From major cities to the off-the-beaten-track destinations, we’ve got this place covered. We’ll share the hidden gems that only a local can discover.
It’s the time of year when every travel outlet and their brother is coming out with lists about what the hot destinations are going to be for next year. And wouldn’t you know it, the location coming in at #4 on TripAdvisor’s list of destinations for 2009 that are up-and-coming is Ardmore in County Waterford. So I thought we’d take a look at Ardmore here, to see what makes it special enough to have gotten the attention of TripAdvisor.
Ardmore (sometimes written as Ard Mor) is, as mentioned, in County Waterford and it’s situated along the Irish coast. The town is traditionally a fishing village, and the official population is well under 400 people. But don’t let this village’s small size and work-a-day reputation fool you - those 300-some residents make room for lots of tourists during the high season, and there are actually a few B&Bs and hotels in Ardmore you can stay in when you visit.
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I’m going to say the words “Baltimore” and “Ireland” in the same sentence, and it’s not going to be because I’m confused. Yes, there’s a Baltimore in Ireland. It’s a small village on the southwest coast of the country in County Cork, and it’s a charming place to visit. Just remember, whatever you do, don’t pronounce it the same way you would pronounce the city in Maryland - the Irish version has a long-A sound at the front. This ain’t no ball-timore.
Baltimore, Ireland is a pretty harbor town which still has a busy working port at its heart. This isn’t a traditional tourist stop, and there really isn’t much to see, but this part of Ireland is well-known as being the place to be when you find yourself in the middle of that rarity called an Irish sunny day. Many of the town’s pubs and restaurants overlook the harbor, and if the weather’s nice you may think you’re seeing half the town’s population sitting out front enjoying a pint of something while they soak up the sun.
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If you need an excuse to head to Kilkenny in June, the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival is a great one - in addition to the usual sights of Kilkenny, this festival gives you an excuse to laugh yourself silly.
Kilkenny’s Cat Laughs festival has been going since 1995, and has featured lots of famous international comedians over the years - even the likes of Bill Murray and The Daily Show’s Lewis Black have appeared on the Cat Laughs stage in the past. Generally, it’s a great festival for British and Irish comedians to do their stand-up routines.
In addition to the stand-up comedy component, the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival also includes a comedy film element called “Kitty Flicks,” as well as a soccer game that’s held each year where the Irish comedians take on comedians from the rest of the world. This sporting event is just as much comedy as it is soccer. Even before the match in 2007, there was a preview of the match by the entertaining announcer, Barry Murphy, which you can see on video.
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When you think of Galway, Ireland, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Why, it’s oysters, of course! It’s not? Well, after you hear about the Galway International Oyster Festival you might change your mind.
First held in 1954, the Galway International Oyster Festival has been called “one of the 12 greatest shows on earth” by the Sunday Times and has also been named one of Europe’s best festivals in the past. It doesn’t take a genius to know what the focus of the festival is, but even if you’re not a fan of oysters, this is a festival that’s worth attending. In addition to local restaurants filling their menus with oyster-laden dishes there’s the requisite oyster-opening contests (both sponsored by Guinness) and a beauty pageant.
Back in 1953, a hotel manager called Brian Collins noticed that his hotel emptied out in September and set about devising a plan to make the tourist season stretch past the summer. He organized the first festival in 1954 - and 34 people came. He might never have guessed that his little festival would last so long, or grow so large, but in 2004 the Galway International Oyster Festival celebrated its 50th year, making it one of the world’s longest-running festivals. These days, thousands of people descend on Galway every September to take part in the festivities.
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Visitors to Ireland would be forgiven if they didn’t immediately associate the Emerald Isle with dolphins. But anyone spending time in Dingle would be missing out if they didn’t take a boat out into the harbor and try to catch a glimpse of Fungie, the Dingle Dolphin.
This bottlenose dolphin, nicknamed Fungie by locals, showed up in Dingle Bay in the early 1980s and chose to stay. He’s been a constant fixture ever since, charming fishermen and tourists alike. Fungie, like many dolphins the world over, is playful and curious and often swims alongside tourist and fishing boats. It’s not uncommon to be able to get photos of him leaping out of the water, as he’s a year-round resident of Dingle Harbor.
