Ireland has a lot to offer any traveller to her gorgeous green shores… her blues and emeralds dancing with the ever changing light and shadows of cloudy skies, and the landscape a heady mix of barren beauty and rich lolling fields and valleys. The countryside is dotted with whispers of the past, every corner seemingly revealing an artefact or story, memory or ghost – where you walk in the footsteps of writers and poets, hear the strains of haunting Celtic beats and feel the magic and mysticism of her scared spots where legends of fairies and warriors still linger. ... Continue reading »

With the launch of our new Honeymoon Tour – romance is certainly in the air in the tourireland.com office and our thoughts have turned to some traditional Irish wedding traditions that we have heard over the years or perhaps have seen incorporated into some Irish weddings. Some have their roots in the Celtic tradition, carried from generation to generation and adapted down through the years, with many Irish traditions replicated in Scottish weddings as a result of the shared Celtic heritage. Some you may recognise – perhaps similar to traditions found in other countries and others still may be new to you. But whether new or old, we hope you enjoy them and perhaps even use some of them in your upcoming nuptials or perhaps share with someone who is walking up the aisle soon! ... Continue reading »

Last weekend myself and four friends went on a road trip to stunning County Kerry. As we had an amazing time and visited and drove through some really nice places I thought I might share some of our experiences with you and give you a few useful tips about Kerry’s Attractions. ... Continue reading »

The West of Ireland is synonymous for its wild and rugged dramatic coastlines, soaring cliffs, breath-taking sunrises and sunsets, colourful and vibrant towns and villages and a barren beauty which is infused with rich and colourful traditions, histories and heritage. It is a region which captivates visitors from the moment they take their first gulp of the salt infused Atlantic air, or when they first spy a glimpse of colourful foliage in the desolate beauty of the Burren. The allure and magic of this region is that no visit is the same – compare your travelling stories of this region with friends, and everyone will speak of a different experience, be it the endearing character met when trying to find your way while lost in a myriad of back-country roads, the sudden traffic jam caused by a medley of frenzied cows at feeding time or the golds, pinks and oranges of the magnificent sun setting over Galway Bay against a darkened azure sky. ... Continue reading »

With Easter just around the corner here is a delicious recipe from Clodagh McKenna which is just perfect for for an after dinner treat with all the family around! And if you feel inspired by this recipe, why not take Clodagh's Irish Food Trial Tour and taste and travel your way to some of Ireland's best spots! ... Continue reading »

With only a few days to go before we bedeck ourselves in green, drink a Shamrock Shake or some Green Beer, prepare the corned beef and peel the potatoes perhaps while singing as song or two and doing a jig – here are some facts that you may not know about Ireland’s most famous holiday – St. Patrick’s Day! ... Continue reading »

When vacationing in Ireland or indeed anywhere, people are often undecided about the best way to get around –should they hire a rental car, rely on public transport or perhaps take an escorted coach tour. When travelling everyone wants to see and do all that they can, while at the same time having a stress free vacation, with no logistical hassles or geographical disasters! Nothing can ruin a holiday more than a fight over misreading the map, keying in the wrong gps co-ordinates –( I meant Dublin Ireland – eh not Dublin Kentucky) or heaven forbid actually setting off without any of these things and hoping that pure luck and serendipity will help you reach your destination of choice. ... Continue reading »

One could argue that no matter the location, once you are with your sweet-heart romance will always be in the air. However, sometimes the warm fuzzies do not surface as quickly over the freezer aisle in your local supermarket as they would say gazing at a windswept beach snuggled up together. So with this is mind, I have compiled a list of some my favourite romantic spots in Ireland, so next time you visit make sure to include one of these on your Irish vacation! ... Continue reading »

Dublin has a lot of really great museums – but none have been solely dedicated to the wonder that is Dublin! Until now that is - with the opening of the Little Museum of Dublin in early 2012. Tourireland recently paid a visit to it and promptly fall in love! This is an unique museum, with a deeply personal and moving collection,moving through Dublin and her peoples in the twentieth century. ... Continue reading »

Kildare is an inland county and lies to the southwest of Dublin. It is known as “horse country” and is world renown for the quality of breed it produces. Indeed there are more stud farms in Kildare than in any other county in Ireland and has 3 of the country’s most popular race-courses located within her boundaries Naas, Punchestown and the Curragh. ... Continue reading »

Full of the January blues and desperately planning my next break away, I cheered myself up immensely with a look at some of Ireland’s premier 5* hotels. Buoyed up at the prospect at staying at one of these beauties in 2013, I share with you some of Ireland’s most luxurious hotels. So during your vacation in Ireland, why not treat yourself to a night (or two) in any one of these fantastic hotels! ... Continue reading »

The Emerald Isle for many seems to conjure up an image of misty mountain tops, wind-swept beaches, forty shades of green, red-haired colleens, River Dance and Guinness all infused with the wit, craic and tenacity of the locals. It seems that this small but feisty island, teetering on the very edge of Europe has somehow managed to capture the world’s imagination and respect. And for such a small place we have certainly churned out some of the world’s greatest writers, musicians, comedians, singers, actors, inventors and politicians with hardly a place on earth untouched by the 70 million or so Irish diaspora or their off-spring. ... Continue reading »

