text:
County Galway

County Galway (Contae na Gaillimhe) is on the west coast of Ireland, historically in the province of Connacht. It has great scenery in the Connemara peninsula, along the shores of Galway Bay and out in the Aran Islands. The east, separated by Lough Corrib, is low-lying farmland. The Irish language held out longer in the west so County Galway has the largest Gaeltacht in Ireland.

Towns and villages

 * (Gaillimh) is the only city, the lively county capital.

Connemara is the wild, rugged terrain north and west of the city:
 * (An Spidéal) includes the north coast of Galway Bay to Rossaveel.
 * (An Cheathrú Rua) includes the chain of islands through Lettermore to Lettermullan and the loop of road west to Carna.
 * (An Clochán) is a large resort town.
 * is tidal, you stroll or drive across from Claddaghduff near Clifden.
 * is the usual access into Connemara National Park.
 * (An Líonán) is by a fjord, surrounded by stark mountain scenery.
 * is just west of Cong in County Mayo, the film location for The Quiet Man.
 * on the shores of Lough Corrib is on the edge of the Connemara mountains.

East Galway is the low-lying, pastoral part of the county:
 * (Tuaim) has been a religious centre for 1500 years.
 * is a small market town with many medieval buildings.
 * has a fine castle and is just across the river from Lorrha, which has tumbledown abbeys and castles.

Islands of Galway that you sail to, rather than driving across, are:
 * of Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr have many prehistoric and early Christian sites.
 * has Cromwell's Fort and a ruined 13th century church.

Understand
In Irish Galway is Gaillimh, from Gaill, the word for outsiders or foreigners. It certainly draws the tourists, especially to Galway city, yet this county is home to a large gaeltacht, who speak Irish as their first language.

Connemara is the scenic peninsula of western Galway. It has a barren windswept landscape, with grey granite mountains - of no great height, but prominent with sharp profiles. Between the mountains are gouged-out glaciated valleys and tracts of blanket bog with varied flora. Farming here even in the good years was a hand-to-mouth affair with potatoes grown on smallholdings, in tiny fields divided by drystone walls, and fishing in the merciless Atlantic. The coast is fractal, with multiple peninsulas and little islands, several of which are nowadays connected to the mainland by road.

The county is almost bisected by freshwater Lough Corrib, with Connemara to the west. East Galway on the other bank is lusher farmland: low-lying, with trees and water and arable land, plus quite a few bogs. It's less scenic and has fewer visitors, but has an interesting collection of abbeys and other medieval ruins.

The three Aran Islands are rocky and treeless but don't resemble Connemara - they are not granite but limestone, an extension of the Burren plateau of County Clare to the south. They have a remarkable collection of prehistoric forts and early Christian settlements.

Talk: Everyone is fluent in English but Irish/Gaeilge is widely spoken here, often as a first language in the smaller places. See Ireland for how to get started in speaking Irish. Outside the city, you need to know the Irish names of places you're seeking, because those will often be the only versions signposted.

Get in

 * See Galway city for air transport options.

By rail

 * From Dublin Heuston there are ten trains to M-Sat, six on Sunday. They stop at Kildare, Athlone, Attymon, Athenry, Oranmore and Galway Ceant.

 * From Limerick Colbert five trains run M-Sat, four on Sunday, via Ennis and Gort to Galway Ceant. Limerick has connections from Cork and Mallow.

By bus

 * From Dublin Bus X20 runs hourly from the airport via Dublin Busaras, Heuston Station and Athlone, taking 3 hours 30 min to Galway.
 * From Limerick and Clare Bus X51 runs hourly nonstop from Limerick city to Galway, 80 min, while Bus 51 runs hourly from Cork via Mallow, Limerick, Shannon Airport, Ennis and Gort to Galway.
 * Bus 350 winds along the coast six times a day from Ennis via Lahinch, Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan and Kinvara.

 * From the north Bus 64 runs every two hours from Derry via Letterkenny, Sligo and Knock Airport to Galway.
 * Operators include Bus Éireann, CityLink and GoBus.

By bus
Most routes radiate out from Galway. Some you might use include:
 * - 424 to Spiddal, Inverin (for Connemara Airport), Rossaveel (for ferries to the Aran Islands) and Carraroe.
 * - 419 / 923 to Oughterard and Clifden; a few continue to Cleggan (for ferries to Inishbofin Island).
 * - 350 to Kinvarra, Ballyvaughan, Doolin (for summer ferries to the Aran Islands) and on south to Ennis.
 * - 52 and 64 to Tuam, continuing north across Mayo.

See individual towns for Local Link bus services, which are sparse but could prove useful.

By plane or boat
There's not many counties in the world that you get around by air yet can't fly to. But Connemara Airport west of Spiddal has regular flights to the Aran Islands but isn't connected to the global air network. The proposed air link to Inishbofin Island never got started, so that trip involves a ferry from Cleggan near Clifden.

See Aran Islands for details of the ferries from Rossaveel and Doolin to all three islands, and for the flights.

By road
You need a car to reach most of the country places, or enjoy cycling in the teeming rain. All the major car hire companies can be found in the cities (including Galway) and airports.

It's motorway all the way from Dublin to the edge of Galway. The main radial roads are good undivided highways. It counts as a minor road if there isn't room to pass a tractor (and never fear, you will meet some), and then there's that wonderful construction the boreen. This may be roughly paved but there's grass growing up the middle, and sometimes livestock grazing on that grass who feel they have right of way.

See

 * Galway city's top sights are the Cathedral, St Nicholas Collegiate Church, the City museum and the University Quad.
 * Castles near the city are at Killeen, Ballindooley, Castlegar, Cloonacauneen, Menlo and Ballybrit.
 * Athenry Castle 15 km east of Galway is a restored 13th-century Norman keep.
 * Aughnanure Castle is a well-restored Gaelic tower house. It's by the shores of Lough Corrib, 20 km northwest of the city near Oughterard.
 * Portumna Castle is a Jacobean mansion and gardens at the head of Loch Derg, bordering County Tipperary.
 * Coole Park is a nature reserve in Gort, south of Galway towards the border with County Clare. Open daily Apr-Sep.
 * Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh is a cultural centre for the Connemara Gaeltacht. It's at Rosmuc, open daily.
 * The Galway Hooker (Húicéir na Gaillimhe) is a fishing boat traditional to this area; its larger classes also carried light cargo such as turf. It was launched off beaches into shallow water with oncoming Atlantic breakers, so it has a sharp entry, a "tumblehome" (the hull narrows rather than flares as it rises), and a single mast with one mainsail and two foresails. Its chief limitations are the lack of decking and the low "freeboard", so it's vulnerable to swamping, and you wouldn't risk an extended journey. It usually has a pitch-black hull with red-brown sails. Hookers are still made nowadays to traditional designs and are used as leisure craft like other small sailboats: for racing or for just larking about. There are courses if you'd like to learn how to crew or even build a Hooker.
 * Prehistoric and early Christian sites abound on the Aran Islands, with stone ringforts and churches grouped around saints' dwellings and holy wells.
 * The Burren south of Galway Bay is a sparse limestone landscape dotted with prehistoric sites. It's mostly in County Clare but its top northeast corner is the "Flaggy Shore" within County Galway.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to Galway Bay Radio on 95.8 FM, or read This is Galway, or the Galway Advertiser online or in print (free) on Thursdays.
 * Go to the theatre: half a dozen in Galway, including the Irish language theatre Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe.
 * Hiking: a good hike is Twelve Bens in Connemara.
 * Cycle: try the Sky Road near Clifden.
 * City Walking Tour: these explore historic Galway.
 * Gaelic games: the County GAA play Gaelic football and hurling at Pearse Stadium in Galway. There are about 80 club teams in the county: Corofin GAC are one of the top football clubs in Ireland, winning the senior championship three times in a row 2018-2020. Their home ground is at Corofin 6 km south of Tuam.
 * Ted Fest is held in March on Inis Mór by admirers of the TV sitcom Father Ted.

Buy

 * Publications about the area that may be found in local bookshops or available on line:
 * - Connemara, the last pool of Darkness; Tim Robinson
 * - Connemara Wild Flowers, Introductory Guide; Dieter and Jane Stark
 * - The Shores of Connemara; Seamus Mac An Iomaire
 * - Connemara, Land of Contrasts; Clifden Bookshop
 * - Birds of Inishbofin; Tim Gordon

Eat

 * Galway has lots, but doesn't have a cosmopolitan selection - it's a choice of Irish, seafood, Med, and cheap eats. The city standout is Ard Bia by the Spanish Arch.
 * The pubs are the main eating option in most villages.
 * Inis Meáin is the oddity - how come this small and not very touristy island has two top-rank eating places?

Drink

 * Galway pubs attract a lot of stag and hen parties, who tend to stick to main drag. The pubs have live trad music most nights.
 * Galway Hooker is the brewery near the city, and Connemara Brewing Company is at Carraroe. The county doesn't have a distillery.

Sleep

 * Galway has the most choice in all price ranges, and with your own car can be the base for exploring the entire county. It doesn't have nearby campsites but there are many hostels. The profusion of middle-range places keeps prices down even in the "splurge" category.
 * All the other towns and villages have some accommodation, with most in Clifden, Oughterard, and Cong just across the border into County Mayo.
 * Even the Aran Islands can be done as a day trip (even from Dublin - mad, mad!) but deserve longer. Inis Mór is the obvious base, in summer you can day trip from there to the other islands.

Go next

 * To the north, County Mayo is even bleaker than Connemara.
 * To the south, the road winds along the coast to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, then into lusher country around Ennis.
 * Limerick is a miniature Dublin, with its Georgian street pattern and many visitor attractions.

title: County Galway


text:
County Kerry

County Kerry (Contae Chiarraí) is in Southwest Ireland, and historically part of the province of Munster. With a population of 147,707 in 2016, Kerry is one of the most scenic and touristy parts of Ireland, because of its two mountainous peninsulas, Dingle and Iveragh. Jutting into the Atlantic Gulf Stream, these draw not only tourists but cloud, mist, copious rainfall and midges. Kerry therefore has well-developed visitor facilities.

Towns

 * is the county town, with Kerry County Museum.
 * has the extensive Crag Cave.
 * is Kerry's main tourist centre, flanked by Lough Leane and Killarney National Park.
 * has Kerry Bog Village and the lively Puck Festival.
 * the birthplace of Daniel O'Connell has a Ruritanian police barracks and two stone ringforts.
 * on the "Skellig Ring" is the usual route to Valentia Island and for trips to Skellig Michael.
 * , famous for its lace, is near several Iron Age and other ancient structures.
 * has many well-preserved ancient sites and wild Atlantic views.
 * together with Brandon is the main settlement north side of Dingle Peninsula.
 * has a famous pub and is near a surfing beach.
 * is the main town in the north of the county.

Other destinations

 * are six little islands off the Dingle Peninsula, uninhabited since 1953. Boat trips visit, and you can stay on Great Blasket the largest island.
 * and Deenish are the two islands seen west of Derrynane on the Ring of Kerry. Scariff is the larger and further island, 7 km off Hog's Head. They're grazing land and nowadays uninhabited.
 * 12 km out in the Atlantic has the remains of a medieval monastery and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You need to be lucky with the weather to get here.

