The Glen Beach Cliff Walk is a moderate hike both in difficulty and length. Out and back it’s roughly 5km and while there’s no really difficult climbs, it does hug the cliff face a lot of the way with exposed cliff edges, so steady footing is needed for carefuls sake. It’s best to walk in single file throughout the walk.

Depending on what path you take the walk can range from 3.7km to 5.3km. The official 3.7km follows a green arrowed trail and loops back along the same route. This is a Google maps guided map to help you with that, but it is hard to lose the trail. The unofficial route leaves the green trail, explores some lighthouses and follows a country and secondary road back to the car park. This is that map from Alltrails.

Getting to the Glen Beach Cliff Walk

The Glen Beach Cliff Walk is serviced by its own car park. For the Dublin day-trippers, Glen Beach is 52 kilometres from the city, making it one of the most accessible in Ireland. It’s not one for public transport unless you want to add the walk from Wicklow town to your hike. Not that I’m saying that’s a bad idea but from Wicklow Train Station its 2.8km to the car park. That said Wicklow is a pleasant town with a few decent places to grab lunch and a couple of excellent attractions.

First steps on the Glen Beach Cliff Walk

Even from the car park the scenery is great, reaching over greenery to the Irish Sea. On a bright blue day, it’s stunning. The trail begins at the free car park and descends a few flights of stairs and footpaths past the Glen View Golf Course. Passing through an archway brings us to our location that’s worthy of standing and staring, or languishing a little. The beach which gives the trail its name is tiny. It’s not a sandy beach, it’s better, covered in smooth multicoloured stones and pebbles.

From here our cliff walk begins. It’s a series of mild climbs and drops each presenting a different view of this fabulous stretch of coastline. Keep an eye towards the Irish Sea as you walk, as some of the walks famed inhabitants can be seen in these early stretches. There’s a distinct feeling that they are in fact the ones doing the watching, as the bobbing heads are always directed towards land. That song by Rockwell sprang to mind as we walked. I may have even (badly) sang a few lines.

The Grey Seals

A pod of Grey Seals are the Glen Beach Cliff Walks best draw. Before approaching the beaches where the Grey Seals nest, a number of warnings are shared and these must be adhered to. For your safety as much as that of the seals. They can give a good bite if stressed. During the months of August to April the beach must not be entered as stipulated by the Wildlife Act 1976. Pups are often left on land as their mothers hunt for fish. Approaching pups or allowing dogs to do so can cause a Grey Seal mother to abandon their young. Dogs must be kept on a leash for this walk!

The good news is there is an elevated position that allows you to see the seals without disturbing them. As you walk, you will see a tiny beach with similar warnings, though rarely there are any seals here. Continue through the small gorge that lies beyond, and you’ll be at the approach to the bigger beach known as Lime Kiln Bay. To the left lies a trial up onto a headland. This rises above the beach and gives a birds eye view down onto the seals which hopefully are resting below. Our visit in January 2022 hit the jackpot, with a pod of about 30 seals chillin’ on the beach. Jackpot!

When observing take care not to disturb even from above. This is a natural wonder to preserve for others and the particular highlight of the stunning Glen Beach cliff walk.

Returning to the entrance to the beach, the trail continues onwards. This section now is alive with birdlife. We spotted rock pipits, cormorants, black guillemots, greater whitethroats, oystercatchers, starlings, without any effort. Anyone dedicated to bird watching could have lots more success as kittiwakes, shags, razor bills, peregrine falcons, stonechats, and linnets are all common here.

The Lighthouses

The walk reaches its turning point as a lighthouse looms into view. While only one is visible from the trail, there are in fact three together here. The one that’s visible is the Old Wicklow Head Lighthouse, whose light housing days are now over. It’s definitely the prettiest of the three, built in 1781. As you reach the gates you’ll see a private property sign, as the area is only open to registered guests. Judging by Google and Alltrails reviews that doesn’t stop most people walking, as there are plenty of photos of all three.

The best news yet- you can stay the night there. They have a minimum stay policy of 2 nights starting from €644 but in this location you’ll want to stay the two. The lighthouse has 6 rooms, including 2 bedrooms so you can bring some friends along. Reading up on it, there are 109 steps up to the kitchen, so I recommend you avoid serving a 6 course meal. To book the Old Wicklow Head Lighthouse a visit to the Irish Landmark Trust website is required. To my knowledge it is the only lighthouse in Ireland, where you can stay within the actual lighthouse.

We followed the official trail as mentioned earlier back to the car park. Keep an eye out here for some buildings of archaeological significance. There is the ruins of an old church, a lime kiln where some prehistoric flints were found, and a holy well.

Back to Wicklow Town- Where to eat and what to do?

I don’t know about you but walking makes me hungry. Wicklow Town has plenty of options before you head back on your way, or continue exploring. Fitzwilliam Square has some cafes and an ice cream shop and some communal outdoor seating if the weather is decent. We ate at the imaginatively tilted The Coffee Shop. Thankfully the food was a little more thoughtful. Alternatively there’s the Port. Leitrim Place hosts the Grey Dog Cafe where quality tacos and pizza can be got. My kind of food after sport such as hiking.

You might be full to the brim, but don’t go fleeing home yet. Wicklow Gaol is the town’s top attraction and one the 25 most haunted places in Ireland in my book. Visiting is an experience, with a fully interactive tour exploring the hardships of those imprisoned here over two centuries. For those with the prerequisite guts, hang around and do the night tour.

Just out from town is Black Castle. This ruin has glorious views up and down the coast. The castle itself didn’t last long, built in the 12th century, and destroyed in the 14th, but it’s not really the attraction here. Just south of it is a wonderful little beach too called Travelahawk Beach. Reputedly St Patrick tried to land here. It was also a filming location for the TV show Vikings.

Back in town the quay’s around the River Vartry have some excellent street art, depicting Vikings. The Quays aren’t the busiest but it is the nicest part of the town for a walk.

Have you taken on some of County Wicklow’s best known trails? Here’s some links to them.

Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk.

Djouce Mountain

Spinc Glendalough

Lough Bray Loop

Hiking Essentials

The Most Essential – Hiking Boots for Him and Her

A good pair of anti-blister, anti-sweat and slip hiking socks. These merino wool ones are perfect.

While they might not be for everyone I find hiking poles protect my knees and give me a better workout.

A solar Power Bank will make sure you’ll have power as long as you’ll need it.

A good DSLR camera with a wide angle lens for landscapes, a telephoto lens for wildlife, and plenty of memory. A mini tripod is handy too for those steadier shots.

Some essentials I hope you never have to use – compass, first aid kit, head torch, multipurpose knife, a lifestraw, survival sleeping bag,

A backpack big enough to hold all this.

Bring plenty of water, snacks, food, a waterproof jacket and pants (it is Ireland), sunscreen, and a map also.

Alltrails is an excellent companion to

Remember to leave no trace.

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

Dublin’s street lights traditionally light in November for the festive season. After a blip in covid years this years lights were lit on November 11th, giving them a good run now until January 6th.

The Christmas Lights in Dublin Big Light Up

If you are hoping to catch a big event where Dublin City flicks a switch and sparkles emanate from all streets, to the sounds of cheering and clapping people; you’re about five years too late for that. After a succession of years where overcrowding became a major problem, the call was finally made to have a quiet light up. This years lights were turned on by three kids from Little Blue Heroes, a charity that helps the families of children undergoing long term medical treatment for serious illnesses. A magical experience for them without doubt. There was a ceremony in Bewley’s Café on Grafton Street, but it was a small modest affair, which was live streamed. You of course can have your own personal self guided tour of the Dublin Christmas Lights, without seeing the light up.

The Street Christmas Lights in Dublin

Dublin’s street lights are run by DublinTown a collection of city centre businesses who join together to light up Dublin. There’s nowhere better to start than Dublin’s most fashionable shopping district, Grafton Street. Grafton Street is lit by 300,000 bulbs. At its top and bottom is the lit message that has long welcomed people to the street. The “Nollaig Shona Duit” Christmas light means Happy Christmas in the Irish language.

After an ill fated attempt to re-coin the area the Grafton Quarter in 2019, and replace the Nollaig Shona Duit sign with a Grafton Quarter one, all returned to normal in 2020. Relatively speaking.

The lights can be seen in around 30 streets around the city, where hanging them is possible. There are 4 kilometres of lights in total. As recomended start with Grafton Street and its adjacent streets Duke Street and South Anne Street. Continue by venturing out to Dame Street, Wicklow Street, Georges Street and the enchanting streets that lie between there and Grafton Street. If you feel you are walking in circles then you’re on the right track.

The Northside (north of the Liffey) is equally as charming and a walk via Westmoreland Street to O’Connell St brings us to perhaps the most decorative of all in Dublin. Its wide avenue lends well to the Christmas theme. Henry Street is Dublin 1’s biggest shopping street, and has its own lighted greeting in the “Welcome to Dublin One” sign. It’s the final stop on a Christmas lights in Dublin street tour.

Shopping centres and Department Stores- Dublin Christmas Lights

Of course the streets don’t have a monopoly on the lights. Ducking in out of the cold or rain to any of the shopping centres along the way, will reveal a melody of lights. Stephen’s Green shopping centre is a firm favourite, its glass structure was made for Christmas it seems. But an honourable mention goes to the Jervis Centre on Henry Street.

Dublin’s department stores have always gone head to head on who has the best windows. For years Clerys, Arnotts and Brown Thomas have competed with great imagination to capture the christmas spirit. While Clerys has sadly closed, the two other behemouts of Irish fashion. This year Brown Thomas has a theme of Out of this World while Arnotts have simply opted for the theme Joy (photos to follow).

Winter Lights 2021 – Christmas Lights in Dublin

The most unique set of lights in Dublin is the annual winter lights that illuminate some of the city’s most well known buildings. These change each year by the buildings and also by the lights. 2021 sees the most ambitious year yet with 21 laser installations across Dublin. The lights are all eco-friendly LED lights, an important consideration in our times.

All 21 locations are worth seeing, not only for the winter lights, but also the significant sights that they light up. In 2021 there are now two walking trails planned through the city by Winter Lights, to enable you to see all the installations. The first route takes in Capitol Dock, Samuel Beckett Bridge, The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship, CHQ Triumphal Arch (outside the EPIC Museum), The Customs House, O’Connell St Trees, The GPO, Millennium Bridge, Smithfield Square, Mater Hospital, and the Hugh Lane Art Gallery.

The second has a lot of new begins at Merrion Square before its trail takes in the Mansion House, Trinity College, Barnardos Square, City Hall, Parliament St Trees, City Hall, Wood Quay Civic Offices, The Liberties Peace Park, The Liberties John’s Lane West, The Liberties Crane Street and the Liberties Digital Hub Windmill. Merrion Square’s walkthrough is excellent and a brilliant addition, but if you haven’t booked tickets they are already sold out.

Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo

While Wild Lights wasn’t an option for 2020 due to the times we live in, this unique lighting feature of the festive season in Ireland will return in 2021. The event has ran since 2017, and each year has a different theme. 2019’s theme of Stories, Myths and Legends was particularly well received. It’s sombre feature on extinct animals sought to throw a light on the subject in more ways than one. This article will give you a great visual idea about Dublin Zoo’s Wild Lights. While zoo’s can be often found to do more harm than good, Dublin Zoo has had a long history of conservation and breeding and ranks highly among its international peers for this.

Wild Lights returns bigger than ever in 2021, with a theme of Around the World. Light installation will now feature the pyramids, Eiffel Tower and a host of other well known landmarks from around the world.

Dublin in Winter

If you are visiting Dublin in winter, there is so much to do besides its Christmas lights. While the days are short, the temperatures can be still relatively mild in November and December. It doesn’t rain as much as you would expect either.

Dublin is a hub of events come December and there are many ways to celebrate Christmas, as outlined in our article Christmas in Dublin.

If you are looking for inspiration on what to do in Dublin in winter, why not take a read of the following articles, which are good for all seasons

A Tour of the Street Art in Dublin

The 30 Best Walks in Dublin

Where to Stay in Dublin

Dublin has a broad selection of accommodation catering for all budgets. Many of its city centre hotels are 4 or 5 stars, and the standards are high. The Dublin 2 area has the highest rates, followed by Dublin 1. For a more economical option, the hotels in the affluent Dublin 4 and 6 areas offer good quality at a lower rate, with excellent transport links to the city.

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

Has this article helped you plan your Christmas in Dublin? Share with a friend or to your social channels.

For travellers, what more do you need on a city break? For locals, it’s the perfect reason to hang about at home, and enjoy Dublin at Christmas, instead of heading to Germany for a markets break. Of course Dublin is an excellent city for shopping and those long winter nights lend well to exploring Dublin’s pubs, whose atmosphere really comes into it’s own at this time of year.

New Restrictions

So the ghost of Covid Christmas past has struck again and a heap of new restrictions have been imposed. Thanks Omicron. So I’ve updated the post to what actually is happening in 2021. Bbq

Things to do at Christmas in Dublin in 2021

See the Christmas lights – Dublin at Christmas

Any city at Christmas is only as good as the lights on it’s streets and Dublin gives it a damn good go. Nothing else quite gets you in the Christmas spirit. On Grafton Street alone you’ll find 300,000 bulbs. Or certainly it’s claimed so, and I’m not going to try and disprove it. The Nollaig Shona Duit (Happy Christmas in Irish) welcomes people on to Dublin’s premier shopping. Away from Grafton lights can be going on 30 other streets, most of those found adjacent to Grafton. Crossing the Liffey, O’Connell street and Henry Street give their own challenge to be regarded as Dublin’s best lit street. The big switch on of the lights took place on November 10th with a ceremony in Bewley’s Café to celebrate it.

Dublin’s main tourist buildings are also imaginatively lit up as part of Winter Lights. In 2020 17 locations in the city were transformed by lasers into beautiful displays. One can assume 2021’s offering will be even better. Xmas lights deserve their own post in themselves, and I obliged by writing one last year. Follow the link and read on for the full lowdown on the lights.  

Wild lights at Dublin Zoo – Dublin at Christmas

Wild lights has been running in Dublin Zoo for several years now (except surprise, surprise 2020) , and returns in 2021 with a new theme “Around the World”. Wild Lights is a walk through the zoo with illuminations adding an extra angle to the usual features of the zoo.  

Last time out the feature was on Stories, Myths and Legends which put a lot of emphasis on educating about endangered and extinct animals before moving on to Irish mythology and famous children’s tales. So you can guarantee that the exhibitions are as educational as they are entertaining.  

This years around the world goes eh around the world with installations inspired by the most iconic landmarks of the world such as the Eiffel Tower, Pyramids of Giza, and more. Sounds like the perfect year for me to visit, and I’m delighted to have my tickets booked. On that subject, they are already very scarce so get booking now.  

Wonder lights at Malahide castle – a new event in 2021 for Christmas in Dublin

A new attraction for 2021 descends on Malahide Castle. Malahide castle is one of the best Dublin day trips any time of year but with Wonder Lights coming this year from 18th November to 23rd December, then maybe Christmas might be the best of all. Light walks are all the rage now it seems, and after last years grand total of none we now have two. Going by the name “Castle of Light” it will have strong links to the castles history and adding enchantment along the way.

We aren’t really sure how this will be, but I’ll be there on the 18^th November and will happily oblige by adding my thoughts, impressions and a ton of photos shortly after. Tickets aren’t as scarce as for Wild Lights, but I imagine that will change closer to the opening date. Book here. As promised here’s an update with photos.

Shopping in Dublin City Centre – Christmas in Dublin

I’m surprised I got this far into a post on Dublin at Christmas time without delving into the shopping. Commercial Dublin won’t be happy with me. Dublin’s city centre is perfect for Christmas shopping; compact, with every gift you could possibly imagine found within reach of it’s main shopping streets. That said it’s hard to deny that online shopping is quickly taking a lot of attention away from the high street.

But there’s something to be said for spending time in the city centre at Christmas. Nothing online compares to the elaborate windows of Arnott’s and Brown Thomas, Dublin’s top department stores. Nor looking across the giant baubles hanging from Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, a centre that looks more magical than any other time of year.

There’s also no substitute for stumbling upon that perfect present on a stroll through Westbury Mall or Georges Street Arcade. Dublin’s shopping is on a par with with any capital city, full of all the popular high street names along with a ton of local boutiques with their own individual identity.

Warm up in a Dublin coffee shop – Dublin at Christmas

After shopping your legs off, the perfect place to unwind and warm up are Dublin’s coffee shops. Bewley’s Café was opened in 1927, and its interior is lavishly decorated with stained glass windows, and art. A hot chocolate and some of their decadent cakes come highly recomended. For those looking for something different Butlers Chocolates have been around Dublin for just as long. They just launched their new range of winter drinks, with Gingerbread Latte’s headlining. You get a free chocolate or truffle with each hot drink too. Their gift boxes make the perfect gifts too, and their chocolate really is out of this world good.