Feeling all Christmassy and festive, full of the holiday cheer, and with the house lit up like a Christmas tree (literally), I began to reminisce about some of the traditions my family (and indeed other Irish families) have over the festive period. ... Continue reading »

With the colder weather making an appearance and the Holiday Season upon us, I thought that I would share some Irish recipes that I found online with you to keep you warm and fed over the next little while! ... Continue reading »

The county of Galway lies on Ireland’s western sea-coast and is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Ireland. Dominated by the salt-kissed winds of the Atlantic and dotted throughout its sparsely populated lands with the stone small walls synonymous with Ireland (and in particular the West) this glorious county has much to offer any visitor. Walk amidst the vibrant and vivid colours of Connemara, marvel at the love affair that inspired Kylemore Abbey and take a spin around any of the Aran Islands feeling the cool clean air in your lungs as you cycle those bumpy winding roads – and when you are finished enjoy Galway Bay Oysters, a cool Guinness and a raucous trad session (traditional music session) in a tucked away pub - heavenly! ... Continue reading »

All week we've been posting about beautiful Donegal on Facebook so no better time than now to look at some things to do in Donegal. ... Continue reading »

Located in Ireland’s south-west, lies the resplendent county of Cork. After a quick consultation with some of my colleagues we came up with some of our favourite Cork places to visit! Hope they inspire your next Irish vacation! ... Continue reading »

The Dingle Peninsula is one of the most beautiful spots in Ireland. It really should be on everyone’s bucket list - a truly magical place! To help you plan your trip to this breath-taking area, I have put togethersome of my favourite things to see and do on the Dingle Peninsula. Enjoy! ... Continue reading »

Antrim is situated in Ireland’s north-east and lies within the province of Ulster, making up one of the 6 counties of Northern Ireland. With some of the most stunningly beautiful scenery in Ireland this is one county that will surely make a vivid and lasting impression. Here are some of my favourite places to visit which hopefully will inspire you to visit this wonderful county. ... Continue reading »

Halloween is most definitely my favourite time of the year! It’s the right time to spend cosy dark evenings sitting at open fires, drinking warm tea or whiskey and sharing spooky stories about some of the most haunted houses,castles and hotels on the island. So if you are brave enough, read on and learn more about some of the most spooky, spine-tingling hotels around....... ... Continue reading »

With our beautiful rolling green fields, wild, rugged coastlines and plethora of historic houses, castles and jails, it is no wonder that Ireland is a much favoured movie location. Add to that the charm and wit of the locals, a great pint of Guinness and of courses talented production staff, Ireland’s popularity is not going to wane any time soon. So, follow me as I guide you through some of the movies filmed here – from cheesy rom-coms, to historical epics to Hollywood and indeed Bollywood blockbusters! ... Continue reading »

For many people Ireland is on their bucket list – you know the list you have of places you want to visit, books to read and things to do before the great maker calls you home? But if Ireland is on your list, surely there is more to it than just standing in Dublin airport, ticking Ireland off your list and heading straight back on a plane to your next “bucket destination”? What should you see,do, drink and buy when you visit?? Here are some suggestions in no particular geographical or preferential order! ... Continue reading »

Have you been bitten by the Genealogy bug? Or has the prospect of starting your family tree left you in a cold sweat? Trying to start your family search can seem like an arduous task and people often get confused by where and how to start it. In my case, I decided to start with my paternal line and focused all my energies on my Dad’s family. And it was no mean feat – our surname despite being quite unusual, did not make the search any easier and I have counted some 22 variations of its spelling so far! I learned the hard way never to dismiss a “weird” spelling! However, my research has gone back even further than I could have imagined – (late 1600s) and has even turned up a few “new” cousins along the way. I am no expert, fumbled along and may have even barked up a few wrong trees, but here are some of my tips on how to begin researching your family tree. ... Continue reading »

After returning from a jaunt down to the sunny-south-east region recently and an amazing few days gallivanting around Wexford, I thought I would compile the “Top 10 Things to do in Wexford” and share them with you! Hope it inspires you when picking your next vacation! And in no particular order!! ... Continue reading »

The expression “everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day” is one we all familiar with – all round the world on March 17th - people get into the festive mood with rivers and beers dyed green ,and people (and even their pets) bedecked in their finest greens in honour of the day. Irish songs are sung and perhaps even a tear or two shed for the old country. However, in 2013 with the launch of The Gathering, this expression will hold true not just for 1 day but for all 365 days! This is the year where Ireland wants to reconnect people from around the world on the island by gathering their friends, family, colleagues and sport-teams to celebrate and recognise all the great things about Ireland and what it means to be Irish. ... Continue reading »

