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Top Things To Do
Enjoy the craic
Except perhaps the hotel room, chances are you'll be spending most of your time in a pub. And quite rightly. The pub is the centre of Irish social life, and there can be few things more enjoyable than drinking a pint of Guinness, one of the most famous, popular and distinctive drinks in the world, whilst indulging in some craic or chat. Consume calories The culinary offerings of County Cork, beginning in Clonakilty - home of the best black pudding in the world - but not forgetting the myriad local cheesemakers, are one of the highlights in the south of Ireland. Take more than a taste home by enrolling in a cooking course: Darina Allen's Ballymaloe House (www.ballymaloe.ie) offers the most famous. Go Coastal Explore the magnificent Ring of Kerry, a stunning, 180km (112-mile) scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula, with numerous diversions along coastal roads and out to islands like Skellig Michael, one of the most rugged corners of Ireland. Learn a new sport Endemic to Ireland are several great sports, attending a game of which will offer an insight into an often missed part of Irish culture. See curling (a highly dangerous game that involves hitting a hard ball with a hard stick) and Gaelic football (a highly dangerous mix between rugby, football and American football - without pads) are unmissable experiences. Island hop Travel to Ireland's offshore islands, which range from the genteel Italianate gardens of Garinish in County Cork to the wild and wonderful Tory, off the shores of Northwestern Donegal. The Aran Islands off Galway are the most popular, but visiting the (inevitably) windswept islands, are a good way to find even more remote areas. Party with St Patrick On 17 March, Ireland stops what it is doing, and parties, hard. St Paddy's Day, celebrating Ireland's principal Patron Saint, sees festivities around the world, from New York to Buenos Aires, but nothing is better than enjoying it on the Emerald Isle. And not content with merely one day, the St Patrick's Festival has comandeered six days of comedy, music, film and lots of fun. Waymarked walks Explore Ireland on foot, by walking one of the country's 31 designated long-distance paths - more than 3,000km (1864 miles) of paths. The most famous is the Wicklow Way, which runs from the Dublin suburbs to County Carlow. For info on walks, try the National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee (www.walkireland.ie). Don't forget a jacket. Ride Ireland If walking is a little pedestrian, pedal the highways and byways of Ireland on a cycling holiday. Although parts of the country are mountainous, the sheltered valleys and the gently undulating central plain are excellent for easy biking. In the west, prevailing winds mean it is easier to cycle from south to north. Join the twitchers Go bird-watching in a country famous for its variety of winged creatures. There are more than 70 reserves and sanctuaries in Ireland, as well as some of the largest breeding seabird colonies in the world, with huge flocks of wintering waders and wildfowl. Birdwatch Ireland (www.birdsireland.com) has all the details. Get horsey Enjoy Ireland's renowned equestrian pursuits, from racing, for which the country is justifiably famous, to horse riding, at centres throughout the country. The principal racecourses are at Leopardstown, Fairyhouse (Irish Grand National every year), The Curragh (Irish Sweeps Derby) and Punchestown (an international riding course). See Contact Addresses for further tourist information. |
