Lonely Planet Ireland

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A small country with a big reputation, helped along by a timeless, age-caressed landscape and a fascinating, friendly people, whose lyrical nature is expressed in the warmth of their welcome.

Yes, it exists. Along the peninsulas of the southwest, the brooding loneliness of Connemara and the dramatic wildness of County Donegal. Youll also find it in the lakelands of Counties Leitrim and Roscommon and the undulating hills of the sunny southeast (sunny of course being a relative term). Ireland has modernised dramatically, but some things never change. Brave the raging Atlantic on a crossing to Skellig Michael or spend a summers evening in the yard of a thatched-cottage pub and youll experience an Ireland that has changed little in generations, and is likely the Ireland you most came to see.

for you tread on history. Everywhere you go Irelands history presents itself, from the breathtaking monuments of prehistoric Ireland at Br na Binne to the fabulous ruins of Irelands rich monastic past at Glendalough and Clonmacnoise. More recent history is visible in the famine museum in Cobh to the interactive displays of Vinegar Hill in County Wexford. And theres history so young that its still considered the present, best experienced on a black-taxi tour of West Belfast or an examination of Derrys astonishingly colourful political murals.

Ireland operates an astonishing cultural surplus. Throughout your travels you will be overwhelmed by the choices on offer a play by one of the theatrical greats in Dublin, a traditional music session in a west-Ireland pub or a rock gig in a Limerick saloon. The Irish summer is awash with all manner of festivals, celebrating everything from flowers in bloom to high literature.

(Taw fall-cha row-at) Youre very welcome. Or, more famously, cad mle filte a hundred thousand welcomes. Why a hundred thousand when one is perfectly adequate everywhere else? Irish friendliness is a tired clich, an over-simplification of a character that is infinitely complex, but theres no denying that the Irish are warm and welcoming, if a little reserved at first. Wherever you meet them the shop, the bar, the bank queue theres a good chance a conversation will be struck up, pleasantries exchanged and, should you be a stranger in town, the offer of a helping hand extended. But, lest you think this is merely an act of unfettered altruism, rest assured that the comfort they seek is actually their own, for the Irish cannot be at ease in the company of those who arent. A hundred thousand welcomes. It seems excessive, but in Ireland, excess is fine, so long as its practised in moderation. Friendly but never fawning.

Evening at the Giants Causeway ()
GARETH MCCORMACK/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Every town and hamlet has at least one: no matter where you go, youll find that the social heart of the country beats loudest in the pub, still the best place to discover what makes the country tick. In suitable surroundings whether a quiet traditional pub with flagstone floors and a large peat fire or a more modern bar with flashing lights and music take a moment or an evening to listen for that beating heartand drink some decent beer in the process.

Pub in Temple Bar, Dublin
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Dublin

Irelands capital ( ) and largest city by some stretch is the main gateway into the country, but it has enough distractions to keep visitors mesmerised for at least a few days. From world-class museums and entertainment, superb dining and top-grade hotels, Dublin has all the baubles of a major international metropolis. But the real clinchers are Dubliners themselves, who are friendlier, more easy-going and welcoming than the burghers of virtually any other European capital. And its the home of Guinness.

OConnell Bridge and OConnell St
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Connemara, County Galway

A filigreed coast of tiny coves and beaches is the Connemara Peninsulas () beautiful border with the wild waters of the Atlantic. Wandering characterful roads bring you from one village to another, each with trad pubs and restaurants serving seafood chowder cooked from recipes that are family secrets. Inland, the scenic drama is even greater. In fantastically desolate valleys, green hills, yellow wildflowers and wild streams reflecting the blue sky provide elemental beauty. Rambles take you far from others, back to a simpler time.

Clifden and Connemara mountains
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Traditional Music

Western Europes most vibrant folk music is Irish traditional music () in County Clare, the unofficial capital of Irish music. Its unlikely youll be asked to join in, but theres nothing stopping your foot from tapping and your hands from clapping.

Playing Celtic music at a cilidh
DOUG MCKINLAY/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Glendalough, County Wicklow

St Kevin knew a thing or two about magical locations. When he chose a remote cave on a glacial lake nestled at the base of a forested valley as his monastic retreat, he inadvertently founded a settlement () that would later prove to be one of Irelands most dynamic universities and, in our time, one of the countrys most beautiful ruined sites. The remains of the settlement (including an intact round tower), coupled with the stunning scenery, are unforgettable.

St Kevins Kitchen, Glendalough
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Dingle, County Kerry

Dingle is the name of both the picturesque peninsula (), the peninsulas beating heart. Fishing boats unload fish and shellfish that couldnt be any fresher if you caught it yourself, many pubs are untouched since their earlier incarnations as old-fashioned shops, artists sell their creations (including beautiful jewellery with Irish designs) at intriguing boutiques, and toe-tapping trad sessions take place around roaring pub fires.