The story of the Titanic and its tragic demise captures peoples imagines no less today than it did when it was launched and lost 100 years ago this year. This magnificent ship was testament to both the skills and innovation of the day and was thought to be indestructible. It was the largest ship on the seas at the time and was the optimum in comfort, luxury and style with a gym, swimming pool, libraries and an impressive high-class restaurant. She even had her own newspaper the Atlantic Bulletin! Titanic had advanced safety features such as watertight doors and cabins, but crucially and to her detriment, only had enough lifeboats for half of her passengers. ... Continue reading »

It is rare that I would be asked to act as tour-guide, due to my lack of direction and sheer disregard for street names, but a couple of weekends ago, some family friends, asked me to show them around Dublin. Having not been here before, they had complete trust in my decision making and unaware of my lack of geographical prowess! However, we put our best feet forward and successfully navigated around my favourite places in Dublin to visit! And this is what we did and where we went!! ... Continue reading »

Living in any place for a long time, you tend to get the blinkers on and not notice all the things to see and do around you….. When I am aboard I am usually up at the crack of dawn with an itinerary crammed full of all the museums, castles and heritage centres that I can visit and set off with such military precision and timings that any general would be proud …… Not always so popular amongst my travelling companions though! However, this need to visit every site of historical importance, museum and art gallery in my path does not extend to when I am at home in Ireland – and so for this summer, I decided that I would make it my business to become a domestic tourist as it were and visit some of the places that I said I would visit– but hadn’t - until now! ... Continue reading »

The Rose of Tralee Festival is one of Ireland’s longest running festivals and is currently enjoying its 53rd year bringing together young women of Irish descent for a celebration of all things Irish and indeed is a way to celebrate our Irish links on a global basis. This international Festival derives itself from the Carnival Queen Festival, that would take place around this time of year, but by 1957 this had long since fallen by the wayside and local entrepreneurs met to discuss how they would encourage tourism to the town and came up with the idea of a festival and to that end the Rose of Tralee Festival was born. ... Continue reading »

Ireland is just a small island off the west coast of Europe but it has produced seven Major wins in recent years. The most recent being Rory McIlroy who fourteen months after winning the US Open by a massive eight shots, the 23-year-old Northern Irishman astonishingly did the same in the USPGA Championship at Kiawah Island last night. ... Continue reading »

So what is the Irish Experience? With so many poets, musicians and writers hailing from our shores – is it their wise words and haunting melodies? Or is it the breath taking views from atop the Cliffs of Moher or your tentative steps across the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge? Could it be the learning of our history and culture – perhaps taking a guided tour of one of our cities or towns and seeing how this small isle has contributed to the world in so many fields – politically, socially, culturally, musically and historically? ... Continue reading »

The City of Derry/Londonderry (also called the “Walled City” or the “Maiden City”) is known for its culture, creativity and the strong heritage that encompasses the city and its legendary walls, reaching back as far at the 17th century. The name Derry derives from the Gaelic Doire or Oak Grove and a settlement has been there since the 6th century. The second largest city in Northern Ireland – festivals of all themes and for all seasons are held in the city and its charm is intrinsically linked with the people who live there. Their friendly nature will win you over in a heartbeat making your trip to this inspirational city a true highlight of your trip. Numerous poets and musicians have hailed from the city, namely Seamus Heaney and the Undertones and in 2010 it was named the 10th “most musical city” in the UK. Derry will also become the first city to be designated UK City of Culture in 2013. This city has a heady mix of culture, history and music, so lets have a look at some of the things this bustling friendly city has to offer! ... Continue reading »

The West of Ireland is synonymous with pubs, small villages, spectacular scenery and of course- fields of sheep. However, the traditional visitor to the West of Ireland has changed dramatically in recent times, as a great buzz is being generated around the quality and excitement that our un-spoilt beaches and coastline have to offer for amateur and seasoned surfers alike. It has become a haven –an undiscovered surfer’s paradise - offering a challenge to adrenaline fuelled, adventure seeking surfers and those of us that don’t know a swell from a rip (surfer lingo!). ... Continue reading »

Hello, I’m Morgane and I’m from France and I have just joined the Tourireland team as an intern. As part of my studies I have to spend time working abroad on placement in a company so I choose to come to Ireland as I’ve heard so much about this lovely country. When myself and my friends arrived we spent a few days exploring Dublin City but after a few days we decided that as we will be living in Dublin during our placement we should really see other parts of Ireland so we went to Mayo for a few days to explore this lovely county. ... Continue reading »

As you all know, I am an intern here at Tourireland, and I am leaving in a month. I started thinking of the places I didn’t have time to visit yet, and probably won’t have time but for which I will certainly come back to Ireland. ... Continue reading »

You find yourself on vacation in a country that you’re not familiar with. It’s a different climate, a different culture, different currency. But more often that not, the most baffling thing you can come up against while on vacation is a strange place name. I’ve been there – approached a stranger looking for directions and repeated my destination over and over as they patiently tried to humour my request. ... Continue reading »

Have you ever been to Armagh? I had a quick look of what to do in Armagh, there are sooooo many things to see: Historical attractions, Houses and Parks, Beautiful sceneries… I couldn’t talk about all my discoveries, I had to choose. ... Continue reading »