Bunratty Castle stands on what was formerly the island of Tradaree. Some of the most famous events of the castle took place in the middle of the 17th century. In Bunratty Castle today the collection of furniture, tapestries and works of art are displayed to give the visitor an idea of the furnishings and arrangements of the Castle in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Alwee Caves [top]

  For the past 10,000 years or so, the only changes inside the Ailwee Caves have been the slow growth of stalactites and stalagmites. Many of the spectacular formations in the Cave have taken thousands of years to form.

Craggaunowen [top]

During the Bronze Age people protected themselves against attacks by building their homes on lakes. An example of such a lake dwelling, or "crannog", constructed from wattles, reads and mud, is to be seen at Craggaunowen - The Living Past, near Quin in County Clare.

Rock-of-Cashel [top]

The rock rises from the Plain of Tipperary, forming a striking landmark which can be seen from all roads leading to the town, and carries a complex of buildings of immense historical significance. From the 4th to the 12th century it was the principal stronghold of the kings of Munster, but after being visited by St. Patrick in the 5th century it aquired a religious significance which was soon to outshine its political importance. Many of the early kings were also bishops, and in 1101 it became a foundation of entirely ecclesiastical purpose. Remains of the rock comprise the 92ft round tower, Cormac's Chapel, the roofless cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, the Hall of the Vicars Choral, and the Cross of St. Patrick - all knit together in a tightly grouped architectural unit.

Cliffs-of-Moher [top]

These magnificent cliffs of darkest weed-stained sandstone form a 5 mile range which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean from an average height of about 700ft. Hag's Head is located at the South West extremity of the cliffs and O'Brien's Tower marks the North West end. This tower was built by Cornelius O'Brien in 1835 for visitors to view the cliffs.

Galway [top]

Galway, the capital of the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking areas of Ireland), the gateway to the celebrated Connemara, and an old University town, is today a rapidly expanding city that has much to attract the visitor. The centre still has a compact size and the best way to travel around is by foot. The narrow winding streets are full of atmospheric pubs, shops and cosmopolitan restaurants. The University, a few minutes' walk from the centre, beside the green domed cathedral, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, having been founded as Queen's College Galway in 1845. Ceremonies are planned to mark the occasion, the majority of which take place in September. The city is also host to a number of theatres, among them the Taibhdhearc, which performs plays in Irish. Galway is visited by thousands of backpackers every year, and many hostels cater for these, all conveniently situated near the centre. The lively music scene has both a strong traditional heritage, and more contemporary rock following. Both featured in venues scattered around the city. Two miles outside Galway is the famous seaside resort of Salthill, which has a view across the Bay to County Clare. Following this coast road west, brings you through Spiddal and on to Connemara, and...it's really rather nice.

Dublin: TrinityCollegeDublin [top]

Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth, and features some of the most impressive architecture in Dublin. Currently the focus of the college's renovation program, Trinity College Library was established along with the college in 1592, and is the largest research library in the Ireland. Indeed, it is recognised as one of the major libraries of the world, along side the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the Bodleian library in Oxford, the British Museum in London and the Vatican Library in Rome.

This distinction is not earned solely through its collection of nearly four million volumes, but also through its significant collection of maps, music and manuscripts; the most famous of which is the Book of Kells, which was donated to the library in the 1660's. It's collection got a significant boost in 1801, when is was endowed with the legal deposit privilege, meaning a copy of all material published in Ireland and the UK is received by the library.

One of the major attractions for visitors is the Book of Kells which contains a Latin text of the four gospels decorated by Irish monks in the year 800 AD. The book is included in an exhibition called The Book of Kells, Picturing the Word which places the work in its historical context. After seeing the book in the specially designed Treasury room, visitors can look at the Long Room which at 65 metres long contains 200,000 of the library's oldest books.

Address: Trinity College, Dublin 2

Tel: 01 608 2320

Opening hours:
April-Oct: 9am-5pm Mon-Sat; 9.30am-5pm Sun
Nov-March: 9am-4pm Mon-Sat; 10am-4.30pm Sun

Charges:
Admission to the college is free.
Admission to the Old Library/Book of Kells: Adults £3.50; Students, senior citizens & under 18s £3; Children under-12 free.

Dublin: Guiness Brewery [top]

The Guinness brewery, synonymous with its location at St James's Gate, has been in operation since 1759 when Arthur Guinness purchased and renovated the 'Rainbow Brewery' and started to produce the porter that has since become renowned worldwide.

The four storeys of the converted 19th century Hop Store house the World of Guinness exhibition, an audio-visual show on the history of Guinness in Ireland, an exhibition of Guinness advertising and a model Cooperage and Transport Museum.

Tours of St James's Gate, although instructive on the process of brewing, are confined to areas outside the brewery proper. However, the atmosphere is recreated quite authentically in the visitors' centre with huge copper vats and pipes. Guinness is said to taste better closer to its source and the tour's highlight is indisputably the pint of porter which awaits the visitor in the bar afterwards. Go there for a nice creamy pint of Guiness - it's good for you !

Dublin: Christ Church Cathedral

Originally a wooden structure built in 1038 by the Vikings, Christ Church Cathedral owes its present form to the Norman invasion. The timber structure was destroyed when Richard de Clare (Strongbow) conquered Ireland in 1171. It was Strongbow himself who put up personal funds, along with Archbishop Laurence O'Toole, to have the current church built in 1172. During the time of the Reformation the church pased to the Protestant Church of Ireland where it has remained.

Kylemore Abbey-Co.Galway

 

Kylemore Abbey is the only Irish home of the Benedictine Nuns. Built originally as a Castle (1868) it is one of the best examples of Irish neo-gothic architecture, the estate features include a Victorian Walled Garden, restored Abbey reception rooms, Gothic Church, tranquil walks, craft shop, pottery, and restaurant. Take a closer look at Kylemore abbey.

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