Take a horse and carriage ride through the city  – Christmas in Dublin

Perhaps the most romantic way to see Dublin during the season is by a horse and carriage ride. You’ll find the Jarveys with their horses on the north side of Stephen’s Green, where they operate a first come first served queue. Tours are priced at €25 for a short trip, €40 for a half hour or €70 for an hour. If you want to see the Xmas lights in Dublin’s Southside then a half hour tour should more than suffice. The Jarvey’s will go wherever you ask them, even up Grafton Street for an otherwise unseen view of the lights and Ireland’s premier street.  

Christmas Eve Busking – Dublin at Christmas

Update: I know I say below it’s hard to see this happening. More so now.

It’s hard to know if Dublin’s Christmas Eve busking will return this year. The last time we were treated to it was in 2019, with 2020 seeing an outright ban on busking. While busking is a year round activity on Grafton Street the session which happens on Christmas Eve is anything but. Organised annually by Glen Hansard it has become one of the most eagerly anticipated Dublin December events, with thousands attending.

All proceeds go to charity and Glen is often joined by stars such as Bono, The Edge, Imelda May, Hozier, The Script, Kodaline, The Coronas among others. No one really knows who will show up, and that’s the beauty of the event.  

Want to still help out a local charity even if the busking is cancelled. Then tune into Christmas FM, Ireland’s Christmas radio station and donate. Their charity partner this year is Barnardos, who help vulnerable children in disadvantaged communities. You can donate here.  

Xmas markets in Dublin 

Dublin has had a love hate affair with Christmas markets for many years (they love, the public hates), and has never quite gotten them right. The Dublin Docklands Xmas Market deteriorated until it disappeared. Any attempt to have one around St Stephens Green faded away. A few have kept going such as the Terenure Christmas Market, but it only happens on one day of the year. But perhaps there’s some hope in 2021.

Dun Laoghaire Christmas Market – Christmas markets in Dublin

Update: this won’t take place in 2021.

A favourite that is returning is the Dun Laoghaire Christmas Market which has now been confirmed from November 27^th to December 23^rd. The harbour and town of Dun Laoghaire have always been a great setting, away from the city but full of its own unique hustle, bustle and atmosphere. Packed with all you could hope from a market and it’s stalls, it also has some unique features.

Santa’s arrival is always marked by a night of carol singing so a great night out for family. Not so unique of course. But the 55ft Ferris wheel that was used in the movie Grease is. The market has a full carnival on site too. Personally I enjoy the unique food offerings. It’s about the only place I know where some Hungarian Langos can be picked up in Ireland. Worth the trip out alone.  

Dun Laoghaire is easily reached by Dart from the city, meaning you can enjoy all the fine winter beverages without the worry of driving home.

Mistletown – Christmas markets in Dublin

**Tragic News. This years Mistletown Christmas Market has now also been cancelled.

Mistletown will take place under cover in an old Dublin fruit market, a perfect arrangement considering the volatile Irish weather. On offer will be 80 stalls selling seasonal merchandise, 20 selling food and drinks, and a Victorian fairground experience. It finally seems to be the Christmas market that Dublin has been crying out for. As this is a new attraction (it was planned for 2020 till covid-19 had its say) we can only speculate as to how good the stalls are going to be, but my hopes are high. It will run from December 4^th until December 23^rd 2021.

Dublin Castle Xmas markets – Christmas markets in Dublin

Returning again in 2021 is the Dublin Castle Christmas Market. Well received by all in 2019 it will take place in the grounds of the castle, and run from the 8^th December to 21^st December. Housed in traditional wooden huts the focus is on Irish arts, crafts and food that are in keeping with its majestic surroundings. Also thrown in to the offering is a crib, regular carol singing, a carousel and evening visits to the state apartments of Dublin castle. No Christmas market in Dublin can promise better surroundings than this one, and that brings it closer to what you might be used to in the great cities of Europe.

12 Pubs of Christmas – Christmas in Dublin

Update: so there’s nothing to say you can’t do this, but with only sitting allowed in pubs, where’s the craic.

Visiting a pub in Dublin at Christmas is surely top of everyone’s list. But don’t just visit a pub, why not make a night of it by doing the 12 pubs of Christmas. A tradition which started in Dublin in 1991, sees a group of friends embarking on a pub crawl. The Christmas slant, is that everyone must don their Christmas jumpers, and each pub has a separate rule which must be followed, such as no swearing pub, shots pub, wrong hand pub or don’t touch your own glass pub.

You can follow the rules from this set here, or make up your own. Of course by pub 7 or 8 everything starts to fall apart as the drink takes its toll. Pub 12 is usually only reached by the most battle hardy of drinkers.

For those looking to plan the 12 pubs of Christmas it’s a good idea to pick pubs that are close together. Long walks aren’t the best. It’s worth finding out too if bars will allow groups in that are doing the 12 pubs. They sometimes have policies to refuse them. It’s ok for bar one, but as an owner you wouldn’t want to be bar ten.   

Of course you can enjoy Dublin’s pubs without drinking 12 drinks (and to be socially responsible I suggest you should). The city is full of great pubs that will have a twinkle of Christmas in their eye. Unmissable is the bright shiny façade of the Temple Bar pub. Whatever you need Dublin’s pubs will have it, be it atmosphere, traditional Irish music, excellent food, a good pint of Guinness, or a fancy cocktail.

Ice Skating in Blanchardstown – Dublin at Christmas

Ice skating is synonyms with winter and Christmas for a lot of people. For me it’s synonymous with the time I nearly broke my leg. Anyway. For those who fall into the first group, Ireland’s largest rink Ice Skating Blanchardstown will reopen on 19th November, right on time for silly season. The rink is located next to McDonalds in the Blanchardstown Centre, so would be perfect to team up with your pressie shopping.

Sadly Dundrum on Ice (another favourite of those who aren’t challenged to stay vertical on ice), the rink at Dundrum town centre has been cancelled for 2021. It will return in time for Christmas in Dublin in 2022.

Theatre and Music at Christmas- Christmas in Dublin

Update: Theatres have been badly hit by a reduction in capacity to 50% so this is really hitting the Christmas schedule.

Dublin’s main theatre’s and musical halls also switch into seasonal mode and there’s a wide variety of shows to appease all. The biggest show of the season is the Christmas Panto, and there are none bigger than that at the Gaiety theatre. This year The Little Mermaid is up. It’s as much fun for adults as kids, as some of the jokes are cleverly spun to work on adult ears only.

At the higher brow end are a couple of performances of Holy Night on December 8th and 9th at Christchurch- carols sung by the Cathedrals choir. The very popular carols by candlelight returns to St Patrick’s Cathedral on December 12th. This years performance is by London Concertante for a concert of Christmas Viennese Waltzes. It’s a very popular event too on previous years. The National Concert Hall presents its own Christmas programme, headlined by This Way To Christmas! featuring The Snowman, where the score of the movie and other Christmas favourites will be performed by orchestra from December 21st.

Moving crib – Dublin at Christmas

For 50 years the moving crib in Dublin has been evoking the Christmas spirit. The moving crib was created by Fr Louis Coffey in 1956, and at the time it was really advanced with it’s mechanical moving figures. Even though it’s aged a bit, it’s a part of Christmas history in Dublin. It was refurbished in 2015. It’s not just a crib, there are several bible scenes that are depicted including Noah’s ark, with over 70 mechanical figures. Entry is free and it’s certainly worth dropping in to for the novelty factor.

Live crib at the mansion house – Christmas in Dublin

A nativity scene of a different kind takes pride of place in front of the Mansion House. A yearly live crib is set up here, featuring donkeys and goats. Thankfully no babies are used. It’s definitely one to take the little ones to, to learn the other story of Christmas and see the animals. Donations are welcome on site to help the Mansion House Fuel Fund.

Christmas at Farmleigh – Dublin at Christmas

Farmleigh in Dublin’s Phoenix Park puts on its own programme to celebrate Christmas. The house at Farmleigh is a fine estate, used to house dignitaries when they visit the Irish state. Running on weekends only in 2021, the festivities include storytelling, magic and puppet shows for the kids. Add horse and carriage rides, a live crib, and carol singers providing a festive atmosphere to the weekend food market, and you just might have one of the best locations in Dublin at Christmas. This years live act is the Mellow Chords, providing barber shop melodies. Farmleigh is one of the harder places to reach in Dublin, so a car is recommended to get there.

Airfield estate at Christmas – Christmas in Dublin

The Christmas Experience at Airfield in Dundrum is so popular that it’s already fully booked for 2021. Aimed specifically at little ones, it’s highlight is a visit to Santa. However, there is tons more, as a walk through the grounds follow three characters in their quest to get home for Christmas. Along the way they visit workshops to teach origami, some great photo opportunities in Santa’s workshop and sleigh.

For adults mulled wine is served to warm up, and add a little excitement to their own visit. The Airfield Estate works on a sustainable ethos so all gifts and costumes are from natural materials and mostly free from plastic. While there’s no chance to visit there year, it’s one to plan ahead for Christmas in Dublin in 2022.

Christmas Racing at Leopardstown- Dublin at Christmas

Stuck for something to do other than spending Christmas eating turkey sandwiches and watching reruns of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Then a trip to the Christmas racing meeting at Leopardstown might be just the outing you need. The four day meeting has been happening for nearly 130 years. It begins on St Stephens Day and runs until the 29th of December. The biggest race of the whole festival is the Paddy Power Chase on the 27th. The 28th is Ladies Day, so get those hats out. The final day is a more family-centric day with under 18’s going for free. The race meetings are ever popular and tickets go quick, so book at Leopardstown.com.

Funderland – Christmas in Dublin

Update: it doesn’t look good for Funderland this year.

Another event that is a long running Dublin Christmas event is Funderland. It also begins after the Christmas celebrations. After cancelling in 2020 due to restrictions, it should return to the RDS for this season. Funderland usually runs daily from 26th December until the second week of January. Touted as the largest travelling amusement park in Europe, it’s one for those with a more iron stomach than me. Let me at the 12 pubs instead any day. It features rollercoasters and a heap of other rides that will keep thrill seekers happy, and challenge Christmas leftovers to stay down.

Staying in Dublin

Dublin has a broad selection of accommodation catering for all budgets. Many of its city centre hotels are 4 or 5 stars, and the standards are high. The Dublin 2 area has the highest rates, followed by Dublin 1. For a more economical option, the hotels in the affluent Dublin 4 and 6 areas offer good quality at a lower rate, with excellent transport links to the city.

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

Looking for more things to do in Ireland and Northern Ireland? Visit my Ireland in Focus page for a great list of itineraries and tips.

Has this article helped you plan your Christmas in Dublin? Share with a friend or to your social channels.

We at CarpeDiemEire have to admit that we love Halloween. Maybe it’s the close links to Irish culture. Maybe it’s the memories from childhood, dressed up as Darth Vader, in the shadow of a bonfire. Whatever it may be, I’ve always had a likening to ghoulish tales and ghosts stories. When better to share the best of haunted Ireland than in the spirited week itself.

Halloween in Ireland

There’s hardly a better place to focus on at Halloween. After all it’s where the idea first took hold. Many Millennia ago, it began as An Samhain, the Irish word for Autumn. An Samhain celebrated the competition of the harvest and the beginning of winter, and bonfires would be lit atop the hills around the country. This tradition continues in Ireland to this present day, with bonfires still a feature.

Trick-r-Treating is also believed to have started in Middle Ages Scotland or Ireland. Many theories surround this one, but dressing up in exchange for food was always the motive. Of course the food has been replaced by candy nowadays.

Then there’s the tradition of Jack-o-lantern’s in the window. So this story goes back to a guy called Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack invited the devil for a drink and tricked the devil into turning himself into a coin to pay for the drink. A year later the devil returned and Jack convinced him to climb a tree. Jack carved a cross in the tree, and released the devil ten years later on the condition he wouldn’t claim Jack’s soul.

When Jack finally succumbed to death, god said he wouldn’t have him in heaven. With nowhere left to go Jack was left to wander Ireland. Fearful of him, people would light a candle and place it in a turnip to scare him away, thus creating the tradition. When the Irish moved to America, they continued it with the more plentiful pumpkins.

The Most Haunted Castles in Ireland

Leap Castle – Ireland’s most haunted castle

In search of the most haunted castle in Ireland? Then look no further than Leap Castle. This midlands owner occupied castle has a turbulent history and counts about 50 ghosts as it’s residents. These include the dreaded Elemental, a ghost of sunken eyes and a transparent body, and the red lady, a menacing specter carrying a dagger and screaming. But perhaps the most unusual story is it’s other permanent residents, the Ryan’s. This family call the castle home, in full knowledge of those who they share with.

It’s a story that had to be told by itself, and I suggest you to read about Leap Castle and my own visit. The bloody chapel was one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited. Paranormal investigators and ghost hunters have a long history of seeking out spirits here.

Charleville Castle

Charleville castle is a wonderful structure outside the midland town of Tullamore. However a shadow was cast over it when in 1861 an 8 year old girl called Harriet (who was the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Charleville), decided to slide down the banister of the stairs. She lost her grip and in doing so also lost her life. She can still be felt brushing past on the stairs and at night the screams, laughter and singing of a little girl can be heard echoing in the night.

Malahide Castle

As well as being the most impressive of Dublin’s castles, Malahide Castle holds another prestigious title. Dublin’s most haunted castle. While it’s 5 ghosts can’t compare to that of Leap Castle, I think it’s enough isn’t it. There’s Myles Corbett, whose hung, drawn and quartered body is known to saunter around, only to collapse at his quartered seams. A pretty sight I’m sure.

My personal favourite is Puck, the court jester who fell in love with a lady. This was before the days of Meghan and Harry, and sadly not acceptable. Puck was stabbed outside the castle, and with his dying words, promised to haunt the castle. He is often seen in photographs of visitor. Perhaps you might find him in mine from my visit this year!

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny Castle is the stronghold of the Butler family for hundreds of years. Being one of Ireland’s most powerful families, allowed them to construct this stunning structure. To this day one of the Butlers still patrols her home. The White Lady that haunts this castle is believed to be Lady Margaret Butler, who lived in the 15th century. She was also the grandmother of Anne Boleyn. I guess a string of misfortune must be present on that side of the family.

Leamaneh Castle

This creepy ruin is haunted by the ghost of Red Mary. While the castle can’t be visited as it’s on private land it’s easy to visualise that haunting is a strong possibility here. It certainly looks like Ireland’s most haunted castle. Couple that with the story of Red Mary, a woman of large personality. No man or enemy stood in her way. With a string of dead husbands in her wake, she finally met her comeuppance by being starved to death in a hollowed out tree. Take a read of her full life story here, and if you wonder why she might be still here trying to bring terror, I’m worried about you.

Kilkea Castle

Kilkea Castle now operates as a stylist castle hotel, but of course it wasn’t always as such. Once upon a time it was the stronghold of the Fitzgerald Family. Their history was mostly one without incident, with the exception of one spell in the 16th century. Around this time Gerald Fitzgerald took his place at the head of the family.

This Fitzgerald was different and was believed to have practiced magic by superstitious locals. He earned himself the title the Wizard Earl. Four centuries later the Wizard Earl is said to still come riding on horseback from the nearby Curragh, on the seventh day, of the seventh month, of the seventh year. Hoping to see that sight? Then let me entice you further with my stay there in 2020.

Castle Roche

This ruin outside the town of Dundalk in Louth hides a story of deception. With the castle in a poor state, the lady of the time Rohesia De Verdon, asked a local builder to rebuild it to its former grandeur. In exchange she would marry him. Alas Rohesia had no intention of doing so. When the work was complete, the builder stood proudly before a window high up in the castle wall.

Seizing her opportunity with a little push, she ended her promise to the builder. Death has a way of doing that. Both heartbroken and body broken, the builder haunts the area under the window with his moans. The castle is in a lovely green field, and would make a lovely campsite for those brave enough.

Dunluce Castle

This beautiful and haunting ruin is one of the main attractions on the causeway coastal route in Northern Ireland. It has a fine history, first settled by the MacQuillan family around 1500. The MacDonnell’s then followed but were forced out by the English. They retaliated and climbing the cliff face to the castle, defeated the English and hung the captain. You guessed it, he’s a-haunting here now.

But he’s not alone, before you start to be concerned for him. Maeve Roe was the daughter of Lord MacQuillan, and fell in love with a rogue. Her father wanted her to marry her cousin or someone, but she wasn’t having any of it. The rogue came one night for her and they escaped by boat. Alas their elopement ended in tears, the boat capsized and though the rogues body was found, they never found that of Maeve. She haunts the castle tower with screams and wails on dark stormy nights.

Then there’s the cooks who are said to have fallen with the kitchen into the sea. Do they return to prep a ghostly banquet? Or fill the castle with the smells of venison and wild boar?

