Ok Native Irish, help me out!!?

Question

I am leaving for Italy in a few months and while I'm staying there I want to take a weekend to Ireland. In your opinions, what are some of the best places to go? I'm looking for gorgeous scenery, historical landmarks such as churches or castles or ancient Celtic sites, and a fun small town or something. I don't want to go to Dublin unless that's really the best place because I don't want to be around a ton of tourists this summer. Please help! I know nothing about how to choose the best place. My ancestors were from Wicklow, Galway, Donegal and Kilkenny. Are those places huge tourist attractions?

Answer 1

Kilkenny-perfect for what you're looking for. It's got a gorgeous castle and grounds,a cathedral and tower and old churches too. It's a really beautiful City,it is touristy but it won't be too packed.

Wicklow-Has lovely gardens and parks, but can't say there's much to do there otherwise.

Donegal-stunning! gorgeous coasts,mainly known for the scenary.

Galway-Again gorgeous scenary,it's also probably the most Irish experience you'll get! again lots of tourist attractions too.

www.discoverireland.ie

Answer 2

ok well a weekend isnt alot but you can still get alot done!!

start by going to killarney and going to muckross house and then make sure you walk the Gap of Dunloe it is amazing(i was there last week and i love walking it)

i think on your way frome killarney go to corks blarney woolen mills and blarney castle

then you should go to galway but i dont no whats so great about it but connamara is nice

and dont forget to go to a brewery i think the guinnes one in dublin is the best i no you dont want to go to dublin but it might be worth it as there is lots to do in dublin!! you could get the bus tour aronund dublin its great!!

good luck and enjoy

lornaxxx

Answer 3

wicklow....

scenery and gardens.

dublin...

for shopping and tourist sites.

galway...

stunning place..very "irish"

Answer 4

Galway, Donegal and Kilkenny aren't really big tourist attractions but Dublin has more tourists and immigrants than Irish I know because I'm from Dublin.

Sligo has great sites my mam's (mother's, mom's, mum's)  family are from there.

In Dublin most people call there mothers mam I do and everyone I know dose anyway well most people with a very strong Dublin accent say ma which is kinda half assed and if your American I think you are anyway if any of your friends try to do an Irish accent tell them to stop because when ever Americans do an Irish accent they always do a northern Irish accent and that accent is just god awful and I don't want the rest of the world thinking we sound like that.

Answer 5

One weekend is really not long enough to be honest....

I would advise you to take a minimum of two, how long will you be staying in Italy and where, would it be feasible to travel to Ireland more than once or perhaps take a week in Ireland?

If you were taking weekends I'd recommend one in dublin/wicklow area and one in greater galway... (Donegal and kilkenny are lovely too and would really advise you to visit them too but if you're pushed for time dublin and galway are pretty great and will give you a taste for Ireland (also u listed wicklow and galway first)

So weekend in Dublin/Wicklow,

Glendalough is a beautiful spot for walks, very pituresque  and has monastic settlements associated with St Kevin, http://www.glendalough.connect.ie/

Buses frequent and tours are also available

Powerscourt gardens is a beautiful stately home and gardens just outside of enniskerry in wicklow, you can walk in the gardens and have lunch inside where avoca food is sold, avoca is well renowned for beautiful scones and soups..

So you could do either or both of the above in Wicklow and then spend time in dublin, dublin and wicklow are easily connected by buses and the dart line which makes exploration of both easier(although powerscourt and glendalough require special buses as they are further away)

In dublin I'd recommend Trinity College- book of kells is kept here and it has many famous Irish graduates such as Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stocker.... Nice campus and at the right time of year much craic to be had in the student bar the pav

Right outside the college is a statue of Molly Malone which you've got to get your picture taken with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Malon...

Dublin has a multitude of things to see so I'd say you'd have no bother, don't forget the guiness brewery also! Pint of the blackstuff:D

As for weekend in galway, check out the lively party city and then also go out to the gaelteacht, I'd recommend going to the beautiful aran islands, both inis mor and inis oirr are beautiful- haven't been to inis meain as the other two islands claim they're odd there!

I plan to check it out myself soon though!

http://www.visitaranislands.com/

I went to the gaelteacht in the aran islands when I was younger and when the weathers fine it's glorious!

If you've time though off the top of my head the other major Irish tourist attractions are

Newgrange in meath

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange

and giants causeway in antrim

http://www.3sixtycreative.com/landscapes...

I know there's so much more but that's just off the top of my  head, check out http://www.discoverireland.com/ca-en/

Answer 6

donegal is one of the most beautiful places on earth. pick one of the smaller coastal towns - f*****k in g amazing!!! wicklow's called the garden of ireland and is very attractive also.kerry has some pretty nice scenery but avoid the bigger towns. if you don't care about boredom setting in, go to leitrim. it's full of forests and lakes

Answer 7

Well , if you are only here for a weekend, i think the best place you can vist is killarney, I am from meath but have been living in killarney for nearly ten years, i have been on every Continent, and kerry has to be one of the most beautifull places on earth, it is centerally located in Kerry and has everything you want to see, do and experience in ireland, you have ross castle, muckross house, ireland's most beautiful national park with its three lakes, the ring of kerry, and my favorite,the town of Dingle. ireland has alot to offer, killkennys cool, galways good as is donegal, but because you only have a couple of days. you are not going to see much, so for the most in one place, it has to be Killarney.

Answer 8

Dingle, Co. Kerry sounds perfect for what you're looking for! It wouldn't be packed if you go at the right time.(June/September). You could hire a car and go around the Dingle Peninsula, and maybe drive up through Clare to Galway for a day trip. The west of Ireland is definately the most Irish, along with Cork. Whatever floats your buidéal!!!

Answer 9

sligo is a beautiful county with much history

http://images.google.ie/images?hl=en&q=c...

http://franklludwig.com/yeatscountry.htm...

wexford

http://images.google.ie/images?sourceid=...

kilkenny

http://images.google.ie/images?sourceid=...

kerry,dingle

http://www.vacationkillarney.com/Images_...

wicklow also

http://images.google.ie/images?sourceid=...

the arran islands

http://images.google.ie/images?sourceid=...

all of Irish country side is very beautifull and very scenic so no matter what county you decide to go to you will not be disappointed

http://www.lookaroundireland.com/picture...

pictures of castles in ireland and counties they are in

http://images.google.ie/images?sourceid=...

Answer 10

Donegal is beautiful

also, towards JOKER, what gives you the right to insult northern irish accents? some people think the Dublin accent is sounds awful.

I could just say the same about your accent but that would be rude and an accent anywhere in ireland is irish, they just differ in some ways.