take you.

HIKE IN THE WICKLOW MOUNTAINS:   Just south of Dublin is one of the most beautiful natural areas in Ireland, the Wicklow Mountains. While it’s possible to visit on a day trip from Dublin, we’d recommend you spend at least one night. There are many hiking trails, lakes and forests to explore here. Also, don’t miss a stop at  Glendalough .

KISS THE BLARNEY STONE:  One of the most time-honored tourist traditions is to pay a visit to Blarney Castle. Aside from exploring the beautiful grounds, you can climb to the top to kiss the infamous stone that is said to give you the gift of the gab.

VISIT THE TITANIC MUSEUM IN CORK:  One of the last ports of call for the  RMS Titanic , before it sailed off into the Atlantic and on to its fate, was in Cork, Ireland. Here, you can your a well put together museum on the ship, the passengers and what it would have been like to sail on this mega-ship.

DRIVE THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY:  One of the best road trips in the world is to set off on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. Heading south from Dublin, this route follows the coast taking you to places like the Rock of Cashel, Cork, the Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Limerick, the Dingle Peninsula, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway, to name a few. It is the ultimate exploration of this beautiful country.

GO PUB HOPPING IN DUBLIN:  Head to the historical downtown in Dublin and embark on an evening of colorful pub hopping. This popular area has multiple pubs along several blocks, including the famous Temple Bar. Many offer live music.

TOUR THE CAUSEWAY COAST:  While this road trip route along the  Causeway Coast  is located in Northern Ireland, it is worth a side trip while you’re touring around Ireland. This route features the city of Belfast, the Dark Hedges, Giants Causeway, Carrik A Rede Bridge and Dunluce Castle, along with other  Game of Thrones  filming locations.

SEE PUFFINS AT SKELLIG MICHAEL:  Take a tiny boat out into the Atlantic Ocean from Portmagee, where you’ll be headed for the  Skellig Islands . It is here that you can spend time climbing several stones laid as stairs up to the top of the island. Along the way, if you visit during the right time of the year, you’ll be able to observe hundreds of nesting puffins.

HAVE DINNER AT BUNRATTY CASTLE:  One of the coolest things you can do in Ireland is to have dinner at Bunratty Castle. But this isn’t any normal dinner, this is a medieval-themed dinner held in the castles great hall. It’s like stepping back in time as you eat period meals, served in a traditional way with good entertainment too.

CLIMB CARRAUNTOOHILL:  If you love to hike, then climbing the tallest mountain in Ireland should be on your must-do list.  Carrauntoohill  can be summited in a full day hiking trip and gives you some spectacular views over the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks.

GO HORSE TREKKING IN DINGLE:  Calling all horse lovers, have you ever dreamed of galloping on the beach? This would be an adventure for you. Offering day trips to multi-day overnight trips, you can explore the Dingle Peninsula by horseback. It’s surreal to gallop along the beaches and ride past castles that sit in the lush landscapes.

FOODIE BUCKET LIST

Irish food is characterized by hearty meals and filling dishes that will quickly warm you up after an inevitably rainy day. The best place to try traditional Irish food is generally in the local pub, where you can wash a hot stew or a pie down with a heavy pint of Guinness.

In the cities though, you’ll also find a cosmopolitan fusion of international restaurants and bars from across the world, that provide Ireland with an excellent culinary scene.

IRISH STEW:  A classic Irish Stew makes use of almost anything that’s available in the kitchen or in the fields. Take potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions and whatever else you can find, and chuck them in with mutton, beef, chicken or any other meat. Stew it all up, slowly of course, and you’ve got yourself an Irish Stew.

IRISH BREAKFAST: Start the day well with a full Irish Breakfast. Similar to its famous English neighbor, the Irish Breakfast is a fry up of mammoth proportions, that’s guaranteed to keep you fuelled for hours. Take sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, beans, toast, and anything else you fancy and fry it all up for breakfast.

SHELLFISH:  With an extensive coastline, Ireland has access to a huge range of shellfish, and coastal cities like Galway are famed for their ability to prepare the likes of mussels and oysters to a high standard.

IRISH FESTIVALS

ST PATRICKS DAY:  Easily the biggest celebration in Ireland, St Patricks Day is a festival that has spread all over the world, thanks to the huge Irish diaspora. Mostly associated with the drinking of Guinness and copious amounts of other alcohol while you wear green, St Patricks Day is actually much more than this, and it’s a deep-rooted cultural and religious day devoted to Ireland’s patron saint. You’ll find parades and celebrations across the country, but the biggest events happen in Dublin. Expect things to be busy, with accommodation in the capital selling out far in advance of the 17th March each year and parties going on until the early, early hours of the morning.

NEW YEAR’S EVE:  Equally as big a time to party in Ireland is New Year’s Eve. Celebrating the end of the old year and the start of the new, the Irish are prone to long nights and loud celebrations across the country. Again, head to Dublin for the biggest events.

GALWAY RACES:  Every July, hundreds of thousands of visitors and horse racing fanatics descend upon Galway for a week-long schedule of horse racing. It’s a huge event in Ireland, and you’ll have the opportunity to experience a national past time first hand, and to meet plenty of locals at the Galway Races.

PLAN AN IRELAND ROAD TRIP!

Popular regions in ireland.

Dublin is the iconic Irish capital and one of the most popular places to visit in the country. While the city can get crowded – particularly on weekends and during holidays, especially St Patrick’s Day – Dublin is a destination that never fails to excite. It’s a place that’s steeped in history and you can visit the many national museums to learn more about Irish heritage over the centuries. Enjoy some of the country’s best restaurants, best art galleries, and of course, best pubs, and don’t forget to visit the famous Guinness Storehouse or the Jameson Whiskey Distillery.

CONNEMARA PENINSULA

Western Ireland, north of Galway , is a beautiful off-the-beaten-path destination that is best explored independently with a rental car. From this region, you can drive through the Connemara National Park, see the stunning Kylemore Abbey and visit untouched beaches.  It’s also the place to celebrate the unique Connemara horse breed and one of the biggest studs is located in this area. 

WILD ATLANTIC WAY

The Wild Atlantic Way is the encompassing name that’s been given to the entirety of the western, Atlantic coastline of Ireland by the tourism board, and it’s marketing at its best. It is now one of the best road trips in the world. The Wild Atlantic Way really is a wild place, but it’s more than just stormy seas and dramatic coastline. Along the route, you can visit classic towns and cities such as Sligo, Galway, Tralee, and many, many more. You can visit remote, offshore islands, stand on the edge of the incredible Cliffs of Moher, and see some of the country’s best beaches and national parks.

NORTHERN IRELAND

While all of Ireland is naturally beautiful, some of the best stuff resides in Northern Ireland.  Belfast is an incredibly interesting city with a torrid past and a born-again vibe. It’s worth spending a few days here.  Venturing north you’ll see a variety of wonders and many Game of Thrones filming locations. Highlights of the Causeway Coast include Giant’s Causeway, the Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, and Dunluce Castle.

RING OF KERRY

The Ring of Kerry is one of the best tourist routes in the country. If you’re looking to travel to Ireland for history, culture, and outdoor scenery, then the Ring of Kerry has it all. Start in Killarney , explore Killarney National Park, and then travel from village to village across the Iveragh Peninsula. It requires extra planning, but adding a visit to the  Skellig Islands  will be the highlight of your drive. When you have finished this drive, be sure to explore nearby Limerick , Bunratty, and Shannon.

IRELAND TRAVEL BUDGET

Setting a budget for travel to Ireland is highly dependent on your travel style. It is possible to visit just about anywhere in Ireland on any budget and still have a great trip. That said, you can make your trip as basic or as luxurious as you desire.

To help you set your budget, we’ve included some base range price estimations for travel within Ireland. Of course, keep in mind that prices can fluctuate based on seasons, availability and festivals.

ACCOMMODATION:  Varies by type and rating. Generally, you can expect  camping  to be free to Euro 10 per night,  hostels  to average Euro 10 to 20 per night,  mid-range hotels  to average Euro 50 to 100 per night and  luxury hotels  to be Euro 100 and up per night.

ATTRACTIONS : Activity costs will vary, some museums are free to enter, as are national parks. The Guinness Storehouse costs 16 Euros to enter, while the famous Blarney Castle also costs 16 Euros for entry.

TRANSPORTATION:  The most popular method of travel around Germany are by train, bus or rental car. The  Flix Bus Inter City Fare  averages Euro 15.  Car rental  varies by length of time and generally average around Euro 20 per day for a compact. A  litre of petrol  will cost you around Euro 1.50.

FOOD:  Food will vary widely depending on your tastes and what restaurants you choose to visit on your trip. Generally, though, you can expect to find  pub food  for around Euro 10 to 15, take a meal in a  mid-range restaurant  for Euro 25 per person and pay around Euro 5 for a  pint of beer .

40 EURO PER DAY

Staying in hostels, eating fast food or cooking own food, and entrance and transport to a few attractions.

100 EURO PER DAY

Private rooms. Restaurant meals. Lots of museums, attractions and a couple of day trips.

200 EURO + PER DAY

Upscale hotels. Private transport. Restaurant meals and bars. No limit on attractions or museums.

WHERE TO STAY IN IRELAND

Below you will find some of the places we have stayed during our travels in IRELAND. These are individual properties that we enjoyed and would recommend to other travelers.

For more specific advice, check out Best Area to Stay in Dublin – Best Hotels & Travel Tips

HOW TO GET AROUND IN IRELAND

Ireland is a small country and with an excellent road network and an excellent public transport system, it’s easy to travel around and to get from one destination to the next quickly and efficiently. The best part is that you have options.

FLIGHTS:  Ireland is the home of infamous budget airline Ryanair, and you’ll find cheap flights across the country and all over Europe, making it a relatively easy place to fly in and out of. Domestically though, you may not need to fly too much, as distances between cities aren’t huge, and after factoring in waiting times at terminals, you may find it’s just as quick to take the bus.

BUS:  Bus travel is by far the most common form of public transport in Ireland, and there are regular connections between most major cities. Outside of the main bus routes though, using public bus services in rural Ireland can be a tedious affair. Local routes tend to be incredibly slow and irregular. Some services on the Ring of Kerry for example, only have one departure a day.

CAR RENTAL:  Renting a car is the best way to travel to Ireland and to explore the best that the country has to offer. You won’t be pressed to keep to public transport schedules and you’ll have the flexibility to stop wherever you like and to admire whichever dramatic views you like the most. Check out  Discover Rental Cars  for great deals.

TRAIN:  Train travel is less common than bus travel, but the Irish rail network does connect Dublin with most other major cities. Dublin is the hub, and traveling by train between other cities, can prove to be more difficult once you are out of the capital.

HIKING & CYCLING:  Ireland has a whole network of long-distance hiking and cycling trails that are becoming popular with outdoor enthusiasts. You can hike the Kerry Way or you can cycle the length of the Wild Atlantic Way, to name just two of the routes out there.

TOP IRELAND TOURS

Highlights of ireland.

9 Days from Dublin to Belfast Highlights: Hiking, Culture, City Tours & Nature

ICONIC IRELAND – NAT GEO

9 Days from Dublin Highlights: Hiking, Culture, City Tours & Nature

WALKING KERRY WAY & KILLARNEY NP

8 Days from Killarney Highlights: Hiking, Camping, Nature & Off the Beaten Path

WHEN TO VISIT IRELAND

When planning your travel to Ireland, it’s important to bear in mind that no matter what time of year it is, the weather can be unpredictable.

This is  one of the windiest, rainiest places in Europe , and even in the height of summer, the clouds can roll in from the Atlantic with little notice and cause a downpour. That’s all part of the Irish experience though, and as long as you are prepared for every eventually, then you won’t be caught out.

The country has  four traditional seasons , and by far the most popular season to travel to Ireland in is  summer . This is when there is less chance of rain and bad weather, and for the most part, you can expect temperatures in the mid 20 degrees celsius from May through to August.

If you can though,  avoid July and August , as this is peak season when things are at their absolute busiest due to the school holidays.

The summer season is great for hiking, but so are  spring and fall  too, and you may want to wait for the shoulder seasons if you can, before visiting.

The coldest time of year to visit is in  winter , between November and February. This is never a particularly popular time to visit for tourists, aside from over the Christmas and New Year breaks, and if you brave the cold weather and the short, dark days, then you’ll find that in many places, you might well be the only traveler.

For more information, check out the  Best Time to Visit Ireland: Month by Month Breakdown

PLAN AN EPIC ITINERARY IN IRELAND!

Safety in ireland.

Ireland is an incredibly safe country to visit, particularly in friendly and welcoming rural areas. Tourists have little to worry about, although some urban areas late at night, may be best avoided, particularly if you have been to a few pubs beforehand.

As with anywhere, be wary of opportunistic criminals and be aware of your belongings and your surroundings when you travel to Ireland.

As with any destination, we recommend learning and adhering to certain safety practices when you travel. Be sure to read our personal  travel safety tips , compiled from our travels across 7 continents.

