The Best of Ireland: an A to Z Guide
Ireland reaches out and grabs you. It lures you in with extraordinary green landscapes, good food and drink, and hospitable people, and keeps you there with history, music, and new friends. If you’re planning a trip to Ireland, or just thinking about things to do for St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve got you covered. I asked my travel writer friends for their best resources on Ireland, and they came through with a rainbow of goodness. Here, you’ll find recipes, guides, and more – the best of Ireland.
Before we dive into the A-Z Guide,
here are the best websites ALL ABOUT IRELAND:
Irish Fireside. The original website about travel to Ireland, run by our friends Corey Taratuta and Liam Hughes, this is a treasure trove of Irish goodness.
Ireland Yes, run by our friend Michele Erdvig – a Certified Ireland Expert. She’s the author of Ireland Dream Trip (a fantastic guide) and her site is full of great advice (and discounts!). She has a free (and fantastic) Ireland Travel Forum for people to share stories and give and ask for advice.
Ireland Family Travel, run by our friend Jody Halstead, is an amazing resource for (you guessed it) family travel to Ireland. Traveling without kids? Still dig in- plenty to learn here!
The Best of Ireland: An A-Z Guide
ACCOMMODATIONS
Oh, there are so many great places to stay, in Ireland. Here are a select few treasures:
Knockahopple Cottage (run by Liam, of IrishFireside fame)
Bunratty Castle Mews B&B (run by the friendliest person in Ireland!)
The Top Ten Benefits of Renting A Vacation Home in Ireland
Best Boutique Hostels and Unique Budget Stays Along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way
Welcome Home to Woodview Farmhouse near Dublin Airport
Dubhlinn House B&B, Co. Clare, Ireland (stay here when you're visiting the Cliffs of Moher)
Life at Pier Cottage, Co Kerry, Ireland
Settling into life at Pier Cottage, Co Kerry, Ireland for two weeks was pure joy. From the moment we walked into the old Coast Guard cottage, I could feel myself unwinding, to a slower, more natural pace. Observing the times of the tides, and heading down to the beach to see what the sea left, eating locally caught fish, the best croissants I've ever had in my life from a local baker and artist, and more, changed me. It left me with a joy for Ireland, and a deep sense of place, at Pier Cottage. Here's the view from our front door:
ANCESTORS
The Best Genealogy Websites for Finding Your Irish Roots
At BreatheDreamGo, writer Mariellen Ward shares her journey to find her Irish ancestors. She notes, “Researching my family history in Dublin, boarding a famine ship in Wexford and discovering an ancestral castle in Cork: These were just some of the highlights of my trip to Ireland to connect with the land my ancestors left behind more than 200 years ago when they journeyed to British North America (now Canada) for the chance of a better life. I was on what genealogist Helen Kelly describes as the “goose bump trail” to walk the ground of my ancestors during Ireland’s Year of The Gathering. And, yes, there were goose bumps indeed…” She has plenty of great resources and stories about finding YOUR Irish ancestors!
CITY
5 Stops Not to Miss in Ireland
Things You Should NOT DO in Dublin
Dublin Details: 10 Photos From Dublin
Literary Landmarks to Explore in Dublin, UNESCO’s 2010 City of Literature
Dublin: Five Things in Two Days
Galway City: remnants of a medieval town
COUNTRY
The Gap of Dunloe, Co Kerry, Ireland
Connemara Ireland: The Land of Bogs
To the Edge of Europe in Search of Literature
Staigue Fort, Ring of Kerry, Ireland
11 photos that capture the essence of rural Ireland
Staigue Fort, Ring of Kerry
DRINK
How not to get tossed out of a pub in Ireland
Touring Guinness Storehouse in Ireland
10 of the Best Dublin Pubs and Bars
Guinness - the official pint of us.
DRIVING
5 Things You Should Know When Renting a Car in Ireland
7 tips for how to drive on the left side of the road
Swallowed by a Donegal Ditch: Mishaps in Irish Travel
Driving Ireland's Ring of Kerry: Take a Detour
Driving Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way
Ice cream truck, pull off at Coomatloukane, Ring of Kerry
JEWELRY
Want a piece of Ireland with you? Liam Hughes (of Irish Fireside) makes the most beautiful jewelry from Irish Dishes, found in Ireland!
Liam Hughes' shard jewelry from Ireland
LEARNING
Ireland’s culinary legend Darina Allen and the Ballymaloe Cookery School
A Journey into Ireland's Literary Revival
Adventures in Ireland - to the Rainbow!
