We’ve got castles, cemeteries, churches and pubs that stretch back centuries, so it’s no surprise that, every so often, things go bump in the night. Come to think of it, it’s a good thing we’re not easily scared! Tales of ghosts, ghouls, devils and gravediggers are ten-a-penny, so in the spirit of Samhain and all-things [...]

Don’t you just love the feeling of discovering a new little spot, off the beaten track? Dublin, Belfast and Kerry are big hitters on the tourist trail, but venture a little further onto a less-beaten path and you’ll find a hideaway of inviting countryside and twinkling adventure. The Northwest, that’s counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, [...]

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 [...]

Who could resist the castle fantasy? Lording about in your own manor, swigging from goblets and feasting on, well, feasts! We’ve rounded up the finest former fortresses where you can eat like a king and sleep like one too. Lismore Castle, County Waterford Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of name-dropping? We’re talking old Hollywood, scientific [...]

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, [...]

In the final post of the three-part story about tracing his ancestry in County Tipperary, Gerry Britt reaches an emotional conclusion in the fields of Ballyfinnane. The night in the pub was an unforgettable one, but I was determined to keep things moving on the research front. The next day found me in the home [...]

The road back to your roots can be an emotional one, but it’s nothing if not rich and rewarding. Visitor Gerry Britt embarks on an momentous journey that brings him right to the heart of rural Ireland, to the village his grandfather left in 1906. It was our third trip to Ireland, and my family [...]

“Exquisite”, “visually stunning”, “as funny, free and beautiful a piece of theatrical entertainment as you will ever see”;  the reviews of ‘Donka: A Letter To Chekhov’ had me itching to see it. Critics were light-headed with delight after the dreamy, spectacular Cirque de Soleil-style show and I wanted to join them. One small problem: its [...]

‘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 [...]

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 [...]