IRELAND TRAVEL: BOOKING RESOURCES

Ireland travel guide: related articles.

Looking for more info? Check out all the articles we’ve written on travel to Ireland and start planning your dream trip.

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Is inis mór in the aran islands worth visiting tips & advice to make the most of your visit, is westport, ireland worth visiting get the inside scoop, 15 essential ireland travel tips for first time visitors, ireland’s causeway coastal route: 5 best stops, best time to visit ireland: month by month breakdown, 15 cities in ireland that are worth visiting, 15 sweet things to do in cork, ireland, 15 fabulous things to do in killarney, ireland, 15 fun things to do in limerick, ireland, visiting skellig michael: what you should know before you go, 10 best things to do in belfast, ireland, driving the ring of kerry in ireland: tours, map and travel guide, 16 spectacular things to do in galway, 16 crazy cool things to do in dingle, best area to stay in dublin – best hotels & travel tips, 10 best day trips from dublin worth taking, ultimate 3 day weekend in dublin itinerary, 9 best castles to visit in ireland, 33 ireland photos guaranteed to cause wanderlust, best road trip routes in ireland, 4 best hikes in the mourne mountains of northern ireland, a short guide to renting a car in ireland, horseback riding in dingle, ireland, finding glendalough in the wicklow mountains of ireland, the real titanic experience in ireland, climbing carrauntoohill: ireland’s tallest peak.

Regions of Ireland & Britain

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Ireland Travel Guide My Ireland Tour

A proud island nation with five million inhabitants, one hundred thousand welcomes and a song for every occasion. If this is your first time in Ireland, welcome home. Use this online guidebook to plan all aspects of your visit – it covers everything from travel arrangements and accommodation to sourcing the perfect pint of Guinness. Welcome to Ireland, your journey starts here.

• Cities & Regions
• Top 10 Attractions
• Hobbies & Interests

Travel Advice

• Solo Travel
• Ireland in 7-Days

Already know where you're going?

Click on the region you'd like to visit.

• Wicklow & East
• Kilkenny & South-East

Cork & Kerry

Galway & west, donegal & sligo, explore the regions of ireland, see their top attractions.

Each region of Ireland has its own character, culture, and dialect. Moving from city to city and region to region, you will gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and variety which Irish culture offers. You will also see significant differences in the landscape and historical architecture, meaning there's lots for tourists to see wherever they go on the island of Ireland.

• Top Attractions:
• Guiness Storehouse
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Trinity College
• More Attractions
• Local Services:
• Accommodation
• Food & Drink

• Glendalough
• Castletown House
• Powerscourt Estate

The South East

• Kilkenny City
• Rock of Cashel
• Tintern Abbey
• Waterford Crystal

• Blarney Castle
• Ring of Kerry

• Kylemore Abbey
• Cliffs of Moher
• Clonmacnoise
• Galway City

• Glengesh Pass
• Slieve League
• Donegal Town

• Belfast City
• Titanic Belfast
• Giant's Causeway
• City of Londonderry

• Buckingham Palace
• The Roman Baths
• Westminster Abbey
• Further Attractions:
• Windsor Castle
• York Minster
• Tower Bridge
• Chatsworth House

• Edinburgh Castle
• Stirling Castle
• Rosslyn Chapel
• Edinburgh City
• Eilean Donan Castle
• Jedburgh Abbey

Find what's best for your group

Find the best Ireland destinations and attractions for you — whether you're travelling solo, as a family or with a group of friends.

Planning For Groups

Find out more.

Ireland Solo Travel

The irish bucketlist.

Budget Backpacking

Ireland on a shoestring.

Must-See First Timers

Best-known attractions.

Hidden Gems For Returners

Best-kept secrets.

Student Guide Cork

Live & study in ireland, top 10 day trips and attractions.

These top attractions are all too good to put in a strict order. So just think of them as ten of the best. The ten attractions and destinations that you won't want to miss.

1. Dublin City Sightseeing

2. The Cliffs of Moher

3. Killarney & National Park

4. the giant's causeway.

5. Cork City Sightseeing

6. Clonmacnoise

7. Galway City Sightseeing

8. Rock of Cashel

9. Derry City & Walls

10. Kylemore Abbey & Gardens

City tours of england, scotland, ireland & wales.

Discover Britain and Ireland's top tourist towns for yourself with a self-guided walking tour of these world-famous British and Irish cities. Some of the world's most famous and iconic cities are to be found here on these islands. Not sure where to start? Compare all the cities here...

1. Dublin, Ireland

• The Ha'penny Bridge
• Dublin Castle
• St Stephen's Green

2. London, England

• The Tower of London
• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
• Tate Modern
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Covent Garden
• Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus
• Big Ben & The Palace of Westminster

3. Cardiff, Wales

• Cardiff Castle
• National Museum Cardiff
• Mermaid Quay
• Welsh Senedd (parliament)
• Millennium Centre & National Opera

4. Cork, Ireland

• Cork City Hall
• St. Fin Barre's Cathedral
• University College Cork
• Fitzgerald's Park
• The English Market
• Shandon Bells

5. Edinburgh, Scotland

• National Museum of Scotland
• The Scotch Whisky Experience
• St Giles' Cathedral
• The Scottish Parliament Building
• The Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Calton Hill

6. Stratford-upon-Avon, England

• Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Hall's Croft
• Holy Trinity Church
• The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
• Anne Hathaway's Cottage

7. Chester, England

• The City Walls
• Chester Cathedral
• Roman Amphitheatre
• Grosvenor Park
• The Roman Gardens
• Shopping at The Rows
• The Grosvenor Museum

8. Galway, Ireland

• Eyre Square
• Galway Cathedral
• Galway City Museum
• Spanish Arch
• Latin Quarter

9. Belfast City, Northern Ireland

• Maritime Mile
• Belfast City Hall
• The Cathedral Quarter
• Peace Walls

10. Derry City, Northern Ireland

• The Peace Bridge
• Derry Girls Mural
• Derry City Walls
• Museum of Free Derry
• Tower Museum

11. Oxford, England

• The Radcliffe Camera & Bodleian Library
• Sheldonian Theatre
• Bridge of Sighs
• University Church of St Mary the Virgin
• Christ Church College
• Christ Church Meadow
• Magdalen College and Tower

12. York, England

• York Museum Gardens
• Bettys Tea Rooms
• The Shambles
• JORVIK Viking Centre
• Clifford's Tower
• Rowntree Park

13. Bath, England

• Roman Baths
• Pulteney Bridge
• Henrietta Park & Sydney Gardens
• The Circus and The Royal Crescent
• Jane Austen Centre
• Thermae Bath Spa

What interests you most?

Discover the face of Ireland that interests you most. We've broken Ireland's attractions, locations, and events into categories so you can easily find what appeals to you and your group.

A nation of poets, playwrights, thinkers, and creators. See the homes and landscapes that inspired the likes of Swift, Wilde, Yeats, Joyce and Heaney.

Find out more

Tv & film.

You've seen them on the big screen. Now experience Ireland's landscapes for yourself, visiting the sets of Game of Thrones, Star Wars and other classics.

Castles & History

An ancient world awaits you. From within the stones of Ireland's ancient castles and monuments, the legends of ages past will reveal themselves to you.

Outdoor Pursuits

Don't forget your camera as you head outdoors in Ireland. Some magnificent landscapes await you whether you're walking, cycling, sailing or climbing.

Island Life

As well as being an Island itself, Ireland is surrounded by smaller islands with tiny populations and fascinating backstories. We're working our way through them!

Photography

Ireland's stunning scenery and breathtaking natural landscape make it a photographer's dream. The urban environments are also very snap-worthy!

Regions of Ireland & Britain

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Adare Village and Thatched Cottages

About Adare Village and Thatched Cottages

Adare is a small town in Co. Limerick, known for its quaint and colourful thatched cottages. Adare is considered to be one of Ireland's most beautiful towns so stop and take in the view. Don't forget your camera today - the perfect chance to capture the essence of old Ireland.

Explore Adare Village along the Wild Atlantic Way .

Black Taxi Tour Belfast

About Black Taxi Tour Belfast

Take a journey through this once troubled city. See the murals of the Loyalist Shankill Road & Nationalist Falls Road. The Troubles took their toll on the economic life of Belfast, but the past ten years of peace have returned much prosperity while the genuine friendliness of the city never left.

Blarney Woollen Mills

About Blarney Woollen Mills

Originally built in 1823, Blarney Woollen Mills was mainly used for the spinning and weaving of wool. After it closed in 1973, it reopened in 1975 — as an Irish heritage shop.

Visit their website...

Culloden Battlefield

About Culloden Battlefield

The Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre commemorates the last pitched battle fought on British soil, in April 1746. Learn more about the Jacobite intent to overthrow the House of Hanover and return the House of Stuart to the British throne.

Glenveagh Castle

About Glenveagh Castle

Located within Glenveagh National Park, Glenveagh Castle was built by Captain John George Adair between 1870 and 1873. Having made his fortune through land speculation in America, Adair return to Ireland and began large amounts of land in County Donegal. The castle was built in the Scottish Baronial style and is surrounded by a garden and commands stunning views of the nearby mountains, lakes, woodlands and valleys.

Highland Folk Museum

About Highland Folk Museum

About Highland Folk Museum is a museum and open-air attraction located in the Scottish Highlands. It is designed to showcase the domestic and working lives of the early highland people.

King John's Castle

About King John's Castle

Located alongside the River Shannon in County Limerick, on King's Island. Dating back to 922, to a time when Vikings were the inhabitants of the island (Thormodr Helgason, the Viking sea-king, built the first settlement here. The castle itself was built in 1200, under the instruction of King John of England.

About Moriarty's

Located close to the Killarney National Park, Moriarty's is an Authentic Irish Gift Store and Restaurant. Hand crafted Irish jewellery, Waterford Crystal and classic and modern tweed fashions and furnishings are all on offer at the gift store. The restaurant is an 85 seater offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Mount Congreve Gardens

About Mount Congreve Gardens

Mount Congreve Gardens. Located in Kilmeaden, County Waterford, Mount Congreve Gardens is an 18th century Georgian estate and mansion. It was designed by the same architect that created both of Waterford's cathedrals, John Roberts.

Mount Stewart House & Gardens

About Mount Stewart House & Gardens

Recently recognised as being one of the top 10 gardens in the world, Mount Stewart is a rich tapestry of planting plant life and stunning walking trails. The house dates back to the 19th century, and was the Irish seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family.

Muckross House

About Muckross House

Located on the grounds of the expansive and idyllic Killarney National Park. Muckross House, and its 11,000-acre grounds, was donated to the Irish state in 1932.

Muckross House Traditional Farms

About Muckross House Traditional Farms

Located on the grounds of the picturesque Muckross House and its impeccable gardens. Take a step back in time and see the Irish farming lifestyle of the 1930s and '40s. A time when the horse was responsible for much of the labour and the weather was the be all and end all in terms of production.

The Quiet Man Museum

About The Quiet Man Museum

The Quiet Man Museum. A reproduction of the quaint thatched cottage from the John Wayne starring, John Ford directed movie of the same name. all costumes, artefacts and furnishings have been recreated in precise detail, to reflect the setting of the 1952 classic. Located in the picturesque village of Cong, County Mayo.

As a local Irish company, we at My Ireland Tour are passionate about our country and our local community. We're thrilled that you're interested in visiting the place we call home. That's why we put together this definitive travel guide for anyone who wants to come to Ireland and discover this amazing place for themselves.

This is a completely free resource covering everything from top tourist attractions to the nearest yoga centre. We hope it helps!

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Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Ireland Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 1, 2024

I love backpacking around Ireland for the rolling green hills, historic castles, beautiful seaside landscapes, and all the Guinness and Jameson you can drink. The Emerald Isle is an enchanting postcard-perfect destination with tons to see and do whether you’re in the Dublin for a long weekend or plan to spend several weeks backpacking across the country.

While millions of people visit Ireland each year, most of them stick to Dublin , see the main sights, drink a few pints, and head on their way.

But there is so much more to traveling here — especially if you have time to rent a car and get off the beaten path. Ireland is the perfect road trip country. Seriously. Drive around! And make plenty of stops along the way. You’ll find cool little towns and tons of ruins and castles, some of which are rumored to be haunted.

Anyone who has spent time in Ireland will agree that it’s a magical land full of wonder, history, nature and plenty of post-travel tales. No one ever leaves Ireland unhappy.

This Ireland travel guide can help you make the most out of your time on the Emerald Isle and ensure you have fun without breaking the bank.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Ireland

Click Here for City Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in ireland.

1. Have fun in Dublin

Dublin is synonymous with fun. The capital of the Republic of Ireland and its largest city, Dublin offers so much to explore . The city’s 18th century Georgian architecture is some of the best in Europe. Take a walk through history with a visit to Dublin Castle, be awe-struck by St. Patrick’s Cathedral’s medieval architecture, which was completed in 1260, tour Trinity College for a look inside one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions and while you’re there check out the iconic Book of Kells (an illuminated manuscript) from 800 CE. Literature lovers can stroll around the city on a self-guided literary tour. Fans of Ireland’s most famous export (Guinness) will find no shortage of pubs that claim to pour the city’s best pint but go directly to the source with a tour of the Guinness Storehouse (admission starts at 24 EUR). At night there’s bountiful live music in small pubs or larger clubs, one of the many ways to experience Irish“craic,” the nation’s word for that fun feeling you have with friends.

