Ireland sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

Because of wonderful nature, Ireland is often called “the Green land”. Rocky coastline, calm ocean with deep blue water, green valleys and hills – this is a short description of one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. The best way to start your exploration of the country is to visit its capital, Dublin.

The soul of Ireland - religions and languages

Two languages have been officially approved in Ireland: English and Gaelic. The second language is often referred to as Celtic. It is in its …
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The main education centre of the country, Trinity College, is worth closest attention. The age of the college is more than a thousand years. It is located in a beautiful building made in Victorian style. There is a library near the college, which keeps the symbol of Ireland – “the book of Celts”. This is an ancient manuscript of Christian culture and a priceless artefact.

The cities of Galway and Cork are popular tourist destinations. The latter is also the location of an annual jazz festival, so this city is well-known to all music connoisseurs. Galway is famous because of a completely different thing. The city is renowned because of the biggest National Aquarium in the country. The aquarium is home to several thousand species of marine animals. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Ireland economy - strengths, wealth and problems

The economy of the Republic of Ireland over the past twenty years is gradually gaining momentum. The economic system largely depends on trade. Several …
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Medieval castles remain the most precious architectural landmarks of Ireland. It is possible to see them in every part of the country. Blarney Castle is located on south of Ireland and is famous far beyond the borders of the country. There is an interesting legend connected with the castle. According to it, Saint Patrick (the first Christian preacher) got a magic stone as a gift. The stone is still kept in the castle, and every visitor must kiss the stone, this way expressing respect for culture and traditions of the country.

Bunratty is the youngest, but no less popular castle in Ireland. It was built just a couple of centuries ago, but was made in elegant style of early medieval. One of the castle’s halls is used for theatre performances. Various banquets and entertaining performances are also not rare in the castle. Castlerock is one more interesting historic place. Long time ago there was a castle on the rock. That castle was used for crowning ceremonies, most important meetings and events. In the beginning of the 17th century the castle was destroyed by a fire and now only ruins remind of the beautiful building.

Unique sights of Ireland from our series 'Extreme places on Earth'

These spots really worth the attention of a real traveler-researcher. …
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The Ring of Kerry is a widely known natural landmark of Ireland. There is a beautiful coast on one side of the ring and spectacular mountains and crystal clean lakes on the other side. As there are several hotels on the coast, travellers are able to stay in this magnificent place a bit longer and enjoy the splendour of local nature.

History and Entertainment

As the archeological researches have shown, the first settlements on the territory of modern Ireland appeared in the 9th century BC. The researches consider modern Irishmen as descendants of the Mediterranean migrants. They arrived here over one and a half thousand years ago. Farmers were attracted by great areas of fertile lands. The first written references to large settlements here date back to the 4th century BC. Unlike many other modern European countries, Ireland has never been a part of the Roman Empire but is often mentioned in chronicles of the Roman historians.

Top architectural sights of Ireland

Monuments and architectural objects, notable for the history and culture of the country. …
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The turning point in the history of the ancient country was the adoption of Christianity in the 4th century. Throughout hundreds of years, Ireland had avoided major military conflicts. Only in the 12th century, its territory was conquered by troops of English King Henry II. In 1801, Ireland became a part of Great Britain. It gained independence only in 1949.

This amazing country attracts modern travelers not only with incredibly beautiful nature, but also unique cultural traditions. One of the main national symbols of the country is clover. You can see its pictures on many popular souvenirs. The other national symbol is a bagpipe. Playing this musical instrument really leaves all travelers spellbound. It is especially interesting to watch pipers’ performances on national holidays. The necessary attributes of such musical performances are beautiful national costumes.

National cuisine of Ireland - specialties, recipes and restaurants

The cuisine of Ireland can’t be called sophisticated and refined. Local chefs pay the most attention to the satiety of dishes. Meat and seafood …
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Ireland is famous for its brewing traditions. Local Guinness beer is very popular all over the world. The national cuisine also has a lot of interesting features. Its main peculiarity is nourishing mutton and pork dishes. The most popular side dishes here are potatoes and cabbage in different variations. Spices in the national cuisine are almost not used. The natural flavor of products is appreciated here.

Those who have long dreamed of doing horse sports will definitely like vacationing in Ireland. On the territory of the country, there are several dozens of upscale horse clubs where everyone can take lessons on horse riding. Some clubs are used to hold major international competitions. Horse races are one of the favorite entertainments of local residents.

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Famous and uniques places in Ireland from our review series

Clonmacnoise Tower

From the series “Falling towers and buildings”

High round towers are one of the historical symbols of Ireland. You can see them in many areas. In total, about 120 such architectural monuments have been preserved in Ireland to this day. The tower located on the territory of the monastery of Clonmacnoise is considered one of the most interesting. Its height is 34.5 meters. The deviation of this tower from the vertical axis exceeds a meter. The construction of the monastery took place in the 13th century. All its buildings have been in ruins for a long time.

Only the tower managed to be perfectly preserved despite the huge tilt. Specific rehabilitation works and reconstruction was not carried out in it. The exact purpose of the Clonmacnoise tower is unknown. According to some assumptions, it served as a kind of bell tower. People were … Read all

Lismore Castle

From the series “Ireland's Greatest Castles”

Lismore Castle is located in the County of Waterford. It continues to be one of the most majestic and luxurious castles in Ireland for more than 800 years. It was built by order of Prince John in 1185. He became king of England later and was known as John Landless. A dilapidated monastery was located on the site of a fortress in the past. It was founded in the 7th century. The castle has changed many famous owners over hundreds of years of existence. The historical garden is no less interesting than the building itself today.

The castle itself is closed to the public. Therefore, tourists are limited only to viewing its adjacent territory as part of the tour. The wonderful garden has been maintained in perfect condition for many years. Some of its alleys are historical. They were founded … Read all

Slane Castle

From the series “Ireland's Greatest Castles”

The famous Slane Castle is located in the northern part of Ireland. It was built in 1701. The castle was originally built as a family estate for the Marquess Conyngham's family. The historic castle is known as a venue for grand music concerts today. Its surrounding area is a collection of spacious slopes. They form a natural amphitheater. This unusual open-air stage can accommodate up to 80,000 spectators on concert days.

Musical events of various specifics are held on the territory of the castle. Classical music artists often perform here. Madonna visited the castle not so long ago. The first rock concert was held in the castle in 1981. The owner of the castle - Henry Cunningham turned it into a cultural center of world significance. Many world-class stars have performed at the castle … Read all

All unique sightseeing Ireland

Ireland sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

History and Entertainment

Clonmacnoise Tower

Lismore Castle

Slane Castle

Sightseeing in popular cities of Ireland