Clifden Castle

Clifden Castle is a ruin on the Wild Atlantic Way in Galway. Only built in the 19th century, it quickly fell into ruin as the famine hit Ireland in the 1840’s. Both the landlord and his tenants were devastated. The tenants gathered in the castle lawn looking for food, but sadly there was none to give. It is said they died here in horrible conditions from starvation. They can still be seen in the area, ghostly and ghastly reminders of their true selves.

Ross Castle

No this isn’t the beautiful castle set on the shores of the Killarney Lakes. It’s a far more sinister place in County Meath on the shores of Lough Sheelin. Built by Richard Nugent in 1536, he was known as the Black Baron. Presumably due to the colour of his heart! The Black Baron himself is said to haunt the place.

However the more seen ghost here is his daughter Sabrina. Falling in love with a poor Irish lad, they decided to elope by boat. Will they ever learn? This always ends in tears. So it did this time too. Sabrina survived but her love did not.

Brokenhearted, Sabrina refused to eat and locked herself in a tower till she succumbed to death. You lucky people can still spend one night in Sabrina’s room, as the castle is now a fully functional B&B. But don’t worry, she’s only searching for her lover in the tower. She means no harm.

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Carrickfergus Castle

Still standing strong in the Ulster town of Carrickfergus, this castle has had a strong part to play in Irish history. It was built by John De Courcy a Norman lord in the 12th century. It was also the landing point of William III before the instrumental Battle of the Boyne in 1690. But our story concerns Button Cap, the resident ghost, who stands guard on the walls awaiting a battle.

In life he was a great soldier who fought valiantly against the MacDonnells of Dunluce. Earning himself a sterling reputation, it all came to an abrupt end as he fell from a boat he travelled on not far from the coast. These Irish waters are a dangerous place. I guess he didn’t have enough battles in life so he seeks them in death too.

Kinnitty Castle

What better way to see if a castle is haunted than by staying in one. I recommend a long winter night, and keeping the light off, to ensure the perfect conditions. By the time the witching hour comes around you should surely be seeing something. Apparently the Geraldine and Elizabeth rooms in Kinnitty Castle in Offaly would be perfect for this. Both are known to be haunted.

The castle was rebuilt in 1929 after being burned down by the IRA, but seems to have retained its ghosts. One in particular is a monk called Hugh, who is said to communicate with an employee. Don’t be alarmed if you see that. He’s friendly and only usually appears during a celebration. Maybe he’s the original wedding crasher.

Ballygally Castle

Another castle where you can overnight in without freezing your ass off is the Ballygally Castle hotel. Located in County Antrim, its ghost has been there for 400 years. The ghost is that of Lady Isabella Shaw. When she birthed a son in to her husband Lord Shaw, he locked her in a tower of the castle. Now that’s love for you. While trying to escape she plummeted to her death.

She’s often heard walking the castle by guests, or making a racket in a room. But the hotel are confident she is a friendly one, and advise guests not to mind the green mist that sometimes envelopes the castle.

Cabra Castle

In line with my theory that every castle seems to have its own ghost story in Ireland, here’s another castle hotel with one. The life of a servant girl was a better one than one could hope for living in their own family home back in the 18th century. For some Sarah, in this case, it’s even got the opportunity for love. But when the person you fall in love with, and get pregnant by is the son of the owner, you can guarantee it’s not going to be a story of pumpkins and lost slippers in real life.

Getting wind of what happened. the family took Sarah out into the woods and hung her. So sets the scene for our haunting, and now the cries of a baby can be heard in the woods and near the hanging tree, which still stands. Guests have also reported a man dressed in full military uniform, in what was once voted the second scariest hotel in the world on tripadvisor.

Castle Leslie

There’s one more addition to the haunted castles in Ireland list that has become a hotel. Castle Leslie’s most famous room is the redrum, sorry Red Room. Believed to be a bridge between life and death, children of the Leslie family were born here, and those about to die appeared here. Consider the classic case of Norman Leslie, who appeared before Marjorie Leslie. He was reading some letters, before turning to smile at her and vanish. A day later he died on the battlefields of France in World War I. His ghost is said to still linger in the room.

Haunted houses and places in Ireland

Ducketts Grove

This mansion outside of Carlow is the very definition of a haunted house. With its towers and turrets and vast emptiness it’s perfect for a haunting. So where better place to find a banshee, the most ghastly of all Irish ghosts. The story has it that William Duckett who built the Ducketts Grove mansion in 1830, had an illicit affair with a young girl. When she suffered a horse riding accident, her mother put a piseog on the family, an ancient curse. This brought ruin to them financially and it’s how the estate eventually fell into disrepair.

There are many stories here of the dreaded wails of the banshee being heard right before the death of loved ones of the castles employees. The ghosts of the Ducketts have also been seen, as well as servants in the kitchen. Ducketts Grove really has the ghosts to back up it’s appearance. Ducketts Grove is the most haunted house in ireland, and an essential stop on a road trip to Kilkenny.

Loftus House

The story of Loftus House in Wexford is one of the more famed Irish ghost stories. Charles Tottenham invites a stranger into his house on a dark stormy night. His daughter Anne Tottenham became besotted with him. However one day as the played cards, Anne dropped one of hers. To her horror as she attempted to pick it up, she discovered the stranger had a cloven hoof. Yes you guessed it, it was old Nick himself. The devil flew straight through the roof of the house upon his discovery.

Charles was dismayed, not least because his insurance didn’t cover act of devil, but also because his daughter Anne suffered an incurable shock. She descended into madness. Left with no choice but to lock her up, she soon after died. Anne walks the floors even since that day in 1775, in anguish. Loftus House is nowadays one of the best haunted house tours in the country. The house is currently on the market, the pros are it’s own private beach, the cons being its own private ghost.

Wicklow Gaol

Billed as one of the most haunted Irish buildings, it’s no surprise as gaol’s aren’t exactly the most pleasant of places. A whole host of stories are attached to the place, and many visions have happened. These include a woman clad in a full length black velvet cloak found walking on the ground floor, a man walking from cell 19 to the end of the walkway, strange goings on in cell 13, and a whole host of other sightings. Add to that a lingering smell of apples, and a green mist that appears from nowhere, and it all adds up to a well haunted building.

Kilmainham Gaol

This is one of the best Dublin tourist attractions. Many wronged people ended up here, for petty crimes such as stealing some bread. Is it any wonder it would have a few spooks? The Gaol seems to be more the scene of a classic haunting than a particular ghost. Since it’s renovations workers profess of strange happenings like lights turning on and off, footsteps in the dark, and being knocked over by a force. Personally I would expect nothing less from a ghost.

Hellfire Club

This ominous building in the Dublin mountains, is a popular hiking area for Dubs. But it’s past is shrouded in mystery. The hunting lodge as it was originally, was built atop a cairn, an ancient burial mound. That’s a serious red flag in any horror movie. The building was sold in 1735 to a group known as the Hellfire Club.

They were outsiders from decent society, engaging in alcohol and sex in their wild parties. Sounds a bit like university to me. Less like uni was their practice of black magic and the dark arts, and their attempts to summon the devil.

Stories still spread like wildfire about them. Did they set fire to a servant girl and roll her down Montpellier Hill at the Hellfire Club? Did they after many attempts finally succeed in summoning the devil himself at this very place. Subsequently did the devil blow the roof off, as historical texts seems to corroborate?

As one of the best places to watch the sunset in Dublin, its an ideal place to test if its still haunted by hanging around as day turns to night. Though you are more likely to be another victim of the Hellfire Club while walking back down the mountain side.

The Crossroads Suicide Plot

Though it looks innocuous in this modern day with an advertising hoarding and a couple of passive benches, the crossroads at Clonliffe Road and Ballybough Road in Dublin, covers up a dark and shady past. During the 18th and 19th century it served as a suicide plot, where those that had taken their own life were laid to rest. They were not permitted to be buried on consecrated ground.

As was the practice at the time, a stake was used to transfix the bodies, to stop their unhappy souls from wandering about. Any thoughts on who this may have inspired? A certain Bram Stoker lived in nearby Clontarf.

This area was known as Mud Island at the time and had a tough reputation. Highwaymen were common, and there was much crime. One such highwayman was Larry Clinch, who met his end in 1806 after a shootout. It came at the end of a rope. His body was then left at the suicide plot for all to see. Thereafter many tales were told of a mysterious horseman riding at night down the street, believed to be the spiteful ghost of Larry.

The Brazen Head

This bar in Dublin claims to be Ireland’s oldest. A less claimed story is its ghost one. A lad by the name of bold Robert Emmet used to call this his watering hole. That is, till he was executed. Coincidently his executioner also frequented the Brazen Head. Robert Emmet can be seen lurking in the shadows, trying to find the one who wronged him. Would you stop by here for a pint of the black stuff when you travel to Dublin?

13 Henrietta Street

When I think of about a haunted tenement building in my mind, this creepy AF building is exactly what’s in there. Now derelict, this former slum was the scene of an exorcism a century ago. The woman clearly didn’t get over it too well, as her ghost can often be seen in the windows looking out. Is it any wonder it’s derelict when the owners came home to that? I know I’d be packing. I thought I saw her myself but it turned out to be a mannequin. The next time you pass I dare you to look up at the windows.

Rathmichael Cemetery Dublin

This is one that doesn’t often make haunted lists. In fact it barely makes the maps. Located a few minutes from the Dublin Mountain Way, this old cemetery dates back as far as the vikings. At its centre are the ruins of an old church and round tower. Scattered headstones tell of centuries of local residents.

However from the moment I crossed the stile a prevailing sense of dread filled me. Nature has overgrown the place, and a sense of abandonment is felt of the souls within. In the distance an animal filled the air with a scream. Was it a chicken? What’s wrong with that chicken? Was it a banshee?

I had come here not to see the graveyard, nor the church but by the promise of a skull hole. What exactly was a skull hole? My instinct pointed to the bottom part of the round tower. That or the account I had read online. As time progressed over the years, under soil movements caused the bones of some of the deceased to rise above the ground.

Rather than disturb the relations and visitors, they threw the bones in the first place they could think of to hide them. The base of the round tower. Unable to resist my curiosity, I scaled the side and looked in. Alas the bones were no more. But don’t let that take away from this haunted place. Of all on this list, it’s the one that left me with the most unease.

Charles Fort

This British fort was built to defend against attack from sea, and brought hardship to the people of Kinsale in Cork. But it was not without its own hardship within. At some point during its occupation in the 1870’s, the daughter of the Fort Commander was due to marry one of the officers. However her father shot her loved one in error, and his daughter leaped into the sea in despair. The lonely fort has since being haunted by a White Lady, the ghost of the commander’s daughter, all clad out in her wedding dress. Charles Fort is a must visit in the town of Kinsale.

Halloween is more than haunted castles and houses

I hope I’ve gotten you into the Halloween mood. If so you can continue it into the week. Love horror movies as much as I do? Then maybe I can inspire you with my list of 66 horror movies that will give you a good scare over on IMDB. I suggest after all these ghost stories you start with The Woman in Black.

If horror movies aren’t your thing, then I have just the tonic in some Halloween anthems. Take a listen to my playlist of the best spooky and fun music for this time of year,

If you want to learn more about Ireland, then you’ve come to the right place. The Ireland travel section of this blog is an excellent resource on castles, hiking, road trips, and innumerate travel tips about Ireland. Follow the link here.

Longford surprised me. Having grown up here, taking a trip to a place of interest usually involved a spin down the road to another county, particularly one bordering an ocean or sea. Tourists in Longford usually consisted of a few anglers trying their luck on the counties rivers.

Longford has come a long way as a tourist county over the last few years. Previously it was a string of market towns servicing the local population. No more! With the advent of the Failte Ireland initiative, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, (focusing on the then unfashionable counties that border the River Shannon), and the opening of Center Parcs Longford Forest, the county has seen a significant growth in tourist facilities.

Now the county numbers several attractions charting its history, one of the best greenways in the country, and an unrivalled family resort. It also has one of Ireland’s greatest Iron Age mysteries in the trackway at Corlea Bog.

Longford is best seen on wheels, either on two or four. North Longford by car and South Longford by bike. With a solid recommendation on how to see the county coming from the team from Longford Tourism, we spent 3 full days in the county, first viewing the history and natural walks of the north county, then exploring its many towns, before taking to the Royal Canal greenway. We left more than impressed with the many things to do in Longford.

We travelled to Longford at the invitation of Longford Tourism, for a three day FAM trip. While much of what we visited was sponsored, all views expressed are my own. I would like to thank Tara, Dympna and Denise for their kind assistance in organising the trip, and also all the business owners for their warm welcome, time, energy and hard work. For a full guide to the county visit the site www.Longford.ie

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

EZxploring maps- an interesting way to see the best things in Longford

Seeing Longford is made all the more easier by picking up the free EZxploring maps from local libraries or heritage centres. The maps contain a plethora of info on each towns architecture and history. They are also really interactive so kids will love them too and learn of heritage along the way. Not just kids might I add. At present there are EZxploring maps of Longford, Ballymahon, Edgeworthstown, Granard, Lanesborough, Ardagh and of the Royal Canal Greenway.

Things to do in Longford – Day One – North Longford Road Trip

As you hit Longford, and assuming you are coming from a Dublin direction the first town you’ll meet (or bypass if you follow the road- DON’T do that) is Edgeworthstown. Home to a museum dedicated to its most famous citizens, there’s actually quite a lot to this rare spoken of town. From there, our road trip moves north to Granard. The Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre is the most fun you’ll have in the county, and that includes the pubs. Learn all about its Norman history and get introduced to Longford’s part in the failed 1798 rebellion.

After appreciating nature on some of North Longford’s walks, we learn more of the rebellion in the town of Ballinamuck, the site of a major battle in 1798, before travelling back towards Longford town. GPS is a must for some of these locations as they can otherwise be hard to find. Even for a local.

Edgworthstown

Edgeworthstown is about 90 minutes from Dublin, on the N4 heading west. The town’s history is centred around the Edgeworth family, the extremely fair landlords who resided in a nearby manor house. The town grew with their help and their impact can be seen right across the town. There is street parking throughout the town for €1 per hour, and it’s important to display your ticket on the dash.

Maria Edgeworth Centre

Located in the old school on Ballymahon Road, is a museum dedicated to Maria Edgeworth. Maria Edgeworth for those who don’t know, was a leading Irish literary writer in the early 19th century. Her most noted works are Castle Rackrent, Ennui , The Absentee, and Ormond. Her works sadly haven’t received the same modern attention as some of her peers, but during her life she was revered as one of the finest minds around and was a regular confident of some of Britain’s and Ireland’s top economists and novelists.

As well as being a writer, she was a strong educational campaigner, striving to upgrade the rote learning system, and seeking education for all in Ireland irrespective of religion or class.

Her extended family too were most certainly of note. The museum weaves a story that includes the relation who administered last rites to Louis XVI, her father Richard who was a politician, writer and inventor, and her various connections with high class society at the time.

It certainly taught me quite a few things about my local history. An audio guide is offered to take you through the full story of this very intriguing family, with a wall full of portraits introducing us to the various players. Entry to the Maria Edgeworth Centre is €5.

You can pick up the EZxploring maps and an audio guide of Edgeworthstown from the centre before venturing out to explore the town.

Granard

Granard has been the location of a settlement since the year 236 AD, and has a significant history going back through the centuries. Irish tribes used it for its dominant position atop a hill. They weren’t very welcoming of St Patrick when he came calling. Queen Maebh is said to have stopped here with her army in the Tain. When the Normans came, Richard de Tuite built a motte atop a hill here in the 13th century, which at 166 metres above sea level, is the highest in the country.

Granard is about 11 kilometres from Edgeworthstown on the N55. Parking is at the Knights and Conquests heritage centre, which is our excellent first stop before we explore the town.

Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre- Where history and fun collide

Knights and Conquests is a relatively new attraction in the county, and charts the Norman history of Granard and their successful invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. The visitor centre lies below the Motte on Granard’s outskirts. While anticipating the visitor centre to be educational (the town has quite the history, from the Norman’s, the 1798 rebellion, and the links to Michael Collins), we really weren’t expecting just how fun it was going to be. Undoubtedly the most fun thing to in Longford.

Run by Bartle and Deirdre, two of the most enthusiastic tour guides we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, Knights and Conquests is a hoot. It’s interactive throughout, from donning shields, swords, chain mail and helmets as a Norman, to swinging swords and being used as target practice for Bartle’s crossbow skills. It totally puts you in the mind of the Norman warrior of the day and made all the better by the hosts great sense of humour.

It’s informative of course too, with a video and plenty of exhibitions on the Norman invasion, way of life, and all that followed in the centuries after. A room is dedicated to Kitty Kiernan one of Granard’s famous citizens. She was the beau of Michael Collins, and their story is one of Ireland’s most tragic love stories. The interpretative centre has some uniforms of the style used by Collins during the Irish Civil War, so of course we had to try those on too.