2. Admire the Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher stretch for 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast in County Clare. They offer some of the most incredible views in all of Ireland. On a clear day you can see as far as Aran Islands in one direction, and Galway Bay in the other. The cliff’s name comes from the Gaelic word Mothar which means “ruins of a fort” and O’Brien’s tower, which now sits atop the cliffs, was constructed using the original fort’s stone in 1835. The cliffs reach a height of 214 meters (702 feet) and are home to a wide variety of birds. If you visit in late spring, you’ll probably see a colony of colorful puffins. Save this activity for a sunny day because there isn’t much to see when the cliffs are shrouded in Ireland’s famous mist. Admission is 10 EUR. If you’re short on time, take a day tour (they usually have a few stops, including Galway). Coming from Galway, it’s about a 90-minute drive. From Dublin, it’s more than three hours by car or bus.

3. See the Giant’s Causeway

Cross the border into Northern Ireland to visit the famous Giant’s Causeway , a natural geological phenomenon composed of over 40,000 basalt pillars that look like a staircase for giants. They formed between 50 and 60 million years ago during the Paleocene Epoch due to intense volcanic activity in the area. The tallest of the columns are around 12 meters (39 feet) high and 28 meters (92 feet) thick. The name is also said to have come from an Irish legend where a giant named Finn McCool created a path across the Irish Sea face down his arch enemy, the Scottish giant Benandonner. The pillars are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and named one of the top four natural wonders in The United Kingdom. It’s a protected nature reserve, however you can walk across the rocks using one of the four marked trails. Maps are available at the visitor center. Admission is free, but if you arrive by car you need to pay for parking, though it includes a guided tour.

4. Drive along the Ring of Kerry

This is one of the most well-trodden tourist trails in Ireland for a reason. Stretching almost 200 kilometers (125 miles), the Ring of Kerry is a scenic route that loops around the Iveragh Peninsula on the west coast of Ireland. It’s the ultimate Irish road trip along winding coastal roads, lush green pastures, and rolling hills. You’ll pass by lakes, small mountains, historical forts, and an ancient druid stone circle. Stop for a few of the highlights along the route. Ross Castle, built in the 15th century is open to guided tours. Lough Leane consists of a series of small lakes surrounded by dense forest and ancient castle ruins scattered in the area. You could spend the whole day in Killarney National Park with its lakes, walking trails and waterfalls. Staigue stone fort is a circular stone ruin likely built in the Iron Age. Driving the entire route takes 3.5 to 4 hours nonstop, but plan for an all-day adventure with stops. If you don’t have a vehicle you can take a day tour from Killarney . And if you want to challenge yourself, trek the 215-kilometer (135-mile) Kerry Way on foot!

5. Wander Galway

Other things to see and do in ireland, 1. spend time in cork.

Cork is a buzzing city nestled on Ireland’s southern coast. Originally a maritime hub, Cork is now a cosmopolitan university city filled with cheap eats and a lively nightlife. Head to the English Market in the morning for baked goods or fresh produce – it’s one of the oldest covered markets in Europe. Joind the hundreds of thousands of people that come here each year to kiss the Blarney Stone for good luck. There’s plenty of opportunity to hike around Gougane Barra, and to enjoy the coastal landscape around Mizen Head where you’ll find a suspension bridge with views of towering cliffs and the Atlantic. Surfing and whale watching are also popular here as minke whales, fin whales, and humpback whales are commonly seen along the coast (expect to pay around 55 EUR for a whale watching tour).

2. Party on St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint. As the legend goes, he drove all the snakes out of the country. Whether you believe the legend or not, this is the biggest party of the year in which everyone is Irish. The biggest parade takes place in Dublin. It’s one of the biggest parties in the world so be sure to book your stay in advance as everything sells out quickly!

3. Kiss the Blarney Stone

Blarney Castle sits just outside Cork. Built in the 15th century, visitors flock here to see the Stone, which is made of Carboniferous limestone and is built into the castle itself. The stone was set in 1446 and it is said to bestow eloquence on all those who kiss it (“blarney” has come to mean “flattering speech”). Expect a long line during summer months or other peak travel times. Admission is 18 EUR (16 EUR if you buy your ticket online).

4. See historic castles

Ireland is steeped in history and the entire country is covered in castles (there are some 30,000 castles and castle ruins here). For fans of ruins, don’t miss the crumbling charm of Dunluce Castle or the majestic half-standing Rock of Cashel with soaring archways. The impeccably preserved Cahir Castle in Tipperary is also one of the largest. If it’s within your budget, attend a medieval banquet at the Bunratty Castle in Clare or book a room at the beautifully restored Ashford Castle in County Mayo. If you’re just on a quick trip to Dublin, take the 30-minute train outside the city to Malahide Castle. If you plan on visiting a lot of castles, get the Heritage Card. It’s 40 EUR and provides free entry into tons of Ireland’s castles and will save you a ton.

5. Hike in Connemara

This national park in County Galway covers more than 30 square kilometers (12 square miles), offering scenic views and great hiking. Most people come here for hiking and forest bike riding, though there are a few castles within the park as well as an old mining area and a heritage and history center. There are also tons of wildlife to spot, such as rabbits, foxes, stoats, hawks, falcons, and herds of Connemara ponies. There are several trails that range from short loops on flat land, to more strenuous mixed-terrain paths that offer elevated views. Admission is free and day tours are available . There are no campsites, but wild camping is allowed – just come prepared with all the necessary gear.

6. Wander the John F. Kennedy Arboretum

Located in County Wexford 30 minutes west of Waterford, this garden is home to over 4,500 species of trees and shrubs. There are several tea rooms, a visitors’ center, and a picnic area here too. The arboretum gets its name from the fact that JFK’s great-grandfather was born nearby, and the President visited in 1963. The arboretum opened five years later in his honor, paid for by donations from Irish Americans. Admission is free.

7. Explore the Aran Islands

Located in Galway Bay, only 1,200 people call these islands home. Here, Irish is the primary language (though many also speak English). You can get around by bus, bike, or carriage as you see the various heritage sights, ruins, castles, and scenic landscapes. Tobar Einne and O’Brien’s Castle are two of the most popular attractions. On Inis More (Inishmore) you can visit Dun Aengus, a Bronze Age and Iron Age fort hugging the coast, and the Seven Churches ruins featuring a large complex of partially-preserved structures and graveyards with traditional Irish Cross stones. Inis Mor is the largest of the islands and the most accessible. You can take a bus from Galway and hop on the ferry from Rossaveal (30 EUR).

8. Go back in time at Ulster Museum

Head into Northern Ireland for a day trip and visit the Ulster Museum. It has a vast and diverse collection of all kinds of artifacts and artwork, ranging from rare paintings, archeology and local history to wildlife and dinosaurs to relics from the Spanish Armada and Egyptian mummies. The museum is located within a large botanical garden. It’s the biggest museum in Northern Ireland. Admission is free. You can reach Belfast from Dublin in less than two hours by car.

9. See Newgrange

Located 45 minutes north of Dublin by car, Newgrange is a prehistoric burial mound that dates back over 5,200 years (which makes it older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids). Human remains, as well as other artifacts, were found in the massive tomb, which is composed of a ring of stone topped by earth. Inside are several burial chambers and passageways. Every year on the Winter Solstice, a beam of light streams down the perfectly aligned entrance passage to illuminate the interior chamber. Admission is 10 EUR.

10. Visit Killarney

Killarney is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations thanks to its undeniable medieval charm. Located in the southwest of the country, you can visit Muckross Abbey (a 15th-century Franciscan friary on rolling green hills inside Killarney National Park), Ross Castle (which also dates to the 15th century), or wander around the town itself, which looks like a quaint village with small shops and colorful buildings. Some of the other best things to do in Killarney include renting a bike to cycle around Killarney National Park or relaxing at one of the nearby lakes. This is also the traditional starting point for exploring the Ring of Kerry.

11. Learn about (and sample some) whiskey

If you’re a whiskey fan, take a tour of the Jameson Distillery in Cork and see how Irish whiskey is made. Jameson is one of the oldest whiskey companies in Ireland and is the best-selling Irish whiskey in the world. On a tour, you’ll visit the main buildings and learn how their whiskey is made, what sets Irish whiskey apart from other types, and how the company got started as a small family distillery. There are several different tours, but the Jameson Distillery Experience tour is the best value at 23 EUR. It’s 75-minutes and includes a whiskey sample

For more information on specific cities in Ireland, check out these guides:

• Cork Travel Guide
• Dublin Travel Guide
• Galway Travel Guide

Ireland Travel Costs

Accommodation – There’s no shortage of choices on where to stay in Ireland. Hostels are common across the country, especially in cities, and you’ll find privately run cozy hostels and larger chains. For those biking or backpacking across the country, you’re in luck. There are a number of hostels and budget hotels in rural areas that see a lot of active travelers on foot or bike. There’s also a wide variety of mid-price chains across Ireland if you’d like to upgrade for a few nights. Summer is peak season, so book ahead.

Prices average 28-40 EUR per night for a hostel dorm room with 4-8 beds. You can find private rooms that sleep two ranging from 60-100 EUR. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels also include self-catering facilities.

For those traveling with a tent, a basic plot for two people without electricity can be found for around 12-15 EUR per night.

Budget hotels average 90-130 EUR. Free Wi-Fi is standard and some also include an Irish breakfast (toast, eggs, sausage, and beans).

Airbnb is available all around the country with private rooms starting at 40 EUR per night. Full apartments with a kitchen average of 100 EUR per night. Expect to pay double (or more) if you don’t book in advance.

Food – Ireland is very much a “meat and potatoes” country. Potatoes have been a common staple since the 18th century, along with seafood (it’s an island after all!). Cod, salmon, and oysters are some of the most popular seafood options, with other staple dishes being shepherd’s pie, black pudding, bacon and cabbage, fish and chips, and meat stews. You’ll find plenty of budget eats and street food, especially in larger urban areas, including takeaway fish and chips and a wide range of food trucks in Dublin. Vegan meals are bit harder to find. There are a few choices for budget to moderately-priced restaurants that offer vegan and vegetarian fare in Dublin, Cork, and Galway. There are also more modern Irish restaurants popping up, especially in Dublin, but expect to pay up.

A traditional meal costs around 15 EUR. For a multi-course meal with a drink, expect to pay at least 30 EUR. Fast food (think McDonald’s) starts at 9 EUR for a combo meal.

Pizza costs 7-10 EUR for a medium while Chinese food costs around 9-12 EUR for a main dish. Fish and chips can be found for as little as 6 EUR.

Beer is around 5 EUR while a latte/cappuccino is 3.50 EUR. Bottled water is 1.50 EUR.

If you want to cook your meals, expect to pay 40-60 EUR per week for groceries that include basic staples like pasta, rice, produce, and some meat.

Backpacking Ireland Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget of 65 EUR per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, cook all your meals, limit your drinking, take public transportation, and do free and cheap activities like free walking tours or visiting castles. If you plan on drinking, add 5-15 EUR per day to your budget.

On a mid-range budget of 140 EUR per day, you can stay in a private hostel room or Airbnb, eat out for most meals at cheap fast food places, enjoy a couple of drinks, take the occasional taxi, and do more paid activities like visiting the Cliffs of Moher.

On a “luxury” budget of at least 240 EUR per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car for day trips, and do as many tours and excursions as you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Ireland Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

It’s easy to break the bank in Ireland as all those pub visits can add up fast. To help you save without sacrificing your trip, here are some money-saving tips for Ireland:

• Ask for student discounts – A valid student ID can get you discounts of up to 50% on many attractions, museums, and buses throughout the country. If you have a valid student ID, always ask for discounts. Take note, these discounts most often apply to anyone under 26 with a student ID.
• Drink less – Ireland’s strong pub culture can hit your wallet hard. Temper the cost by visiting happy hours, drinking at home, or skipping drinks altogether.
• Eat the pub food – Eat at the pubs for hearty local Irish food that won’t destroy your wallet. It’s not healthy, but it’s affordable.
• Get an OPW Heritage Card – If you love to tour heritage sites, pick up this card. It provides free access to most of the castles throughout the country. The card is 40 EUR.
• Stay with a local – Couchsurfing connects you with locals who can give you a free place and show you around their city. You not only get to save money but you make a new friend in the process!
• Eat early – Many restaurants have budget dinner options if you eat early (usually before 6pm). You won’t have as much variety since it’s a set menu, but it will be much cheaper!
• Cook your meals – Staying in a hostel will help you make new travel buddies, and they’ll likely have a kitchen. The biggest grocery chain is Tesco, which has large super stores and smaller city shops for basics. Don’t snooze on Aldi or Lidl. These discount grocers carry everything you’d need for a meal, and have aisles with deeply-discounted merch.
• Take free walking tour – Some of the bigger cities in Ireland (like Dublin and Galway) have free walking tours available. They’re the best way to see the main highlights on a budget. Just remember to tip your guide at the end!
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Ireland

Ireland has plenty of fun, social hostels. Here are my suggested places to stay if you’re on a budget:

• Generator Hostel (Dublin)
• Jacobs Inn (Dublin)
• Galway City Hostel (Galway)
• The Nest Boutique Hostel (Galway)
• Sheilas Cork Hostel (Cork)
• An Oige Youth Hostel (Killarney)
• The Hideout Hostel (Dingle)

How to Get Around Ireland

Public transportation – Public transportation in Ireland is clean, safe, and reliable. Bus trips around Dublin cost about 3 EUR while Galway tickets are 2.20 EUR and tickets in Belfast are 1.60 GBP if you head into Northern Ireland.