Understand
Tourism has a 250-year history in Kerry. From 1747 Viscount Kenmare tried to improve his estate by promoting a tourist trade, but this didn't get very far in an era when very few people could enjoy the luxury of leisure travel, and travel within Ireland was especially tedious. That changed with the arrival of the railway in 1853: tourists flocked, and hotels and other amenities sprang up. The north of the county around Tralee and Listowel is agreeable enough, but the best of the scenery and the concentration of facilities are around the two-and-a-bit rugged peninsulas to the south.

Dingle Peninsula below Tralee is the north one. Its chain of mountains culminate in Mount Brandon, with scarps and tumbling waterfalls. The chain continues out into the Atlantic, forming the Blasket Islands.

Iveragh Peninsula is in the middle, and the Ring of Kerry is the 214-km circuit of its main highway N70. Cyclists need several days but it's usually done by car or tour bus as a day-trip, starting from Killarney and going anti-clockwise through Killorglin and Caherciveen. There's a subsidiary "Skellig Ring" loop on minor roads, which most buses miss, via Valentia Island, Portmagee and Ballinskelligs to rejoin the main highway at Waterville. The Ring of Kerry then continues through Derrynane, Kenmare and back to Killarney. Independent travellers can spend as long or as little as they please in these places. Boat trips to Skellig Michael or other islands, and the "Gap of Dunloe" circuit near Killarney, are both full day trips in their own right.

Beara Peninsula to the south has only a portion in Kerry. Most of it is in County Cork, see Castletownbere for its tip and Glengarriff for its base.

Two areas of Kerry are in the Gaeltacht, where Irish is the main language: Cloghane and Brandon on Dingle Peninsula, and Ballinskelligs on Iveragh Peninsula. Everyone speaks English but signage there is in Irish. These pages give English equivalent names even when those have no official standing, simply to help anglophones find places like Prioreacht Bhaile an Sceilg, the ruined abbey at Ballinskelligs.

Tourist information

 * County Kerry tourist information

By plane
north across the Shannon estuary is a major portal of entry into Ireland. It has many flights from Europe, UK and the United States, with US border pre-clearance, and in summer from Toronto. The largest operators are Ryanair and Aer Lingus. There are several car rental agencies.

is midway between Tralee and Killarney. It has daily flights from Dublin, and year-round from London Stansted and Luton, Manchester, Frankfurt-Hahn, plus seasonal Med destinations.

Dublin Airport is often a good option because of its wide range of flights and competitive fares, compensating for the extra drive.

By train
Trains run from Mallow every couple of hours to Killarney and Tralee. One or two per day start from Dublin Heuston or Cork, but usually you change at Mallow.

By bus
Dublin Coach M7 runs hourly from Dublin Burgh Quay and Red Cow Luas station via Limerick, Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale, where it branches for either Tralee or Killarney, taking 4 hr 20 min. From Dublin airport take their bus for Portlaoise, Waterford or Dundrum and change at Red Cow.

Bus Eireann 40 treks cross-country every hour or so, from Rosslare ferry port via Wexford, New Ross, Waterford, Dungarvan, Youghal, Cork, Macroom and Ballyvourney to Killarney and Tralee.

Bus 14 runs four or five times daily from Limerick to Castleisland and Killarney.

In July and Aug Bus 282 crosses the Beara peninsula between Kenmare and Glengarriff (for buses from Bantry). Getting between County Cork and Kerry for most of the year means doubling back through Cork city.

By boat
The Shannon Ferry plies between in County Kerry and Killimer in County Clare on the north bank, both on Highway N67. It sails hourly Sept-May and every 30 min Jun-Aug. Fare is €20 for a standard car with all passengers, €5 for a foot-passenger, cyclist or motorbike. If you're touring the Atlantic coast, this saves a lengthy detour inland through Limerick. Watch for dolphins on the 20-min crossing.

Get around
Buses radiate from Tralee to Killarney, Dingle and Listowel, with a bus every hour or two. Other routes are very sparse, for instance Cloghane only has a bus on Friday. There is no public bus around the Ring of Kerry, consider joining an organised tour; operators include Wild Kerry, Deros and Paddy Wagon. The bus south from Kenmare to Glengarriff in County Cork only runs in summer.

Most travellers bring their own car. There are car rental desks in Kerry Airport, Tralee and Killarney. Their fleets are small so you ought to book ahead.

The highways are in good repair but can be very congested in summer, especially the single-track minor roads. Only light vehicles are permitted on the Conor Pass route between Cloghane and Dingle, or through the N71 tunnel between Kenmare and County Cork.

There's bicycle rental in the main towns.

Boats only ply to the islands in summer, including the car ferry to Valentia Island, which is also reached by road. The other sailings are basically boat trips rather than ferries, in rinky-dinky boats for foot passengers only. These other islands are uninhabited and lack harbours, so you may have to transfer boats to something even rinkier and dinkier that even St Brendan the Navigator would have jibbed at, and scramble ashore up the beach. At the beginning and end of summer livestock are moved to and from island grazing in a similar way, bleating almost as loud as the tourists.

The "jaunting car" — pony and cart and garrulous blarneying "jarvey" or driver — was once a common conveyance in rural Ireland but is nowadays confined to Killarney.

The steam-punk monorail alas no longer runs between Listowel and Ballybunion.

See

 * County Museum in Tralee is a good introduction to the area.
 * Killarney is the tourist capital of Kerry. It's got the lot: a well-repaired castle by the lake, an atmospherically shabby abbey, grand gardens and a museum of country life, Ogham stones inscribed with runes, and Ireland's highest mountains rearing up to the west.
 * Prehistoric remains are common in the less-populated areas. The main concentration is west of Dingle.
 * Early and medieval Christian sites are dotted about, with a good example at Ardfert near Tralee. The most remarkable, thanks to its remote setting, is on Skellig Michael.
 * Castles: the best preserved is Listowel. Many others are just scenic stumps, such as Carrigafoyle perched at the water's edge on the Shannon estuary. Ballycarbery near Caherciveen could be mistaken for prize topiary, while the Disneyesque schloss in Caherciveen is the old police barracks.
 * Bird life: the rugged coasts plus Killarney National Park have the most. See Kerrybirding for specific locations and recent sightings.

Do

 * Gaelic games: Kerry GAA the county team play football in Killarney and hurling in Tralee. There are about 80 club teams across the county.
 * Dingle Way is a long distance hiking trail, starting from Tralee, looping the Dingle peninsula and returning. The whole route is 162 km, taking 8 days, but you can access it anywhere for a shorter or longer walk. For facilities and sights along the way, see Tralee, Castlegregory, Cloghane, Dingle and Annascaul.
 * Kerry Way is a more than 200-km trail round Iveragh Peninsula, following the Ring of Kerry but mostly off-road. You could do it all in 9 days but two dozen shorter stages allow more time for sight-seeing.
 * Surf: Banna Beach near Tralee and Inch Beach near Annacaul are the two main spots, with surf shacks for lessons and equipment.
 * Go to the races: Listowel is the main horse-racing track and Killarney has a regular calendar. Tralee and Dingle have only occasional events.
 * The Wild Atlantic Way is a long-distance motoring and cycling route along the entire western seaboard of Ireland. You arrive from County Clare on the Shannon Ferry, unless you've decided to include Limerick city. The north Kerry coastline is pleasant enough but if time is limited, short-cut to Tralee. From there head onto Dingle Peninsula via Camp, Castlegregory, Cloghane and Brandon, then over Conor Pass to Dingle and the tip. Head back via Annascaul then turn towards Killorglin to join the Ring of Kerry circuit of Iveragh Peninsula. Visit Killarney also, before continuing south through Kenmare onto Beara Peninsula and County Cork.
 * Learn Irish: Coláistí Chorca Dhuibne (Dingle Peninsula College) run distance and residential short courses in summer. They're designed for those already at Junior / Leaving Cert standard, not beginners.
 * Don't squish a slug unless you're sure it's not the rare, protected Kerry slug Geomalacus maculosus, found only in this area and around Finisterre in Iberia. No less than the European Court of Justice leaned down from its august height in 2005 to reprimand the Irish government for paying insufficient regard to the survival and slimy happiness of such slugs. The woodland version is brown, those on boggy open hillsides are dark grey, both with yellow spots. Habitat loss is their main threat — they don't like rhododendrons — but mind where you tread.

Eat

 * Killarney as the main tourist centre has the widest range.
 * Lots of fish & chips takeaways and kiosks, but Cable & Co in Knightstown on Valentia Island is a shocking pink food truck.
 * Sneem Black Pudding is a protected-origin specialty from near Kenmare.

Drink

 * South Pole Inn in Annascaul was opened by the explorer Tom Crean. It's full of Antarctic memorabilia.
 * Lots of pubs in all the settlements, which are often the best option for food.
 * There are breweries in Killarney, Kenmare, Portmagee, and Ballyferriter near Dingle. There are distilleries in Dingle and Caherciveen, and one a-building in Portmagee.

Sleep

 * No chain hotels, all the accommodation providers in Kerry are independent family businesses. Lots of B&Bs and pubs with rooms, again their prospects for 2022 are not yet clear.
 * Upmarket places have more space and "bio-security". Top picks are Ard na Sidhe in Killorglin and Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare.

Connect
For local news and views, listen to Radio Kerry on 96.2 - 97.6 FM, or read The Kerryman or Kerry's Eye.

Go next

 * South, the Beara peninsula takes you into County Cork. Bantry is a good base for exploring this area.
 * East you cross the hills into lowland County Cork on the road to colourful Cork city.
 * North you can take a ferry over the Shannon to County Clare, or swing inland to the historic city of Limerick.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: County Kerry


text:
County Kildare

County Kildare (Contae Chill Dara) is in the East Coast and Midlands of Ireland, bordering Dublin and historically part of the Kingdom of Leinster. It's low-lying, horse-rearing country, now part of the city commuter belt, and in 2016 it had a population of 222,504.

Towns

 * the county town has its own racecourse, with Punchestown a few km south.
 * is a college town, with an RC seminary. Along with Celbridge and Leixlip it has several historic mansions.
 * or Droichead Nua is a commuter town near The Curragh racecourse.
 * has a cathedral with a fine Round Tower, and is near the Irish National Stud.
 * has a ruined castle.
 * has a ruined abbey.
 * has a white castle guarding the bridge over the River Barrow.
 * on the Wicklow boundary stands by Poulaphouca reservoir lake and grand Russborough House.

Understand
This low-lying, fertile area has been settled since prehistory, but traces of its earliest years have been built or farmed over, or carted off to museums. Ptolemy's map of 100 AD marks a settlement of Rheban hereabouts, but the area only starts to come into focus around 490 AD, when the monastery was founded at Kildare, and its abbess St Brigid acquired all the legends and supernatural attributes that previously cloaked the pagan goddess Brigid. Her church by an oak grove - Cill Dara - lay in the Gaelic kingdom of Leinster, which the Normans made sure to grab and subdue when they arrived from the 12th century.

