Jack Jewers - Frommer’s EasyGuide to Ireland 2018

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AN IMPORTANT NOTE

The world is a dynamic place. Hotels change ownership, restaurants hike their prices, museums alter their opening hours, and buses and trains change their routings. And all of this can occur in the several months after our authors have visited, inspected, and written about these hotels, restaurants, museums, and transportation services. Though we have made valiant efforts to keep all our information fresh and up-to-date, some few changes can inevitably occur in the periods before a revised edition of this guidebook is published. So please bear with us if a tiny number of the details in this book have changed. Please also note that we have no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or errors or omissions, or for inconvenience, loss, damage, or expenses suffered by anyone as a result of assertions in this guide.

CONTENTS

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ABOUT THE AUTHORs

Jack Jewers has been writing about Ireland for Frommers since 2006. Born and raised in England, he loved listening to his great-aunts tales about life in Dublin during the civil war. Jack proposed to his Irish-American wife at a spa on the Ring of Kerry. It gets a great review in this book.

ABOUT THE FROMMERS TRAVEL GUIDES

For most of the past 50 years, Frommers has been the leading series of travel guides in North America, accounting for as many as 24 percent of all guidebooks sold. I think I know why.

Though we hope our books are entertaining, we nevertheless deal with travel in a serious fashion. Our guidebooks have never looked on such journeys as a mere recreation, but as a far more important human function, a time of learning and introspection, an essential part of a civilized life. We stress the culture, lifestyle, history, and beliefs of the destinations we cover, and urge our readers to seek out people and new ideas as the chief rewards of travel.

We have never shied from controversy. We have, from the beginning, encouraged our authors to be intensely judgmental, criticalboth pro and conin their comments, and wholly independent. Our only clients are our readers, and we have triggered the ire of countless prominent sorts, from a tourist newspaper we called practically worthless (it unsuccessfully sued us) to the many rip-offs weve condemned.

And because we believe that travel should be available to everyone regardless of their incomes, we have always been cost-conscious at every level of expenditure. Though we have broadened our recommendations beyond the budget category, we insist that every lodging we include be sensibly priced. We use every form of media to assist our readers, and are particularly proud of our feisty daily website, the award-winning Frommers.com.

I have high hopes for the future of Frommers. May these guidebooks, in all the years ahead, continue to reflect the joy of travel and the freedom that travel represents. May they always pursue a cost-conscious path, so that people of all incomes can enjoy the rewards of travel. And may they create, for both the traveler and the persons among whom we travel, a community of friends, where all human beings live in harmony and peace.

Arthur Frommer

The Best of Ireland

W ith its ever-changing scenery, Ireland is an addictive place to explore. Within a few miles you can travel from plunging cliffs and flat pastureland to towering mountains and gloomy peat bogs. You can spend the night in ancient castles or state-of-the-art spa hotels, and dine on fine Irish cuisine or snack on crispy fish and chips served in a paper bag. The sheer number of sights, little villages, charming pubs, and adorable restaurants and shops can be overwhelmingthats why weve put together this list of some of our favorite places and things to do in Ireland. We hope that while youre exploring this magical country, youll find a few of your own.

The best Authentic Experiences

Seeing a Traditional Music Session at a Proper Irish Pub: While there are plenty of shows for the tourist crowd, nothing beats the energy, atmosphere, and authenticity of a genuine small-town traditional music session. Buy a pint, grab a seat (preferably one near a smoldering peat fire), and wait for the action to begin. We list some of the best places in this book, including the Long Valley in Cork (see ).

Getting Lost Down the Back Roads of County Kerry: Its Irelands most visited county by far, and if you stick to the beaten path, in summer its thronged with tourists. Instead, veer off onto the winding back roads and allow yourself to get gloriously, hopelessly lost. Forget the clock and embrace a sense of serendipity. There are always new discoveries to be made down its breathtaking byways. See .

Wandering Through Temple Bar (Dublin, County Dublin): Yes, its touristy; yes, its loud; yes, its the kind of place where hustlers in leprechaun costumes beg for change in return for photos... .

Ireland

Walking Down the Long Stone Passage at Newgrange (County Meath): Sacred to the ancients, this passage tomb is more than 5,000 years oldthats older than the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge. Wander down the long, atmospheric central tunnel and try to visualize just how many generations have passed since it was builtits a mind-blowing exercise, a real time-warp experience. See .