With a LEAP card (a card you can top up to use on the country’s public transportation), you can use all public transportation options for reduced prices (up to 31% off compared to cash tickets). You can even use it for DublinBikes self-service bicycle rentals.

A day pass on public transportation costs 8-10 EUR.

Bus – Ireland is a small island so you won’t find too many routes that are longer than a few hours. That means that prices are pretty reasonable. The 2.5-hour trip from Dublin to Belfast in Northern Ireland costs around 20 EUR. A bus from Dublin to Galway takes about 2.5 hours and costs between 12-25 EUR.

Bus Éireann is the main coach service, while Translink serves the North (and includes Ulsterbus and Goldline). You can search their website for the best deals and for route schedules. If you book early, you’ll get the lowest ticket prices.

There’s a really handy journey planning website that can help you plan your route (but you can’t buy tickets there).

Train – Irish Rail is the main train service provider in Ireland. While the train is more expensive than the bus, it’s still quite affordable. Cork to Dublin takes around 2.5 hours and costs 20-30 EUR while Galway to Dublin costs 17-25 EUR and takes about the same amount of time.

Bus & train passes – Ireland has several rail and bus passes that might make sense for you depending on your itinerary and budget:

• Irish Explorer – Five days of unlimited Irish Rail travel within 15 consecutive days for 128 EUR.
• Sunday Day Tracker – This deal is for one day of unlimited travel (Sundays only) on Translink buses and trains in the North. It costs 3.50 EUR
• Trekker Four Day – Unlimited travel on Irish Rail within a four-day period for 88 EUR.

Car Rental – Renting a car in Ireland is affordable, with prices starting around 25 EUR per day for a multi-day rental. Renting a car is the best way to get around the country too. Renters need to be at least 21 years old. Just keep in mind that most rentals are manuals and that they drive on the left.

When to Go to Ireland

Ireland’s temperate climate makes it a good destination to visit year-round, keeping in mind that you’re guaranteed to encounter rain no matter when you visit.

The summer months (June-August) are the warmest and the sunniest so this is when the country is at its liveliest. Keep in mind that this is peak season so you’ll compete for accommodation in the larger cities. And lines will be longer for attractions like museums or castles. Prices are a little inflated too. Average temperatures hover between 13-20°C (56-68°F) but can climb to 25°C (77°F) or more. Be warned, if you go for a swim at one of the beaches, the water will be cold. Ocean temperatures won’t be over 18°C (65°F) on a warm day! They’ll likely be a little cooler.

Winters can be drizzly with short daylight hours, but temperatures rarely fall below freezing. Dress warmly and be prepared for lots of indoor activities if you visit during this time. If you visit around Christmas, the festive lights and Christmas markets make for a warmer atmosphere. The pubs will be more celebratory, too.

Saint Patrick’s Day in March is huge all around the country. During this time, hostels and hotels fill up quickly, and prices spike. Temperatures are still mild and Ireland is just as beautiful as ever but you’ll need to book your accommodation in advance.

Overall, the shoulder seasons (March-May and September-October) are my favorite times to visit. Aside from St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll find prices to be a little lower and the country to be less busy. The weather is decent enough for exploring too. Just bring an umbrella! September is an especially fun time to see Ireland. The weather is still warm-ish but the larger crowds, especially those traveling with children, have cleared out. You might feel like you’re the only tourist at a castle or on a hike.

How to Stay Safe in Ireland

Ireland is very safe and the risk of experiencing violent crime here is low. That said, scams and pick-pocketing can occur in high-traffic areas, especially around tourist attractions like Temple Bar in Dublin. Always keep your valuables secure and out of reach just to be safe.

If you rent a car, don’t leave valuables inside the vehicle overnight. Break-ins are rare but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Be alert when driving, especially on twisty country roads or roundabouts (traffic circles). Most roads are paved and in good condition, but if you are used to driving on the other side (they drive on the left in Ireland) a steep curve may surprise you.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, don’t walk home alone intoxicated, or venture into unknown areas after dark, etc.). For tips, use one of the many solo female travel blogs on the web as they’ll be able to provide better advice than I can.

When camping, understand designated sites from wild spots. Wild camping is generally accepted, but keep in mind that much of the remote land you see is probably private property. Camp sites are well kept, but when opting for parks or remote areas, you may not have cell service.

Scams here are rare, but if you’re worried about getting ripped off you can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 or 999 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Ireland Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

Ireland Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling Ireland and continue planning your trip:

The 7 Best Hotels in Dublin

The Best Walking Tours in Dublin

The 5 Best Hostels in Dublin

Where to Stay in Dublin: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The Best Tour Companies in Ireland

My Love Note to the Irish

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

The westernmost of the British Isles, Ireland is an enchanting destination steeped in history and tradition. A rainy climate keeps its rolling hills eternally green, evoking a fairy-tale-like ambiance throughout the countryside that has inspired a proud history of literature, art and music — James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett are all Ireland natives.

But you’ll find far more than folklore on the Emerald Isle. Its vibrant capital, Dublin, is a city of pleasant contradictions with some of the newest landmarks, such as the stainless-steel Spire of Dublin, neighbored by some of the oldest, like Dublin Castle. Paying homage to the country’s rural roots, Dublin is also home to more green spaces than any other European capital city.

Beyond Dublin, you’ll find other growing urban centers, from Cork (Ireland’s second-largest city) in the southwest to Waterford, Wexford and Drogheda on the east coast, and Limerick and Galway in the west. While each destination boasts its own unique charms, the island’s cities, towns and villages are generally known for their festivals, food and genuine Irish hospitality.

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How To Get Around Ireland: The Pros + Cons To Cars, Tours and Public Transport

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated: December 29, 2023

Deciding how to get around Ireland can be stressful.

Especially if this is your first time visiting and you don’t know the lay of the land.

Over the 34+ years that I’ve lived in Ireland I’ve travelled about by car, train bus, bike and everything in between.

The guide below leans on my many years of getting around Ireland while making every mistake imaginable along the way!

Table of Contents

Some quick need-to-knows about how to get around Ireland

Click to enlarge

Take 30 seconds to read the points below as they’ll get you up-to-speed on how to get around Ireland quickly:

1. Your options are car, bus, train, tour and tram (kinda)

Public transportation in Ireland varies by county-to-county. You’ll find all of the above in Dublin (the capital) and most ‘main’ cities and towns (e.g. Killarney) will have the first four. More info below.

2. If you’re unsure, focus on your  planned route

I’d recommend that you don’t even think about how to get around Ireland until you’ve at least mapped out a rough Ireland itinerary . The reason for this is that it may not be possible to do what you want to do  without  a car (of course, it may turn out that your road trip is completely doable via public transport).

3. There are pros and cons to every mode of transport

Most people (myself included) say that the best way to get around Ireland is by car, but there’s pros and cons to it and every mode of transportation. It’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of each as they’ll ultimately help you decide.

4. Budget will often be a decider

9 times out of 10 budget is the decider to how visitors end up travelling around Ireland. Renting a car in Ireland is often pretty expensive and, if you’re doing Ireland on a budget , the cost of your trip to Ireland will drop dramatically by using buses and trains.

The best way of getting around Ireland boils down to 3 things

Photos via Shutterstock

Deciding how to get around Ireland isn’t a decision to take lightly. Your main mode of transport, where it be a car or a bus, is going to have a massive effect on your trip.

There are three different things to consider when making your decision:

• Your experience
• Your budget
• What you want to see

1. Your experience

The biggest thing to consider about how to get around in Ireland is how the chosen mode of transport is going to affect your overall experience while travelling.

If you’re nervous behind the wheel and you’re driving in Ireland for the first time , will having to drive each day cause you stress and ruin the trip?!

Or maybe you love driving and the thoughts of driving the Ring of Kerry or the Antrim Coast will be the highlight of the trip?!

Or , if getting around Ireland needs to be as stress-free as possible for you, maybe you’re better off booking on an organised tour!

2. Your budget

Another massive consideration for when you’re trying to figure out the best way to travel around Ireland is how much money you have to spend.

Car rental can be expensive if you’re travelling solo. However, it works out nice and reasonable if you’re travelling with a group. Big group tours can be pretty good price-wise, whereas smaller tours can be expensive.

If you’re looking at ways to save money when you visit, hop into our guide to Ireland on a budget . It’s packed with easy ways to save money.

3. What you want to see

Another good way to help you pick the best way to get around Ireland is to write down all of the various places that you want to visit.

If, for example, you’re only visiting big towns or cities in Ireland , public transport will be fine (see our guide to getting around Ireland without a car ).

If you fancy visiting places off the beaten track, a rental car or a private driver (expensive) are your best bests.

At the end of the guide, I’m going to pop down a few different scenarios and recommend what I think are the best modes of transport for each example.

The pros and cons to getting around Ireland by car, tour and public transport

When deciding how to get around in Ireland, it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons to each mode of transport.

Below, you’ll find the advantages and disadvantages of getting around Ireland by bus, train, car and tour.

1. Travelling around Ireland by car

Arguably the best way to travel in Ireland is by car (it’s why our self drive Ireland tours are so popular!).

A car gives you the freedom to go where you want when you want, without having to rely on public transport or tour providers.

Getting around Ireland by car has far more advantages than disadvantages. The main advantage is freedom; being able to go where you want whenever it tickles you fancy makes this a very attractive mode of transport for many.

• Freedom and flexibility
• It makes planning a trip to Ireland more straightforward
• And you can change it as you go if you like
• It can work out cheap if there’s a group of you to share costs

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantages of using a car for getting around Ireland is that it’ll be expensive for solo travellers and it’s likely to make the trip unnecessarily stressful for some drivers.

• If you’re on your own, it can be expensive
• If you’re a nervous driving, it can make the trip stressful

2. Getting around in Ireland using buses, trains and trams

Public transport in Ireland can be very hit and miss. It’s generally good in the main towns and cities, but services get poorer the more off-the-beaten-path you go.

Now, we’ve published hundreds of Irish road trip guides using only public transport for those of you that want to avoid the planning pains. Here are the pros and cons:

• It can be the cheapest option if you’re travelling solo and plan on getting around Ireland on a budget
• Trains and buses run frequently in the busier towns and cities in Ireland
• It can work out well if you combine it with private tours
• Public transport can be unreliable
• Trains, in particular, can be expensive if they’re not booked in advance

3. Getting around Ireland with a tour company

Another popular way for getting around Ireland is by using a tour provider that organises all-in tours of Ireland. These tend to be pretty popular and they vary in terms of group size and trip length.

One quick word of warning: if you’re booking a tour of Ireland in advance, make sure to do plenty of research in advance. Be crystal clear on what’s included and what’s left to pay for.

• They’ll do all of the hard work
• There’s no need to think about car rental, itineraries or any of that craic
• It’s less stressful
• You’ll be travelling around Ireland with a group of people that you’ll (hopefully) have a laugh with
• Most organised tours have experienced guides
• Tours, especially the larger ones, tend to be very inflexible
• They can be expensive (the smaller tours tend to be far pricier than the larger ones)
• You can get stuck with a load of people that irritate you (hopefully this won’t be the case)

4. Using a private driver

If you’re wondering how to travel around Ireland and you have a fat budget, a private driver is arguably the best way to get around Ireland.

If you fancy going down this route, do PLENTY of research – you’re going to be stuck in a very small space with this person for long periods of time – you need to find someone that’s going to enhance your experience and not hinder it.

• If you pick the right guide, you’ll tap into a wealth of knowledge
• The driver will generally follow your desired route
• A private driver is also a handy option for those of you that want to do part of a trip with a guide and part on your own
• The most expensive way of travelling around Ireland
• You need to do thorough research to ensure that you get the best bang for your buck
• If you end up getting a guide that you don’t gel with, you’ll be stuck in a very small space with them each day, which isn’t ideal

5. Combine modes of transport

The best way to get around Ireland, in my opinion, is to combine modes of transport.

This is especially useful for those of you who want to avoid car rental.