The Normans carved their conquest into shires or counties - County Kildare was originally much larger and included Laois and Offaly until Tudor times. They battled with the kings of Leinster and of Meath but found it much easier to pay them to keep quiet. In the 13th and 14th centuries the Gaels repulsed the Normans from much of Scotland and Ireland, but Leinster held firm within the palisades or "Pale" of Dublin. Not until the 16th century could England resume colonising the rest of Ireland. Castles, garrisons and strongholds were placed at every river crossing and astride every major highway, many of which crossed Kildare. Troops stationed here could quickly be deployed into Dublin or dash out to crush trouble in the midlands. They were also a great recruiting poster for any likely lad who despaired of life on the farm and saw more future in marching to fife and drum behind the Union flag. The plains of the Curragh hosted large military camps, and still do under the Irish tricolour.

And in any spare moments between uprisings from Killala to Khartoum, folk raised and raced horses. Even with the coming of the railways, horses remained essential for agriculture, day-to-day transport and military use. The 19th century created leisure time and disposable income for many, and horse-racing flourished, especially here so close to Dublin. Good transport links also created a commuter population, concentrated along the two major corridors towards Maynooth and Naas / Kildare.

Neither the county nor the town of Kildare inspired the fictional "Dr Kildare". He first appeared in print in 1936, then in the TV soap opera of 1961-66 played by Richard Chamberlain. The doctor was a Faustian invention, created by Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. The real role model was George Winthrop Fish, a distinguished New York urologist who had played for the US Olympic rugby union team.

Get in
Dublin Airport has a wide range of flights and direct buses into County Kildare, see below. The airport also has the best deals for car hire.

County Kildare has two principal transport corridors, laid down in prehistoric times to avoid the midland bogs. One follows the north edge of the county through Maynooth then branches towards Galway, Mayo or Sligo, the other is central through Naas and Kildare then branches for Waterford, Cork or Limerick. Public transport is good along these corridors but sparse elsewhere.

Trains from Dublin Connolly run frequently to Maynooth, 40 min; six per day continue to Mullingar, Longford, Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Ballymote and Sligo. Change at Connolly for trains from Belfast, Rosslare, Wicklow, and Dublin suburban DART lines.

Trains from Dublin Heuston run hourly to Sallins (for Naas), Newbridge and Kildare (30-50 min), then fan out across the country towards Athy and Waterford, Cork, Tralee, Limerick, Galway and Westport.

For Maynooth, the Hopper bus runs direct from the airport and Dublin Bus 66 / 67 plies from city centre. Coaches run from Dublin via the airport to Maynooth and variously continue west to Athlone and Galway, or via Mullingar and Longford then northwest to Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle and Sligo, or west to Ballina.

"The Green Bus" N7 runs hourly round the clock from the airport to Naas, Kildare and Portlaoise. The GoAhead Commuter Bus runs from city centre to Naas and Kildare. Dublin Coach M7 runs from city centre to Kildare and Limerick, then either heads north of the Shannon to Bunratty and Ennis, or south to Adare, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale, Killarney and Tralee.

By road from Dublin take M4 for Celbridge and Maynooth, M7 for Naas, Newbridge and Kildare, and M9 for Athy.

Get around
You need a car for travel off the two main transport corridors, and many places of interest are away out in the countryside. The area is lowland and the distances are not great so a bicycle might do, though it's sure to rain. There's a bus between Maynooth and Naas, but other cross-county trips by public transport may involve trekking all the way into Dublin to come out again. For the awful fate of prehistoric citizens who strayed off the corridors and attempted to short-cut, visit the "bog bodies" display in Dublin's national museum.

See

 * In Kildare see the Irish National Stud Farm, which contains the Japanese Gardens.
 * Other gardens are at Larchill near Kilcock, west of Maynooth.
 * Castletown House is a grand Palladian mansion in Celbridge near Maynooth. It has two remarkable follies, though nowadays they're severed from the house by M4.
 * Castles: lots of these, but tumbledown or smashed up. Find them at Athy, Maynooth, Carbury and Naas.

Do

 * Go to the races: The Curragh is between Newbridge and Kildare, while Punchestown is south of Naas.
 * Gaelic games: Kildare GAA play football and hurling at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge. There are some 50 GAA clubs across the county.
 * Golf: There are some excellent golf courses in Kildare, such as The K Club, Carton House, and Castlewarden.
 * Canal boats: Ireland's main waterways cross the county and are navigable throughout. The Grand Canal, completed in 1804, runs from the Liffey in Dublin via Celbridge, Sallins (with a branch to Naas), Robertstown (for the Barrow), Edenderry and Tullamore, to join the Shannon near Banagher. The Barrow Navigation runs from Robertstown south to Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown, Graignamanagh and St Mullins, where it joins the tidal river down to New Ross and Waterford. The Royal Canal was completed in 1817 and runs from the Liffey to Maynooth, Mullingar, Ballymahon, Killashee (for Longford) and so to the Shannon. Check Waterways Ireland for current status of locks, moorings and so on.

Eat
Naas and Kildare town have the most choice.

Drink
See Kildare and Naas for a selection of pubs and hotel bars.

Go next

 * County Wicklow lies east; Blessington has a grand mansion, backed by the Wicklow Mountains. The must-see is Glendalough monastic complex.
 * County Meath to the north has a remarkable collection of ancient sites. Brú Na Bóinne and Hill of Tara are the best-known (and very touristy) but don't overlook Loughcrew Cairns or Trim.
 * County Laois west has a scattering of sites such as Rock of Dunamase.
 * County Kilkenny's star attraction is the historic city of Kilkenny.
 * County Carlow is a quiet place for pottering along the River Barrow.
 * Dublin is the unmissable big city.

title: County Kildare


text:
County Kilkenny

County Kilkenny (Irish: Contae Chill Chainnigh) is in Southeast Ireland, historically in the province of Leinster. It's low-lying, with no coastline but with tidal rivers. Its scenery and medieval heritage are the main reasons to visit.

Towns

 * the county town is an attractive small city with a "Medieval Mile" of historic buildings.
 * has a Norman Motte-and-bailey, a ruined abbey, and the childhood home of Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers.
 * has a large ruined priory.
 * is near Jerpoint Abbey, Kilfane Glen gardens and Mount Juliet golf resort.
 * is an attractive little village near Woodstock Gardens.
 * is a pleasant riverside town, with Duiske Abbey.
 * , industrial since medieval times, has the Discovery Park and a coal-mining museum.
 * has the remains of Ballylarkin Abbey.
 * city stands in its own county south of the River Suir. But some of its northern burbs lie in County Kilkenny, and places such as Piltown and Poulanassy waterfall are more easily reached from the city.
 * similarly stands across the River Barrow in County Wexford, but it includes Rosbercon on the Kilkenny west bank.

Understand
County Kilkenny is named for its county town, the city of Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh, the church of St Canice). It's mostly low-lying, fertile, and (crucially) better drained than much of this famously boggy nation. It's bounded to the south by River Suir and to the east by River Barrow, with River Nore running down its centre. Although it has no coastline, its lower rivers are tidal, bringing in sea-farers who thought the area was worth grabbing for themselves. These included the Vikings, but their power was broken by the 11th century. It was the Normans from the 12th century who put their stamp on the place, founding many castles and abbeys, and defining the present county boundaries.

In the 17th century Kilkenny was effectively the national capital, as the Confederacy of Ireland threw off English rule. It lasted six turbulent years then Oliver Cromwell put an end to it in 1650. Thereafter the county was mostly at peace, though not untouched by the 1798 rebellion and the famine years. In the 19th century it became connected to Ireland's great superhighway: River Barrow was linked north to the Grand Canal, so sacks of coal and passengers in top hats could easily be moved between Dublin, the Midlands, Limerick and Waterford. Several other modes of communication have been invented since but the tow-horses on the Barrow only retired in 1920.

Castlecomer was industrial from medieval times because of its coal, but the county never became heavily industrialised, and its scenery was preserved. It's within easy reach of Dublin but remains mostly agricultural, with low hills and crumbling abbeys. The scenery and heritage, along with boating and angling, are County Kilkenny's main attractions today.

Get in
Six trains a day run between Dublin Heuston and Waterford, via Kildare, Carlow, Bagenalstown, Kilkenny and Thomastown. Not all trains stop at the minor stations, so their service is two or three times a day. See Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

JJ Kavanagh Bus 717 runs daily every two hours from Dublin Airport, Eden Quay and Heuston station to Kilkenny, Callan and Clonmel. One overnight and two daytime buses also stop at Naas, Athy and Castlecomer.

Expressway 4 runs every hour or two from Dublin Airport, Busáras and Heuston station, taking 2 hr 30 min via Carlow to Gowran racecourse and Thomastown and continuing to Waterford. It doesn't go through Kilkenny.

Bus Eireann 73 traverses the Midlands, twice M-Sa and once on Sunday, from Athlone to Clara, Tullamore, Mountmellick, Portlaoise, Stradbally, Carlow, Kilkenny, Thomastown, Ballyhale, Mullinavat and Waterford.

Slieve Bloom Coach 838 also runs twice M-Sa from Portlaoise to Castlecomer, Ballyragget and Kilkenny.

Get around
Kilkenny and Thomastown are on the main transport corridor to Waterford, so you can get between them on the trains from Dublin and buses from Athlone.

Other places have at most a couple of buses a day M-Sa, radiating from Kilkenny with no cross-country links. Many sights of interest are some way out in the countryside, without even those sparse bus services. So you need your own wheels. Distances are not great and the terrain is level so a bike will do, but a car gets you out of the rain.

The patron saint of taxi drivers, St Fiacre, is believed to have governed a monastery at Bennettsbridge before moving to France and giving his name to the fiacre carriage. His sanctity may have outpaced his contribution to transport, and the denizens of that town were sufficiently unimpressed that they named it instead after Benet, St Benedict.

See

 * Jenkinstown Park 10 km north of Kilkenny is an attractive forest park, carpeted by bluebells in April.
 * Heritage Ireland manage five sites in the county. In 2021 a Heritage Card valid nationwide for one year costs adult €40, senior citizen €30, student or child €10, family (2+5) €90. Since the standard adult fee is €5, you need to visit eight of their sites to break even, and several sites are free to visit anyhow.
 * - Jerpoint Abbey is a fine Cistercian ruin in Thomastown.
 * - Kilkenny Castle is the imposing Norman Castle dominating Kilkenny.
 * - Dunmore Cave is 11 km north of Kilkenny.
 * - St Mary's Church in Gowran, 11 km east of Kilkenny, is 13th century.
 * - Kells Priory 15 km south of Kilkenny is a remarkable fortified monastery.

 * Ancient churches also include St Canice Cathedral and Black Abbey in Kilkenny, Duiske Abbey at Graignamanach, and Ballylarkin Abbey at Freshford.
 * Coal mining was never common in Ireland, nevertheless its few seams were exploited since the Middle Ages, and Castlecomer has a mining museum. The Republic's only other example is away up north at Arigna Mines near Drumshanbo.
 * Gardens: Woodstock near Inistioge has the finest.

