There is so much to see in Ireland’s capital, but we’ve distilled it down to a few essentials for those who can only visit for a short time.
Like any capital city it’s a big and busy place, but also one where just walking the streets and seeing where it will take you can be very rewarding.
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Not to long ago visitors avoided Belfast, but times have changed and it is now a vibrant and fascinating city which you should include on your itinerary.
Many remnants of ‘the troubles’ have been reborn as tourist attractions, definitely odd but also extremely interesting for visitors.
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Ireland’s second city is a compact place build largely on an island and easily explored on foot.
It may not have the wealth of places to visit of other cities, but the glorious English Market alone would make it worth a detour and as a university city it has a lively night life as well as good restaurants.
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Known as the city of the tribes, Galway is the undisputed festival capital of Ireland and no matter what time of year you visit the chances are there will be something on.
It’s also well situated for touring both Connemara and North Clare and the Burren region, has good night life and excellent restaurants. Great traditional music too.
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Dominated by the river Shannon, with the imposing King John’s Castle on its banks, Limerick is a proud city with much to be proud of.
It’s impossible to mention Limerick without mentioning rugby – it’s much more than a game for Limerick people who follow the exploits of the locally based Munster team with a passion and fervour unrivalled among sports fans anywhere.
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Abbeyleix is a planned town, built in the 18th century by the 2nd Viscount de Vesci, whose descendants still live in nearby Abbeyleix House.
It’s worth a stop to visit one of the best pubs in Ireland and will be greatly improved when a long promised motorway finally relieves it of traffic congestion.
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A pretty heritage village on the road from Limerick to Kerry, Adare is famous for its thatched cottages, which are among the most photographed vistas in Ireland.
The village was planned and built by the Earl of Dunraven who was keen to beautify the area around his home at Adare Manor and is much more English than Irish in character.
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Once a small seaside town and port, Arklow has grown enormously in recent years and is now a commuter town serving Dublin.
Arklow was home to Ireland’s first lifeboat and for those with an interest in the sea a visit to the Maritime Museum is worthwhile,
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In the past Athlone was the scene of many battles due to its location at a strategic crossing point on the River Shannon.
Nowadays its a peaceful place, with a popular marina, and one of its biggest attractions is Sean’s Bar, which claims to be Ireland’s oldest pub.
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Ballina is a busy market town famed as a centre for anglers, who are drawn to the salmon in the River Moy.
There are a couple of interesting and little visited abbeys nearby and an excellent Dolmen which, unusually, is in the centre of the town.
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The biggest event in Ballinasloe’s year is the annual Great October Fair, Ireland’s largest horse fair and probably its oldest.
It’s a mid sized market town which for history buffs is worth detouring to for a visit to the Battle of Aughrim Interpretive Centre.
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In a relatively little visted part of Ireland, Belmullet is a perfect spot for those who want to get away from it all to a place with extraordinary natural beauty.
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