Lastly I was dressed in pantaloons and the attire of a rebel from the 1798 rebellion, who fought in Granard and were cruelly executed at the nearby Motte.  So perhaps I looked a little ridiculous but I’m always up for that. We love interactive exhibits like this. They are some of our favourite tours and Knights and Conquests easily joins the list of the best we’ve been to. 

They have some amazing plans to expand and build a Norman village on the site, with a working mill and much more. I’ll be watching that development closely and returning.

Better yet all this fun only costs €6 for an adult, and €4 for kids. That’s about 10 cents a laugh by my calculation. Great value. they also open 7 days a week for tours. Visit the Knights and Conquests website here.

Derrycassin Woods walking trails

The first of the walks of North Longford, this woodland area has a number of trails. At one time this was the location of Derrycassan House and the estate of the Dopping-Hepenstal family. The manor house has since disappeared but there are still traces of the walled gardens. Throughout there are a number of trails, none more than about 3km long. They can be linked to appreciate the old estate and the views of the nearby Lough Gowna. In spring the woods are alive with colours of bluebells and rhododendrons.

The woods are located between Granard and Aughnacliffe near Dring. Speaking of Dring, there is a stunning fishing pier here overlooking Lough Gowna. It’s the perfect place for a picnic, though there is no protection near the waters edge if kids are in tow.

Aughnacliffe

Aughnacliffe is a small village on our route, but it’s not without its charms. On approach from Dring keep an eye out for the sign for Pulliness waterfall. There’s a short walk down to the waterfall and though small, it’s pleasant.

A few hundred metres further along the road a small sign will point you to the 5000 year old Aughnacliffe Portal Dolmen. In the case of both this and the waterfall there is no parking, so park roadside, taking care not to block entrances to houses. The dolmen is a little harder to get too, as it’s through two fields.

Proceed through the first field to find a gateway in the far right corner and within the next field you will find the portal Dolmen. They may or may not have livestock, so don’t bring a dog as this can unsettle them. Take care around animals especially cattle. That’s no bull. The Dolmen is right in the middle of a field, and is fully intact, with two capstones. One is almost three metres in length, making it the third biggest in Ireland.

Just off the heart of the village it the beautiful lakeside Leebeen park, complete with children’s playground, and an imaginative fairy garden. A walkway follows the small lake nearby too making this a lovely stop, especially with kids.

Ballinamuck

Ballinamuck is located 11 km from Aughnacliffe and was the scene of the Battle of Ballinamuck on 8th September 1798. An Irish backed French force under General Humbert had been victorious in the battle of Castlebar, in County Mayo. As they moved across the country they were pursued by two huge British armies under Lord Cornwallis and General Lake. Finally they made a stand in Ballinamuck. The battle lasted less than an hour, and was a disaster for the rebels. While the British suffered 12 losses, some 500 Irish and French lay dead. The remaining French surrendered, but the Irish rebels were given no quarter. The remaining were followed to the bog and bayoneted.

There is a memorial and a visitor centre dedicated to the fateful events of that day, within the village. The visitor centre recounts the details of that day. A statue of a pikeman (a pike was the only weapon the Irish had), shows how ill-equipped the Irish were against the heavily armed British.

Entry to the visitor centre a the moment is only by self guided tour. The key is available from Dillon’s Pub across the road.

Edenmore Bog walk

Just outside of the village is the Edenmore bog walk. Ireland has over 50 % of the raised bogland in Europe, and while it traditionally was harvested as a fuel for homes, there has been a growing movement away from fossil fuels, and bogs are being conserved. This is excellent news for the visitor as bogs are full on unique flora and fauna that only grow and live in these unusual conditions.

The Edenmore bog is no exception. A 4.5 km circular walk follows a solid trail underfoot and loops back to the small car park. It’s all signposted within so no fear of being lost in the bog. Wildlife is in abundance with a possibility of seeing Pine Martens at dawn and dusk, and birds such as Stonechats, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, and Willow warblers. Butterflies and Dragonflies prance around the area. There are fascinating plants too, such as Sundew and Bladderwort that feed on insects.

It’s great to see an alternative use to Ireland’s boglands and them used as a local and tourist amenity. The have a close tie to our history and some of our most intact discoveries have been made in boglands. Very recently a full suit of Norman chainmail was found near Granard. The bog bodies found in Ireland is perhaps the most ghoulish and fascinating display in Dublin’s National History Museum. One wonders what else lies undiscovered under all that peat.

What other things are there to do in North Longford

The final leg of our best of North Longford driving tour took us through the village of Ennybegs. Notable is the small white parish church, but it’s the James Farrell Titanic memorial garden opposite that brought us here. James Farrell grew up here, before seeking a new life on the ill fated ships voyage.

Farrell is remembered for his heroics aboard the ship, where he pleaded for the lives of some female companions when they were blocked from reaching the lifeboats. After been left through he accompanied them to the boats where he watched them escape to safety. His body was found 8 days later. It’s an heroic story worth reading at the memorial. It was also told in the 1958 movie, A Night to Remember.

Our resting spot for the night would be the town of Drumlish, and the shepherds huts at Bramblewick House. More on this wonderful glamping site later. But first we spun by Drumlish Mill, a corn mill built in 1854, and a beautiful feature of the town. Sadly it can’t be visited, but it can most certainly be admired.

Corn Hill Walking Trail

Visiting in summer, there was the prospect of a late sunset, so we aimed for one more walk, and the hope of watching the sun set over the Irish midlands from Longford’s highest point. As is often the case in Ireland, clouds had a different idea. But that doesn’t take away from the walk.

Corn Hill at 278 metres is the third smallest high point of Ireland’s counties. But with no other hills of note in the county it does have prominence. A recent addition is the 3 km loop trail from a newly installed car park. The walk does have steep parts and most of it is over dirt track, but it is certainly classified as easy. The best views are north in the initial ascent, but the furthest point, facing west, is where we had hoped to catch the sunset. A number of picnic benches are installed here to take in the phenomenon.

At the top of corn hill are two cairns, from which it gets its name. Dating back around 5000 years, one has sustained damage. They are heavily linked to Irish mythology, including the story of the Tain, and an ancient witch known as Cailleach a Bheara.

Longford Town, Ardagh & Lough Ree- Day Two in Longford

Things to do in Longford Town

Longford town is the county town of Longford, and at first glance seems little more. But a deeper look brings it’s historical past to the fore. At its heart is St Mel’s Cathedral, easily the most standout building in the town, and one of Ireland’s finest cathedrals. A walk through the town will also highlight its military and industrial past.

Longford’s history is closely linked to the O’Farrell clan who were the rulers of Annaly, the old name for the area. They ruled the area from the 11th through the 17th century, at which point in 1621, Francis Aungier (who had been the commissioner of the plantations of Munster) was made 1st Baron of Longford.

Thus began the history of Longford Town. To protect the new lands, a castle was built in the town in 1627 in the area which is now Connolly Barracks, on the site of an old O’Farrell fort. The castle was eventually converted to a manor house, and the title of Lord Longford passed to the Pakenham family. Their descendants still live to this day in Tullynally castle in Westmeath.

Sadly the castle was demolished in 1972 after falling into ruin. As the town grew so did its military significance. The barracks was established in the 1700’s by the ruling British empire, one of many throughout the country. Longford continued its development as a market and industrial town throughout the 18th to 20th centuries. Much of the towns main buildings were built in the 19th century such as the market square, court house, and banks.

What to do in Longford- take the Longford Town audio tour

To fully appreciate the town equip yourself with an EZxploring map and the new Longford Town Audio Tour, which is available from the town library or tourism office. Priced at €5 it’s an invaluable companion as you follow the towns streets and the Camlin river. It takes in everything you could hope to see in Longford and much more that even I was oblivious to. The library is located in Longford Town Centre and the tourism office in the market square. Both contain ample paid parking.

St Mel’s Cathedral

St Mel’s Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral for the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise. It was constructed between 1840 and 1856, though this was disrupted by the Great Famine. Neo-Classical in style it is defined by its large limestone columns and high belfry. It stands tall above all other buildings in town, and is a must visit. The modern interior contains a pair of Harry Clarke stained glass windows, an Italian organ by Fratelli Ruffatti, and stained glass windows designed by Kim en Joong, a Dominican priest.

St Mel’s Cathedral is Longford’s own Notre Dame story. Gutted by fire in 2009, it received an overwhelming show of public support and funding. Following a restoration costing €30 million it reopened in 2014. Thankfully the Harry Clarke windows in the transepts survived, but relics such as the St Mel’s Crozier that were in the museum below were lost. The new cathedral is a must visit owing to its attractive interior and as a testament to the will of the people to restore a building of much local pride.

Ardagh Village

Ardagh is the jewel in Longford’s crown. The village is a joy to walk through, past Tudor-Gothic cottages and old churches, with only the occasional car and the song of birds to break the silence. It’s located 10 km from Longford (again use that GPS).

Ardagh has the most significant history of all of Longford too. In pre-Christian times the nearby Ardagh Mountain was revered on a par with locations such as the Hill of Tara, Bru na Boinne, or Rath Cruachan in Roscommon. The ancient tale of Etain and Midir was associated with Bri Leith, the ancient name of the mountain. With the coming of St Patrick, he deemed it important enough to establish a church, and his disciple St Mel, founded one in the location of the present day Ardagh village. A church would always be on this site and to this day an 11th century ruin still stands.

The village as we see it today is as a result of the Fetherston family who settled here in 1745 and built the huge and impressive Ardagh House. It can sadly only be admired from afar. Though it was them who commissioned the development of the estate village, which is said to have been based on a Swiss model. I’m not surprised, though it does bear a resemblance to some of the UK’s finest. At the heart of the village is a triangle with an ornate clock tower, and protestant church flanking on two sides. Ardagh is also heavily linked to Oliver Goldsmith, one of the regions greatest writers.

Just don’t take my word for it on how beautiful Ardagh is. It has won Ireland’s tidiest village on three occasions and numerous European awards. Few locations in Ireland possess as much charm.

Lanesborough and Lough Ree

Lanesborough is Longford’s main town on the River Shannon, Ireland’s longest river which flows for 360 kilometres. Lanesborough is a 19th century town, though it has been an important crossing point of the River Shannon for centuries. The first bridge was built here 300 years ago, and was the first crossing of the river north of Athlone. Nowadays it is a 6 arch structure, and the rivers banks have some of Longford’s finest scenery.

Lough Ree Access For All boat trip

We travelled to lanesborough to take a boat trip on the Shannon with Lough Ree access for all. This company is one of a kind in Ireland and the UK. Their specially commissioned boat was designed and built to accommodate wheelchairs. Run as a registered charity it’s fantastic that they give the disabled the chance to do something which was never before possible. The trip is a relaxing cruise up the river, taking in Lanesborough harbour and the green forested banks, in the company of the very hospitable driver and tour guide. Though the weather wasn’t great for our trip, the boat is fully covered and is adept for all conditions.

Only opened in 2020, Access for All was the brainchild of Alan Broderick and Ciaran Mullooly. It took 5 years to fundraise the €200,000 needed to build the boat. They have received an amazing response on the national level and their good work is widely recognised.

In addition to the one and a half hour boat trips, they also offer three hour fishing trips on the river. Fish commonly caught here include Perch, Roach and especially Pike who can be up 9 kg in size. You can book your trip with Lough Ree Access For All here.

After spending the day soaking up all that lakeside air, stay the night in Longford town, and the luxurious Viewmount House. Take in a show at the Backstage Theatre if you can.

Royal Canal Greenway- Day 3 of the best things to do in Longford

Longford’s newest attraction will also possibly become its biggest. It’s one that has been there a long time but finally getting the focus it needs. The Royal Canal was a project started in 1790, but took 27 years to complete, costing a huge £1.4 million. The heyday of canals was slowly coming to an end at this time with rail on the horizon. By 1880 the canal was no longer used and fell into disrepair for over a century. In the modern era it is the towpaths that are getting all the attention.

In 2021 the culmination of planning came to fruition and Ireland’s newest greenway the Royal Canal Greenway was opened. At 130 km it is Ireland’s longest, and the route spans from Cloondara in Longford to Maynooth in Kildare. An excellent facility for lovers of outdoors, it’s path is along a non vehicular traffic route, and suits both cyclists and walkers. Plenty of local wildlife can be seen by the canal side too.

The Longford stretch of the Greenway passes picnic sites, coffee huts, ruins, locks, and some really interesting towns and villages. A branch of the canal can be used to cycle to Longford town too. Unmissable are Keenagh, Ballymahon and Abbeyshrule.

Along the route you’ll come across bronze shoes. These are from the National Famine Way trail which commemorates the 1490 people that walked this way in 1847, starving and in seek of a new life. Half perished on the journey and these bronze shoes are a poignant tribute to them and their hardships.

Midlands Cycle Hub Bike Hire – Cloondara

Our introduction to the Royal Canal Greenway was in the small village of Cloondara, via the Midlands Cycle Hub. Run by Robert Crilly, he only set up the business in early 2021, but it is already a roaring success. The hub have a variety of bikes from hybrid bikes, and mountain bikes to children’s bikes. Bikes can be delivered to and dropped off at a number of locations including Longford, Ballymahon and Abbeyshrule, which is ideal for only cycling one way on the greenway. In addition, cycling tours can be arranged to suit different experience levels. Contact Midlands Cycle Hub to book yours.

Cloondara was the perfect place to begin. As the starting point of the Greenway, it’s where the canal meets an entry point to the River Shannon, and there is a beautiful harbour. Old mills nearby, have been preserved and converted into apartments, keeping the charms of the village. The bikes we got were excellent, putting to shame those that we have at home. We were pleasantly surprised how nice the greenway was to cycle on, at all times safe, peaceful and with green scenery around every gentle turn.

Before booking we had also arranged to get a picnic basket from the Richmond Inn. This is put together by the really pleasant Niamh, and they have a number of options to suit your budget. It’s fully recommended too as there are lots of beautiful picnic spots strewn along the route of the canal. Alternatively stop in at one of the coffee trailers or cafes at the various locks.

Keenagh

It’s 14 kilometres from Cloondara, to the first notable stop off the Greenway, Keenagh. The small village has Longford’s most important historical discovery, the Corlea Trackway. Besides that there are a number of ruins and structures all related to Mosstown House, an estate house of the Kingston family of the area. Those hungry after the cycle can check our Macs Shack in the centre.

The clock tower in Keenagh is an intriguing structure, built in honour of Laurence King-Harman, a local landlord who was considered fair and just. It dates from 1878.

Spare a few pedals for Mosstown Dovecote. It’s not easy to find this pigeon house, on a laneway not far from Mosstown Harbour on the canal, but it was once associated with Mosstown House which stood here. The three storey structure dates from 1750. Interesting that the pigeon house has outlasted the human house!

Corlea Trackway – the best thing to do in Longford for those with an interest in old Irish history

Keenagh’s and Longford’s finest archaeological site, was found in bogland a few kilometres outside the village. Dated at 147 BC it is the largest trackway of its kind to be found in Europe. Discovered in 1984, the Corlea Trackway is an Iron Age bog road that would have stretched for 1 kilometre over the surface of the bog allowing people and animals to cross. It was built using over 300 oak trees, that were expertly carved to link together and form a passable road. The huge effort in doing this suggests a massive public works scheme of its time, and gives evidence that it must have been carried out by someone of great importance.

However it can only be speculated as to the who, the why, or even the where to. The exact details of the trackway remain a mystery. Was it connecting some of Ireland’s great sites in the Hill of Tara, Hill of Uisneach and Rathcroghan? Was there something even greater, undiscovered at its end point? Was it built by Doc Brown so that his Delorean could build up enough speed to return after a disastrous attempt to time travel to the 60’s? No one will ever quite know. The closest clue comes in Irish mythology and the story the Wooing of Etain, where a king sets Midir a task of building a road in a bog where none other was.

All hope of some other clue in history was lost when the road succumbed to the bog and sank below the surface probably a decade after it was built. It lay there for two millennia waiting to be discovered.

The Corlea Trackway has an interesting visitor centre, complete with a video experience in an auditorium and lots of info on the country at that time and the building of the trackway. Then we get to see it in all its glory. A whole room is dedicated to the 18 metres stretch of trackway, preserving it in the exact location where it was found. It really gets the mind working as you gaze upon it.

Entry to the Corlea Trackway visitor centre is free.

There’s one more experience to be had here, in the walking trails surrounding. With trails stretching from 3 km to 7 km, there’s a lot of bog to see. Better still the trails are in great condition, so they can be cycled too. It’s an incredibly scenic bogs, with areas of wetlands, and some rather intriguing petrified trees. Wildlife was in abundance too and we spotted common lizards, as well as a huge population of butterflies and dragonflies. The inner macro photographer on me was immensely satisfied.