Do

 * What's on? - tune into KCLR on 96 FM for news and events, or read Kilkenny People or Kilkenny Now.
 * Brandon Hill near Graignamanagh is the highest mountain in the county, an easy climb of 515 m (1690 ft).
 * South Leinster Way is a 102 km hiking trail from Kildavin in County Carlow to Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary. It follows the east bank of River Barrow to Graignamanagh, then traverses County Kilkenny via Brandon Hill, Inistioge, Glenpipe, Mullinavat, Templeorum, Piltown and finally Carrick-on-Suir.
 * Gaelic games: Hurling is the dominant sport here, and the county team play at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. There are some 40 GAA club teams across the county.
 * Golf: the best known course is Mount Juliet in Thomastown. There are others in Kilkenny, Callan and elsewhere.
 * Canal boats: the Barrow Navigation meets the Grand Canal (which is navigable from the Liffey in Dublin to the Shannon) at Robertstown in County Kildare. It courses south to Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown, Graignamanagh and St Mullins, where it joins the tidal river down to New Ross, Waterford and out to sea. Check Waterways Ireland for current status of locks, moorings and so on. There are restrictions on how far rented boats may be taken from base, and they won't let you venture into tidal waters.
 * Go with the Flow organise canoeing at various spots along the river near Kilkenny.

Eat

 * Kilkenny has the widest selection in all price ranges. Rinuccini and Zuni are pricey but both get rave reviews.
 * Near Thomastown, Mount Juliet golf resort has outstanding dining.
 * In Graignamanagh, Devil's Menu is bespoke meals for groups, conjured up by the chef before your wondering eyes.

Drink

 * Kilkenny city gave birth to Kilkenny Beer and Smithwick's Ale. Both are nowadays brewed in Dublin by Guinness-Diageo, but they're still worth sampling.
 * Kilkenny pubs to try include Kyteler's, home to one of the first people in Europe to be persecuted as a witch, Cleere's which contains a theatre, and Left Bank stunningly redecorated after the bank left.
 * All the small towns have trad pubs which are often the best place for eating, and Mick Doyle's in Graignamanagh will sort you out with fishing tackle.

Go next

 * The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary was for centuries the seat of the Kings of Munster. Its ancient cathedral and round tower perch on a rock.
 * To escape the landlocked Midlands for the seaside, head for beach resorts such as Dunmore East, Tramore and Courtown
 * Waterford needs several days to explore for its Viking, medieval and Georgian heritage.

title: County Kilkenny


text:
County Laois

County Laois (pronounced "leesh") (Contae Laoise) is in the East Coast and Midlands region of Ireland. Historically it was on the western fringe of Leinster, but modern transport puts it within commuting distance of Dublin, only an hour away.

Towns

 * the county town is a transport hub. Its sights, such as Dunamase and Timahoe, are some distance out.
 * is near the grand neo-classical Emo Court.
 * has lost its abbey but has Heywood Gardens and a notable bog.
 * is a base for hiking the north slopes of Slieve Bloom Mountains.
 * is near the south flanks of those mountains.
 * near the Tipperary boundary has a 15th century tower house.
 * is of course mostly in County Carlow but straddles the boundary.

Other destinations

 * (Sliabh Bladhma) form the boundary with County Offaly.

Understand
Ireland began on two continents separated by the Iapetus Ocean. Over 400 million years ago the ocean closed up, and a line of mountains formed where the continents fused. These towered over 3000 m high, but were of sandstone that quickly eroded, leaving the 500 m peaks of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. They formed a natural boundary between the ancient kingdoms of Leinster to the east and Munster to the west, and a semi-independent "buffer state" of Osraige or Ossory emerged along this upland strip. Its people were the tribe of Ui Laoighis, pronounced "Leesh", who were traditionally composed of seven "septs" or clans - the leading clan being the O'Mordha, aka O'More or Moore.

The O'Mores sided with Leinster but in the 12th century the Normans arrived, grabbed the best land, and re-organised the territory into shires or counties. But their control this far west was tenuous, they were distracted by plagues and other wars, and Laois was among the areas that repulsed them in the 13th / 14th centuries and restored Gaelic rule. The Tudors resumed the task of subduing Ireland, and in 1556 under Mary I they created Queen's County, with its county town at Maryborough. They ejected the O'Mores and colonised the area with "Plantations" of loyal English settlers, but this was a stuttering process, with Irish counter-attacks and limited numbers of incomers. There were also French Huguenot settlers in the 1690s, and Quakers from the 18th century, who developed industries such as textiles. Mountmellick for instance, now a quiet little place, once rang with the clamour of forge-mallets and looms. But it wasn't on a large enough scale to change the ethnic balance (as it did in the Ulster textile towns) or to protect against the famine years, when the population slumped.

The modern county is "double land-locked" - surrounded by counties that are themselves land-locked, if you discount tidal rivers. At independence in 1921, "Maryborough" became Portlaoise and the county unofficially became Laois, though this wasn't enshrined in law. So legally it's still "Queen's County" just as neighbouring Offaly remains "King's County" for Mary's husband, Philip II of Spain. The mountains and bogs of Laois constrain the transport routes: the railway arrived in 1847, and Mountrath became a bottleneck on the Dublin - Limerick road until bypassed in 2010. Portlaoise developed industry, but what chiefly reversed the population decline was the ease of commuting to Dublin, only an hour away by road or rail. In 2016 the county population was 84,697, a 26% increase on 2006.

The county tourist agency promotes Laois under the slogan "You're welcome". The national agency Discover Ireland covers it as part of "Ireland's Ancient East", which roughly means Leinster.

Get in
Trains from Dublin Heuston run hourly via Sallins (for Naas), Newbridge, Kildare and Monasterevin to Portarlington and Portlaoise. They continue south to Ballybrophy (for the branch to Roscrea and Nenagh), Thurles, Limerick or Cork, or west to Tullamore, Clara and Athlone, where they branch either for Galway or for Roscommon and County Mayo. See Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

Dublin Coach N7 runs every 2 hours from Dublin Airport via Kildare to Portlaoise. From Dublin city take their M7 bus towards Limerick, and change at Kildare for the N7 to Portlaoise or the 816 to Portarlington.

Bus Éireann 73 trundles across the midlands twice a day from Waterford via Thomastown, Kilkenny, Carlow and Stradbally to Portlaoise and Mountmellick. It continues to Tullamore, Clara, Moate and Athlone.

By road from Dublin follow N7 / M7 and reckon an hour.

Get around
Train is a good option between Portlaoise and Portarlington. Bus routes fan out from Portlaoise to the county's other towns but service is sparse, often only twice a day, and attractions such as Rock of Dunamase or the trailheads for Slieve Bloom have no public transport. So you need wheels. The distances are not great so a bike would do, but a car gets you out of the rain.

See

 * Abbeyleix has a bog that's notable even by Ireland's demanding standards, with a 3.5-km boardwalk.
 * Ballaghmore Castle is a 15th-century tower house. Five km away in Camross is Poet's Cottage.
 * Emo Court is a 19th-century neo-classical mansion 8 km south of Portarlington.
 * Gash Gardens are near Mountrath, while Heywood Gardens are in Ballinakill southeast of Abbeyleix.
 * Dunamase is a rocky outcrop and castle east of Port Laoise on the road towards Stradbally.
 * Timahoe has a fine Round Tower.

Do

 * See a show at Dunamase Theatre in Port Laoise.
 * Stradbally Hall hosts various events such as the Electric Picnic and Steam Rally.
 * Gaelic games: Laois GAA play football and hurling in Port Laoise. There are almost 50 GAA club teams across the county.
 * Boating: the Barrow Navigation branches off the Grand Canal and courses south, forming the boundary between Counties Laois and Carlow. Multiple access points, the best spot for boat hire is Vicarstown.
 * Buds and Blooms is a garden festival held in early June, multiple venues, with access to several gardens not routinely open to the public.

Eat

 * Portlaoise
 * Mayur Indian Restaurant
 * Indian Prince Restaurant
 * Kellty's Steakhouse
 * Portarlington
 * O'Deas's Bar and Bistro
 * Emo
 * Baton's at the Gatehouse
 * Durrow south of Abbeyleix has good meals at Ashbrook Arms and excellent dining at Durrow Castle.
 * Roundwood House above Mountrath is another excellent hotel restaurant.

Drink

 * Lots and lots of bars in Portlaoise. A good starter is the Jeremiah Grant, named for the notorious local rustler and highwayman.
 * Morrissey's in Abbeyleix is an atmospheric old pub.
 * Ballykilcavan Brewery is near Stradbally and offers tours.
 * A couple of distilleries produce spirits, but they're all blended into other brands' liqueurs and mixed drinks, and there are no tours.

Go next

 * South is County Kilkenny. Its attractive county town Kilkenny has a wealth of sights, heritage, and amenities.
 * North and west lies County Offaly: Tullamore has two famous distilleries, Birr is a charming Georgian town, and Clonmacnoise is an outstanding monastic site.
 * East are the horse-rearing pastures of County Kildare and County Carlow, and then you're on the threshold of Dublin.

title: County Laois


text:
County Leitrim

County Leitrim (Contae Liatroma) is in Northwest Ireland and Lakelands Region, traditionally part of Connacht. It's a long narrow county, thinly populated with poor land, large lakes and boggy hills. It's in the upper part of the Shannon waterway network, and pleasure boating and other river activities draw many visitors.

Towns

 * , the county town and largest town in the county. Together with Leitrim village it's a major junction on the Shannon waterway network.
 * is a small town at the south end of Lough Allen where it flows into the Shannon waterways.
 * is the only settlement of any size in north Leitrim. It has a ruined castle, and several megalithic sites nearby.
 * has pubs and other eating places, so it makes a good rest stop, but it's short of accommodation and sights.

Understand
Leitrim is from Liath Druim, "grey ridge", a common Irish place name. The county is fringed by mountains and almost bisected by Lough Allen, with sparsely-populated boggy terrain to the north, but more settlement to the south along the Shannon valley. It lay in the province of Connacht, and in medieval times was part of the kingdom of Bréifne. Its Gaelic rulers the O'Rourke dynasty staunchly resisted the Normans but then warred among themselves, and their kingdom sundered into east and west. Once Elizabeth I of England subdued it, east Bréifne became County Cavan while west Bréifne became County Leitrim. It's named for the village of Leitrim, an O'Rourke stronghold and place where the Shannon could be forded. The district around Drumshanbo developed industry in early modern times, based on local coal and iron. More and more of the Shannon was made navigable, until eventually there were waterways all the way from Lough Allen to the Atlantic at Limerick and across Ireland to Dublin. Still the land remained poor, with no safety margin against the famine years, and in the 19th century these struck hard.

The waterways withered as the railways and roads advanced, but from the late 20th century they were refurbished for leisure craft. They're nowadays better than ever, with a link created to the Lough Erne system in Northern Ireland, and Carrick is a major junction on the Shannon network - see Waterways Ireland for routes and current status. Along the river are quiet small towns with ruined abbeys and castles, and prehistoric megaliths out in the fields. The county tourist agency is Leitrim Tourism. The area is also promoted as "Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands", which isn't an agency but is a marketing brand for this and other counties along the upper Shannon catchment.

Get in

 * Six trains per day run from Dublin Connolly via Maynooth, Mullingar and Longford to Dromod and Carrick-on-Shannon, continuing to Boyle, Ballymote and Sligo. See Irish Rail for fare deals.
 * Expressway Bus 23 runs six times a day from Dublin Busáras via Dublin Airport, Lucan, Maynooth, Mullingar and Longford to Dromod and Carrick-on-Shannon, and continues to Boyle and Sligo.
 * See individual towns for Local Link bus services. They're generally too sparse for visitors, running once or twice a week, but a few are practical ways of getting in (eg Carrick to Manorhamilton) or getting around (eg Carrick to Arigna Mines).
 * By road from Dublin follow M4 then N4 through Mullingar and Longford.

