Other than Dublin, where is a good place in Ireland to visit?

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stretch

Funny how people always ask this question when they're preparing to travel. I spent many years in Europe, and the best times were when me and my wife just set out to travel without an itinerary.
Sure, people with limited time, or those who say they'll never pass this way again want to see the "traditional tourist" spots. But the best times we ever experienced were those times when we spent time with the locals, talking and interacting and listening to what they thought was important about their history and places to see.
Surely everyone wants to see the world-famous attractions when there is opportunity to do so, but I wouldn't trade the world for the down-to-earth times we spent being with the locals: the afternoon in the pub while in the Highlands of Scotland - snowed in and nothing to do but chat with the locals (most don't believe in the loch ness monster). The bed and breakfast in London taught me there's more to breakfast than eggs. The evening we spent on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, watching the boats moor and traverse the fog were incredible. The castles along the Rhine river in Germany gave us a sense of the barons of years gone by, demanding payment for passage. Stonehenge is awesome, but the pub in Salisbury has some really interesting personalities. Italian ice cream is the best in the world. Venice is great, but their humanity really came through when I needed help. Bar-hopping in Spain is not getting drunk - it's experiencing the various food specialties served by those with pride as big as Dallas. Moron spain has potatoes as big as Al Fraken's head. Malta won 3rd place in a beer brewing contest in 1980. That year we couldn't buy a beer in the local taverns - they gave it away out of pride. The churches in Sweden are made mostly of wood, and even though some are 500 years old, they appear to be new. Athenians hustle for a buck just like on the streets of New York. The waiters in Paris really are rude! The french in Normandy do believe that America and the allies did something wonderful! Sure, we went to see the traditional tourist trappings all across Europe, but the most precious, special places to us are those places that we stumbled across where the locals accepted us, and took us under their wing and gave us a real slice of their culture. The little mermaid in Copenhagen is very nice, but the wait staff in each and every restaruant in Tivoli park are so nice and professional. Every person employed in the Holiday Inn in Liden NE speaks english. Turish vendors respect you when you haggle for wares in the bazaars...

So, if you want to know where to go and visit during your limited time in a foreign place, go with those places recomended by others, get brochures once you enter each municipality, or even hire tour guides to ensure you see the famous areas that are must see. But if you want to truly treasure your visits, get out and rent a car. Head north, west east or south. Interact with the people. They'll be more than happy to brag about the secial places. But also, they may allow you to experience thsoe things that the tourists never imagine. It's up to you!

Good luck

p.s. just imagine someone coming to your town and you have the opportunity to show them what's really important. Wouldn't you want to show them how you think, and why certain things are important?

Irish Girl

i know its my capital city, but dublin is not nice at all. im my opinion, its dirty, lonely and not a very good indication of what ireland is really like. try the west of ireland: kerry, galway, clare, sligo, they have the natural beauty. or the gaeltacht, also on the west. the southeast also (thats where im from!) carlow, waterford and wexford.

armygrl5990 K

I'd go 2 Cork or N. Ireland

jwhfaye

I would love to see a place called-- Harrington--is it pretty?

angela b

Killarney Co.kerry.While there you can do the ring of Kerry,you won't regret doing it.(it's amazing)

murnip

Cork is a fantastic city. I've lived here all my life and I love it. It's got a wonderful history. Places that would be good to go are Clear Island in west Cork thats a beautiful place but if you're only around for four days you probably wouldn't have time. Fitzgerald's Museum on Western Road is brilliant, there are loads of archaeological artefacts that have been found locally. Go to Charles' Fort in Kinsale it's amazing, there's some really interesting folklore associated with it. Blarney Castle is good if you want to see the really touristy stuff. Even just strolling around the city for a few days you'll have a blast. The nightlife is brill too if you like having a few pints

baby boy

cork and offaly

Another place in Ireland that's worth a visit is the medievel city of Kilkenny. It's small and compact and steeped in history. It's a beautiful part of the country to drive through and you have the most extensive cave system in this country a mere 6 miles north of the city at Dunmore. It's on the n78 to Castlecomer. Though this hasn't been sugested by any of the other answers you received so far it shouldn't be left out. It's a relatively young city too and can be quite lively at night time.

jan b

west cork is breath taking as is connemara in the west!kilkenny is a lively spot,

cogas

Dingle peninsula-Conor Pass and Gap of Dunloe. Wild driving, gorgeous scenery.

KELenehan

Rhode

Clever Pseudonym

Galway is beautiful.

MARY J

go to Newry its in Co. Down in N. Ireland

CYP450

Just north of Dublin, in Navan, County Meath, is this incredible place called Newgrange. It was built 500 years before the pyramids and took 5 generations to build.
In my grandmother's time it was a big hill, but it was excavated and the neolithic monument was uncovered. I have never seen anything like it in the world. Take a whole day to explore the three sites and check out the incredible stone carvings, buildings and exhibits.
While you are in Navan, you might as well go up to the Hill of Tara, the former seat of government for many generations: before the coming of Christianity, the High King held his seat there. The hill is atop a huge plain and once up there you can see for miles.
There are some great restaurants in navan, too.
You can get there by renting a car, or taking a tour, or taking the public transportation bus. Plan on spending a whole day. The nice thing is, you can see several of Ireland's best sights, and only be an hour away from Dublin, so you can make it a day trip if you like. I'd recommend a sleepover in Navan, tho:)
Check out the links I put for you.
Have a wonderful time!

sarayu

Some of the places to see in Cork city, Galway and other destinations:
Blarney Castle Blarney (nr Cork city)
Lakes of Killarney nr Killarney, Co Kerry
Cliffs of Moher + The Burren Lahinch, Co Clare
Fota Island + Cobh Cork city suburbs
Kinsale 26 km SW of Cork city
Ring of Kerry N70 route from Kenmare to Waterville to Killorglin
Bantry Bay / Dunmanus Bay / Ring of Beara N71 5 km South of Bantry to R591 via Ahakista and Goat's Path to Bantry to Glengariff to R572 and R571 Ring of Beara to Kenmare
Dingle Peninsula N86 from Tralee to Dingle + + R559 + Connor Pass
Rock of Cashel Cashel, Co Tipperary (on E201/N8 route)
Galway / Connemara Galway - R336 - N59
DART coastal train ride Pearse Street DART station to Bray (optionally continuing on to Arklow on Intercity train via Vail of Avoce) and/or
Powerscourt House, Gardens and Waterfall nr Enniskerry, Co Wicklow + +
Glendalough Monastic settlement Glendalough, Co Wicklow
Wicklow Mountains Enniskerry - Sally Gap - Laragh - Vale of Avoca - Arklow
Kilkenny Castle Kilkenny
Newgrange nr Drogheda, Co Louth
Aran Islands Galway or
Donegal Atlantic Coast Donegal Town - Glengesh Pass - R261 - N56 - Glenveagh National Park
Giant's Causeway North Antrim Coast
Cliffs of Bunglass Co Donegal

2. Important placces other than Dublin:
Galway
Cork
Killarney
Dingle Peninsula
Limerick
Kinsale
Connemara
Sligo and Yeats Country
Donegal Town
VR

BlueSea

Shannon

athene noctua

Other than Dublin???
Stay out of there, it's a hellhole full of scangers (low-life) and jammed with traffic, prices are twice what they are anywhere else.
Go to Cork, that will give you the ideal base to visit Blarney castle, especially the Celtic stone circle and buildings, go to Kinsale, visit Fota Island and Glengariff/Garnish Island, drive to Clare to see Bunratty folk park (ca 2 1/2 hours drive). There are many more interesting things to do and see in Cork than in Dublin.

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