Ballymahon

A further 9 kilometers along the Greenway is the lively town of Ballymahon. The town has experienced good fortunes of late with the opening of the nearby Centre Parcs, and with it new restaurants and cafes have sprung up. Making it a good stop for the weary cyclist. On the approach from the Greenway there is some noteworthy street art by local artist Phil Atkinson. Ballymahon has some of Ireland’s widest streets which lends to the safety of cycling there.

Ballymahon is famed as the birth home of writer and one of Longford’s favourite sons, Oliver Goldsmith who was born in 1728 in the nearby Pallas (the house no longer exists but a monument to Goldsmith does). It’s found down some narrow country lanes though, so far from safe for cycling. Easier to find is the tribute to him on the banks of the River Inny, including a quote from the Deserted Village, one of his most popular works.

The River Inny is a popular place and hosts Inny kayaking, which we hope to return to do when they reopen after Covid. Also just outside the town is Newcastle Wood, a forest with long trails. Again, this was one walk to far for us on this trip, as was a visit to the forests popular attraction Center Parcs. Another three days in Longford please.

Abbeyshrule

Abbeyshrule is again 9 km from Ballymahon and is another of Longford’s charming village and a former recipient of Ireland’s tidiest village. Flanked on one side by the canal and on the other by River Inny, the village is defined by the bridges around it, and the impressive Whitworth Aqueduct which carries the canal over the Inny, via a five arch bridge. There are lovely walks from the village too, along the banks of the Inny.

However there is more to Abbeyshrule. The ruins of a 13th century Cistercian monastery are found on the village edge and worthy of exploring. For those with an adventurous edge, you can take to the sky at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, where two flying clubs are based. Amateurs and professionals are welcome.

If you are a little more grounded, then perhaps Fiona Egan’s Cookery School is more to your taste. Using fresh home grown ingredients from the family farm, the cookery school approaches delicious cooking from a fun perspective and welcomes both adults and kids. Unfortunately we didn’t get to better our culinary skills due to Covid limitations.

Abbeyshrule is the last drop off location for bikes from the Midland Cycle Hub, and for those looking to spend the night, the food at the Rustic Inn and welcome at the Abbeyview House B&B are excellent.

Note there is no public transport links from Abbeyshrule, but there is a bus route (number 466, running twice daily) from Ballymahon to Longford.

Center Parcs Longford Forest

I’ve left the biggest perhaps the biggest draw for families the country over to Longford till last. The exclusive resort situated in over 400 acres of woodland can accommodate up to 2500 people 466 self-catering lodges and 30 apartments. The park boasts Ireland’s largest indoor waterpark, and hundreds of outdoor and indoor activities. There are a host of restaurants and cafes too. For those of a more mature mindset, the Aqua Sana Spa offers a range of treatments. Exactly where I would like to find myself after a day on the ziplines and waterpark. 3, 4 or 7 night says ca be booked direct with Center Parcs Longford Forest.

Transport to Longford

Longford is well serviced by both road and public transport links. By road, the N4 and M4 connect it to Dublin and Sligo, the N5 to Knock and Westport, with the N55 and A3 connecting to Belfast. Galway, and the west of Ireland is linked via the M6 and N55 which connects to Ballymahon.

The Dublin- Sligo train from Dublin Connolly station takes around 1 hour and 50 minutes, while bus routes 22 and 23 travel via Longford on their way to Sligo and Ballina respectively.

Ideally to see Longford’s attractions which are scattered throughout the county, a car is our recommended mode of travel.

Where to Stay in County Longford

Viewmount House – The finest hotel in Longford

Built in 1620 this Manor House played an important role in the history of Longford. The Baron of Longford, Lord Francis Xavier made it his home after being awarded his title. The house in its present day Georgian style was redesigned by Thomas Pakenham in the mid 1700s. A man with a good eye. After a few centuries as a school, and as a private home of a gardener and farm, the boutique hotel as we see it now emerged.

Trading for the last 30 years the hotel is the finest in the county. Each unique room is full of antiques and original pieces of art, all collected by the owners over the years. The many sitting rooms and library are akin to a museum. To walk through the hotel doors is as if to walk 100 years back in time. Modern conveniences are provided of course but subtlety.

We stayed in room 26, and were gobsmacked. The rooms take their names from the old families of Longford. The suites are dedicated to the Pakenhams, with ours called the Cuffe Suite. Spread across 2 floors, our suite was amazing. The upper was the bedroom while the lower was a huge spacious sitting room.

We marvelled at the intricate detail of the Victorian changing screen that filled one corner of the bedroom. It’s one of the many ornaments and works of art that decorated the room. But above all the room is comfortable, from the large king size bed to the couches below it. The bathroom features a jacuzzi bath to relax in, and I duly obliged to sink into that.

The gardens surrounding the house transport you into another time too, one where the houses 19th century residents used as a place of relaxation and solace. Statues and sculptures are dotted throughout including a magnificent pair of lions that guard its castellated gate. A rich variety of plants and shrubs fill the flower beds. A personal favourite was the water lilies in the pond.

Viewmount houses appeal extended beyond its furnishings. Breakfast is served in the Georgian dining room. The fantastic menu includes the expectant full Irish, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, and for those looking for something with a pinch of Longford tradition in it, the boxty benedict. Smoked bacon, poached eggs and tomato are served with boxty, a potato pancake that is indigenous to the Irish midlands.

Where Viewmount House really comes into its own is for dinner. Renowned as the best restaurant in Longford, it has also won awards as the best in the province of Leinster. No mean feat considering that includes Dublin. The lunch menu includes sea bass, lamb shoulder and the 48 hour roasted featherblade of beef, which is to die for. Dishes such as monkfish, quail, grilled scallop and pork belly are found on the dinner menu.

It’s worth coming to Longford merely for the experience of dining and staying at Viewmount House. A true hidden gem. Book your stay direct at Viewmount House.

Bramblewick House

Our first night in Longford was spent glamping in the grounds of Bramblewick House. If you are looking for an alternative place to stay in Longford, look no further.  The glamping experience comes in the form of Shepherds Huts, that have a level of comfort that even the most hotel loyal traveller (that’s us) will enjoy. 

Bramblewick House is run by Amy, and as well as the two glamping huts, she runs a handmade craft business from home selling soap, candles, crotchet, wooden boxes and notebooks. It all adds to the authentic atmosphere and Amy is a delight, welcoming us into her home to see her crafts. At the moment they are adding a craft workshop to allow her to expand the business.  

Originally from the UK, she moved to the area 5 years ago and started to pursue her dream. Speaking of the area, the house is found up a narrow lane near the town of Drumlish. It’s quite the peaceful setting. 

The two huts have different themes, with ours called the chicken hut. Chickens are a constant theme throughout, and the place is full of little touches all making it warm and cosy. From the outside they seem small, but is instead Tardis like. A double bed, kitchen, and full bathroom all fit together in a perfect layout inside. Hot water and cooking is provided by gas. 

There’s more! Each hut has its owned seated area, and the gardens have a BBQ area to enjoy a few beers around. The gardens are worthy of exploring and contain some whimsical statues. Though it’s best not to stray to the bees at the end. 

You’ll have to bring your own food as with all glamping, but there’s a large supermarket in the nearby Drumlish. Alternatively, Longford is only ten minutes drive away so you can always grab an Indian from Spice India like we did. Then relax the night away in perfect rural surroundings. Book your stay at Bramblewick House here. 

AbbeyView House

The last stop of the Longford section of the Royal Canal Greenway is Abbeyshrule, and there is truly nowhere better to stay than Abbeyview House. There is a real genuine and warm welcome from Susan and her family who live in at this beautiful B&B. 

The house itself was built in 1830 or thereabouts and is possibly the combination of two different houses. It’s history traces back to a mill owner who converted it into the large building it is now. After passing through various hands it served as a police barracks for 50 years. The owners bought it 7 years ago and converted into B&B in 2019. 

It has a real feel of an authentic country house of the time. High ceilings, fireplaces, art, and grandfather clocks add to that air. Our room was up two flights of stairs, and was once the bedroom of the master of the house. The large room was adjoined by his changing room, where servants would change and wash him. 

Great care has been taken to keep the room as it might have been, with panelled walls, art, and floral tiles. Of course the modern conveniences such as showers have been added. A freestanding bath is the centerpiece of the room though. For anyone who has spent a long day on the Greenway, this is Mecca. No better way to soak those tired limbs. 

Of course a B&B is only as good as the second B there, and Abbeyview House serves up an excellent one. The spread on the table is classical, with fine porcelain and good variety. We settled for the full Irish, and the huge breakfast set us right up for a day of travelling. 

Abbeyview house have plans to add glamping to their services over the next year, as numbers on the Greenway are steadily increasing.  

Where to Eat and Drink in County Longford

Resturants

Vocellas 

Vocellas represents a good option in Longford for those looking for a more European cuisine. Located on Main street, their menu is mainly Mediterranean with distinct Italian and Spanish influences. They provide both indoor and outdoor dining at the moment. Service was very pleasant and the food was delicious in particular the calamari starter. Items such as Bolognese, carbonara, and penne all’arrabbiata are complemented by burgers and steaks.

Viewmount House

I’ve already sold the merits of dining in Viewmount House, in that it is undoubtedly the finest restaurant in the county. An experience worth having. See more in the Viewmount House section above.

Spice India 

Spice India, found on Ballymahon Street Longford, is part of a chain with branches across the midlands. Spice India has won the best World Cuisine award for Leinster on in 2 of the last 4 years. Of the two restaurants Spice India is more traditional with only a few Thai dishes straying into the menu. We only tried the Korma, which was creamy and full of flavour. I’ll be back.

Bars and Bar Food

Valentines 

Valentines on Main Street is, and has been the centre of nightlife in Longford for several decades now. They don’t serve food, instead focus on their liquid output. It’s the perfect place to try one of the craft beers from the local St Mels Brewery.

The Rustic Inn 

The village of Abbeyshrule is dominated by The Rustic Inn, a fine gastro pub. With a roaring hearth to warm you in winter, and lots of outdoor seating it’s equipped for all seasons. The food is hearty too as one would expect. Irish and European is the theme, so BBQ chicken wings, deep fried brie, salmon, plaice and several steaks are featured. The steaks featured on our plates too. The Irish Hereford fillet was huge cooked perfect, and was extraordinarily good value. Unfortunately it left no space for dessert.

Cafes and Bakeries

The Wooden Spoon 

This colourful café sits in the heart of Lanesborough and beckoned us in after our boat trip. They offer a menu that is extraordinary value for money, but with huge portions and packing plenty of taste. Trust me, we didn’t complain. The burgers came fully loaded with chips, salad and onion rings on the plate. Irish and European staples again fill the menu, proving they are very popular with the locals here.

O’Hehirs Bakery and Café 

A great stop for those who like their lunches fast and baked like I do. The bakery sells a good selection of baked goods, while the café has sandwiches, sausage rolls and other warm tasties. Don’t leave town without picking up one of their Apple pies, they are as good as any I’ve ever tasted.  

Red Rose Cafe 

With over 20 years presence on Longford’s Dublin Street, the Red Rose Café has consistently been serving traditional and comforting food to the town. The interior is warm and snug and bright art greets you at the entrance. The menu won’t surprise with offerings such as all day breakfast, turkey and ham, salmon and burgers, but sometimes that’s just what you need. A firm favourite of my mum and dad. Excellent value too.

30 Flavours of Portugal. 

A recent opening in town, this bakery is found next to Aldi, so if your picking up provisions it’s definitely worth nipping into. The baked goods are baked by a Portuguese native, so you can guarantee the pastel de natas are done the right way. They are delicious and cheap as chips too.

From cultural and historical experiences, good dining, to a whole host of outdoor walking and cycling routes, there is no shortage of things to enjoy in Longford. It is certainly a county where tourism is on the rise.

Planning a trip to Longford? Save a pin for future reference.

I make no secret of my love of County Clare in Ireland. Beata and I have travelled here three times over the years we have been together. The place keeps drawing us back. But up until now, we never found the place to stay in that we truly loved. Enter Doolin on the Wild Atlantic Way! It will be hard to look elsewhere for our next trip west to the Banner County.

Oddly up until now I’ve never written about Clare, always feeling that I need to know more before I can paint a true picture of just how great a place it is. But of late I’m getting there. So let’s begin with what to do in Doolin Ireland.

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

11 Excellent Things to do in Doolin

Visit the Cliffs of Moher

Of course we will start with the Cliffs of Moher as the number one thing to do in Doolin. If not Ireland. Those magnificent cliffs rise and fall for 14 kilometres along the Atlantic coastline, hitting a highest point of 214 metres. It’s one of Ireland’s biggest attractions, shaped by nature over 300 million years ago, and receives over 1.5 million visitors a year. The principal way to access to cliffs is at the visitor centre. This is open from 8am to 9pm, and the prices vary throughout the day. Visitors must book online here before coming. For those who travel by car there is a large parking facility.

First stop of a visit is the exhibition on the cliffs and the gift shop. But the cliffs are why you are here so don’t spend too long. That iconic view looking south along the cliffs is practically the first thing you see. This One…

At the high point of the cliffs you’ll see O’Brien’s Tower, which was built in 1835 as a lookout tower. The tower has been reopened and can be seen on some guided tours. From here, it’s up to you where you go. Trails go north towards Doolin, or south to Moher Tower built to keep an eye out for Napoleon. He never came. The castle that once stood here gave the cliffs its name. Bear in mind whichever way you go you’ll have to come back. You can guarantee though that all the way you’ll see some of Ireland’s best views.

It’s nearly always windy on the Cliffs of Moher (in my experience) so come prepared for that. And when I say windy I mean windy. Wrap up!

Doolin to Cliffs of Moher Walk

The cliffs of Moher can also be visited by walking the 8 kilometres from Doolin, along a spectacular route near the cliffs edge. You can do this by yourself by taking the R459 south from Doolin and joining the cliff path. Don’t fancy the coastal walk all on your own? Then join up with a small group walking tour with Ollie’s Tours, which runs daily at 10am from Doolin.

Bask in the Cliffs of Moher Sunset

If there’s one time of day that I love to be on the Cliffs of Moher it’s sunset. Be sure to arrive an hour before sunset to get out onto the cliffs to a place where you can appreciate it. Even though the car park closes at nine – don’t worry about that, you can still get out. So take your time and appreciate natures daily marvel. Every part of the cliffs provide a somewhat different angle, as the path drops and rises. My favourite is surely with O’Brien’s Tower as the foreground though.

Stroll through Doolin’s Colourful Village Centre, a foodie haven.

Doolin village is one built for postcards, especially that famed view from the bridge over the River Aille. The thatched cottage here is one of the most famous in Ireland, bright pink with a pair of dormer windows. It houses the sweater shop nowadays, a hint to what lies down the road at the pier (and over the ocean).

But the village is more than a cottage, and sprawls back up along both sides of the road, with more than enough restaurants, pubs and craft shops to keep any visitor content. Foodies will be delighted by Anthony’s, the Cheese Press, Russells Fish Shop, Glas, the Ivy Cottage Cafe, and the Stonewall Cafe, which serve the best in local and artisan produce.

Have a night out in Doolin Pubs and their traditional Irish music scene

Doolin is famed for its long association with traditional Irish Music and to this day it’s pubs continue that tradition. Some say Doolin is the home of Irish music (though Connemara might have a thing to say about that). The legacy centres on the Russell Brothers, Pakie, Micho, and Gussie, legends in their field. They were widely regarded as the best Irish musicians around, with Gussie in particular finding international fame and renown.

Their chosen venue in Doolin was Gus O’Connors pub which has been around since 1832. Though the Russell’s are sadly no longer with us, the pub and budding new musicians keep the sessions going. It’s hard to look past O’Connors when looking for a great night out in Doolin, and don’t plan an early start the following day. There’s always a session to be found elsewhere though and McGann’s, McDermotts and Fitzpatrick’s bars have live music several nights a week too.

*It’s worth noting that under current coronavirus restrictions, pubs aren’t permitted to have live music. Let’s hope we get the craic back soon.

Go down 80 metres into Doolin cave to see Europe’s largest stalactite

So we’ve all been to show caves, and lets be honest now they aren’t too much different than each other. You might even have visited the far more popular Aillwee Caves down the road in the Burren. So why would you bother with the Doolin Cave you ask? Because it’s different. Doolin Cave is home to the Great Stalactite, which at 7.3 metres tall (are stalactites tall if they grow downwards?) is the largest free-hanging stalactite in Europe.

The caves are visited by guided tour between 10-6. Prices are €17.50 for an adult, or €8.50 for a child. The guided tour lasts an hour, and takes you down 120 steps and 80 metres to reach the cave, so remember this if you plan to visit. But if you think that’s hard imagine spelunkers who crawled for hours in the dark to find it. Now there’s a nice path, flanked by a subterranean river, which leads us through the caves features. There are some amazing fossils embedded in the cave walls, echoes of a time long gone. One crinoid is 360 million years old.