Get around
You need wheels, public transport is too sparse for sight-seeing.

See

 * Glencar Lough has the famous Glencar waterfall.
 * Lough Gill is mostly in County Sligo and usually visited from the city, but Parkes Castle is near its head in County Leitrim.
 * One of the world's smallest churches is the Costello chapel in Carrick.
 * Standing stones: Fenagh in the east of the county has the best.
 * Down a coal mine: the former coal mine at Arigna near Drumshanbo has tours.
 * Cavan and Leitrim Railway is a heritage narrow gauge railway at Dromod, next to the mainline station. It operated 1857-1959, hauling coal from Arigna mines.

Do

 * What's on: check the Leitrim Observer. The Leitrim Post folded in 2009.
 * Hire a boat to explore the Shannon-Erne network. Start and drop-off points are Carrick, Bellanaleck near Enniskillen and Banagher in County Offaly; one-way rentals are possible. You don't need a boat licence, anyone over 21 can hire.
 * Walk on water at the north end of Shannon Blueway: at Drumshanbo a 600 m floating boardwalk crosses Acres Lake. Beyond is conventional waterway and trails to Carrick, then the downstream section from Carrick to Rooskey near Dromod is all waterway, suitable for kayaks and paddle-boards.
 * The Leitrim Way is a 25 km walking trail from Dowra to Ballinagleragh, Drumshanbo and Leitrim village.
 * A loop drive or bike excursion taking in many of Leitrim's sights is (going anti-clockwise) from Manorhamilton to Glenfarne, then north to Kiltyclogher, Rossinver and Kinlough, then south to Glenade and back to Manorhamilton.
 * SLNCR Greenway is under construction along the trackbed of the former Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. As of 2020 only a 5 km demonstration section near Dromahair is open, but it's hoped eventually to link Sligo and Enniskillen. The railway, active 1875-1957, was Irish Standard Gauge and transported cattle; it was unprofitable but privately owned throughout as from 1922 the border crossing made it more trouble than it was worth to nationalise.
 * Beaches: Leitrim has only 4 km of coastline and it's not up to much, though Tullaghan the coastal village has a 3 m High Cross. You're better driving 40 min west to Rosses Point, Strandhill or other beaches in County Sligo.
 * Watch Gaelic games: County GAA teams play Gaelic football and hurling in Carrick. There are 24 club teams across the county.
 * Look up your ancestors at Leitrim Genealogy Centre in Ballinamore.
 * Cowboys and Heroes is a Country & Western festival and rodeo held in Drumcoura near Ballinamore in early June.
 * An Tóstal ("The Gathering") is an eclectic festival held in Drumshanbo in June / July.
 * Joe Mooney Summer School is a week-long festival of Irish trad music held in Drumshanbo in July.
 * Mohill Agricultural Show is in Mohill in August. The next is probably Sunday 15 Aug 2021, tbc.

Eat

 * The Red Bank Restaurant in Carrick-on-Shannon
 * The Barge Steakhouse in Carrick-on-Shannon
 * Opera Italian Restaurant in Carrick-on-Shannon
 * Waterfront Restaurant in Cootehall
 * Jinnys Bakery in Drumshanbo

Drink

 * Connolly's in Manorhamilton is renowned not only for its Guinness but for the owner's singing.
 * The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo produces gin, whiskey and vodka, and offers tours.

Sleep

 * Carrick-on-Shannon together with Leitrim has the most choice.
 * Splurge at Kilronan Castle near Drumshanbo.
 * As it's a small county, you might be better based in Sligo for the north end, or in Longford for the south.

Go next

 * Sligo has prehistoric monuments and cloud-wreathed mountains that inspired WB Yeats.
 * Boyle in County Roscommon has two ruined abbeys and a suspicious lack of UFOs.
 * County Leitrim lacks a coastline, visit County Mayo for the Wild Atlantic Way.

title: County Leitrim


text:
County Limerick

County Limerick (Irish: Contae Luimnigh) is a county in the Shannon Region of Ireland, historically part of the province of Munster. It's dominated by the lively city of Limerick, the broad estuary of the Shannon, and lowland countryside dotted with castles and abbeys. In 2022 the population was 209,536.

Towns

 * (Luimneach) is the only city in the county. It has many sights and amenities and is the obvious base for exploring the area plus nearby County Clare.
 * (Áth Dara) is a picturesque and frankly touristy village with Castle Desmond, a couple of abbeys and a plush manor hotel.
 * (Ráth Caola) has Castle Matrix and a ruined abbey.
 * (an Caisleán Nua Thiar) is a town further west with another Castle Desmond.
 * (Eas Géitine) is a small town near the Shannon with, guess what, Castle Desmond.
 * Foynes a few km further west has a flying boat museum.
 * (Cill Mocheallóg) has the ruins of an abbey, castle and medieval town walls. It's 10 km south of the prehistoric site of Lough Gur.

Understand
The River Shannon descends steeply to the city of Limerick, where it enters a broad shallow estuary bordered by good farmland. The earliest known human settlements, from 3000 BC, are preserved at Lough Gur. Christianity arrived with St Patrick in the 5th century, and petty kingdoms evolved - the lower Shannon became part of Munster, which covered the southwest quarter of Ireland. From the 9th century the Vikings raided the area then settled, calling it Hlymrekr which means low-lying and fertile. As elsewhere in Ireland, they were overthrown by the native Irish in the 10th / 11th C, who in turn came under the rule of the Anglo-Normans. In 1205 King John began the construction of a castle on a river island at the tidal limit of the Shannon, which became the nucleus of the city of Limerick.

The Normans divided Ireland into shires, although it would be another 600 years before these took on the appearance of local government counties. Meanwhile the Limerick area was embroiled in most of the national conflicts and calamities, especially the Desmond Rebellions of the late 16th century, the Cromwell and Williamite wars of the 17th, the Great Famine of the 19th, and the Anglo-Irish and Irish Civil Wars of the 20th. Somehow the county got through, with growing industry and trade. A canal system was built that linked the navigable Shannon all the way to Dublin, then came the railway, tarmac roads, and shipping and aviation to America. Éamon de Valera (born in New York City) was brought up here, and steered his country to independence. And the descendants of those that had fled began to return as tourists.

In County Limerick they would not find pretty-postcard scenery - it lacks the contrast of mountains, and of bleak rocks to make its green fields shine the brighter, so the tour coaches hurry on to Kerry, Clare and Galway. But here is an Ireland in microcosm, from prehistoric crannogs to medieval castles and abbeys to the cosmopolitan, miniature Dublin that is Limerick city. It's definitely worth taking time to explore.

Get in
By plane: is 24 km west of Limerick in County Clare, with flights from across Europe and UK and the United States. It doesn't have flights within Ireland.

Dublin Airport has a wider selection of flights and is has a direct bus to Limerick.

By train: The only railway station in the county is Limerick Colbert. This has hourly trains from Dublin Heuston, some direct but mostly with a change at Limerick Junction which is near Tipperary; and change there for Cork. Trains also run from Limerick to Ennis and Galway, and to Nenagh and Ballybrophy.

By car: the main roads all converge on Limerick. From Dublin, N7 is all motorway once you get past Naas, 200 km or 3 hours in all. Other major routes are N18 / M18 to Shannon Airport, Ennis and Galway, N20 to Mallow and Cork, N21 to Tralee and Killarney, and N24 to Tipperary and Waterford.

If you're exploring the Atlantic coast (for instance following the Wild Atlantic Way), you can cross the Shannon estuary by the ferry that plies between Killimer in County Clare on the north bank, and Tarbert in County Kerry on the south bank 2 km beyond the Limerick county boundary.

By bus: Bus M7 runs every 30 min from Dublin city centre via Kildare to Limerick then either Ennis or Adare, Newcastlewest, Abbeyfeale, Killarney and Tralee.

Bus 51 runs hourly across the county from Cork and Mallow to Limerick, continuing north via Shannon Airport and Ennis to Galway.

There are also buses every few hours to Limerick from Tralee, Killarney, Waterford and Athlone.

Get around
There's an hourly bus from Limerick to Adare (20 min), Rathkeale and Newcastle West.

You need a car for sightseeing anywhere else - for instance Bus 314, from Limerick to Foynes and Glin, only runs four times a day. There are car rental firms in Limerick city and at Shannon Airport.

The railway line from Limerick to Foynes is disused but intact. It's planned to re-open it for freight, it's not known if passenger services might resume.

See

 * Limerick is an elegant Georgian city with a castle and two cathedrals. The monster that surfaced in its docks in 1922 hasn't been seen since, but keep your eyes peeled.
 * Adare is an attractive small town with thatched cottages and a stout castle. It's mobbed with tourists at the height of summer.
 * Glin Castle is west of Foynes on the coast road to Tarbert and the Shannon Ferry. It's a dilapidated Georgian mansion, formerly a hotel, but nowadays a private dwelling and closed to visits. Glin village was from 1928 to 1966 the home of St Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, run by the Christian Brothers. A monument commemorates the victims of the school's brutal and sexually abusive regime. The Brothers have said sorry.
 * Glin Castle is west of Foynes on the coast road to Tarbert and the Shannon Ferry. It's a dilapidated Georgian mansion, formerly a hotel, but nowadays a private dwelling and closed to visits. Glin village was from 1928 to 1966 the home of St Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, run by the Christian Brothers. A monument commemorates the victims of the school's brutal and sexually abusive regime. The Brothers have said sorry.
 * Rathkeale: the abbey is a ruin, and Castle Matrix 1 km west, a 15th C tower house, is no longer open to the public. In 1709 many refugees came to this area from Rheinland-Pfalz, the Rhineland Palatinate. They mostly moved on to North America, but many are buried locally. The small Palatinate Museum in the former railway station commemorates their history, open May-Sept W-Su 10AM-1PM, €7. The Great Southern Trail starts in Rathkeale, see Do.
 * Newcastle West along N21 towards Tralee has the 15th century Castle Desmond, not to be confused with the one in Adare. It's mostly ruins; the best-preserved part is the banquet hall, which can only be seen by guided tour May-Aug (daily 10AM-6PM, free).
 * near Kilmallock is a shallow lake surrounded by prehistoric sites, notably Grange stone circle.
 * is a working Benedictine monastery and school, which incorporates a Normanesque castle. It's set in attractive gardens and woodlands.
 * Glen Aherlow: see Tipperary for this scenic valley stretching east from Galbally at the edge of County Limerick to Bansha.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to Live 95 FM on 95.0 MHz, or read Limerick Post or Limerick Leader.
 * Play golf: Adare has a course within Adare Manor Resort which in 2027 hosts the Ryder Cup. There are lots more courses across the county, with green fees barely a tenth of what the Manor are asking.
 * Limerick racecourse is 6 km southwest of the city off M20, with both flat racing and National Hunt.
 * Gaelic games: the County GAA play at Páirc na nGael in Limerick. There are about 75 club teams across the county.
 * Munster Rugby play at Thomond Park, 1.5 km west of Limerick city centre.
 * Curraghchase Forest Park is along N69 from Limerick towards Askeaton. It's a woodland ranged around the shell of an 18th century house, with trails to walk, but maybe not worth the €5 they charge. Tennyson claimed to have seen The Lady of the Lake raise her arm from its waters (maybe feeling about for a lost sword?) and later revellers embellished the legend with fire-clad females and ever such goings on.
 * Hike or cycle the Great Southern Trail. This follows an abandoned railway from Rathkeale for 40 km via Newcastle West to Abbeyfeale; it's hoped some day to complete it between Limerick and Tralee.
 * Clare Glens are north of Glenstal Abbey on the boundary between counties Limerick and Tipperary. There's a scenic 3 km walk along the river gorge.