MUSIC
Who better to share the music of Ireland, than writer Kerry Dexter, of Music Road. She’s an expert on Celtic Music, our Music Editor here at Wandering Educators, and also writes at many other places, including A Traveler’s Library. Here are a few of Kerry’s greatest hits:
- Irish music, Irish landscape
- Learning about Irish music
- Ireland in Song and Tune: Cherish the Ladies
- Ceol Chairlinn: sharing music in winter
- West of Ireland to the World
- Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula: Music of Home
- Three Irish & Celtic Albums You Should Experience
- Irish Music Festivals: a traveler's handbook
- Women of Ireland: Music
- Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way: the Music Begins
- Fiddles and the Wild Atlantic Way
- The Wild Atlantic Way: The Music Continues
- Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way: Voices of Donegal and Derry
- music, time, memory: Mary Black
NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast and Northern Ireland: Safe for Travelers?
Belfast, Cathedral Quarter. Photo Caroline Oceana Ryan
Adventures in Belfast: Tempestuous Witch
Is the dividing wall in Belfast a barrier to peace?
An American in Belfast: The Amateur Traveler Talks About Titanic, Murals, Meals, and More
Photos: Should the Belfast murals remain?
Northern Ireland: A Year of Change
Northern Irish Film - Top Picks: Middletown, Hunger, and Bloody Sunday
The Best of Visiting Belfast: Part One
The Best of Visiting Belfast: Part Two
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Ireland Travel Kit – an app and website featuring the best off-the-beaten-path locations in Ireland (with contributions from many, many Irish travel writers, created by Irish Fireside)
Spots the Tourists Miss In Ireland
Travel Writers' Secrets: Favorite Places in Ireland
Horseback Riding Vacation in County Kerry, Ireland
Derrynane House, Co Kerry, Ireland
Five Alternative Peninsulas to the Ring of Kerry to Add to Your Ireland Itinerary
Who Is Saint Bridget, and Why Is She In a Well?
Horseback Riding Vacation in County Kerry, Ireland
Abbey Island, Derrynane Beach, Ring of Kerry, Ireland
Abbey Island
Alternatives to Ireland’s Most Popular Destinations
Climbing Croagh Patrick. Photo Trish Clark
ON THE TOURIST TRAIL
Muckross House, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Killarney National Park, Ireland
Family Fun in Ireland : 7 Things to Do in 2014
The Cliffs of Moher - by boat!
Ireland Itinerary: 10 Days on the Ring of Kerry
Ireland’s Ring of Kerry and Kenmare
A podcast interview (with photos!) we did at Amateur Traveler, on the Ring of Kerry
10 Free (or Almost Free) Things to Do on the Ring of Kerry
RECIPES
Irish Shortbread Recipe & Ireland Travel Notes
Christmas Dinner Irish Style: Great Holiday Recipes Inspired by Ireland
Irish Recipes: Guinness Stew and Brown Bread
Because sometimes, you've just got to make fish chowder
So what do you do, when you're in your lovely seaside cottage, fire going in the hearth, cuppa tea in hand, needing a break from your book, and it's not just the usual light, short-lived rain, but a full-blown storm? You pull out the fresh hake gleaned from the Kenmare Wednesday Market, and scrub and dice the fresh organic carrots (same market) and fresh potatoes (Tesco, not so glamorous, but we love Tesco). You chop onion and garlic, glorying in the sounds of the rain and wind. You glop into the well-loved pan some creamy Irish butter. You root around in the cupboard, and come up with fresh sea salt (no time to make your own, alas) and organic mixed herbs. And you chop the fish, which seemed so mundane when purchased (avoiding the plaice, as it is just TOO UGLY) and now has taken on a purpose far beyond what you had in mind...
Irish Fish Chowder
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
The 25 Best Articles for Your St Patrick’s Day Reading!
A Musical St. Patrick’s Day in the Pubs of Ireland
WHERE TO EAT
Travel Writers' Secrets: Favorite Places to Eat in Ireland and Scotland
Foodie Finds: Avoca in Moll's Gap, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Foodie Finds: McGanns, Doolin, Ireland
Foodie Finds: Bunratty Creamery Bar and Restaurant
Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
Savoring Handmade Chocolates Just Off Ireland’s Ring of Kerry
Skelligs Chocolate Company. YUM.
Of course, this is just the tip of the goodness that is Ireland.
Where are your favorite places, in Ireland? Please share!
All photos courtesy and copyright Jessie Voigts, except where noted
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