Between Roscommon town and Boyle is the medieval village of Tulsk whose hinterland boasts Connaught’s largest important historical complex, Rathcroghan, the ancient burial place of Kings, Warrior Queen Medb’s stronghold and the origination of Halloween. Rathcroghan Ancient Irish site: Rathcroghan, the ‘Sacred Capital of Connaught’, is the oldest and largest unexcavated royal site in Ireland and predates […]
Places
A Derry great city…
Derry is fast emerging out of the shadows of neighbouring Belfast as a great all-year-round Northern Ireland city-break destination (especially for Halloween), with its important history, the famous 400-year-old walls and the warmth and welcome of its people. I spent two nights there to experience the city and it’s world-famous Halloween festival. Derry (or London […]
Inis Oírr (Inisheer) is a little Atlantic jewel and the real Craggy Island
Inis Oírr (or Inisheer) is the smallest of the Aran islands and a little gem of a place, it’s easy to get to for that real off-the-mainland feeling and some proper wild Atlantic way energy and beauty. Fancy getting off the mainland for a day out or a couple of nights but don’t want to […]
Belfast is best for 2018
Belfast city Cities can evolve at pace when the right social, economic, entrepreneurial and creative conditions are allowed to prevail. These in turn foster progress, confidence and optimism for the future. This is Belfast today almost two decades after the historic Good Friday Agreement – a modern outward-looking city that is putting its best foot […]
Waterford is our oldest city and the jewel in the crown of Ireland’s Ancient South East
Welcome to my blog post on the wonders of Waterford City – We visited the Viking Triangle, the Home of Waterford Crystal, the Medieval Museum, the Bishops Palace, Christchurch Cathedral as well as local restaurants, cafes and bars. We also took a day trip out along the Copper Coast and visited the Waterford towns of […]
Peace of mind on North Clare’s Flaggy Shore
If you’re in North Clare or South Galway and looking for an idyllic place to spend a leisurely afternoon or morning strolling around then head for the Flaggy Shore. The area is in the Burren is between New Quay (named after new quay built there in 1837) and Finavarra Point in Co. Clare. This is a […]
Discover a different and truer West Cork the Bantry way…
The West Cork town of Bantry lies at the head of the expansive Bantry Bay, one of the deepest natural harbours in Europe. It is pretty west, even for West Cork and this factor has shaped Bantry down the generations. While the town may not be as postcard-pretty as its more touristy West Cork neighbours, […]
The beauty and peace of Inis Meáin
Where is it and how do you get there? Inis Meáin (meaning ‘Middle Island’), or Inishmaan in English, is indeed the middle Aran Island, and second largest in size of the three. Although the Aran Islands are closer to the Clare coast they in County Galway. We took the ferry from Doolin in Co. Clare, […]
Cape Clear, West Cork’s Gaelic Island Gem
Where is it and how do I get there? The island of Cape Clear (Oileán Chléire) lies eight miles south of Baltimore West Cork, and three miles east of the solitary Fastnet Rock and lighthouse. The Cape is a mere three miles long and one mile wide and is Ireland’s southernmost inhabited island, and part […]
Hooked on Ballina…
The North Mayo town of Ballina (or Béal an Áth in Irish, meaning ‘mouth of the ford’) is the county’s second biggest town after Castlebar. In fact, Ballina is the second largest town in Connaught, with a population of over 10,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Moy, famous for its salmon fishing, and […]