Buy
Limerick has the best "proper shopping". There's no end of catchpenny tourist tat in Adare.

Eat

 * Limerick city has the best variety of restaurants in the county.
 * In Adare the Blue Door gets good reviews.

Drink

 * Lots of pubs especially in Limerick.
 * Thomond Gate Whiskey in Limerick produced small batches of Irish whisky. No tours.
 * Breweries you can tour are Treaty City Brewery in Limerick and JJ's Craft Brewing in Kilmallock. Eight Degrees Brewery is just south of the boundary in Mitchelstown, County Cork, but doesn't offer tours.

Sleep

 * Limerick has most choice, and Adare has several upscale places to stay.
 * There's a string of little B&Bs around Lough Gur and the village of Bruff 3 km south.

Stay safe
Normal precautions about road safety and not leaving valuables on display in your car.

Go next

 * West is scenic County Kerry; the best of it is around Killarney and along the rugged coastline.
 * North of the Shannon is County Clare, with the Atlantic pounding against Loop Head and the Cliffs of Moher, and inland the wild Burren.
 * South is County Cork. It has attractive Cork, unspoilt countryside, and the unavoidable Blarney Stone.
 * East is County Tipperary, for scenic loughs, the Rock of Cashel, Ormonde Castle, Cahir Castle and Ahenny High Crosses.

title: County Limerick


text:
County Londonderry

County Londonderry is one of the six historic counties of Ulster that in 1921 formed Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. These counties have been abolished as units of local government, and since 2015 Londonderry is administered in three districts: Derry and Strabane, Causeway Coast and Glens, and Mid-Ulster. Nevertheless it retains a distinct regional identity.

While the City of Londonderry is commonly called "Derry", this is less common for the county. While some people prefer to call it "County Derry" or Contae Dhoire, this article uses only "Londonderry" for the county. In 2011 the county population was 247,000.

Cities and towns

 * is a fascinating city with 17th century walls and in-your-face history.
 * is a small market town in the scenic Roe Valley.
 * is the former county town. It remains a transport hub, and has the main campus of Ulster University.
 * is a coastal resort with a long sandy beach.
 * is a seaside village with the eccentric Mussenden Temple and ruin of Downhill Demesne.
 * is near 17th-century Springhill House and the shores of Lough Neagh.

Understand
Glaciers scoured out fjords such as Lough Foyle then melted and sea levels rose. The coastal lowlands became carpeted by oak forest, in Irish called doire, hence "derry". Stone Age people arrived soon after, and Mount Sandel in Coleraine had settled habitation in 7000 BC - that's Mesolithic, way before the stone monuments and villages of the Neolithic Age. At the other end of the spectrum, Grianan of Aileach (whick looks as old as the hills) was occupied as late as 1050 AD, until its owners finally succumbed after centuries of nagging, and re-housed their families in nice wattle-and-daub huts like their get-ahead neighbours.

Ireland's bays and rivers were essential for transport and for fishing. A monastery was founded on the River Foyle in the mid 6th century by St Colmcille, better known as St Columba. This was the beginning of Derry city, but it was repeatedly destroyed by the Vikings. By the 12th century the Vikings were ousted from Ireland, and the new powerful tribe were the Normans, who grabbed land in the southeast and divided Ireland into shires or counties, but never gained control of the northwest. It was only in the 16th century that Tudor England was able to assert its might. Yet still the Gaelic chiefs of Tyrconnell and Tyrone held out, until routed in the Nine Years War. In 1607 those chiefs fled to Europe: mission accomplished! But it wasn't.

The last Gaelic rebellion was in 1608 by Sir Cahir O'Doherty of Donegal, who destroyed Derry. English troops poured in, killed O'Doherty and most of his men, took reprisals, and hunted down the last few rebels holed up on Tory Island. Right, let's sort this place so it stays sorted. The novel solution was to outsource Derry to a London business consortium, "The Honourable The Irish Society". The Society rebuilt Derry with stout walls, carved up the territory between their twelve leading merchant companies (in order the Mercers, Grocers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths, Skinners, Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers, Saltners, Ironmongers, Vintners and Clothworkers), and populated it with loyal Protestant settlers mostly from Scotland. What had been County Coleraine became County-definitely-Londonderry-no-way-Derry, the eastern part of Ulster was similarly settled and industrialised, and the seeds of Irish partition were lain. Those city walls enabled Derry to withstand sieges in 1649 and in 1688, when the apprentice boys famously slammed the gates against the forces of catholic King James. Over the next 200 years, Protestant control was cemented in Belfast and the east, while to the west rural Donegal became de-populated - its Catholics found no welcome, housing or jobs here so they moved on to Glasgow and North America. Londonderry therefore became a pivot as the 19th / 20th century "Troubles" escalated into the Anglo-Irish conflict and Irish civil war. The 1921 Treaty partitioned Ireland, and specifically Ulster, with Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan joining the Republic, Londonderry joining the North, and a "hard border" suddenly appearing on Derry's city limits.

The border blighted trade and development on both sides. Economic grievances and sectarian tensions simmered especially in "interface areas" such as Derry / Londonderry; the border was always resented, but what propelled Ulster into the late 20th century "Troubles" was the new dynamic of civil rights. On "Bloody Sunday" on 30 Jan 1972, British troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in Derry, who were marching against mass imprisonment without trial. How could Britain govern its own backyard in this way?

This meant that in the 1970s, Beirut, Kabul, Teheran and Baghdad were agreeable places for westerners to visit, people even walked safely on the moon, while Derry and Belfast were off-limits, blighted, dangerous. Of course many still visited for business or family, but leisure travellers averted their eyes from the moral crater of Ulster. Not until 1998 was the conflict defused by the Good Friday Agreement. That agreement has been sorely tested but has largely ended violence, downgraded the border to a mere county line, and allowed Derry to re-launch itself as a tourist destination. The uncertainty in 2021 is because Brexit has created a new border with the European Union, and the long-term effects of this remain to be seen.

Get in
is 7 miles northeast of Derry and has flights from the UK. You've more choice flying into one of the Belfast airports, and even more into Dublin.

Trains run hourly from Belfast via Newtownabbey, Antrim and Ballymena to Coleraine, Castlerock and Derry.

Buses run to Derry from Belfast, from Dublin city and airport, and from Galway via Sligo and Letterkenny the transport hub for County Donegal.

Car ferries sail from Cairnryan in Scotland to Belfast and to Larne, then an hour by road brings you into the county. By road from Dublin it's usually simplest to take M1 / A1 north to Belfast then M2 / A6 west.

In summer a car ferry plies across the outlet of Lough Foyle, between Macgilligans Point north of Derry and Greencastle in County Donegal.

Get around
Train is the best public transport between Derry, Castlerock and Coleraine, with hourly trains from Belfast.

Buses on that route only run 4 or 5 times a day: Ulsterbus 134 / 234 runs from Derry via Eglinton (for Derry airport), Ballykelly, Limavady and Castlerock to Coleraine.

Buses from Coleraine run a frequent triangle to Ulster University, Portstewart and Portrush.

You need a car to explore much of the county, or be a keen cyclist. A network of national cycleways crosses the county, though they're mostly on road.

See

 * Walled city of definitely-Londonderry, that name is what they were built to preserve. The walls are in good condition as they were only built in the early 17th century, in an age when other cities were demolishing the straitjacket of their medieval walls. The difference is that the city within was built to a grid pattern to aid defence, unlike the higgledy-piggledy alleys of other walled cities.
 * Bogside in definitely-Derry lies at the foot of the walls, with Free Derry Corner and the Museum.
 * Grianan of Aileach is a well-preserved ringfort. It's 5 miles west of Derry city, which means it's in County Donegal in the Republic, but easiest visited from the city.
 * Mussenden Temple is an 18th century oddity teetering on a cliff-edge above Castlerock. It's part of Downhill Demesne, a ruined mansion.
 * Binevenagh is the plateau rising abruptly northeast of Limavady. It's popular for rock-climbing and hang-gliding, but most visitors just drive up for the view.

Do

 * Beaches: most of the coastline is sandy beach, with resort strips at Portstewart, Castlerock and Benone.
 * Lough Neagh is accessed from Ballyronan marina near Magherafelt.
 * Gaelic games: Derry GAA play football and hurling, with their usual home ground at Celtic Park in Derry. There are 40 GAA teams across the county.
 * Year-round soccer: can you stand the excitement? Derry City FC play in the Republic's League of Ireland, which is April-Oct. All the other teams in Northern Ireland (such as Coleraine) play in the NIFL Aug-April, same as the season in England, Scotland and Wales.
 * Northwest 200 is a motorbike race held in May on a triangular on-road circuit between Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart.

Go next

 * East to County Antrim for the big tourist attractions of Bushmills, Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Bridge.
 * South to County Tyrone for the Ulster American Folk Park and prehistoric sites around Cookstown.
 * West to County Donegal and indeed north: these Atlantic-dashed headlands of the Republic of Ireland extend further north than Northern Ireland. The last outpost is the island of Inishtrahull, nowadays uninhabited.

title: County Londonderry


text:
County Longford

County Longford (Contae an Longfoirt) is in the East Coast and Midlands Region of Ireland, and fairly central. It's a lowland rural area that was part of the province of Connacht, until it re-assigned to Leinster in 1608.

Towns

 * (An Longfort) the county town has a fine cathedral and is near Corlea trackway.
 * (Achadh na Cloiche) is a village with a striking collection of dolmens.
 * (Gránard) is a village at the watershed between the Shannon and Erne river systems.
 * (Meathas Troim) is a small market town at the southeast edge of the county.
 * (Baile Uí Mhatháin) may have been the birthplace of Oliver Goldsmith, and hosts a literary festival.
 * together with Ballyleague is on the Shannon.

Understand
This is a lowland area, with boggy terrain bounded to the west by the Shannon and Lough Ree, and to the north by a drumlin landscape and the watershed with the River Erne. From the 5th century AD it was part of the petty kingdom of Teabhtha, but in 1070 it was captured by the O’Farrells, who called it Angaile or Annaly.

The Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century and steadily expanded from their bases on the coast. Irish rulers were toppled and their territories awarded to Anglo-Norman barons, and the landscape was populated by castles, city walls and abbeys. This began to happen in Annaly, but hadn’t gone far when the Normans were rolled back. In the 14th century, Scotland gained the upper hand in its wars with England, and went on the attack in England and Ireland. The O’Farrells were therefore able to regain control until the 17th century, and this means that the county lacks the medieval heritage seen elsewhere. Granard for example acquired a wooden fort but it wasn't converted to stone, and the whole town burned merrily when Edward the Bruce (brother of Robert the Bruce) arrived to win the crown of Ireland. About a dozen monasteries were established, but they never enjoyed the centuries of medieval patronage and embellishment, and their remains are scant.