The tours main focus is the stalactite and its introduced in style. To preserve it, it usually sits in darkness, but of course that wouldn’t be much fun. So when the tour reaches it, the lights are flung on and it is unveiled in all its splendor. Yes it’s huge, overshadowing a large cavern. The path is carefully managed to allow us to appreciate it from all sides and learn about its development over 250,000 years. Then once more it returns to darkness and us to finish the tour.

Taste the best of Doolin food on a Food Tour

One of the best experiences in Doolin is taking the Doolin Food Tour with Ollie’s Tours. Full of banter and stories, and of course lots of great food. The tours are run by Ollie, a lad with Clare in his heart, who returned from Germany with a dream of showing Clare to visitors. With a strong seafood focus, the small group tour moves from Doolin to Lisdoonvarna, as we sample organic Irish Salmon, fish and chips, Irish cheeses, and coffee.

Of course it wouldn’t be Irish without a stop in a pub, and the tour does this. Twice. Firstly, the Burren Brewery presents it’s unique craft beers, before J.J. Corry whiskey bonders teach us about the art of blending whiskey. One assumes you’ve already figured the art of drinking it.

The tour is a must for foodies in Doolin, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Ollie’s Tours. Have a read about it.

Take in the Doonagore Castle views

Located on a hill above the village of Doolin, is this fairytale-like castle. Sadly Doonagore Castle privately owned and not possible to visit the interior. So there’s no point visiting is there. Au contraire, there’s every point. Being only a few minutes walk or drive from Doolin, take the same route as you would to walk to the Cliffs of Moher. Instead of turning along the path to the cliffs, stick to the road and the climb to the castle. This is the first of those wonderful views. The second is when you round the corner and the castle, coastline and Atlantic Ocean stretch out before you. Beautiful.

Take care if you are driving up as parking spaces are non existent. For safety’s sake stay away from the bend and pull in further along the road. Pedestrians keep an eye out for cars on this narrow single lane road.

The Castle is a round tower house, about 450 years old and was built by the O’Connors or the O’Briens. They were two of the more powerful families in the area. It’s darkest history came in 1588 when 170 soldiers from a ship of the liberating Spanish Armada landed here. Their journey ended here with the hangman’s noose, and the armadas mission ended in failure.

Cliffs of Moher cruise

Not that I’m hung up on the Cliffs of Moher (and you shouldn’t be either as its the best things to do in Doolin) but there is one more way to see the Cliffs of Moher. Why not see them from the other side. The bottom. Doolin 2 Aran Ferries offer boat tours of the cliffs through the Atlantic Ocean.

If the excitement of seeing the cliffs from the bottom isn’t enough, let me throw in some puffins. From April to July the clowns of the sea nest in the rocks here. Along with some 20,000 other birds including razorbills, shags, and all manner of gulls. The 50 minute tour can be booked on the website. Better still it can be combined with a trip to the Aran Islands.

Aran islands – The best things to do in Doolin, which isn’t in Doolin

The Aran Islands have some of the wildest landscapes in the country, and are easily recognised by the stone walls that zigzag from coast to coast. Doolin 2 Aran ferries offer a number of sailings each day to all three islands from Doolin pier. Each of them is easily visited on a day trip from Doolin. The largest of the islands is Inis Mor, and it’s also the most visited. Of the other two Inis Oirr is the more popular, with the Plassey Shipwreck a big draw.

For those short on time, Inis Mor is the best option. A 10 am sailing will give 5 hours on the island before a return boat at 4pm. Once there, it’s worth noting that the only cars on the island are owned by locals, so there are 3 ways to get around, by bus tour, horse and carriage or renting a bike. The most liberating is the bike tour and with Aran Bike Hire located just as you get off the boat, the easiest also. They’ll give you a handy map of the island to get around with too.

A bike lets you see the island as you would want. Take one of the old narrow farm tracks as we did. You can’t get lost really, it’s a small island. Lost in your own happiness maybe. There are some sights you might want to visit, such the church at Teampaill Bheanain, beehive huts at Clochan na Carraige, and Kilmurvey Beach.

But Inis Mor’s main draw are the 3000 year old stone forts Dun Duchathair and Dun Aonghasa. The latter in particular is very impressive sitting at the top of 87 metre cliffs, and exposed to the wild Atlantic. From its elevated portion Inis Mor’s barren landscape stretches out, a stark reminder of what life might have been like here a few millennia ago. Take care on the cliff edge, nothing separates you from the long drop to the ocean below.

Red Bull fans will have to seek out the Wormhole, an unusual rectangular hole, that looks like a natural swimming pool. Red Bull used it for a diving competition. It’s not as inviting as it look though, several people have had to be rescued from it, as they were nearly washed out to sea. Enjoy with your eyes is my advice.

Carrying cash on the Aran Islands is a must as some services such as the bike hire only accept it. A rain jacket is a must too, as there’s not much shelter out there, and this be Ireland. Of course there’s nothing better to overcome the wind here than a warm sweater, and this is Aran, home of the sweater. A trip to Aran isn’t complete without a stop into the Aran Sweater Shop in Kilronan.

Stay and eat in the Doolin Inn

Looking for an overnight option in Doolin? Look no further than the Doolin Inn. It’s ranked among the top ten inns in the country. My first question was what’s the difference between an inn, a Hotel, and a B&B. I guess it lies somewhere in the middle. The Doolin Inn exceeded expectations, and would slot in easily as a very good four star hotel.

The staff were superb, room was comfortable and clean, and the food… The food was simply amazing. All served in Anthony’s restaurant, which takes its name from the owner. Breakfast nailed the recent inability to have a buffet by bringing a mini one to your table, and the pancakes, omelette and old full Irish were perfect. Dinner is just as amazing. Perfect was the prawns and chorizo. Options like Fillet steak, cod with couscous, risotto and halibut keep the consistency going into the mains. It’s a great one-stop-shop for your trip to Doolin.

Booking.com

Planning a trip to Doolin? Save a pin on the 11 Best Things to do in Doolin for future reference.

Temple Bar is a good central starting point to anyone wanting to make a dent on the Dublin street art scene. The whole route is only 1.4 kilometres in length, which should take no more than 6 hours. However if you can resist the lure of those 8 pints of Guinness, the hearty Irish meals and the foot stompingly good Irish ballads in the pubs, then you can do it all in 15-20 minutes.

I’ve walked the following route and saved it to Alltrails. So you don’t get lost in the narrow streets or alleyways that zigzag through Temple Bar, here’s the link to save the day. Though many a day has been lost in Temple Bar with no memory of where or what happened. Though hardly in search of street art.

The best route for the Temple Bar Street Tour

The walking tour begins on O’Connell Bridge, about as central as you can get in the city. Walk down Aston Quay and enter Temple Bar via Price’s Lane. On your right is this seductive piece by Canvaz from Galway. Turning left on to Fleet Street we walk to the top and the intersection with Westmoreland Street for an entry from Dublin Canvas. This is known as Party Huns and is by Claire Provost a French illustrator operating in Dublin. Definitely a reference to the night life in the streets nearby.

Retracing our steps back along Fleet Street to the corner of Parliament Row, we come across a wall frequently changed by Subset. Now we have one by artists called Submission Control, featuring a series of wrestling maneuvers. Perhaps there is a deep meaning to it. Perhaps it’s just for fun and colour pop though. This is Submission 1. You’ll find some others in Terenure, Harolds Cross and off Camden Street.

We are back down the side streets on Aston Place to the colourful Icon Factory shop and enter Bedford Lane. This lane is a tribute to musicians of ireland and known as Icon Lane, but also has its share of street art. The ones dominating it are by Kevin Bohan especially his newbie “Inner City Blues” which marks the 50 year anniversary of the Marvin gaye album What’s Going On. Kevin Bohan is constantly striving to see Temple Bar be protected for its artistic qualities as well as its commercial ones.

Temple Bar’s heart & it’s most impressive murals

Turning the corner take a short walk to the Auld Dubliner Pub, turn, and take in the scale of the Subset mural on the building behind. It’s message relates to the seas and oceans and the plastic being dumped there and ruining the ecosystem. It’s huge and so is its message. Incidentally I used to work in the Auld Dub Pub.

Continuing straight on Angelsea Street til you get to the Blooms Hotel. The entire colourful facade is our next highlight, painted by James Earley and featuring characters from Ulysses by James Joyce. Quite fitting for a hotel called Blooms. Cope street, then Crown Alley, take us past a couple of colourful store fronts and we land in the heart of Temple Bar and its square. Avoiding the aforementioned temptations, we follow Temple Bar’s main cobblestone street, and a short detour to a Kinmx storefront on Fownes Street Lower. Mexican-born, but living in Dublin, she’s my favourite Irish based street artist.

After a left at the institution which is the Temple Bar pub, you’ll find there are a some worthy distractions on the narrow streets of Temple Lane, Crow Street, and a brilliant portrait by @tizxl on Cecilia Street. A Banksy that once was here no longer exists. If it was ever really a Banksy. Does anyone ever really know?

The Final stages of our Temple Bar tour

Our Temple Bar Street Art Tour continues onto Curved Street with some of Pens Pigeons on our right. Above is a portrait of Irish musician, DJ, and broadcaster BP Fallon painted by Maser. Turns on to Eustace Street and Essex Street follow, before a large scale artwork of Irish Olympic Pentathlete Natayla Coyle by artist Sufek West. It’s one of three commissioned by Indeed, with another on Camden Row, Dublin, and Victoria Road, Cork. See Mary’s Bar on your left? Look up above for a quite Stag by James Earley.

We are fast running out of Temple bar streets, but take Sycamore Street up to Dame Street, and spot Dead Meat by Conor harrington. The dead cow is a metaphor for waste and excess in this consumerist society. Our time on Dame Street is brief as we turn down into Campton Court next to the Olympia Theatre.

Here we find “Love The Lanes”, an Anna Doran led initiative to bring colour to the small back lanes of Temple Bar. On Love Lane the walls and pavements are a canvas, and it’s the most colourful dark alleyway in Dublin, you’ll ever have the pleasure of walking down.

Our tour finally wanders onto Parliament street where we find a few beautiful entries by Dublin Canvas, by Iljin and Paul Lucaci. However your exploration of Dublin street art doesn’t need to stop here. Take a journey through the street art of Dublin on one of my other suggested walking tours, in this article- Street Art of Dublin.

The Love Lane Temple Bar

Disclosure; This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link such as the Booking.com one below, and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your continuing support.

Ireland has an excellent and growing street art scene. Towns and cities such as Longford and Waterford both have a strong scene made better by annual street art festivals. They are really worth a look.

Let me know if you take the Temple Bar Street art tour, and what you thought of it. Thanks for reading.

Who is Ollie?

Ollie’s Tours are not surprisingly run by a local lad called Ollie. He hails from Ennis, the county town of Clare (which incidentaly he gives guided tours of also). He didn’t learn the art of guided touring in this somewhat remote county though; that he learned in Germany, after spending all his backpacking money on a week of partying at Octoberfest in Munich. Or rather he learned it subsequently, after becoming a tour guide of some of Bavaria’s best known tourist attractions such as Neuschwanstein Castle.

After some years of “learning from the best” as he puts it, Ollie returned home to his beloved Clare, to put his craft to work. He set up Ollie’s Tours, and since then the tour offerings have expanded from that original tour of Ennis. More on those other tours later.

*We were invited by Ollie’s Tours to take a complimentary tour of our choice. Ollie’s most popular tour is certainly the walking tour of the Cliffs of Moher, but we opted for the Doolin food tour, a lively village that we were keen to spend more time in and get to know. While this was a colloboration, all opinions expressed here are my own.*

Small Group Doolin Food Tour – The best tour in County Clare

Food tours are built on the concept of showcasing good food from multiple outlets. However the Doolin Food Tour goes one step further, by introducing some of the good local characters into the mix. Carefully chosen not only for their quality local food offerings but also for their personality, Ollie is on to a winner here. So not only do we get the light-hearted and witty Ollie, we also have the pleasure of meeting some engaging business owners and managers en route. With Doolin being a coastal village, it will come as no surprise that the food tour pays homage to the fruits of the sea, and is heavily sea food based. Being Irish there’s a few tipples had too.

It's important to note that the food tour does take you away from Doolin for part of the tour, to the nearby town of Lisdoonvarna. There is a beer tasting at this stop, and you will need your own transport to get there. Alternatively you can get in touch with Ollie in advance, and he can help you with the hire of a mini bus. 

We meet Ollie at the Fiddle and Bow Hotel in Doolin. There’s plenty of parking here, and it’s cool to leave the car here for the afternoon if you are carpooling or have arranged transport. You’ll be back before the end of the tour.

Smoked Salmon at the Burren Smokehouse

Our first stop on the Doolin food tour is in fact Lisdoonvarna. Perhaps you are familiar with the place for the catchy song by Irish artist Christy Moore. It’s going through my head right now as I write this. Lisdoonvarna is also famous for its long running matchmaking festival, though we can’t guarantee that’s going to happen on this tour. What is definitely guaranteed is you’ll try some of the best smoked salmon going. Ireland is well known for having some of the finest organic smoked salmon found anywhere, and in the Burren Smokehouse, Ollie has found possibly Ireland’s best on his doorstep.

This wouldn’t be my first time visiting the Burren Smokehouse (or eating their salmon). The visit begins in the Salmon experience, a multimedia exhibition on how salmon is farmed in Ireland, and on the ancient tale of the salmon of knowledge. I’ll let Ireland’s Myths and Legends tell those interested that story.

We then meet Birgitta Curtin, who set up the smokehouse with her husband peter Curtin come 32 years ago. Taking her knowledge of smoking salmon in Sweden and combining it with the Irish craft, the Burren Smokehouse produces two different types, a cold smoked salmon, and a hot smoked salmon.

After a talk on how its done, we finally get to the eating part. Both types are sampled on Irish soda bread, and yes both are really delicious. Birgitta is particularly proud of what they have done here, and having fed the Queen of England, and a whole host of other royalty and celebrities over the years, rightly so. They ship both nationally and internationally too, so you can have a try before Ollie’s Tours take you here.

Burren Brewery

Our next stop is a whole 100 metres away, and it’s here we meet Peter Curtin. the husband of Brigitta. He’s a real larger-than-life character, full of stories. As a third generation owner of the The Roadside Tavern, its obviously in his blood. This kind of hospitality can’t be taught, it’s inherited. As well as challenging Ollie’s game plan to get you to the next tasting (via his tales), Peter introduces us to his brewery.

It’s the smallest microbrewery in Europe and it’s amazing that he’s able to produce 4 different beers, all from a room no bigger than a studio apartment. After a talk on the processes involved in brewing beer, we taste the fruits of the Burren Brewery.

The first three are the main staples of any beer tasting, a lager (Burren Gold), a red ale (Burren Red) and a stout (Burren Black). As a Guinness drinker I was particularly impressed by the Burren Black. Many have tried , and failed, to produce a stout that lives up the famous Irish product. Not here. Perhaps this is why Lonely Planet have taken notice, and deem the brewery one of three you simply must visit in Ireland.

But there’s a fourth beer in the tasting, known as Euphoria. It is a real curiosity, completely created from wild herbs and wild yeast from the Burren which surrounds the brewery. Even more unusual is it doesn’t contain hops, like essentially every other beer I can think of. Peter, a keen historian, has created a gruit beer, a type of beer which was common around the 14th century. The beer is completely unique in this world, so its something not to be missed. It tastes something like a spirit, but with the low alcohol content of a beer. It’s definitely different.

Cheese Press

Ollie wrestles back control of the tour from Peter (a hard task, the man is captivating), and we are bundled back into the car with the promise of a cheese tasting. Arriving back in Doolin the Cheese Press beckons. It’s a community hub, artisan and local produce shop, cheesemonger, deli and café. Of all that, we are here to try their excellent Irish cheeses. There are four cheeses on the slab today, two from Cashel in Tipperary (Ireland’s cheese capital), one from Armagh, and one locally produced.

The Cheese press is owned and run by Sinéad Ní Gháirbhith, who also shares her knowledge of cheese on tours during the tasting. As a former cheesemaker at local company St Tola, she knows her stuff. The company ethos is to only serve quality Irish cheeses made from Irish milk. I can vouch for that. We might not get everything right here in Ireland, but our dairy is hard beaten.

First u on the tasting was the Cashel Shepherds’ Store Cheese, a sheep cheese. It reminded me of Pecorino Romano, hard and flavourful. Would be amazing in a carbonara. Next was Cashel Blue Cheese, one of Ireland’s most famed varieties. It’s soft, tangy, made from cows milk, and delicious.

Then The Triple Rose from Ballylisk of Armagh, a soft cream cheese said to be lemony. Personally it wouldn’t be what I’m looking for in a cheese. Finally we got to try one, that Sinead the owner knows well, from St Tola. Their ash crotin cheese is coated in food grade ash, and this slows down the cheeses development, and enrichens the flavour. After getting over the black ash exterior, it reminded me of feta without the salt notes.