1. The public transport and organised tour combination

A combination of public transport and organised tours is going to be a solid option for those of you that can’t (or that don’t want to) rent a car.

Example : you fly into Dublin and you’re there for three nights. You can get around easily on foot and by using buses, the LUAS (a tram) and the DART (train).

You explore the city for two days and take one of the  many  day trips from Dublin (e.g. Meath).

You take a train to Galway and spend several days there. You can spend day one exploring the city. Day two on an organised tour to Connemara and day three on a day tour to Clare.

2. Rental car and public transport combination

Another solid combination is by using a rental car and public transportation. Let’s say you fly into Belfast. You spend the first day exploring the city.

Then you rent a car for a few days and drive the Causeway Coastal Route and then head on to Donegal.

Or, let’s say you fly into Shannon. You rent a car near the airport and then drive to Kerry. You explore the various peninsulas for a few days before dropping off the car and heading to Killarney.

You spend the day in the national park before taking the train to Dublin and exploring the capital. Or you could take the train to Waterford or Tipperary.

My 2 cents on picking the best way to get around Ireland

Deciding how to get around Ireland can be stressful, as it has such a massive impact on your overall trip.

The easiest way to decide the best transport type for  you  is to consider:

When you’ve taken the above into account, you’ll then want to map out a rough itinerary ( follow the steps here – they’ll remove stress from the process).

Once you have your route, you’ll be able to determine how to get around. Or, if you don’t want the hassle of planning the itinerary, follow one of our detailed road trip guides .

FAQs about how to get around in Ireland

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘How to get around Ireland on public transport?’ to ‘What’s the cheapest option?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What is the best way to get around Ireland?

In my experience, based on 33 years of living here, the best way to get around Ireland is by car. However, if you’re only visiting main towns and cities, you could easily use public transport.

Is it easy to get around in Ireland?

Yes and no. For example, without a car, getting around Donegal can be a nightmare. With a car, you’ll have no hassle. Main towns and cities are well served by buses, also.

What is the cheapest way to travel around Ireland?

If you’re looking to keep costs low, getting around Ireland via buses and trains is the cheapest option. You can reduce costs further by booking tickets in advance.

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries . Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.

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Kevin, Shelley, Aidan and Josh

Monday 6th of March 2023

My wife and I are coming to Ireland for 2 weeks at the end of July with our two teenage boys. Our first four day are in Dublin using public transportation. Then we would like to tour, at a pace that is our own, without having to be on a schedule with booked B and B's or hotels. What we are pondering is renting a camper van for our time outside Dublin. Is using a camper van a viable option, if so would you recommend a maximum size of camper van in width or legnth?

Keith O'Hara

Hey! Yep, plenty of people travel about by camper and, if you're used to driving one, then it's worth considering. It's just worth keeping in mind that there are restrictions about where you can park it up.

Mary Hankins

Tuesday 22nd of March 2022

Planning a trip in the Spring of 2023. So far plans include landing in Shannon, 2 days sightseeing Galway area, then on to Kenmare and seeing Ring of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula. Beara is primary objective as mother was born and raised there. However can't clarify if there's bus service to Kenmare or service from Kenmore to Castletownbere. Is there? Will have approx 2 weeks to sightsee and visit, cant decide if a car will be doable for second week. Your thoughts please.

Hey Mary! From what I can tell, you'd need to take a bus (the 286) from Castletownbere to Glengarriff and then take another from Glengarriff (the R51a) to Kenmare. When you say that you can't decide if a car will be doable, what do you mean?

Introducing Ireland

About ireland.

• Images of Ireland
• History, language & culture
• Weather & geography
• Doing business & staying in touch

Plan your trip

• Travel to Ireland
• Where to stay

While you’re there

• Things to see & do
• Shopping & nightlife
• Food & drink
• Getting around

Before you go

• Passport & visa
• Public Holidays
• Money & duty free

Book your flights

• Cork Airport
• Dublin Airport
• Shannon Airport
• Buncrana beaches
• Caherdaniel beaches
• Curracloe beaches
• Rossnowlagh beaches

Ireland travel guide

Ireland is one of the globe’s most singular travel destinations, a feisty, twinkling country far more famous for the sum of its parts than for any specific sight or attraction. Its landscapes are raw, its cities are animated and its history holds endless tales of adversity. Tying all this together is the Irish character, a fabled combination of bright-eyed bonhomie and bar-room banter: there’s good reason why the planet’s full of Irish pubs.

Lovable Dublin falls naturally as the most popular option for first-time visitors, although for all the capital city’s stately architecture and riverside charm, it only partly hints at what the wider country has to offer. The real spirit of today’s nation might be up for debate – it’s as likely to be found in a Connemara village as a Cork street scene – but searching for it is hugely enjoyable.

It’s often said that there are two Irelands. Despite its economic woes, 21st-century Ireland is a modern destination, full of fresh creativity. At the same time, of course, it’s somewhere rooted in the strongest of traditions, a country marked by humour, hospitality and more than the occasional late night. The craic of legend isn’t generally hard to find.

With all this in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that Ireland caters for such a broad range of interests. Those in search of windswept hikes, Celtic relics and fiddle-and-song pubs will be well sated, but so too will those looking for on-trend gastronomy, family-friendly attractions or slick hotels. The country may be small but its cultural impact worldwide continues to be enormous, and this is due to far more than just a romantic notion of how it used to be.

Various icons and images enjoy close associations with Ireland (see everything from craggy peninsulas to pints of Guinness) but the real beauty of the country is the fact that it transcends every cliché that people throw at it. Its potential for adventure – for real, blood-pumping adventure – is all too often overlooked, while for those who just want to take it easy, the options are copious.

70,182 sq km (27,097 sq miles).

4,713,993 (UN estimate 2016).

69.7 per sq km.

President Michael D Higgins since 2011.

(Prime Minister) Simon Harris since April 2024.

Travel Advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT+ and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Following a knife attack on 23 November, there has been unrest around the centre of Dublin. There has been, and may continue to be, some disruption, including to traffic and public transport. You should avoid any protests and follow advice of local authorities.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Ireland set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact Ireland’s embassy in the UK.

COVID-19 rules

Countries may restrict travel or bring in rules at short notice. Check with your travel provider for changes.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. You may also need to seek treatment there.

You should also read TravelHealthPro’s general COVID-19 advice for travellers .

Entry to Ireland

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for passengers entering Ireland.

Check the latest requirements from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs .

ID requirements

If you are a British citizen, you do not need a passport to enter Ireland. However, some carriers and airlines might require identification. Irish immigration officers check the ID of all passengers arriving by air from the UK and might ask for proof of British nationality, particularly if you were born outside the UK. You should take your British passport with you. Check the Ireland Citizens Information Board for guidance on acceptable ID.

You do not need ID to cross the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Visa requirements

British citizens do not need a visa to visit Ireland. Ireland, along with the UK, is a member of the Common Travel Area ( CTA ). UK nationals do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland.

Vaccination requirements (other than COVID-19)

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Ireland guide .

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Ireland. Find out about customs rules from the Irish Revenue . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Travelling with pets

Read about travelling to the EU with your pet and check the Irish entry requirements for pets .

Taking money into Ireland

If you are travelling with or sending 10,000 euros or more, check Irish Revenue guidance on travelling with cash .

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. You should remain vigilant at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad .

Terrorism in Ireland

Terrorist attacks in Ireland cannot be ruled out.

Take precautions to reduce the risk of bag snatching or pickpocketing. Avoid carrying valuables and large amounts of money. Lock your vehicle and park where possible in a secure car park. Most incidents occur in the larger cities.

You can get free support from the Irish Tourist Assistance Service ( ITAS ) as a victim of crime. Report any incident in person to the nearest Garda (police) station. They will contact ITAS if needed.

Laws and cultural differences

Illegal drugs and prison sentences.

Possession of even small quantities of drugs can lead to a long prison sentence. Do not offer to carry any items for anyone else when entering or leaving Ireland.

Transport risks

Road travel.

If you are planning to drive in Ireland, read:

information on driving abroad

guidance from the RAC , European Commission and AA on driving in Ireland

Before you travel check that:

your destination can provide the healthcare you may need

you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Emergency medical number

Dial 112 or 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Contact your insurance or medical assistance company promptly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.

For more information read guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe .

Vaccinations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip check:

• the latest information on vaccinations and health risks in TravelHealthPro’s Ireland guide
• where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries. If you have questions, contact the Embassy of Ireland in London .

Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro .

The NHS has information on whether you can take your medicine abroad .

Healthcare facilities in Ireland

See guidance on accessing healthcare if you are visiting Ireland or living, studying and working in Ireland . British people who live in the UK can access state healthcare in Ireland.

You can view a list of healthcare providers in Ireland .

Health insurance cards

Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card ( GHIC ) before leaving the UK. If you already have a European Health Insurance Card ( EHIC ) , it will still be valid as long as it remains in date.

The GHIC or EHIC entitles you to state-provided medical treatment necessary during your trip. Any treatment provided is on the same terms as Irish nationals. If you do not have your card with you or you’ve lost it, contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team .

It’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance for your needs. A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and you should have both before you travel. A GHIC or EHIC does not cover all health-related costs, for example, medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment. Read more about what your travel insurance should cover .

GHIC and EHIC cover state healthcare only, not private treatment. You will be responsible for the cost of any treatment provided by a private doctor or private clinic.

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health . There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro .

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.

Emergency services in Ireland

Telephone: 112 or 999 (ambulance, fire, police)

Irish Tourist Assistance Service ( ITAS )

Telephone: +353 (0)1666 93 54

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans , including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding lawyers and funeral directors in Ireland
• dealing with a death in Ireland
• being arrested in Ireland
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you are affected by a crisis , such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.

Help abroad in an emergency

If you are abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission .

You can also contact FCDO online .

FCDO in London

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

Find out about call charges .

Risk information for British companies

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

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Ireland Travel Guides

When you think of Ireland, you’re probably picturing rain, green rolling hills, leprechauns , and pubs on every corner . While all of these things exist (except maybe the leprechauns, but who knows?), Ireland is much more than the stereotypes that many people associate with it.

Ireland Travel Guide

Ireland, despite its small size and location in Western Europe, has a diverse landscape and terrain, as well as a rich cultural heritage.

The Atlantic Ocean has carved out dramatic coastlines, leaving endless unspoiled beaches and rocky peninsulas. Meanwhile, the inland offers rolling green pastures, peat bogs, and quiet lakes. All over the country, you’ll find forts, megalithic tombs, castles , and stone villages.

All of these bear witness to Ireland’s long history, diverse culture, and rich tradition. Pubs and traditional music add to the experience, and many visitors say it’s also the Irish people’s friendliness that makes them want to return.

What Makes Ireland a Great Place to Visit?

Ireland, also known as the Emerald Isle due to its lush green landscape, has attracted visitors for centuries.

With its friendly people, rugged coastlines, and troubled but fascinating history, this tiny island has something for everyone.

Here are some of the reasons why so many people want to go to Ireland or have it on their bucket list .

• Ireland has many beautiful landscapes to explore and amazing places to see. 
• Ireland offers many opportunities for outdoor adventures.- In Ireland, you can rent a castle (without breaking the bank)
• Ireland has a turbulent yet fascinating history.
• Some of the best road trips and most scenic drives in the world are in Ireland.
• Some of the oldest pubs in the world can be found in Ireland.

Know Before You Go

It’s understandable why Ireland is on so many people’s bucket lists. The country has some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery, friendly people, and charming towns and villages.

However, there are a few things you should know before visiting the Emerald Isle if you are planning a trip there. Before you travel to Ireland, it’s best to brush up on your knowledge about the country.

• Interesting Facts About Ireland
• What Is the Difference Between Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Dublin (Ireland)?
• Irish Stereotypes
• Read Books About Ireland
• Watch Movies Set in Ireland
• Learn Some Irish Jokes

Some Essential Details to Take Note Of

English and Irish are the official languages.

It is uncommon to hear Irish spoken outside of Gaeltacht areas on Ireland’s west coast, where it is spoken. You will see signs in both English and Irish as you travel, though. In Northern Ireland, English is also spoken.

Learn a few words in Irish Gaelic:

• Hello / Thank you
• Good morning / Good evening
• Irish Slang Words

The Euro is the Irish currency (EUR). $1.14USD 1.14qual to 1 EUR. The Pound is the currency in Northern Ireland. One US dollar is worth 0.79 pounds in the pound exchange rate.

Card machines and ATMs

Credit cards are widely accepted in Ireland. Euros are useful for small purchases, tips, and dealing with small businesses. In Ireland, finding an ATM is pretty easy. They are referred to as “Cashpoints” and can be found on the main streets of any town or city.

Power Plugs and Standard Voltage

The standard voltage in Ireland is 230 V, and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Power plugs and sockets are type G. For hair dryers and other hot tools, investing in a universal adapter with surge protection and using a converter is recommended.

Millions of tourists visit Ireland each year, with few reports of crime and violence. Overall, the crime rate is low, so you won’t have to be concerned if you go. Take the usual precautions and you’ll be fine.