By the time of Elizabeth I the English again felt able to draw maps, define counties and decide where to build their mansions in Ireland, but County Longford was one of several where this was “castles in the air”. Not until the start of the 17th century were the last of the old Irish ruling clans smashed by the Nine Years War. County Longford had been part of the Irish bad-lands of Connacht, but in 1608 it was re-assigned to Leinster, no longer "beyond the pale". The O’Farrell lands were confiscated, to become plantations of English and Scottish landowners and secure loyal control. The final rebellion was by the United Irishmen of 1798, who had a redoubt in Granard, but fell to British bayonets like their companions in Wexford and Mayo. The story of the county thereafter was the familiar tale of provincial life, relaxation of the anti-Catholic Penal Laws, famine and mass emigration, industrialisation and the coming of the railways, and the conflict around Irish independence.

In the 20th century the county name became famous through Lord Longford, Frank Pakenham (1905-2001) the 7th Earl. With his mad-scientist gleaming cranium, he was a tireless campaigner for unpopular causes and people, and a love-to-hate figure in the media. The 18th-century Earls of Longford had been big movers and shakers in the county, and Pakenham himself was knowledgeable about Irish history and culture, but he had no strong links to this area.

By train
Six trains a day from Dublin Connolly take 2 hours to Edgeworthstown and Longford via Drumcondra, Maynooth and Mullingar; they continue northwest to Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Ballymote and Sligo.

By bus
Expressway Bus 22 / 23 runs six times a day from Dublin Busáras, taking 2 hours to Longford via Dublin Airport, Lucan, Maynooth and Mullingar. Bus 23 continues to Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle and Sligo, while Bus 22 heads west to Ballina.

Bus 65 runs once a day from Athlone to Ballymahon, Longford, Granard, Cavan, Clones and Monaghan. On Friday only it also runs from Galway to Tuam, Roscommon, Longford, Granard and Cavan.

Bus 466 runs from Athlone via Ballymahon and Keenagh to Longford, with two M-Sa and one on Sunday.

Andrew Wharton Bus 975 runs five times M-Sa from Cavan, taking 75 min to Longford.

By car
By road from Dublin follow M4 west then N4 past Mullingar. This road courses northwest through Edgeworthstown, Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle and Sligo.

N5 branches off N4 at Longford, heading west to Castlebar and Westport.

N55 runs cross-country from Athlone to Ballymahon, Edgeworthstown and Cavan.

From Galway it's quickest to take M6 to Athlone then N55, but you could also take N63 via Rosscommon.

Get around
The best way to get around Longford is by car.

See

 * Corlea Trackway is an oaken track into the bog, constructed in 148 BC. It was probably used for ritual rather than transport and only for a few years before sinking into the bog. It's open May-Sept, see Longford.
 * Granard is a small village in the north of the county. Its Motte was built in 1199 over an earlier ring-fort, creating a wooden fortress. Nothing remains of that, so it's just an earth mound. In 2017 some treasure-hunters were sufficiently lured by the fabled gold within that they tunnelled into it, where lo and behold, no gold. On the village main street, Knights and Conquests is a museum majoring on the Norman / medieval period. It's open M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM, adult €6, conc or child €4.
 * Churches: St Mel's in Longford is the finest.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to Shannonside FM on 104.1 MHz, or read the Longford Leader, published Wednesday.
 * The Royal Canal stretches 146 km from the Liffey in Dublin to the Shannon near Longford and is navigable throughout. From Mullingar it heads west to enter County Longford at Abbeyshrule. It passes north of Ballymahon then turns north via Keenagh to join the Shannon at Termonbarry. Check Waterways Ireland for current status of locks, moorings, towpaths and other facilities. There's a spur canal to Longford but this is disused, just a reedy ditch but with pleasant walking and hiking trails alongside.
 * Gaelic football: Longford County GAA team play at Pearse Park in Longford town. There are some 20 football teams in the county; hurling is only a minor sport here.
 * Oliver Goldsmith Literary Festival celebrates yer man (1728-74), who was probably born in Ballymahon. It's held over the June holiday weekend.
 * Longford Agricultural Show is in July.
 * Granard Harp Festival (Féile Chruite Ghráinaird) was first held 1781-85. It was revived in 1981: it's in late August.
 * Still Voices is a short-film festival in Ballymahon.
 * Taste of Lakelands Food Festival is in Lanesborough in October.

Eat

 * The standout is Viewmount, 1 km southeast of Longford town centre.

Drink

 * Lough Ree Distillery in Lanesborough, on the boundary with County Roscommon, produces gin, vodka and whiskey.
 * Wide Street Brewing in Ballymahon use unusual yeasts and brewing methods to produce distinctly dry beers.

Go next

 * County Leitrim to the north is the upper limit of navigation of the Shannon. Carrick-on-Shannon is a good base.
 * Athlone to the south has a castle and fine city architecture.
 * Mullingar to the east has a cathedral and Belvedere House.
 * Roscommon to the west is surrounded by prehistoric, Norman and Georgian sites.

title: County Longford


text:
County Louth

County Louth (Contae Lú) is in the East Coast and Midlands region of Ireland, and traditionally part of the province of Leinster. It's low-lying, fertile and within an hour's travel of Dublin, so it's densely populated, with Dundalk and Drogheda the main towns.

Towns

 * , the county town, is near several prehistoric sites, and is the base for exploring Cooley Peninsula.
 * is a resort village with a medieval castle, abbey and town gate.
 * gives its name to the county but is a tiny village. St Mochta's House is a reconstructed medieval oratory.
 * is a small fishing village and beach resort.
 * has medieval fortifications and a fine church, with monastic ruins nearby at Mellifont and Monasterboice.

Other destinations

 * is just across the boundary into County Meath, but is easily accessed from Drogheda. It's an amazing complex of Neolithic burial and ritual sites.
 * The Battle of Boyne was likewise fought across the county boundary just outside Drogheda.

Understand

 * But I who have written this story, or rather this fable, give no credence to the various incidents related in it . . .  - coda to the legend of Cú Chulainn

County Louth is a fertile lowland in Leinster, bordered to its east by the Irish Sea and to its north by the brooding mountains of Ulster. So it's always been on the frontier of the badlands, and Irish legends thunder with the stories of its supernatural and superhuman conflicts. Louth itself is named after Lugh, a multi-talented warrior god who devised a Gaelic precursor to chess. One major legend-cycle, Táin Bó Cúailnge or "The Cooley Cattle Raid", may have been written down as early as the 8th century AD. Its ostensible MacGuffin is ownership of a prize bull, but it's really about the struggle between Ulster and other regional rulers, notably Queen Medh or Maeve of Connacht. An ancestral curse renders the Ulstermen too weak to fight, except for the teenage hero Cú Chulainn, son of Lugh, who in episode after episode defeats the invaders-cum-rustlers.

The terrain made this an easy place to reach by sea, and worth grabbing - the first well-documented invaders being the Vikings. But it was the 12th century Normans who really stamped their mark on it, with their castles, city walls and monastic foundations, and establishment of a county structure close to the modern pattern. The Tudors consolidated the castles, walls and counties while destroying the monasteries with the Dissolution and Reformation. Several battles were fought around Louth that were extensions of wars in Great Britain. In the 14th century Robert Bruce trounced the English at Bannockburn and became king of Scotland: his brother Edward thought to get in on the fun and got himself crowned High King of Ireland, but 3 years later was defeated and killed near Dundalk. In the 17th century Oliver Cromwell, having beheaded the king of England, opened his campaign in Ireland with a notorious massacre at Drogheda. And late in that century King James II / VII, deposed in England, made Ireland his platform for regaining his throne. His forces faced off against those of King William III across the River Boyne a few km upstream from Drogheda. A defeated James fled into exile, while William advanced to Dublin and ensured Protestant minority rule throughout Ireland.

Thereafter came two mostly peaceful centuries in which Drogheda and Dundalk became large industrial towns, blunting the impact of the famine years, and creating their present layout. The county's long sandy beaches became resorts, and golf clubs were the new cash crop in the fields. Partition of Ireland and the late 20th century "Troubles" cast a pall over Dundalk, but the bigger problem was the twilight of traditional industries and lack of new growth. County Louth has revived somewhat in the 21st century as the commuter belt for thriving Dublin.

By air
Dublin is the best option for its wide range of budget flights, and proximity, with buses direct to Drogheda and motorway links north.

The two Belfast airports are little over an hour's drive to Dundalk.

By boat
Dundalk no longer has passenger ferries. Belfast, Dublin and Rosslare have ferries from Great Britain and the Isle of Man, and good onward transport.

In summer a car ferry crosses the outlet of Carlingford Lough, connecting Greenore with Greencastle in County Down. So it's a shortcut to the scenic Mourne Mountains.

By train
Commuter trains run every 30 min from Dublin Connolly to Drogheda. Every couple of hours, the Enterprise Train links Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Portadown and Belfast Lanyon Place.

Dublin Connolly also has commuter trains from around the city, inter-city trains to Wicklow, Arklow, Wexford and Rosslare (for ferries to Wales), and inter-city trains to Mullingar, Longford, Boyle and Sligo. In Dublin allow 45 min to change stations for trains from Cork, Limerick and Galway, which run to Dublin Heuston.

By bus
Buses from Dublin run via the airport (which doesn't have a railway link) to Drogheda. Inter-city buses from the north don't stop in the county, so from Belfast take the train. There are cross-border buses between Newry and Dundalk but they're slow and roundabout.

By road
M1 from Dublin to Belfast traverses the county. Get off at Exits 7, 8, 9 and 10 for Drogheda, and Exits 16, 17 and 18 for Dundalk. There's a toll between Exits 7 and 8.

Get around

 * Most of the county is on the Dublin - Drogheda - Dundalk - Belfast transport spine, with trains and buses. There are local buses to most outlying visitor attractions, including Brú na Bóinne, Collon, Monasterboice, Clogherhead, Louth village, Dromiskin and Carlingford. Areas around the edge of the county have a sparse service.
 * You don't need a car within the towns, but they're not congested (except the daily rush to and from Dublin, or its Park & Rides) and parking isn't difficult. You need your own wheels for Cooley Peninsula, Castle Roche, and the coast around Clogherhead. Distances and gradients aren't great so a bike will do.

See

 * Cooley Peninsula is the most scenic part of the county, with Slieve Foy its highest point.
 * Prehistoric sites: Brú na Bóinne is impressive but very touristy. Escape to Proleek Dolmen and Clochafarmore near Dundalk.
 * Ruined abbeys: Mellifont and Monasterboice are within 10 km of Drogheda, and Dromiskin and St Mochta's are south of Dundalk.