Russell’s fish shop

Our tour finally brings us back to our first stop, The Fiddle and Bow Hotel. It being a pleasant June day, it was perfect to head out into the Meadow. The Meadow is a coffee shop at the back of the hotel, with a seating area quaintly laid out on hay bales. It’s all under canopy cover too, a fine response to Ireland’s summer of outdoor dining. Here we meet Steph the manager, who has a strong appreciation for the coffee she sells.

The coffee is from Anam, a small roastery located in the nearby Burren. Today we tried an espresso from organic Guatemala Quetzalito beans, said to have notes of cherry and plum, with a buttery taste. I enjoy my coffee, but I don’t pick up notes like I do in wine. Buttery- perhaps. It did make for a good espresso.

This being Ireland, near the sea, and the final course on our food tour, we were always going to finish with fish and chips. Happily so might I add. We walked a grand total of ten metres to Russell’s Fish Shop, also located within the hotel. One stop shop for sure. It’s a relatively new addition to the village of Doolin, and takes its name from the Russell Brothers, famous musicians from Doolin. Perhaps one day their fish will be as famous as the musicians, and they are on the right track to get there. Their offering is faultless from their chunky chips to battered cod. Definitely no better way to round off one of the best food tours around.

JJ Corry Whiskey

Since my tour, I have learned from Ollie, that in his continued efforts to better the food tour, a visit to J.J. Corry whiskey bonders has been added to the itinerary. It’s great news for both whiskey lovers and designated drivers who missed out on the beer tasting fun at the Burren Brewery. The bonders have a stall in… yes you guessed it, The Fiddle and Bow Hotel.

Whiskey bonding in Ireland is an old craft, that sadly died out after the crash in the Irish whiskey market due to prohibition in America. Prior to that Irish Whiskey was more popular than Scotch, but I guess the bootleggers favoured their peat and single malt. Whiskey bonding is the practice of sourcing new and mature Irish whiskey, and blending it to create a new product. Back in the day this was done by publicans who bought the whiskey from the several hundred distillers on the island.

JJ Corry offer their own bonded whiskey now to the lucky people on Ollie’s Tours. It’s a great opportuinity for water of life lovers to try something new and exclusive, not seen on shelves or behind bars. Another feather in the hat of Ollie’s tour.

The Doolin Food Tour – Ireland’s best food tour

The food tour is a great way to sample some of Doolin’s and Lisdoonvarna’s best establishments. It is available from below for €60 per person, with a discounted rate of €55 for students. The tour takes about 3 hours to complete, and start daily at 2pm. Should you be vegetarian there are options available, and you can enquire about this at the time of booking.

Other tours from Ollie’s Tours

The Doolin Food Tour is only one of a host of tours available from Ollie’s Tours. The most popular is the Cliffs of Moher walking tour from Doolin, that follows an 8km route along one of the most spectacular cliff paths in the world. Also on offer is a walking tour of Ennis, and an Ennis food tour. Finally Ollie gives tours of Bunratty Castle. He’s a busy man. Some of these tours are restricted by 2021’s shenanigans so its best to check the website for what’s available at the time you travel.

While our tour with Ollie was sponsored we thoroughly enjoyed every second. It is equal parts educational, fun, and great food. An unmissable experience on the Wild Atlantic Way and in Clare.

Where to next?

To the north of Clare is Galway, a cultural and fun city. West of that is Connemara, the best of which you will find on a road trip. South is Kerry and Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, and Dingle.

FYI: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may subsequently receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your support. 

The Irish have always had a love affair with the sandwich and its the staple of many lunches here. It’s never destined to be the healthiest food, and in part I theorise this is why it has grown so popular here again. With the movement towards veganism and healthy dining over the last decade or so, it’s natural that a counter-culture would develop, celebrating food stuffed with meat, pickled veg, and calorie rich sauce. This has been the resurrection of the sandwich! Let’s celebrate it!

The Best Sandwiches in Dublin

147 deli – The Breakfast Buttie

147 deli is a special place. A strong contender for Dublin’s best sandwich, it’s in the happening foodie area of Parnell Street. While it doesn’t necessarily fit with the string of oriental restaurants surrounding, it stands out for its perfect home baked sandwich bread (and I mean perfect), and top quality ingredients. The selection isn’t huge but with mouthwatering options such as the cheese steak sandwich, BBQ pork, and breakfast buttie (pictured), there’s definitely something for die hard sambo fanatics. They do daily specials too if you want to mix it up, so 147 deli is worthy of more than a few return visits.

Bunsen – Best Burger in Dublin

So the question can be asked – is a burger a sandwich? Two slices of bread and meat and veg in the middle; I think it is. However if you disagree you can take it up when I don’t include any sandwiches in my best burger in Dublin post (which probably won’t happen). Undoubtedly the best beef and cheese sandwich in the city is Bunsen, who have been spreading quicker than I can eat a burger. They now have restaurants in Ranelagh, South Anne Street, Baggot Street, Wexford Street, Dame Street, Temple Bar, and in Belfast and Cork if you are away and miss them too much.

It’s in their simplicity that they bring perfection, the menu is short and sweet, so short in fact it fits on a business card. Burger, cheeseburger, double burger, and a selection of fries. You don’t need anymore. Their burger meat is sourced from FXB, and they keep the ingredients sparse, to give a full appreciation of the meats quality. Burgers are cooked medium well for the ultimate juicy taste explosion when you bite into them. My mouth may be watering as I write this. GO TO BUNSEN!!!

Hush Rathmines – The Chosen One

Hush is a relatively newcomer on the scene, but with its catchy sandwich names and posh looking offerings it deserves its place on the list. The catchy sandwich names include Yer Saucy Ma (Cajun chicken), Rude Boi (pastrami), The Notorious BLT, Sing to me Paulo (caprese) and our chosen recommendation, err, The Chosen One. The Chosen One contains Porchetta, Salsa Verde, Kohlrabi, Apple Sauce & Celeriac, and it’s a pretty sandwich to behold. But you’ll be holding it to eat it, and it doesn’t disappoint. Strong flavours from the veg and apple sauce perfectly compliment the crispy pork bits that fill the large offering. The suburb of Rathmines performs really strongly on sandwich offerings and Hush is another feather in its cap.

Umi Falafel -The Best Falafel and Vegan sandwich in Dublin

Falafel. For most of my life I didn’t knew what it was, let alone ate it. Now that it’s one of the highlights of my sandwich article, and my personal favourite vegan food. I don’t know how I lived without it. As a meat substitute, there is no better in my book. Of course Falafel restaurants have exploded in Dublin of late, and you will find Umi Falafel scattered around the south city centre on Dame Street, Rathmines, Mary Street, and the Georges Arcade. If your path leads you through its doors, can I suggest the Palestinian Falafel. Palestinian bread: pocket full of hummus, tomato, pickles, fried aubergine, flat parsley and chilli and tahini sauce- basically everything on. They also offer halloumi sandwiches, though hands up, I’ve never tried. It’s impossible not to order the Palestinian Falafel, it’s so damn tasty. I probably never will, but I’ll be visiting Umi Falafel as long as I still have teeth.

Five Points – Buttermilk Chicken

3fe have long been revolutionizing coffee in Dublin, and now they are working on the sandwich. Five Points have a quality offering in the suburb of Harolds Cross blessed with good humoured staff and a versatile menu. But one item stands out from the rest. The Fried Chicken Breast on Brioche Bap, with Crunchy Slaw, Sriracha Mayo, and Pickled Onion, is the chicken fillet roll, reinvented. Similar to the buttermilk chicken breast offered in other locations around the city, they just seem to do it better. A lot like their coffee.

Oxmantown -ham and cheese

So let’s be honest ham and cheese is hardly reinventing the sandwich. But! There’s nothing boring about the sandwiches at Oxmantown. With two locations in Dublin 7, at Smithfield and St Mary’s Abbey, this business has gone from strength to strength. Take a look at the ham and cheese. Braised Ham hock, that super tasty part of pork leg, grilled gruyere, bechamel, slow roast tomato, pickles + rocket on Firehouse Bakery granary, I mean how good does that sound. Revelation, it tastes so good too. The menu in Oxmantown is small, but daily specials offer something new for the pallet. On my next visit, I’ll be ordering the roast pork or ruby, featuring star performers pork shoulder and pastrami.

Meltdown – Cajun Chicken

Meltdown is downright ugly experience. Opening their biodegrade packaging, you are met by a messy sight. Cheese sticks everywhere (that’s where the Meltdown comes from). Pulling it away from the packaging, you become the next victim, latching onto you like a leech. It makes you wonder if it’s all worth it. One bite, and all those frivolities float away. Meltdowns’ sandwiches are seriously scrumptious. Take the Cajun chicken; the perfect blend of spice with Cajun sauce, jalapenos, and stringy cheese. I’m going to be honest here, I ate every piece off that stuck to the wrapper. If it weren’t for the sensitivities over touch surfaces, I may have eaten the whole wrapper. I mean its biodegradable, right? Meltdown is so so naughty, but so good. I’ve yet to be back for more, but the Ballymaloe and Bacon, Smoked Fungi, and Rib melt all look ravishing. All sandwiches take 7 minutes to prepare due to the ridiculous amount of cheese that needs to be melted in there. Who doesn’t need a treat like that every so often? You’ll find a Meltdown on Leeson St and Montague street opposite Green Bench café.

Mama’s Revenge – Best Burrito in Dublin

Burritos’ have been the rage in Dublin for well over a decade and while some chains grow and grow, one little Tex-Mex restaurant has stayed true to themselves. That restaurant is Mama’s Revenge on Leinster Street, who’s offering is superior to all of those I won’t bother to mention. Look for the queues outside, with many of them Trinity College students spending their hard earned cash on a few minutes of bliss. Or more likely Daddy’s money. The menu covers burritos, quesadillas, tacos, chilli con carne and nachos, and doesn’t differ much from the rest. it’s all in the taste, and good quality ingredients. There are bowls too for those looking for a slightly healthier offering. Extra points are earned for the humorous instructions on how to eat a burrito.

The Lovely Food Co – Brisket

Brisket is another one of those things that has only reared its lovely head in the last decade in Ireland. It’s massive stateside, with people queueing for hours for the best going. Here we love to stuff it in a sandwich like anything else we can find. I mean if food doesn’t work in a sandwich, then it’s not worth eating, is it? The best brisket stuffers I’ve come across are The Lovely Food Co.

They have two Dublin based cafes, one in Drumcondra, and the other in Terenure. With a nice alfresco area in Drumcondra, people watching is on the menu too. But people come and go, and we here to stay for the sandwiches. The menu reads Tender brisket of beef, caramelised onion and wholegrain mustard aioli. Yes it’s easily as good as it reads. A huge sambo that goes down even better when paired with their unbelievably tasty chips.

Poulet Bonne Femme- Roast Sandwich

Avoca have always produced good food, but I didn’t realise till late they did sandwiches. Major faux pas on my behalf. The sandwiches are served under the Poulet Bonne Femme name, a stand alone stall in their food stores. It’s all kept fairly simple; rotisserie chicken seems to be on a conveyor belt from the back, and a carver works overtime slicing it for the neverending queue of customers. They also do roast pork crackling. Here’s the best advice I can give on this entire article (if advice on sandwiches is even advice at all) – ask for a mix of pork and chicken. Then load it will coleslaw and stuffing, and et voila, a roast chicken sandwich of awesome proportions. The mix of the soft chicken and crispy pork is spot on, like a pimped up club sandwich.

Poulet Bonne Femme is found at Avoca in Monkstown, Rathcoole, Dunboyne, Kilmacanogue, and Ballsbridge.

Zaytoon – Doner Kebab

Often the target after a night on the town, traditionally kebabs in Dublin have a reputation for two things- Ruining your favourite shirt or causing an almighty hangover. The second one has left many a chipper with a bad reputation whether deserved or not. But one kebab house has appeal any time of day, not just after a feed of pints and jäger bombs. That kebab house is Zaytoon and the only one in Dublin truly deserving of the accolade of Dublin’s best kebab. Again its debatable if a kebab is a sandwich. I’m open to that debate in the comments below.

Zaytoon keep it simple and honest with their modern Persian Cuisine slant, everything is fresh from the meat through the veg, chilli and sauces. They have been on the Dublin scene for over 20 years, so rest assured they are doing it right. Their range of doners and shish kebabs are now availabe at four locations, Ranelagh, Camden Street, Temple Bar and Swords.

Happy Out -the asparagorgeous

Easily winning the title for the sandwiches with the best names, Happy Out has two locations across the city, in Donnybrook and on Bull Island. For those that think that asparagus belongs in everything (and I know some of my readers do) then the asparagoegous (pictured below) is for you. For the other half of the population that thinks bacon does, you can add it in.

Happy Out is huge, they do great coffee too, and lines waiting outside is a constant sight. Besides the Asparargorgeous, theres the Hamazing (surprise, it contains ham) and the Clucking Unbelievable. I’ve tried the latter too, bacon, chicken, smashed avocado, and that three cheese mix that is the signature ingredient of Happy Out. But I’m happy to give a vegetarian sandwich some time on this article.

Brother Hubbard – Pulled Pork – one of Dublin’s best sandwiches

No self respecting sandwich guide is complete without a Pulled Pork sandwich on it. The only question is which one deserves its place there. For many years there was no contest as Brother Hubbard North on Capel St served one without parallel. Till they didn’t. It led to many years wandering the streets trying to find what was missing from my life. Once again Brother Hubbard stood up. This time it was Brother Hubbard South on Harrington Street, their sister restaurant. The new pulled pork is more “linner” than lunch, thick brioche, served with a generous amount of pulled pork, and a fried egg loaded on top. Definitely a feast in a box. Brother Hubbard is back as the king of the Pulled Pork!

Ernesto’s Rathmines – New Yorker

I’ve been a loyal customer of this Cuban-New York style café for many years now, and it has always been impeccable. Ernesto’s menu is refreshing and tasty. The café is run by the friendly Jonathan and his team, and he really is a character that matches his surroundings. I nearly always go for the New Yorker- its delicate blend of chicken, prosciutto and pickle are just the ticket at lunch time. Then there’s the coffee- the flat white is the best that I’ve tried in the city. Another reason to visit the suburb of Rathmines.

Coronation chicken – Cinnamon Restaurant

Somehow when I think of Coronation chicken, I’m made to think of the long running British soap opera. Thankfully there’s less drama here, and it has nothing to do with it. Coronation chicken was a dish created in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. It’s a mixture of mayo, herbs and spices. Of course it works in sandwiches, and Cinnamon do it so well. Their take on it involves shredded chicken breast, spiced mayo, mango chutney & crème fraîche served with toasted almond, grapes & baby leaves on multigrain. Reads well? Tastes better. Cinnamon are expanding their restaurants through south Dublin, and now have outlets in Ranelagh, Monkstown and Ballsbridge.

The Meatball sub at Doughboys

The meatball sub has been doing the rounds for a long time. But like most good things, a time comes when someone comes along and just does it better. In the case of the meatball sub, it’s Doughboys on Charlotte Way that do it better. Combining meatball marinara, mozzarella, and some fresh salads, they have hit the right note on this one. Tasting note anyway, it’s another that built for tastes and not looks. You’ll find a broad range of over 20 various types of sandwiches in Doughboys, and they’ll bowl them if bread doesn’t sit well with you. They have a strong focus on fresh, across their breads, sauces, veg, and meats. It’s a firm favourite with the local corporate custom, so now’s a good chance to try it while offices are still quiet.

The Pig and Heifer – The New York Reuben – “THE” Best Sandwich in Dublin

In the time honoured tradition of just about everything, I’ve saved the best till last. The Pig and Heifer was a life changing experience. Beata told me this was the best. “In Dublin?” I asked. No, literally the best sandwich ever! It’s quite hard to disagree. Pearse Street is somewhat out of the way for me, but the Pig and Heifer is well worth driving to. From anywhere. Maybe Michelin need to take notice of this place.

First of all there’s the menu. There are 31 different sandwiches on the menu. Yes 31!! That’s one for every day of a regular month. But it’s not all about a good menu. After this blog, I can write one. But walk through the door here, and you are met by a warm, welcoming and knowledgeable staff. I was only ever going to ask for one sandwich on my first visit; the New York Reuben. The bread looked straight from the oven, and I watched, salivating, as the pastrami was piled on with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and a spinach salad. That sandwich couldn’t get into my hands quick enough.

This one was enjoyed at the steering wheel of the car (thank you 2021). But the whole world melted away, and the incredible taste of the New York Reuben became all that mattered for five or thirty minutes. Who knows how long it really was. Time was insignificant right there and then.

