Republic of Ireland
Ireland is a island of two halves – Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) and the Republic of Ireland in the south (part of the European Union). Home to some wonderful countryside and some even more wonderful people. The capital of the republic is Dublin.
This is a small guide to a few of the areas I have visited and some information on how to see and enjoy them.
County Kerry
County Kerry is the south west corner of the country and is home to some truly breath-taking scenery. The highlight of the area is driving around the “Ring of Kerry” which circles the area for a total of about 120 miles. The ring is a true test of a driver's stamina with it's winding track and narrow lanes, but this is made up for in the frequent stops for pubs and/or views of the ocean.
Kilarney National Park is a good place to get out and see the scenery, with numerous bicycle, walking and horse trails directly to the west of Killarney.
Waterford
Waterford is a small town in the south-east of the country and is by far and away best known for the crystal that is made there. Waterford Crystal (see http://www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com) offers tours of it's facilities showing the blowing and forming of the crystal by it's craftsman (and it is all done by hand!).
Waterford has a long history that can be explored in the centre of the town by visiting Reginald's Tower (which charges a small admission but offers a guided tour, exhibits, and a small audio-visual display of the history of the town) or any of the remaining towers around the town core area.
Parking is possible on the south side of the River Suir (the town is basically all on the south side of the river) in some massive, rather hideous, car parks charging awful prices.
Further Information
For further information, please see:
- Driving in Ireland - My small guide to driving in the country
- Heritage Ireland - Information about some historical sites
- Ireland Journal - My visit in Spring, 2001
- Ireland Online - General Information
- Irish Times - Information about Ireland from the newspaper
- Kerry Gems - Guide to the Killarney Valley