Do

 * What's on? See Drogheda and Dundalk, Louth doesn't have county-wide listings.
 * Beaches: long sandy beaches line the Louth coast. Just south of Drogheda, Bettystown beach hosts the National Sandcastle and Sand-Sculpting Competition in late June. North of the Boyne estuary, beaches run from Baltray to Clogherhead then almost all the way to Dundalk.
 * Sailing: Carlingford and Drogheda have recreational marinas. Clogherhead is mainly a fishing port but visitor boats can launch.
 * Golf: lots of courses, the main concentration is around Drogheda.
 * Drive a tank: the Irish Military War Museum is at Collon north of Drogheda. You can just turn up to view, but must book to drive.
 * Watch Gaelic games: the County GAA play Gaelic football and hurling in Drogheda. There are about 40 club teams across the county.
 * Look up your Irish ancestors: the county archives and library are in Dundalk, with a list of helpful source documents. One fellow who's already traced his kin is Joe Biden, President of the United States from 2021. His great-grandfather Joe Finnegan as a child emigrated from Louth to the US in 1850. All Biden's maternal great-great-grandparents were born in Ireland (mostly in County Mayo) and he reckons to be 5/8 parts Irish.
 * Féile na Tána is a festival and masterclass in Irish trad music, song and dance, held in Carlingford in early February.

Eat

 * Eastern Seaboard in Drogheda, and Collon House Hotel north of town, get rave reviews.
 * Fish straight off the boat at Port Oriel harbour in Clogherhead. But it's a fishmonger not a fish & chips takeaway, you'll have to cook them yourself.
 * Potatoes out of a potato-vending machine near Clogherhead. How come this wasn't invented sooner? - it would have totally altered Irish history.

Drink

 * You will seldom be far from a pub in Drogheda, Dundalk, or the resort villages of Carlingford and Clogherhead.
 * In Drogheda you have to try The Mariner for its sea-faring decor.
 * Spirit Store in Dundalk sounds like a wine shop, but it's a big bar and entertainment venue by the harbour.
 * The county's good agriculture, transport and thirsty workforce meant that brewing and distilling were major industries here. Many have succumbed to the multinationals, but there are several small independent breweries and distilleries around Drogheda and Dundalk, and tours may be available.

Go next

 * The County Dublin coast is worth exploring on the way to the city: Balbriggan, Skerries, Malahide and Howth.
 * Inland, there's lots more to County Meath beyond Brú na Bóinne, such as Loughcrew Cairns near Oldcastle.
 * The Mourne Mountains rise just north of the border. On the way to Belfast, take in the historic Ulster towns of Newry, Banbridge and Lisburn.

title: County Louth


text:
County Mayo

County Mayo (Contae Mhaigh Eo) is on the coast of West Ireland, and traditionally part of the province of Connacht. Its sparse empty landscape is its chief attraction.

Towns

 * (Caisleán an Bharraigh) is the county town and market centre of Mayo.
 * (Cathair na Mart) is the main base for visiting Clew Bay and the south of Mayo. Nearby is the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick.
 * (Baile Uí Fhiacháin) is a very small village, yet the largest on the county's northwest coast.
 * (Béal an Átha) is the main town with accommodation in the north of Mayo.
 * (Cill Ala), where the French invaded in 1798, is near several ruined abbeys.
 * (Cnoc Mhuire) has a famous Marian Shrine and Ireland West Airport.
 * (Conga) is an attractive little village with a ruined abbey, best known as the location for the 1952 film The Quiet Man.
 * (An Líonán) is a village on the south shore of Killary fjord, so it's just across the boundary into County Galway. But it's a good base for attractions in southwest Mayo, such as Doo Lough.

Other destinations

 * is reached by road. It has a haunting deserted village.
 * at the entrance to Clew Bay was the abode of "pirate queen" Gráinne O'Malley: her tower house still stands. The island is reached by ferry from Roonagh near Louisburgh.
 * is inhabited and is also reached by ferry from Roonagh.
 * is some 33 km long off the northwest coast, with two arms. At its south tip is Blacksod Lighthouse; its northern arm creates Broadhaven Bay. Eagle Island near its north tip has another much-battered lighthouse, and its twin has long succumbed to the Atlantic storms.

Understand
In legend, six races of gods conquered Ireland before the coming of mortal beings. When the fourth of these, the Fir Bolg, were overthrown, they were awarded Connacht by way of a peace token. Or perhaps it was a booby prize or "wooden spoon": so it might appear to anyone fated to farm these bleak lands with merely mortal strength. Mayo has been populated since the Stone Ages - they certainly didn't lack stones, but prehistoric forest clearance made a poor soil worse, until bog engulfed the land as at Céide Fields. The county boundaries were laid down in 1585: Mhaigh Eo (meaning Plain of Yew Trees) was at that time a significant abbey settlement, but the abbey disappeared long ago and Mayo village is a tiny place, never the county seat. County Mayo had a hand-to-mouth existence even in the good years and was hard hit by the famines. Mary Robinson, 7th President of Ireland and born in Ballina, described Mayo's western hills as "on the periphery of the periphery".

So the reason to come is for the wildness and quiet, in one of Ireland's most sparsely populated regions. That was why the French chose Killala for their invasion of 1798, catching the British unawares; that was why Hollywood picked Cong as the location for filming The Quiet Man. Why, even the airport at Knock is a strangely quiet place.

Tourist information

 * Visit County Mayo website

By plane

 * is 30 km east of Castlebar and 20 km north of Knock village. It has flights mostly by Ryanair from London Stansted, Luton and other UK cities, and a few European destinations.
 * Since you need a car to get around, you might prefer to fly into Dublin and drive west.

By train
Trains from Dublin Heuston run 3 or 4 times a day to Westport, taking 3 hr 30 min via Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Roscommon, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis, Claremorris (for Knock), Manulla Junction and Castlebar. Some services involve changing at Athlone.

A branch line runs to Ballina from Manulla Junction, connecting with the westbound trains from Dublin and the eastbound trains from Westport and Castlebar.

By bus
There is no direct bus from Dublin to Castlebar, Westport or Knock. The only direct service is Expressway 22 to Ballina, taking 5 hours from Dublin Busáras via Dublin Airport, Lucan, Maynooth, Mullingar, Longford, Tulsk, Charlestown and Foxford.

Expressway 52 runs from Galway via Tuam, Claremorris, Balla, Castlebar and Foxford to Ballina. Bus 456 also runs from Galway via Westport to Castlebar.

Bus Feda 964 runs from Crolly in Donegal to Letterkenny, Donegal Town, Sligo, Tubbercurry, Charlestown, Knock village, Claremorris, Tuam and Galway.

Bus Éireann 458 runs from Enniskillen in County Fermanagh across the border to Sligo, then west along the coast to Enniscrone and Ballina.

Bus 440 runs from Athlone to Roscommon, Knock airport and village, Castlebar and Westport.

By car
From Dublin take M4 to N4 via Mullingar and Longford, then N5 towards Castlebar and Westport.

From Athlone take N60 / 61 via Roscommon, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis (turnoff for Knock) and Claremorris to Castlebar.

From Galway take N84 north via Headford (turnoff for Cong) and Ballinrobe to Castlebar.

Get around
Many places of interest are out in the country and you need a car, as much for shelter from the lashing rain as for transport. However a few places are along a transport route. The train will get you between Westport, Castlebar and Ballina. There are also buses, though infrequent, from Castlebar to Ballina, to Westport and to the Mullet Peninsula.

Bus 450 follows the coast, from Dooagh near the west tip of Achill Island, via Achill Sound to the mainland, then Mulrany, Newport and Westport, then onward to Murrisk (for ascent of Croagh Patrick) and Louisburgh. It doesn't continue to Roonagh ferry pier.

For Clare Island and Inishturk, take the ferry from Roonagh near Louisburgh.

Horse-drawn caravans Romany-style are available for one or two day hires from Mayo Horsedrawn.

See

 *  Westport House is a fine Georgian mansion overlooking Clew Bay.
 * Ballycroy & West Nephin National Park is a wilderness of blanket bog and mountain heathland. Access is from N59 north of Mulranny.
 * Burrishoole Abbey is 10 km west of Newport.
 * Ballintubber Abbey is 10 km south of Castlebar.
 * Céide Fields, on the coast 25 km northwest of Ballina, are fields and a settlement dating to 3500 BC.
 * Clew Bay beyond Westport is very scenic. It's dotted by island drumlins.
 * Knock Shrine is in Knock village.
 * Mullet Peninsula: see "Other destinations" above.
 * The Museum of Country Life is 5 km east of Castlebar.
 * Dark skies: the county is thinly populated and free of light pollution. Ballycroy / West Nephin is one suggested spot but anywhere away from town will do.

Do

 * What's on? Mayo Advertiser is the weekly freesheet for event listings. The main towns have their own local radio stations.
 * Go to the races at Ballinrobe Racecourse, 12 km north of Cong and 25 km south of Castlebar.
 * Climb Croagh Patrick, a mountain pilgrimage site 10 km west of Westport, and Nephin (806 m) north of Castlebar towards Crossmolina.
 * Great Western Greenway is a cycling and walking route, 42 km from Westport to Newport, Mulranny and Achill Island. Multiple access points.
 * The Western Way is a long distance hiking trail. It starts in Oughterard in County Galway, enters Mayo at Leenane, then heads north through Drummin, Westport, Newport, Letterkeen, Bellacorrick, Sheskin, Ballycastle, Killala and Ballina, to end at Ballyconnellan on the boundary with County Sligo.
 * Gaelic games: Mayo GAA the county team play in Castlebar. There are some 50 club teams across the county, mostly playing Gaelic football; hurling is only a minor sport in Mayo.
 * The Wild Atlantic Way is a coastal itinerary from Donegal all the way to Kinsale near Cork. The route through Mayo is self-evident, just follow the coast road. Southbound that's from Enniscrone in County Sligo to Ballina, Killala, Mullet Peninsula, Achill Island, Newport, Westport and Leenane in County Galway.

Eat

 * Mayo? No, mayonnaise takes its name from Mahon in Menorca, where it was probably introduced from mainland Spain.
 * Castlebar has the best selection of cheap and cheerful places.
 * Ballina has more in the way of fine dining, such as Dillons or Crocketts Quay.
 * Mulhern's Restaurant within Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina, and Newport House in Newport, are the standouts.

Drink

 * McHale's in Castlebar is the only pub that still serves Guinness by the meejum, an obscure measure short of a pint.
 * Castlebar also aspires to be the country's gin capital.
 * Mayo wasn't traditionally a brewing or distilling county, as the land was poor for barley, but it does have prodigious amounts of water. That makes it suitable for micro production, as ingredients are easily trucked in.
 * Breweries: Mescan Brewery is on the flanks of Croagh Patrick west of Westport, tours available.
 * Distilleries: Lough Mask Distillery produces whiskey, gin and vodka and offers tours. It's on the west shore of Lough Mask, the nearest town is Cong.
 * Connacht Whiskey Company in Ballina produces a range of whiskey plus vodka, gin and poitin. No tours.
 * Irish American Whiskey on Achill Island produces malt whiskey and offers tours.

Go next

 * Sligo was home to poet WB Yeats, who was inspired by its brooding limestone scarps, prehistoric monuments and lakeland scenery.
 * Galway is a lively historic town.
 * Roscommon and Carrick-on-Shannon to the east are in the lush lowlands, a complete contrast to the wilds of Mayo.

title: County Mayo