The pride of Ireland's Ancient East, the magnificent Hook Head Lighthouse dates back 800 years and is the oldest working lighthouse in the world.
Tours - including the climb up '115 well worn steps' - are available all year round, and the stunning 360 ... more...
An appealing restaurant in a pair of rooms above Heffernans Fine Foods, Poacher Restaurant was opened recently by a talented young couple, Yvonne Kathrein and Daniel Mayr. They have a following in the region from their time at The Waterfront in Ennsicr ... more...
“Across from the church and near Dick Mack’s”, the Flannery family's seafood bar and takeaway is easy to find - and it's all hands on deck at this popular spot, with half a dozen family members playing key roles in the uniquely sustai ... more...
This family-owned hotel was built in the mid '90s on the site of a 19th century convent, to a design that retains the older features including a church.
Existing Gothic themes have been successfully blended into the new throughout the hotel, creating ... more...
Perched on the edge of a stunning sandy beach two miles long, this famous hotel has - to the delight of its many fans - recently been purchased by longtime General Manager, Paul Diver, who has secured its long term future and kept its wonderful staff t ... more...
You can call in by boat, of course, and if you arrive by road, a little ferry takes you over to the island. It’s an unusual place and worth a visit, if only to call into the pleasant waterside pub for a drink, a cup of tea or an informal bite.
H ... more...
Set in 500 acres of sub-tropical parkland, overlooking Kenmare Bay, this classic Victorian hotel is blessed with one of the most beautiful locations in Ireland. Originally one of the great old railway hotels, the Parknasilla Great Southern Hotel, it ha ... more...
In the heart of the Boyne Valley, this restored coaching inn dates back to the 17th-century and now has the good fortune be in common ownership with nearby Tankardstown House whose owners, Tricia and Brian Conroy, undertook their trademark tasteful ref ... more...
This beautiful hotel dates is situated on its own 310 acre wooded island (complete with 18-hole golf course), reached by a private ferry. An ancient beech avenue leads guests to the l6th century castle with its vaulted great hall and welcoming lo ... more...
Possibly the most conveniently situated of all the central Dublin hotels, The Westbury Hotel is a very small stone's throw from the city's premier shopping street and has all the benefits of luxury hotels - notably valet parking (limited, €20 per ... more...
Travelling the roads of Ireland more than most, we know what a difference a good journey break can make - and we have dozens of favourite pit stops dotted around the country. As many are on much shorter hours this year, we’ve picked some of the best that open every day or are managing keep to something like pre-pandemic hours for those relaxing en-route meals.
Summer in Ireland and seafood is at its best...With dozens of seriously good speciality seafood restaurants around the country, our selection below is just a drop in the ocean. Better get started with this little taster then – always remembering there are plenty more (including many deservedly famous places) to choose from as well...
You can’t beat the enjoyment of a bracing walk along a sandy beach before breakfast, or the pleasure of a sea view from our dining table for that away-from-it-all feeling when on holiday. We all love to stay and eat beside the sea...
Georgina Campbell suggests some interesting destinations for an off-season break at this time of plenty. These are just a few of the places where nature's bounty is celebrated in wonderful ways: foraging expeditions, cookery courses and, of course, delicious seasonal meals that make the most of the harvest - often with a special focus on vegetarian cooking
Although always popular, Sunday lunch has moved into a whole new phase of late and it can be a seriously classy outing, where the venue is chosen with care so that family members of all ages can get together in lovely surroundings and enjoy the very best of food - and at a more reasonable price than is usual at dinner. It’s an especially appealing proposition in spring too, as the days are lengthening - perhaps a voucher could be the perfect treat for Mother’s Day. And accommodat ...
We have long been fans of Loop Head: right in the middle of the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ - between the Atlantic Ocean and the Shannon Estuary - this stunning West Clare destination is an environmental wonderland offering spectacular scenery similar to the Cliffs of Moher - but without the commercialisation.
No surprise that Kerry came top of a recent survey polling favourite counties for Irish holidays - sure wasn’t Queen Victoria herself a fan? August is a time for casual dining - out of doors if you're lucky - so this month we’ve picked some great summer pubs to enjoy in the top ten 'staycation' counties
Discerning diners are always interested to know where their food comes from, and what could be more delightful than taking a stroll around the garden where it was growing just hours - or minutes - before it landed on your plate. More and more restaurants are taking ownership of their fresh produce supplies now, and these are just some of the most interesting kitchen gardens.
There’s a growing feeling that Ireland is now ready to focus on the needs of the ‘food tourist’, as opposed to the visitor who simply enjoys good food as part of the overall experience. The true food tourist (international and domestic) will choose their holiday destination specifically to explore it through its food.
Enjoy an overnight break with dinner at Great Southern Killarney. This package includes Overnight accommodation, Gourmet 4 course evening meal in the award winning restaurant, The Garden Room and full Irish Breakfast.
With a rich historical and maritime legacy, East Cork has a truly unique variety of attractions to offer the visitor.
It is a haven for family holidays with a huge range of activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained for hours.
In this extensive county, the towns and villages have their own distinctive character. In West Cork, their spirit is preserved in the vigour of the landscape with the handsome coastline where the light of the famous Fastnet Rock swings across tumbling ocean and spray-tossed headland. The county is a repository of the good things of life, a treasure chest of the finest farm produce, and the very best of seafood, brought to market by skilled specialists.
The town of Killarney is where the Ring of Kerry begins and ends for many, among the lakes and mountains where they are re-establishing the enormous white-tailed sea eagle, has long been a magnet for visitors. Across the purple mountains from Killarney, the lovely little town of Kenmare in South Kerry is both a gourmet focus, and another excellent touring centre. As one of the prettiest places in Ireland, Kenmare puts the emphasis on civic pride.
That Galway Bay coastline in Co. Clare is where The Burren, the fantastical North Clare moonscape of limestone which is home to so much unexpectedly exotic flora, comes plunging spectacularly towards the sea around the attractive village of Ballyvaughan.
Connemara, the Land of the Sea, where earth, rock and ocean intermix in one of Ireland's most extraordinary landscapes, and is now as ever a place of angling renown - you're very quickly into the high ground and moorland which sweep up to the Twelve Bens and other splendid peaks, wonderful mountains which enthusiasts would claim as the most beautiful in all Ireland. Beyond, to the south, the Aran Islands are a place apart.
Rivers often divide one county from another, but Fermanagh is divided - or linked if you prefer - throughout its length by the handsome waters of the River Erne, both river and lake. Southeast of the historic county town of Enniskillen, Upper Lough Erne is a maze of small waterways meandering their way into Fermanagh from the Erne'e source in County Cavan.
Co Cavan shares the 667 m peak of Cuilcagh with neighbouring Fermanagh. No ordinary mountain, this - it has underground streams which eventually become the headwaters of the lordly River Shannon, Ireland's longest river that passes south through many counties before exiting at the mighty estuary in Limerick. A magnet for tourism now with boating, fishing, cycling and walking-a-plenty.
Between the sheltered bays at the foot of the Glens of Antrim, the sea cliffs of the headlands soar with remarkable rock formations which, on the North Coast, provide the setting for the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant's Causeway.
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bible’ includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greatest places to ...