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Perhaps the premier museum in all of Ireland is, fittingly, the National Museum of Ireland, which even has so many artifacts and objects in its collection that it has four separate locations. Visitors to Dublin have it easy, as three of them are in the capital city, while the fourth location is in Castlebar in County Mayo. Each location focuses on a different aspect of the museum’s vast collection. And each museum location has free admission, so even budget travelers have no excuse not to visit!
Archaeology - Kildare Street, Dublin
photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mike_PeelThe Archaeology section of the National Museum of Ireland contains more than two million objects, and the building itself was designed in the 1820s. This section focuses on objects from prehistoric times in Ireland. The earliest pieces in the museum’s collection date back to 7000 BCE. Highlights of a visit to the Kildare Street branch of the museum include the Tara Brooch (a silver brooch dating from 700 BCE), the Ardagh Chalice (a large chalice dating from the 8th century AD), and the Derrynaflan Hoard (a large chalice dating from the 8th century AD) - and there are always temporary special exhibits on display in addition to the museum’s permanent collection.
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Clonmel may not be on most peoples’ list of places to visit when they’re planning a trip to Ireland, but sometimes a good festival is enough to make you change your plans. Celebrating with a local community - or even just watching them celebrate - makes a vacation unique and interesting, and helps you get to know a place a little better. So, why not join in the fun of the Clonmel Junction Festival?
First held in 2001, the Clonmel Junction Festival incorporates art, music, theatre and dance in both traditional and more avant-garde settings. The festival takes over the town of Clonmel for its run every July (usually eight-nine days), with performances in the streets as well as performance venues, so it’s impossible to be in Clonmel during the festival and not get into the spirit of things.
Each year the Clonmel festival has a theme - in 2007 it was “Travel and Transport,” and that was worked into every facet of the festival. There’s an effort each year to engage younger audiences, and in 2007 kids were encouraged to think about transportation in different ways. Art installations around town featured the “Travel and Transport” theme as well, although most of the theatre, dance and music performances were not tied to the theme.
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If you’re planning a trip to Ireland and you even mention that you’re going anywhere near Waterford, some people will probably start asking you to “pick up a little something” for them. And if you’re not a connoisseur of high-quality glass, you might not understand their eagerness. That is, until you show up in Waterford and find that every other souvenir is made of crystal. Waterford Crystal is famous the world over, so visiting the factory just outside the Waterford city center and taking the factory tour can be a really interesting experience - especially if you’re into crystal.
The Waterford Crystal company was founded in the late 1700s, and today employs roughly 1,000 people. The factory in Waterford is where all the crystal is made, and there is a visitor center as well as the requisite gift shop. But rather than shuttling visitors through displays and diagrams showing how the crystal is created, the factory tour actually gives you a chance to see real artisans at work. In some cases, you can even chat with them and ask questions about their craft as well.
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Kilkenny Castle is one of the more popular castles to visit in Ireland, not least because it’s been completely and painstakingly restored to its former glory. The castle dates from the 12th century, although it was remodeled in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was sold to the local Castle Restoration Committee in 1967 for the princely sum of £50 and after extensive restoration was opened to the public.
In addition to having been beautifully restored inside and out, Kilkenny Castle also enjoys a picturesque setting on the River Nore just outside Kilkenny’s city center. There are expansive green lawns and beautiful gardens surrounding the castle, and some items from the collection of the National Art Gallery are on display inside. Kilkenny Castle served as the principal seat of the Butler family for centuries and among the pieces of art which adorn the walls you can see many Butler family portraits - including some that date back to the 14th century.
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If you just caught a passing glimpse of The Burren in County Clare, you might wonder why anyone would call it a tourist destination. It’s a barren place, windswept and gray, that is famous for its unique rock formations. But it’s also got lots of historic sites contained within its borders, so The Burren makes an interesting stop for anyone in the area.
The Burren is quite large, actually, covering 250 square kilometers, and is roughly bordered by the County Clare villages of Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin, Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna. Among the historic and archaeological sites of importance in The Burren are tombs, burial chambers and a celtic high cross in Kilfenora. There is also the Corcomroe Abbey and a couple of well-preserved forts. The Abbey no longer has its roof, but otherwise is also well-preserved. It’s one of the most popular sights in the area.
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