• Is Ireland Safe?  

Organizing Your Trip To Ireland

So you’ve decided it’s time to travel to Ireland, which means you’re probably eager to get started planning your trip!

Ireland is a breathtakingly beautiful and fascinating country with something spectacular to see no matter where you go.

This Ireland travel guide aims to make your trip as stress-free as possible, so you can concentrate entirely on the seemingly endless green landscapes.

Keep the following in mind when planning your trip to Ireland:

• Know the requirements for your visa .
• Take a look at the travel restrictions.
• Create a detailed itinerary of your trip to Ireland. Check out this sample itinerary for a weeklong visit to Ireland.
• Make a final decision on your budget for your trip to Ireland.
• Look for the best airfare and hotel room deals .
• Make a packing list.
• Invest in travel insurance .
• Read Ireland travel tips.

Best Time To Visit

Ireland is a country that can be enjoyed year-round. There are numerous fantastic activities and sights to see throughout the year. Since your visit may be dictated by your interests or available time, we’ve prepared this handy guide for you.

The best time to visit Ireland in terms of weather and crowds is between March and May, and September to November. These months are not as crowded as summer and not as cold as winter.

Having said that, Ireland has a mild, temperate climate, and you can visit any time of year, though it can be rainy at times. In most cases, weather changes are not drastic.

Summer (June, July, and August) is the hottest season in Ireland. This is also the time when the landscapes are most vibrant and the days are the longest. It is, however, crowded, and travel costs are high.

Although some sites close in late October and temperatures drop, it remains above freezing throughout the winter . This is a wonderful time to visit Ireland because it is at its most peaceful.

Here’s our monthly Ireland travel guide to help you plan your trip to the Emerald Isle. For each month you’ll learn about the weather, the best things to do, and some helpful tips.

• Ireland in January
• Ireland in February
• Ireland in March
• Ireland in April
• Ireland in May
• Ireland in June
• Ireland in July
• Ireland in August
• Ireland in September
• Ireland in October
• Ireland in November
• Ireland in December

National Holidays in Ireland

There are many interesting festivals and holidays in Ireland that one must experience. 

• Saint Patrick’s Day
• Festivals in Ireland
• Who Invented Halloween?

Dublin is the main point of arrival in the Republic of Ireland, Belfast is the main point of arrival in Northern Ireland, and Shannon, near Limerick city in County Clare, is the major airport providing direct access to the west coast. No matter where you are in the UK, Europe, Asia, or the rest of the world, there is a way to get to Ireland.

Have you started making plans for your trip to Ireland? Here’s how to get to the lovely Emerald Isle in a jiffy.

• By bus from the UK – the main bus services to Ireland are operated by National Express and Bus Éireann under the brand name Eurolines, crossing the Irish Sea via Stranraer, Holyhead, and Pembroke.
• By ferry from the UK – Ireland is accessible via many ferry routes. High-speed catamarans serve some of these routes (which can also transport cars). One of the largest operators is Stena Line.
• By train from the UK – Travelers from the United Kingdom usually take one of three routes across the Irish Sea: Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin/Dn Laoghaire, or Fishguard to Rosslare. Travel times are generally shorter than by coach: for example, London to Dublin takes about eight hours, while Glasgow to Belfast takes only four and a half hours.
• From the United Kingdom and Europe, by plane – There are dozens of routes to choose from, and new destinations are added frequently (and unsuccessful routes sometimes being phased out). Since there is so much competition, prices can be ridiculously low, especially if you book online. The key is to make a reservation as soon as possible.
• From the United States and Canada, by plane – Ireland is easily accessible from the United States, with nonstop flights available from several American airlines: Delta flies nonstop from Atlanta and New York (JFK) to Dublin (summer only); American flies nonstop from Chicago to Dublin; Continental flies nonstop from Newark to Belfast, Dublin, and Shannon; and US Airways flies nonstop from Philadelphia to Dublin. The Republic’s national airline, Aer Lingus, operates the most routes.
• From Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the globe, by plane – Flights from these areas typically pass through London or another European or Gulf city with nonstop flights to Ireland, such as Frankfurt or Abu Dhabi.

Learn more about the major airports in Ireland

Airport Transfers

Flying to Ireland soon? Here are guides to getting from Dublin or Belfast airports to their respective city centers.

• Dublin Airport to City Center
• Shannon Airport to Major Cities in Ireland
• Belfast Airport to City Center

Getting Around In Ireland

You won’t need a car if you stay in the capital cities of Dublin and Belfast. Both cities are small enough to walk around and have excellent public transportation systems.

Although private coach buses connect the major towns, renting a car and driving is a good idea if you want to see rural Ireland or have more flexibility in your schedule.

If you want to take a road trip around Ireland, keep in mind that the country drives on the left, and automatic cars are uncommon, so plan ahead of time.

The following guides will help you how to get around Ireland’s cities, covering everything from navigating the largest metro areas to traveling from one city to another.

• Getting Around Dublin
• Getting Around Belfast
• Dublin to Cork
• Dublin to Limerick

Places To Visit In Ireland

Some may believe that on such a small island, there isn’t much to see or do. Those who do go to Ireland, on the other hand, will find a plethora of hidden gems – from stunning sceneries to historic places.

You might even meet some animals that are native to Ireland ! Whether you’re a nature lover or an adrenaline junkie, a history buff, a literature buff, or a fan of Irish bands , there’s something for you here.

To show what Ireland has to offer, the following locations have been divided into three categories.

Regardless of your interests, you can rest assured that these are the best places to visit in Ireland. You can’t go wrong with any of them if all you want to do is have a good time!

• Ireland Counties
• Best Towns and Cities in Ireland
• Dublin, the Capital City
• Dublin Itinerary
• Gardens and Parks in Dublin

Natural Wonders of Ireland

• National Parks in Ireland
• Lakes in Ireland
• Beaches in Ireland
• Waterfalls in Ireland
• Best Places to see the Northern Lights in Ireland

Day Trips in Ireland

• Day Trips from Dublin
• Day Trips from Belfast
• Day Trips from Galway
• Day Trips from Cork
• Day Trips from Killarney
• Day Trips from Limerick

Best Attractions in Ireland

• Skellig Islands
• The Cliffs of Moher
• The Slieve League
• Famous Landmarks

Northern Ireland Attractions

There are many places to visit in Northern Ireland , below are some of the best places to visit. 

• Dark Hedges
• Game of Thrones Filming Locations
• Giants Causeway
• Titanic Belfast

Things To Do In Ireland

Belfast Castle

From its rich Celtic culture to the breathtaking beauty of its diverse landscapes, Ireland is a travel destination that lives up to its almost mythic reputation.

The Emerald Isle is truly green, the scenery is breathtaking, and the people are warm and friendly. Despite its small size, crowded cities, and sprawling suburbs, Ireland has stretches of roads and trails where visitors can feel as if they have the entire island to themselves.

Those seeking a more social travel experience need only enter a local pub to feel at ease. Ireland enchants every visitor, whether they stay in an ancient castle, cycle along a coastal headland, or visit a world-class museum to see Celtic artifacts.

The island of Ireland is divided into two parts: the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. This guide on the best things to do in Ireland is a comprehensive list that includes both Irelands.

Road Trips in Ireland

• Wild Atlantic Way
• Scenic Drives in Ireland

Hiking in Ireland

• Scenic Hiking Trails in Galway

Visiting Castles in Ireland

• Best Castles in Ireland
• Best Castles in Galway
• Best Castles in Dublin
• Best Castles in Northern Ireland
• Haunted Castles in Ireland

Museums in Ireland

• Best Museum in Dublin
• Galway City Museum
• Guinness Storehouse

Ireland Bucket List

• Learn some Irish Dance and a few Irish Songs
• Surfing in Ireland
• Playing Golf in Ireland

What To See and Do in Each County

Planning to explore the rest of Ireland after spending time in Dublin? Here’s what to expect when it comes to attractions and destinations in other counties in Ireland.

• Things To Do In Antrim
• Things To Do In Clare
• Things To Do In Cork
• Things To Do In Donegal
• Things To Do In Down
• Things To Do In Dublin
• Things To Do In Galway
• Things To Do In Kerry
• Things To Do In Kilkenny
• Things To Do In Laois
• Things To Do In Limerick
• Things To Do In Louth
• Things To Do In Mayo
• Things To Do In Meath
• Things To Do In Shannon
• Things To Do In Sligo
• Things To Do In Tipperary
• Things To Do In Westmeath
• Things To Do In Wicklow

Where To Stay

The majority of flights into and out of Ireland pass through Dublin, which is an excellent place to spend a few days. If you want to see the city on foot, stay in the city center.

You may be ready to explore the rest of Ireland after a couple of nights in Dublin. Many visitors travel south to Cork or Limerick, using these cities as a base for exploring the surrounding small towns and villages.

Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is also a thriving city that serves as a gateway to the stunning Antrim coast. Alternatively, you could fly from Dublin to Galway and spend your days exploring the towns along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Whether you prefer the sea, the city, or the wilderness, or are looking for something for history buffs, romance seekers, families, or groups, our selection has something for you.

Where to Stay in Ireland

• Where To Stay In Athenry
• Where To Stay In Castlebar
• Where To Stay In Cobh
• Where To Stay In Cork City
• Where To Stay In Dingle
• Where To Stay In Doolin
• Where To Stay In Dublin
• Where To Stay In Galway
• Where To Stay In Howth
• Where To Stay In Killarney
• Where To Stay In Kinsale
• Where To Stay In Lahinch
• Where To Stay In Limerick City
• Where To Stay In Londonderry
• Where To Stay In Portlaoise
• Where To Stay In Shannon
• Where To Stay In Sligo
• Where To Stay In Tuam
• Where To Stay In Wexford
• Best Castle Hotels in Ireland

Glamping in Ireland

• Glamping in Cork
• Glamping in Donegal
• Glamping in Galway
• Glamping in Kerry
• Glamping in Wicklow
• Glamping in Northern Ireland

Eating in Ireland

Travelers do not typically visit Ireland because of its excellent cuisine. Just, like traditional British cuisine, Ireland does not have the same reputation for great food as France or Italy.

Traditional Irish cuisine, however, has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, thanks to a renewed interest in fresh, local ingredients.

There is a huge opportunity for locally grown produce as well as some of the best beef, pork, and lamb in the world, thanks to the verdant green hills and pastures.

There’s also some excellent seafood available, and it’s not just fish and chips. There’s also more to Irish cuisine than meat, potatoes, and cabbage.

So, what are the best Irish foods to try and where can you find them? Here are some helpful guides and suggestions for eating in Ireland.

Foods to Try in Ireland

• Irish Desserts
• Irish Breakfast Food
• Traditional Irish Foods

Best Restaurants

• Affordable Restaurants In Dublin
• Best Restaurants In Belfast
• Best Restaurants In Cork
• Best Restaurants In Galway

Drinking in Ireland

Guinness and whiskey are well-known throughout the world, and Ireland has a well-deserved reputation as a place to enjoy a drink or ten. Every town and city has at least one, if not several, pubs, and visiting one or more of them is the best way to learn about the country and its people.

Are you planning on going on pub crawls or taking in the Irish nightlife while you’re in Ireland? Here are some pointers and suggestions to make this a more pleasurable experience.

Drinks To Try in Ireland

• Best Irish Beers
• Best Irish Drinks To Try

Best Bars and Pubs in Ireland

• Best Pubs In Dublin
• Best Pubs In Belfast
• Best Pubs In Dingle
• Best Pubs In Galway
• Best Pubs In Killarney
• Best Pubs In Kinsale
• Best Pubs In Kilkenny
• Drinking Age and Laws in Ireland

Travel Tips

As you plan your visit to Ireland, here are more things to consider:

• Tipping in Ireland is at the discretion of the customer and is usually around 10% in restaurants and 10% for table service in pubs.
• Traveling in Ireland is generally safe, but be wary of pickpockets and car thefts, particularly in urban areas. The police are known as the Garda, and the number for emergency services is 999.
• As previously stated, always be prepared for a sudden change in weather—even in the summer, a raincoat and sweater will come in handy.

Taking the train in Ireland - what you need to know

Apr 19, 2024 • 11 min read

A train travels along the Rosslare, Wexford to Dublin line in Ireland © Irish Rail

Traveling by train is one of Ireland ’s great if under-appreciated pleasures.

It’s a small island and the rail network is limited, so no journey is especially long – but riding the rails across the country is one of the loveliest ways to enjoy the rolling countryside.

Compared to its European counterparts, Irish trains aren’t especially spectacular, but this is a country that doesn’t need high-speed or sleeper trains: you roll along at a maximum of 160kph (99mph) and before you know it you’re on the other side of the island.

The particular nature of Irish demographics has shaped train travel in Ireland: with around a quarter of the population clustered in the greater Dublin region, it makes sense that most train journeys begin or end in the capital. In Northern Ireland the same is true of Belfast .