Needless to say, I’m advocating the Pig and Heifer as the one sandwich joint you must try in Dublin. They have two locations, on Amiens Street and Pearse Street, which are both about 15 minutes walk from Grafton Street and O’Connell Street respectively.

Want to take some of those calorie burning walks that allowed me to enjoy the above and still lose kilos during the pandemic? Then here are my favourites. The best walks and hikes in Dublin.

Spending your summer in Ireland? Here’s a massive list of 21 ideas to for your staycation in 2021.

Have I missed your favourite Dublin sandwich? There’s always space on CarpeDiemEire for more suggestions. The hunt for the best sandwich in Dublin is one I’m happy to continue, trawling those city streets in search of that perfect lunch. There are some restaurants that haven’t reopened after the Irish restrictions such as the Ugly Duckling and Hatch and Sons, so hopefully when they do, they will find their place here.

Just in case I’ve upset some with my choices above, I’ll leave you with the best sandwich joke I know.

An Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman are all working on a construction site in London. It’s lunchtime and they’re all sat atop the building. Englishman opens up his lunchbox to see what his wife has packed him. “Ugh… Ham and cheese sandwich… again. I’m sick of ham and cheese sandwiches, it’s the same every bloody day. If I get another ham and cheese sandwich in my lunch box tomorrow I’m jumping off the top of this building.”

Next, the Scotsman opens up his lunch box. “Aackk, jam sandwich… again. I can’t go on like this eating jam sandwiches every day of me life! If I get the same again tomorrow I’m jumping as well.”

Next it’s the Irishman’s turn. “Ohh for fecks sake! Not another egg sandwich! That’s the fourth one in a row this week! I’m with you boys, one more egg sandwich and I’m jumping!”

So next day they sit at the top of the building to have lunch. One by one they open up their lunch boxes… Englishman finds another ham and cheese sandwich, so off he jumps, and splats into the ground below. Scotsman finds another jam sandwich… Off he goes…Splat. Irishman, egg sandwich… Splat.

A week or so later later the three widows are talking at the memorial service. English widow says, through tears, “I still can’t believe it, had no idea George hated ham and cheese so much, if only i’d known…”

Scottish widow says “Duncan did say he was getting a bit bored of Jam, but I didn’t realise he hated it that much, I just wish he’d have let me know how he really felt.”

Irish widow says “I… I just don’t understand… Paddy packed his own lunch.”

The Ring of Kerry is a trio of words that evoke great memories in all that have followed its path. At 179 km or 111 miles it’s easily managed in a day. But not without sacrifices. Lonely Planet advises that you spend 4 days on this particular route, soaking up the atmosphere of its towns and views. However dedicating that length of time to just one part, of one county in Ireland, is not usually within the realms of all our possibilities. You may ask is the Ring of Kerry worth it then? It certainly is. If you only have one day for your Ring of Kerry Itinerary though, then you must focus on what you can do.

Firstly, you will need to find a base town before your drive and all roads really do lead to Killarney in this regard. It’s not your only option but its certainly the best. In its own regard its worthy of a few days, so arriving in good time will give you an opportunity to explore this fantastic town.

Staycations are very much on the cards for the summer of 2021 in Ireland. With a road map that sees a return of hospitality, attractions and tourist services from early June, now is the time to start planning your summer trips. Outdoor services and indoor heritage sites have already resumed and hotels will follow from 2nd June. From 7th June bars and restaurants will reopen with outdoor seating. Let’s hope the weather is forgiving this year. Remember to check ahead as not all businesses will open as normal, and pre-booking may be required. If you are short on inspiration these 21 suggestions on how to staycation Ireland in ’21 will surely be of help. Otherwise keep reading on for one of Ireland’s best holiday destinations.

Killarney

Killarney is the most famed of Ireland’s tourist towns. She sits on the banks of Lough Leane and beneath the watchful eye of Ireland’s biggest mountain range the Macgillycuddy Reeks. Surrounding the town is the Killarney National Park, featuring some of Ireland’s best scenery. The towns population of 15,000 dramatically swells for much of the year in account of tourism. Killarney can be reached by train from Cork and Dublin Heuston Station (timetables here), but this area is best travelled by car as all road trips are. You can also of course book a bus tour, with Get Your Guide a reliable resource for them.

Killarney is 300 kilometres or around 190 miles from Dublin. It’s a relatively swift drive as far as Limerick but that last 100 kilometres is through some primary roads that are prone to tailbacks. This is especially true of the town of Adare, but it’s also the kind of place you’ll be happy to drive slow or even stop to appreciate. It’s surely one of Ireland’s prettiest towns, with its rows of thatched cottages that grace its Main Street.

The drive should take you in the region of 4 hours from Dublin. Killarney’s fame as a tourist town becomes quickly apparent as you approach, it is clearly the biggest industry and every second house it seems operates as a B&B.

Finding a hotel in Killarney

Killarney has one of the highest concentrations of 5 star hotels in the world per capita. If your budget doesn’t stretch there, accommodations range from hotels to B&B’s to holiday homes. I use Booking.com for all my reservations.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help keep this site going and me travelling. Thank you for your support.

Our choice this time was the Killarney Randles Hotel. It was slightly outside of the town centre but within easy walking distance. The building, the interior, and the bedrooms were all fantastic. The building is a 1906 rectory before been converted to a manor hotel and is classical in style, completely in keeping but maintained to a very high standard. As this was high season rooms were at a premium and we paid €200. But the high standard certainly justified it.

Exploring Killarney Town

After settling in we decided to give our legs a good stretch and walk into the town. It was less than five minutes to the amusingly named central square The Hahah. This is where one can find a jaunting car, the traditional horse-drawn carriages that are a trademark of Killarney. The drivers are known here as jarveys, and a variety of tours into the Killarney National Park are available. The most alluring of these is probably the tour through the Gap of Dunloe, and by boat back to Ross Castle, but only if you have ample time.

The town centre is attractive, colourful and bustling with people. American accents in particular filled the air, so many coming to find their lost heritage. The walk took us past St Marys Church of Ireland, which was basking in the sunlight. We stopped into the Underground Cafe for a few cakes on our stroll around. We can never help ourselves when away.

Jaunting Cars

Returning to the Hahah we indulged in that most Killarney of things, a tour on a jaunting car. We picked the tour to Ross Castle: it cost €15, and our jarveys name was John. He was a friendly fella, and give us a bit of info about the town as we passed by St Marys Cathedral and into Killarney National Park. First impressions of the park were beautiful all luscious and green and vast. The horse took us down through a marked road and after fifteen minutes we arrived at Ross Castle.

Ross Castle

The castle has a magnificent location on Lough Leane, and the waters glistened in the afternoon sun. Ducks swam up to the rocky shore and this peaceful inlet on the lake provides a small harbour. I guess this motivated the building of the castle in the 15th century by the O’ Donoghue’s, a ruling clan at the time. Who could blame them. Safe and idyllic. The castle is a tower keep, strategically built to use the water as an extra defence. The castle had a legend attached to it, that it couldn’t be sacked unless it was by water, which no ship at the time could do, due to the shallow water of the lake.

Enter Oliver Cromwell and his army, who after a land siege, built special ships in Kinsale. The sight of the ships spooked the castle dwellers and it soon fell. We didn’t really have time to visit the castle, as our man John the Jarvey was waiting on us, so we just strolled around the grounds for a while, in awe of the beauty of the lake and the setting. It’s an unmissable sight on your Ring of Kerry itinerary.

Gap of Dunloe

After returning to the to the town with our jaunting car, we went back to the hotel and to our more conventional car. It was a 20 minute drive around to the Gap of Dunloe. The gap was formed by glacial flows between the McGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain and takes its name from the river Loe which now flows through it.

The start of the gap is noted as Kate Kearney’s Cottage, where bikes can be rented or refreshments got. The gap then winds through the valley for 11km. The road is particularly narrow and its a good drive past a series of lakes with steep sides on the glacial valley. Don’t expect to meet many other cars but there are quite a few horses and bikes using the route. It is recommended not to use a car, but if you are comfortable with narrow single lane country roads then its fine. Highlights along the way include the photogenic wishing bridge and the fine views into the Black Valley at the Head of the Gap.

Killarney night life

With 350 kilometres spent at the wheel we gave the car a rest for the evening. It was a glorious evening so we wandered into the town. After traversing up and down the streets a few times looking for somewhere to eat we finally settled on The Porterhouse, where some live music provided a nice background to our dinner of ribs and lamb shank. The music ended somewhat prematurely so after our meal we found Scruffy’s pub, which was just the tonic. Several pints and numerous folk songs later we staggered back to the hotel, for a nightcap of cocktails on the hotel terrace.

Driving the Ring of Kerry

We rose early on the second day of our trip in anticipation of a long day and had a brilliant breakfast to set us on our way. This was our Ring of Kerry one day itinerary. Below is the typical Ring of Kerry drive map.

It was a blistering warm day with clear blue skies. Perfect road-trip weather. We choose to do the Ring of Kerry clockwise as it suited our plan to travel to Dingle and it’s Slea Head Drive. It’s also the opposite direction of Ring of Kerry tour buses and so you have the added advantage of not getting stuck behind. However you will meet them head on and very possibly on some narrow roads. This is an important consideration for anyone attempting this drive. If you aren’t comfortable driving in the British isles I would suggest to travel counter-clockwise.

Will this be your first trip to Ireland? If so please let me allay your fears on driving here with my essential driving tips in Ireland.

Muckross Abbey

Leaving the hotel Beata and I made a quick visit to Muckross Abbey, a 15th century Franciscan Abbey. It’s a little walk from the car park and the abbey is completely free to enter. It’s in ruins but you can take the stairs up to the upper level. Highlights include the vaulted cloister around a yew tree, that is said to be as old as the abbey. A rundown graveyard surrounds the church, which amazingly is still used to this day. Jaunting cars run from here to Muckross House.

Muckross House

The historical Muckross House which is located within the Killarney National Park is only a fifteen minute drive from Killarney. Parking up we limited our visit to a stroll in the gardens and around the house. The grounds border Muckross Lake and as with any of the Killarney Lakes the views are alluring.

The house was built in the 1830’s on the site of earlier houses for the Herbert family, and apparently this is a scaled back version of the original plans. Makes you wonder. It’s a magnificent stone mansion. The gardens which compliment the house were added over the next century. There is a host of activities from tours of the period furnished house which cost €9, to a visit to the traditional farm, as well as various craft demonstrations. We kept our visit limited.

Torc Waterfall

The Ring of Kerry makes an assent above the lakes and before long we had arrived at our next stop, 3.5km away. Torc Waterfall is fed by the Owengarriff River from Torc Mountain above. It’s about 25 metres in height and while not that impressive it’s worth the short five-minute stroll from the car park. There is a viewing deck to stand and practice your slow shutter speed skills. A number of more challenging walks take you alongside the waterfall for an impressive array of views over the lakes.

Ladies View

The road steadily increases in altitude with intermittent flashes of blue through the trees from the lakes below. Before long it open up to present a viewing point. This viewing point has become known as Ladies View. This refers to the ladies-in-waiting of Queen Victoria, whom expressed delight at the sights when visiting here in 1861. We took a ramble out to the rocks which present the best perspective, through the valley floor and over the Killarney lakes. Photos don’t do it justice, but its a visual treat. It had been over an hour since my last coffee, so the conveniently located Ladies View Industries, a cafe and tourist shop, helped me refuel.

The ascent in the Ring of Kerry continued and we made an unscheduled stop at Looscaunagh lake. Somehow this little lake seemed more beautiful to us than in the ones in the Killarney floor below. It was our favourite of all the Ring of Kerry stops.

Finally the road reached Molls Gap which opens up into spectacular views of the valley beyond. From here the route gradually declines to sea level. The Killarney to Molls Gap section of the Ring, is surely its most picturesque. We drove on through the towns of Kenmare and Sneem without stopping, though these towns are good overnight locations with top hotels. Little inlets from the sea break the often wooded scenery along this stretch none more picturesque than the one I featured below.

Staigue Fort

We only made one stop along this section before we reached the extreme west coast. It is reached via the narrowest of lanes which is four kilometres long. Thankfully we didn’t meet anyone else on our way there, I would envisage it being a big problem. Staigue Fort is one of the largest stone forts in Ireland. It was constructed in the early centuries AD.

Ringforts were an early defensive fortification with large walls to protect those who live inside. The walls here were up to six metres high and four metres thick. These can be climbed by a succession of stairs built into the interior. It’s a nice Celtic structure and is one of a number of forts along the route.

The most westerly part of the Ring of Kerry is also the one with the most distractions. Firstly it’s the springboard to the Skellig islands, including that one that was sold so well in those Disney movie. There is also Valentia Island, the location of the Kerry cliffs and more of the wild views that Kerry is so famous for.

Skellig Michael

If you have additional days on the Ring of Kerry, you might look to spend a night on its west coast and the Skellig ring. Skellig Michael is one of only three Irish UNESCO World Heritage Sights, and is accessed via boat. It lies 11.6 km off the coast and atop this craggy rock, a monastic settlement dating from 588 AD is located. Known for its characteristic beehive huts, the wonder lies in how monks made this their home for 600 years. Is it any wonder so did Luke Skywalker.

Only 180 people per day are allowed to travel to the Skelligs. Boat tours run from the town of Portmagee near Valencia Island. You are at the mercy of the sea, and this being Ireland’s Atlantic coast, the weather is very unforgiving. But if luck is on your side this is one of the highlights of the Ring of Kerry. A number of companies run the trips and a complete list can be found skelligmichael.com.

Derrynane

Derrynane is a town famed as the home of Irish statesman Daniel O’Connell. His birthplace Derrynane House can be visited with many relics from his life on show. We skipped the house and drove down to Derrynane beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches in Kerry if not Ireland. Returning to the ring road up above you are indulged by scintillating vistas of the beach. Somehow I always prefer to view a beach from far as I’m not a sand between my toes kind of guy. I guess it’s also the contrast between the sand, the sea and the general greenness.

Adventures in food on our Ring of Kerry Itinerary

We were now starving so we decided to eat in the next town that our paths crossed. This happened to be Waterville. Watervilles fame is that one Charlie Chaplin frequented the place many times on his holidays. If this seaside town was good enough for Charlie it was good enough for us. Alas we couldn’t find anywhere open so we plundered on.

It was twenty minutes to Cahirciveen and by that time a hole the side of a moon crater had grown in our tummys. We passed the turn to Valentia island and adventures missed, but a man generally follows his impulses. Food. We picked the first restaurant we found in Cahirciveen, Camos which was thankfully just what we needed. We settled on paninis and big coffees, which were a delight.

Cahirciveen

Just outside the town of Cahirciveen a bridge crosses the estuary to a headland. Standing guard at the entrance to the bridge is the impressive looking Old Barracks. A British army barracks constructed in 1875 to protect the newly laid telegraph cable between Britain and America, it is fabled that it was built to specifications for a building in India, as the plans got mixed up in haste. It is a little out of place. It now hosts a heritage museum for the surrounding area.

The bridge takes us to the ruins of Ballycarberry Castle, and to a couple of more stone ringforts. The bigger of these is the Cahergall stone fort, which was probably occupied up until 1000 years ago, and stood for up to 500 years. The lower walls of an interior building are still intact. The walls can be still scaled on this one too. Keep an eye out for the horseflies, as Beata was climbing the walls she became the victim of one. Its ok though; she survived!

Adjacent to this area is the Leacanabuaile Stone Fort. this one is grassier and with a bigger collection of dwellings inside. Its stone walls are three metres thick. Its worth visiting both as they are drastically different to each other.

Falling victim to weather on our Ring of Kerry itinerary

The biggest curse of the West of Ireland, is its a part of the world where time is best spent exploring the wilds of its countryside. And for that you need reasonable weather. And visibility. A thick cloud had started to form since we left our lunch and suddenly it rolled in over the hills until they appeared no more. It was beautiful but it detracted for our experience. It had been 27 degrees earlier in the day (that’s warm in Ireland) but the cloud brought a chill with it. We also lost all views while passing the MacGillycuddy Reeks and the relative might of Carrauntoohill, Ireland’s highest peak.

Rossbeigh Beach

Our planned route had one more stop on it on the Ring of Kerry, to take the R564 road down to the beach at Rossbeigh. The narrow road presents astonishing views over the elongated beach…allegedly. We saw a few metres in front of us, which isn’t the best when navigating a sharp bended country road with steep drops. When we arrived at the beach all the sunbathers were deserting it in their droves so we sadly deserted with them.

The loss of weather and the exodus of beach goers unfortunately brought to light one problem of the Ring of Kerry. Traffic. Even though we had seen much of what we had hoped for, the route near days end, passing through Killorglin and on to Killarney, is one often fraught with traffic jams. It’s something to bear in mind as you take on this most worthy of roads.

From here you can choose to return to Killarney, return to Dublin via Tralee, or continue your exploration of the Wild Atlantic Way with Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula.

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