As you know readers, our blog keeps its ears constantly pinned to the ground listening out for the footsteps of unusual accommodations. Recently, those footsteps have been more a rumble then a gentle pitter-patter. That rumble is Ireland’s Blue Book, a directory for country homes, Georgian manors and stately castles. We’re pretty convinced if it was [...]

Bumping along the lush, rugged landscape of Connemara in an air-conditioned coach, Kirsten Fruit can hardly contain her excitement. Each dip in the road brings her closer to a place she’s been dying to visit since seeing its magnificent photo: Kylemore Abbey. My enthusiasm is threatening to overwhelm my neighbour who, for the past half hour, [...]

There you sit, legs outstretched with one hand tucked leisurely behind your head and the other resting on the fishing rod across your lap. You watch as the brilliant Irish sun that’s been warming your skin for the past four hours sends flecks of bright light dancing across the lake’s glassy surface and think, how [...]

Ok, we’re aware of the hard facts. Ireland is flanked by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and its outline shapes it like a teddy bear waiting to be warmly embraced. The main body of said teddy bear is occupied by green pastures, patterns of meadow-filled fields and, most importantly here, a host of [...]

‘Go where Ireland takes you’ we’re always telling you. Well today, we’re giving you hints, especially for those who’ll drive where Ireland takes them. Promise to keep your eyes on the road as guest blogger Fiona Hilliard reveals four of the most scenic drives in Ireland.  The Burren, County Clare In a quiet, unassuming corner [...]

Now we all love a bit of golf in Ireland – it’s how we produce some of the best golfers in the world – but how lucky are the Golf Road Warriors to be able to golf, travel, sip, and puff their way through Northwest Ireland before arriving in Killarney in time to attend (and play in [...]

Picture it: you’re astride a late model BMW motorcycle feeling the wind play about your face as you slice through the fragrant Irish countryside. The lush, verdant landscape opens before you, stretching on for miles in every direction. A patchwork of rolling hills, sparkling seas, and emerald pastures meets an expansive sky. A feeling of [...]

Dublin is a city to be savoured, and a city to be toured. If the usual seated-sightseeing bus tour doesn’t appeal, there are more adventurous and curious ways to see the city. We sent guest blogger Allie Gavette to see the city by literary legacy, by peddle power, and by big yellow amphibious vehicle. This [...]

Few things catch the imagination like the glimpse of a looming castle or a wander through weaving medieval lanes. As guest blogger, Rick le Vert discovers, the castles and alleys come steeped in mystery, especially in the undisputed heart of medieval Ireland – Kilkenny City. ’s urban fabric is a Norman maze of twisting narrow [...]

Begin the Causeway Coastal Route at Belfast, and ahead you’ll pass the nine Glens of Antrim; glacier-gouged valleys of charming seaside villages and highlands of forests, bogland and waterfalls. As guest blogger Rick Le Vert finds, these landscapes are also weaved with stories, and have much to linger, and gasp over, along your route north. The [...]