Irish trains might not be especially quick or super luxurious, but they’re an efficient and eco-friendly way of exploring the island – so long as your explorations are focused on the major cities and towns. Here is our essential guide to train travel in Ireland.

The lowdown on rail travel in Ireland

Irish trains are efficient, relatively frequent and usually on time.  Irish Rail/Iarnród Éireann operates the entire network of trains in the Republic, from intercity trains linking the major urban centers to the busy commuter network that services the greater Dublin region.

There are two main lines into the west and three into the south and southwest; spurs off the main lines connect to a host of smaller towns throughout the country. There’s also a line to Belfast, from where  Translink services connect the city with the Antrim Coast and Derry (Londonderry) .

Within the greater Dublin region, a network of commuter services connects the capital with a host of suburbs and dormitory towns in the surrounding counties. Dublin’s coastline between the northside suburbs of Howth and Malahide and Greystones in County Wicklow is served by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) trains.

There are some notable gaps in the country’s rail network, with no services in counties Donegal , Monaghan and Cavan , and no trains into West Cork . Some towns – like Buttevant in Cork or Annacotty in Limerick – are on the rail line but they’re bypassed as they have no functioning station.

Ireland’s bigger train stations – including Cork , Limerick , Galway , Sligo, Belfast and the two in Dublin – are all pretty well stocked when it comes to picking up supplies and other assorted sundries for your journey. Most other stations will have a small shop.

Train tickets are relatively good value

The good news about traveling by train in Ireland is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to train travel in some places, such as the UK, for example. If you buy it online, a standard one-way fare between Dublin Heuston and Kent Station in Cork costs between €30–35, and around €55 in first class.

Online is the best place to buy your tickets for train travel in the Irish Republic. Not only do you get the best fares (with savings of up to 50% compared to buying the ticket at the station), but you can purchase your ticket up to 90 days in advance and reserve a seat when you do.

You have the option of collecting your bought ticket from a machine at the station as you’re boarding, or downloading a QR code at the point of purchase. If you wait to buy your ticket at the station, you’ll pay significantly more and have to get there early to queue up at the ticket kiosk.

For travel in Northern Ireland, you’re better off buying the ticket at the station as only a limited number of tickets are available online. Show up a short time before your intended departure time and just buy your ticket there.

Only a handful of services offer first class, but upgrading is relatively inexpensive. On average, expect to pay around €20–25 more to sit in first. There are three kinds of first class service on Irish trains. CityGold is on direct Dublin to Cork services, and includes an onboard host and a complimentary newspaper on selected early morning services. The Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast offers the same, plus a fine breakfast. Premier Class is similar, but is only available on direct services between Dublin and Tralee and some Dublin to Cork trains.

Some discounts and offers apply

There are discounted fares for children and young adults aged between 19 and 25, as long as they have a valid discount card. Under 5s and those aged 66 and over travel for free.

The commuter network in the Greater Dublin area has a fare cap of €6 for travel between the capital and a host of towns in the surrounding counties.

There are two rail passes aimed at visitors. The Trekker Four Day (€88) offers unlimited travel for adults on all Irish Rail services on four consecutive days from the date of issue. The Explorer (adult/child €128/64) provides five days travel on all services in a 15-day window.

However, before investing in either, be sure that you plan on making the most out of it. The limited rail network means that connections are limited and traveling between some destinations involves backtracking: Cork and Waterford are both on the south coast, but to get from one to the other means travelling to Limerick, while Sligo and Westport are only 140km (87 miles) apart along the west coast, but to go between them by train you’ll have to travel through Dublin – which is on the other side of the country.

In Northern Ireland, the Sunday Fun Day Tracker ticket gives passengers unlimited train travel on a Sunday for £9 (£4.50 for children). Tickets are available from all ticket offices, the mLink ticketing app and from the conducter of the train.

These are the busiest times to travel by train

Unsurprisingly, peak times for train travel coincide with busy rush hour periods. Early morning services to Dublin from cities including Cork, Galway and Limerick can be busy, especially if the train is due to arrive in Dublin around the start of the working day. Friday evening trains departing Dublin can also be quite busy. However, as online bookings also include the option of booking a seat, you’ll never have to stand.

The commuter network is busiest on weekdays between 7–9am and between 4:30–6:30pm as thousands of people travel in and out of work. You can’t prebook seats on these services, so plenty of people do end up standing. Keep an eye out on changing schedules, especially for weekend and holiday travel, as frequencies diminish.

The train network is limited, but it has some benefits over road travel

There are no rail links to any Irish airport, which means you’re relying on taxis, private cars or buses once you arrive in the country. Irish ferry ports are better connected to rail lines, however, and you can catch trains in Rosslare, Dublin and Larne; there is no rail link to Belfast Port.

If you want to reach the more remote corners of the island, then the Irish rail network is quite limited, and a car will give you the flexibility you need. However, rental fees can be very expensive and fuel is another considerable cost, with the price of unleaded and diesel hovering between €1.75 and €2 a liter. Parking is also pricey in all urban centers, especially Dublin.

Traveling by bus is the cheapest way to get around, but it can be a slow business, as most make lots of stops along the way. There are some direct express services, but they are at the mercy of traffic, which can also add considerable time to a journey compared to traveling by train. Plus, buses don’t have bathrooms, with those traveling longer distances relying entirely on rest stops.

On board facilities vary depending on the type of train

There are two kinds of Irish trains: InterCity and commuter. InterCity trains are all the same – relatively modern with comfortable seats in standard class and fancier recliners in first – and they travel at speeds of up to 160kph (99mph). There’s no journey in Ireland that is longer than 2½ to 3 hours. Commuter trains are slightly older, with less comfortable seats; older trains are used on some small distance spur lines in rural areas and are very basic (facilities include seats and a toilet).

While Ireland’s flagship service is the one between Dublin and Cork, the fanciest train is the Enterprise service between Dublin Connolly and Belfast Lanyon Place, which is a joint venture between Irish Rail and Translink. This train is on a par with most services you’ll find in mainland Europe and first class is the most luxurious of any in the country.

All InterCity trains have three-pin sockets at every row where you can plug in a charger or a laptop. Most commuter trains in the greater Dublin area also have sockets. All trains have toilets and there is a cross-network wi-fi service operated by Irish Rail, but it is patchy and inconsistent. Translink has its own wi-fi network, which is accessible on all bus and rail services in the north, but, like in the Republic, you’re at the mercy of signal strength and contention levels.

Food options are pretty limited. There is a trolley service on the Dublin to Cork service, while the Enterprise between Dublin and Belfast operates a full service menu in a dedicated dining car; first class passengers also get a pretty good breakfast as part of their ticket.

Some trains on the Dublin to Cork route have a "quiet carriage", (usually Carriage G, marked in purple when booking) where the use of phones is prohibited and passengers are encouraged to keep noise levels down.

You can bring a bike on any Irish Rail train for free, although there are some restrictions during busy periods (such as sporting fixtures and concerts). The Dublin to Cork line is the only one to have a dedicated bike storage area; all other InterCity trains have (very) limited bicycle spaces within the passenger compartment – it’s not unusual for only two bikes to be allowed into the compartment, so be sure to book in advance. Bikes are not allowed on commuter and DART services during peak hours – before 10am and between 3:30–7pm Monday to Friday.

There are many scenic train routes: here are the best

No matter where you are in Ireland you’re going to find a beautiful landscape or two, but some journeys are worth keeping your eyes wide open for.

Dublin to Sligo

Once you’ve gone past the huge suburban sprawl of the greater Dublin area, the landscapes get quite gentle; beyond Mullingar the train skirts alongside the edge of beautiful Lough Owel. For the best views, sit on the left-hand side of the train.

Dublin to Belfast

The Enterprise service is the best in the country, with the most comfortable seats and the best food options – especially in first class. The train skirts alongside the Irish Sea between Malahide and Balbriggan, so be sure to sit on that side as you travel (on the right-hand side if you’re traveling to Belfast).

Derry (Londonderry) to Coleraine

The Translink service between Northern Ireland’s second city and Coleraine is a stunner, a 40-minute journey along the Causeway Coast that comes with beautiful beaches, huge cliffs and unimpeded views out over the North Sea.

Downpatrick to Inch Abbey

It’s only a 10-minute journey, but the trip from Downpatrick in County Down to the monastic ruins of Inch Abbey takes place in a vintage steam train (or a 1960s diesel train) that chugs its way along the line, over the River Quoile and past the drumlin-specked landscape.

Cork to Cobh

One of Ireland’s most scenic trips is the 25-minute trip from Cork City to the seaside town of Cobh , which takes you along the river (sit on the right for the best views), past marshy Harper’s Island and over the bridges on Lough Mahon and the Slatty Water. You can always stop off at Fota and visit the  wildlife park  there.

Book in advance for wheelchair access to trains

All InterCity services are nominally accessible, but if you do need assistance you will need to book it in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. This usually means that a conductor will have a ramp ready for wheelchair access, but we have also heard plenty of anecdotal evidence of staff simply lifting a wheelchair onto a train, which depending on the individual can either be a help or an annoying hindrance. Whatever you do, make sure to communicate your requirements before you travel as assistance is not guaranteed otherwise.

For passengers with learning difficulties or any issue where there may be a challenge with communication (such as Asperger’s or autism) Irish Rail staff are trained to recognize visual cue cards such as the  JAM card , which inform the interlocutor of the holder’s condition. JAM cards are available online or at mainline train stations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.

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Ireland in spring - your guide to bucket list travel and spectacular festivals

This time of year offers endless opportunities to experience the real Ireland - splendid gardens, fun-filled festivals, and breathtaking coastal road trips.

Planning a trip to the island of Ireland in spring or future Irish adventures on the horizon?

This time of year offers endless opportunities to experience the real Ireland, here are our top suggestions for making memories that will last a lifetime.

Take a trip to Ireland's parks and gardens 

One of the best ways to enjoy springtime in Ireland is to be surrounded by the abundance of nature and beauty the island has to offer. Many of Ireland's parks and gardens are also backdrops to incredible castles and estate homes steeped in rich history. 

Belfast Castle in Co Antrim sits at the foot of Cave Hill and is one of the most iconic locations to view the stunning skyline of Belfast City .  Built in the 1860s, the estate remains a perfect location to explore the surrounding natural woodland, parkland, and gardens. 

Belfast Castle, Co Antrim

In Co Kerry, the Killarney National Park surrounds the town of Killarney and is an expanse of rugged mountains with the world-famous lakes of Killarney and 19th-century Muckross House and Gardens nestled at the foot. Experience the National Park's beauty by foot, bike, or traditional jaunting car!

At Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Co Down, explore 100 acres of stunning gardens and see where the Good Friday Agreement was negotiated at Northern Ireland’s royal residence. The glorious gardens are a joy to the senses with ornamental grounds, peaceful woodland, meandering waterways, and picturesque glens.

Keep an eye on tickets for the upcoming American Shared History Tour which will reveal to visitors the historic connection with the USA, and walk in the footsteps of presidents and peacemakers who used Hillsborough Castle as a vital backdrop in discussions around peace and reconciliation that continue to shape our lives today.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, Co Down

Be part of something special at these unique Irish festivals 

Immerse yourself in Ireland and its culture by experiencing the many festivals that take place across the island during spring. 

Head to Ireland's Ancient East for the Rockin' Food & Fruit Festival in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford from May 3-5. The weekend will be filled with a mouthwatering artisan food market, local crafts, chef demonstrations, and food talks. The town will also rock to the beat of Rock 'n' Roll with musicians and bands performing throughout the festival. 

Looking to celebrate the arrival of spring the Celtic way? In Irish mythology the festival of Bealtaine is seen as marking the arrival of summer and the Bealtaine Fire Festival (May 11) in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands on the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath is a must-see bucket list experience.

During the festival enjoy music, traditional workshops, Irish craft stalls, games for children, yoga, mindfulness sessions, and much more. As the sun sets, the day will come to a close with the lighting of the Bealtaine Fire on the Hill of Uisneach, one of Ireland's oldest traditions.

Ireland is an island of storytellers and at the International Literature Festival Dublin (May 17-26) celebrate the best of Irish and international authors, poets, playwrights, and screenwriters. One event not to miss is a conversation with Colm Tóibín on his latest novel "Long Island", the sequel to his brilliant book "Brooklyn" which was turned into a film starring Saoirse Ronan. 

Make your soul come alive on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way is one of the longest-defined coastal routes in the world and this year it celebrates 10 years of welcoming visitors! Here are just some of our favorite Wild Atlantic Way spots you don't want to miss on your travels:

Fanad Head Lighthouse, Co Donegal - Located in North Donegal, Fanad Head Lighthouse is an iconic heritage building at the mouth of Lough Swilly that has been operating as a working lighthouse since 1817. Hear all about its incredible history from a local guide and you can even spend the night in the lighthouse! 

Fanad Head Lighthouse, Co Donegal

Mullaghmore Head, Co Sligo -  Explore the walking route along the coastline of Mullaghmore Head and look out for the majestic Classiebawn Castle in the distance. The village of Mullaghmore is a charming fishing village with a harbor and a beautiful sandy beach with great views of Benbulben, which inspired legendary Irish poet W.B. Yeats. 

Mullaghmore Head, Co Sligo

Mizen Head, Co Cork -  Perched on the edge of the Atlantic, Mizen Head is Ireland's most south-westerly point with spectacular views. Standing on Mizen's bridge look around and take in the power of nature, crashing waves on seacliffs and the force of the Atlantic wind will leave you feeling inspired. 

Where will your Irish adventure take you?

How will you Fill your Heart with Ireland? Whether you decide to wander through 5,000 years of history in Ireland’s Ancient East , discover Ireland’s breathtaking west coast along the Wild Atlantic Way , embrace a giant spirit in Northern Ireland , or enjoy the unspoiled majesty of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands – an experience of a lifetime awaits you.

This article is presented proudly in partnership with Tourism Ireland. To learn more about Tourism Ireland and get inspired for your next visit to Ireland, check out their website at www.ireland.com .

Related: Dingle , Dublin , Killarney National Park , Northern Ireland , Wild Atlantic Way , Belfast City

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Dreamireland Travel Guide to Ireland

Welcome to our Free Travel Guide to Ireland . Here you can find a wealth of free information on all of Ireland's most popular tourist towns, countryside retreats and bustling city areas. To begin, simply select the resort using the list below. Happy hunting!

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IRELAND TRAVEL GUIDE 2024-2025: Discover the Emerald Isle: Your Essential Travel Companion for an Unforgettable Journey through Ireland (Comprehensive Travel Guides) Hardcover – Large Print, April 6, 2024

• Are you ready to explore through old castles steeped in stories of monarchs and warriors?
• Are you ready to enjoy the flavors of traditional Irish cuisine, from substantial stews to freshly caught seafood?
• Are you intrigued about the lively music sessions and storytelling evenings that bring Irish culture to life in snug bars and bustling cities?
• Print length 139 pages
• Language English
• Publication date April 6, 2024
• Dimensions 6 x 0.51 x 9 inches
• ISBN-13 979-8322130918
• See all details

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D12V6WT3
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 6, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 139 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8322130918
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.4 ounces
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Where to go

One amazing island. Six unique regions

Soaring cliffs, buzzing little towns and a way of life forever inspired by the sea, that's what you'll find on the world’s longest defined coastal touring route.

Amazing cliff-walks, Game of Thrones® adventures, Titanic attractions – let Northern Ireland stir your soul.

A UNESCO City of Literature, a historic powerhouse and a super-cool capital that’s been named Europe’s friendliest city twice by TripAdvisor.

Did you know that there are over 5,000 years of history hidden amidst these lush landscapes, winding rivers and glorious gardens?

Cutting-edge food, traditional pubs and incredible Titanic history take Belfast to the next level – welcome to one of Ireland's most exciting cities.

With charming riverside towns and villages, majestic forests and sparkling waterways, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands is slow-travel perfection.

Amazing places to see

Don't miss these iconic sights and hidden gems around the island

Cliffs of Moher

Discover historic Dunluce Castle

Destination

Skellig Islands

The Skellig Islands-Na Scealga

Giant's Causeway

Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

Guinness Storehouse

Titanic Belfast

Powerscourt Estate

Explore the Marble Arch Caves

Enniskillen

Brú na Bóinne

Rock of Cashel

The Book of Kells and Trinity College

Explore the Cuilcagh Boardwalk

Glendalough

Top things to do.

Plan your Ireland trip

Causeway Coastal Route

6 days 148 km

The Causeway Coastal Route is one of Northern Ireland's greatest adventures.

From Belfast To Derry~Londonderry

• #NorthernIrelandEmbraceAGiantSpirit

48 hours in Derry~Londonderry and the Causeway Coast

2 days 135 km

Explore the very best of Northern Ireland from the heart of the Walled City!

From Causeway Coast To Derry~Londonderry

• #FillYourHeartWithIreland
• #CityBreaks

Donegal's northern headlands

4 days 430 km

Take a journey to the edge of the world... this is Ireland's stunning north east.

From Inishowen Peninsula To Donegal town

• #WildAtlanticWay

Surfers' paradise

2 days 160 km

Sea and land combine to create a vista of pure poetry on the Wild Atlantic Way.

From Donegal To Mayo

Great Western Greenway

4 days 125 km

Uncover the west of Ireland's most dramatic sights.

From Westport To Achill Island

Cliffs and coves

4 days 319 km

Be wowed with panoramic views from atop the Wild Atlantic Way's most dramatic cliff edges.

From Galway To Limerick

• #WalkingandHiking

A trip around the Ring of Kerry

2 days 183 km

Experience Ireland at its wildest.

From Killarney To Killarney National Park

Cycling the Waterford Greenway

2 days 80 km

Grab your bike and take in the sites of this stunning cycling trail.

From Waterford city To Dungarvan

• #IrelandsAncientEast

Ireland's Ancient East from County Wexford

4 days 342 km

Explore gorgeous landscapes and dramatic histories around Ireland's Ancient East.

From Rosslare To Kilkenny city

Explore Ireland's Ancient East on Dublin's doorstep

3 days 399 km

Cinematic – that's the only word to describe what lies on Dublin's doorstep.

From Wicklow To Meath

Ireland's Hidden Heartlands

5 days 484 km

Five days. 11 counties. One big adventure...

From Cavan Burren Park To Mitchelstown Caves

• #IrelandsHiddenHeartlands

Let Ireland inspire you!

Dublin city: top attractions

First time in Dublin? Here are some uniquely Dublin attractions you shouldn’t miss.

Dublin City

10 top Northern Ireland experiences

Fantastic food tours, Titanic trails and even walking on water!

5 ways to tour the Wild Atlantic Way

Get your feet wet or hit the tarmac: how to explore the Wild Atlantic Way.

Charming towns of the Causeway Coastal Route

Get set for a glorious adventure amongst picturesque towns and scenic fishing villages.

Take our fun St Patrick's quiz

Do you have the luck of the Irish? Test your St Patrick knowledge with our quirky quiz.

Belfast: top 9 attractions

Explore Belfast’s world-class museums, rich history, varied art scene and parkland

Hidden gems of Ireland’s Ancient East

Wherever you go in Ireland’s Ancient East, you’ll find unbelievable experiences.

Camper van holidays in Ireland

Here's everything you need to know about camper van hire, road rules and more.

• #CaravanandCamping
• #GettingAround

Derry Girls

Love the hit comedy series, Derry Girls? Here's how you can have your own adventure.

Derry-Londonderry

Ireland's 9 most haunted tales

From Satanic cults and a medieval ghost river to a tragic bride-to-be.

7 gorgeous spots for wild swimming

Take a dip in the crystal clear lakes and rivers on the island of Ireland.

Irish genealogy resources

Tracing your Irish roots? Here are some useful resources that can help you join the dots.

Ireland: need to know

Visas and passports

Ireland’s visa and passport requirements vary for different nationalities so check with your local Irish embassy or consulate before you travel

Ireland: frequently asked questions

Whether you’re looking for advice on passports or wondering whether you can bring your pet to Ireland, you'll find your answers here

Customs and borders

From customs and border regulations on the island of Ireland to duty-free allowances and how to claim VAT refunds

Bringing your pet to Ireland

The importation of pets into Ireland is strictly controlled to ensure diseases such as rabies are kept off of the island

Cash or credit? However you like to pay, it's pretty easy to manage your money while you're in Ireland

Emergency contacts

Make a note of the numbers and official organisations to contact in case of emergency in Ireland

Thinking of a trip to Ireland?

Getting here

Ireland from the air – what's not to love? We can help you find the perfect flight or ferry route for your Ireland trip.

Getting around

Ireland is compact, friendly and easy to navigate. So all you need to worry about is picking the right travelling companion.

Sustainable Ireland

From accommodation to activities, find out how to explore our beautiful island in a sustainable way.

Ireland at the crossroads: Can the ancient Brehon laws guide the republic away from anti-immigrant sentiment?

I reland’s new prime minister is a relatively young man leading a comparatively young republic that is experiencing several unprecedented challenges .

Simon Harris was confirmed as “taoiseach,” or prime minister, on April 9, 2024 , following the surprise resignation of his predecessor , Leo Varadkar.

The 37-year-old Harris takes the helm of a country very much at the crossroads of change. Local, national and presidential elections are all on the horizon, with the outcomes potentially determining the form that Irish democracy – and quite possibly unity in an island partitioned between a British-ruled north and an Irish republic in the south – will take.

Underlying these decisions is the question of how Irish voters will respond to the challenge of what is being called the “New Ireland” – a country in which approximately 20% of the population was not born in the republic , with a similar number identifying as nonwhite Irish.

A history of immigration

For a country whose main export, historically, has been its people – with 8 million leaving between 1815 and 1914 in large part because of a famine – and one that experienced little inward immigration until recently, this marks a substantial shift.

Moreover, change has taken place in a relatively short space of time and has had a significant impact on the republic’s current population of just above 5 million .

In 2023, 141,600 people immigrated to Ireland , representing a 15-year high. The majority are returning Irish nationals, many from the United Kingdom, encouraged by Ireland’s buoyant economy and ties to the European Union. But there are also a sizable number of Ukrainian refugees . A smaller number come from India, Brazil or Africa, the latter including refugees from the main conflict zones of Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The record levels of immigration, coming at a time of a severe housing shortage in Ireland , has led to a backlash that boiled over on Nov. 23, 2023. Triggered by the stabbing of three young children and their care assistant in the center of Dublin by an immigrant of Algerian origin, a mob unleashed looting, arson and vandalism on the streets of Dublin. The Garda (police) commissioner blamed the events on a “lunatic, hooligan faction driven by a far-right ideology.”

Anti-immigrant sentiment has been accompanied by a hashtag campaign, #irelandisfull . And it isn’t only taking the form of street violence. The overtly anti-immigrant Ireland First was officially registered as a political party in 2023 and is seeking candidates for the upcoming elections.

To counter growing tensions, Harris has said he intends to pursue a “more planned and sustainable” immigration policy.

But familiarity with Ireland’s history may offer a counterpoint to the Ireland-is-full viewpoint, which has little to do with traditional Irish values regarding hospitality. Rather, such views run counter to Brehon law – the customs and laws that governed Irish society before the coming of the English in the 12th century.

The Brehon laws were a remarkable body of progressive codes that regulated all aspects of society, from beekeeping to homicide. Their exact origins are unknown, but for several centuries they were passed on orally from one generation to the next.

In the seventh century, the laws were written down for the first time, usually by Christian monks – the preservers of much ancient Celtic culture.

Welcome, stranger

Restitution – or restorative justice – rather than punishment lay at the heart of the laws. Consequently, there was no capital punishment or prisons but a scale of penalties or fines for all transgressions, which were proportionate to the severity of the crime and the financial means of the perpetrator.

On the topic of hospitality, the Brehon laws were unequivocal : All households, from royal residences to the poorest of homes, were obliged to provide some measure of “oigidecht” – or hospitality – to travelers, even if they were unknown. In old Irish, the word oigi meant “stranger.”

The hospitality included food and drink, and even entertainment, although the level of each depended on the social status of the household. No monetary payment was expected, although the visitor could offer a poem or a song to his hosts.

Refusal to abide by these rules could result in ostracization or a fine.

The arrival of the English, and with them English common law , eroded the use of the Brehon laws, although they did not completely disappear until the 17th century.

Today, the name survives in U.S. cities through the existence of Brehon law societies , which place human rights at the heart of legal interventions.

Opening arms

It is the spirit of Brehon that I believe best represents Irish society today. Despite the outpouring of xenophobia in November and the emergence of anti-immigration politics, the majority of Irish people are still known for their hospitality to strangers.

It is a well-earned reputation. From the time of the French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in the 17th century to the Ukrainian refugees in the 2020s , Ireland has offered shelter to those facing discrimination and death elsewhere.

And it has long given a warm welcome to nonwhite visitors, from African-born Olaudah Equiano in the 1790s to American abolitionist Frederick Douglass in the 1840s to U.S. actor and activist Paul Robeson in the 1930s – each of whom regarded their time in Ireland as some of their happiest.

Douglass, then a fugitive slave, was struck by “the total absence of all manifestations of prejudice against me, on account of my color”.

It is a reputation that has paid dividends, too. Irish tourism remains robust, generating over 5.3 billion euros in revenue (approximately US$5.7 billion) in 2023, making it the country’s major native industry and the largest regional employer.

An integral part of the promotion of Ireland as a tourist destination is the concept of visiting “Ireland of the Welcomes,” where the time-honored greeting is “Céad Míle Fáilte ,” which translates as “a hundred thousand welcomes.”

As Ireland – and its new, young leader – responds to the challenges of becoming a more diverse society, the Brehon laws may serve as a guide for Irish seeking a return to traditional values grounded in hospitality and inclusivity, delivering a new Ireland in which both tourists and immigrants are given “a hundred thousand welcomes.”

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Christine Kinealy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.