Off to Ireland

[Captain_K]

What better group of folks to suggest cool things to see and do in Ireland, both Northern and EU sides. We'll be there for 2.5 weeks; Belfast, Dublin, East Coast a small village called Black Rock and the South West all around Galway, Limrick, Cork, The Dark Sky's regions, etc.

So anyone who has advice on places to go and see, I'm all ears.

You can expect some great castle and country side pictures coming your way.. possibly an adventure or two with raiding Vikings and Irish Monks...

[koralas]

These will work in general, more so if you are Game of Thrones fan -> http://www.ireland.com/en-gb/articles/g ... locations/or -> http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/gameofthrones/

There are sample itineraries near the bottom of the page.

Here is the Travel Channel top 5 castles. -> http://www.travelchannel.com/destinatio ... in-ireland

This is a cool site, lots of info, a lot of Celtic inspiration (Have your Codex Celtarum yet?) -> http://www.fantasy-ireland.com/ and thier top 10 destinations -http://www.fantasy-ireland.com/tourist- ... eland.html

Haunted Castles anyone - >http://www.fantasy-ireland.com/Ireland- ... z3ejrSM4CS

[Omote]

The Hill of Tara is fascinating and beautiful. So much history.

Blarney Castle is amazing, but very touristy. The grounds and what they let you do in the castle is so good. You can tour the entire ruins of the castle and really see what it must have been like to live in such a time. Not very easy it seems. You know, hanging out over the edge of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone might seem passe' but it's a big thrill. Hell, you only 100 feet off the ground! (it's perfectly safe...)

Newgrange. Newgrange. Newgrange. If you are into ancient history, I cannot suggest a more amazing place to visit. You can actually GO INSIDE and witness 5000 years into the past! You can't do this in the Pyramids, and you can't do things like this is many of the ancient places on the Earth. You can in Newgrange. For ancient history buffs, it might be touristy, but it is breathtaking.

While in Dublin, if you like Libraries (and what RPG entusiest doesn't?!) Go to the Library at Trinity College. It's so amazing to just breathe in the air of that musty old library. There you can see the Book of Kells, and catch a glimpse of the summer student body... ahem, I mean. Book of Kells. No really, the Library at Trinity College is gorgeous.

There's literally so much more you can do and see. And with the time you have, see as much as you can! I could go on and on about pubs, and other places, but I'm sure you'll see all of that.

~O

PS: If you make your way to the cool city of Cork, may I suggest two different pubs that I consider the best. The first, is Oliver Plunkett at 116 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork. Great "modern" type of pub with so much good music, and really a hot spot for young, aspiring musicians. It's really bohemian in a way, and such a mix of mature and younger folk. It's really fun.

The other pub in Cork is a true masterpeice, the Hi-B in Cork (108 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork). It's right out of the 50s, and seats about 12 people MAX! The owner can be found there most days and he's owned if for like 70 years. When you go in, there are warning signs that you are not to use your cell phone and you must be respectful. The owner has been known to throw cell phones out the window, and kick people out for doing so. It's on the 2nd floor, a bit hard to find, but one of the best places in Cork for a pint and just like your grandpa liked to drink.

[Omote]

Many people like the tours of Guinness and Jameson. They are fine, but they are both true cathedrals and holy places dedicated to massive corporations. I'm not saying these places are bad, but I was kind of sickened by how indoctrinated people become with these massive corporations. Don't let it fool you, it's just booze. Jameson is not even owned by the Irish any more (it's a French company now).

But I will say this, I have never had a better pint of Guinness than at the top of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin than at their Skybar (I'm not sure what it is really called, but it's on the tour). This trendy bar filled with Dublin business people and tourists and offers a beautiful 360-degree view of Dublin. And while I am not a terrific fan of Guinness itself, it's magically delicious here.

~O

[Relaxo]

I've got no idea where it is exactly, but there's a place in Ireland, I believe on the western coast, where there are vertually no lights at night, and you can actually see the stars for real. it's one of only a handful of sites like this in the world, and it's supposed to be AMAZING.

and anywhere else you go, "look to the horizon"

[Captain_K]

Thanks guys, getting ready to drink a beer at the airport - TGIF... tall local summer ale... awaiting the first flight..

The Dark Sky Reserve is in SW Ireland, we've got one night in a house in the middle of that location... Kerry County... will look at the rest soon.. thanks, Cap

[Lurker]

Many people like the tours of Guinness and Jameson. They are fine, but they are both true cathedrals and holy places dedicated to massive corporations. I'm not saying these places are bad, but I was kind of sickened by how indoctrinated people become with these massive corporations. Don't let it fool you, it's just booze. Jameson is not even owned by the Irish any more (it's a French company now).

But I will say this, I have never had a better pint of Guinness than at the top of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin than at their Skybar (I'm not sure what it is really called, but it's on the tour). This trendy bar filled with Dublin business people and tourists and offers a beautiful 360-degree view of Dublin. And while I am not a terrific fan of Guinness itself, it's magically delicious here.

~O

A few years ago, my uncle - this happened right before he passed away from cancer -& I had a good "argument" about this. He took the side of "Its Jameson, so it is Jameson and it is good" I took the side of "a name is a name and can be bought. It is better to find a better true Irish whisky and that is better ".... argued and debated and needled each other until he was exhausted ... I think it was his last argument before he passed away ... (Argument is worse than it sounds, it is a good fun family debate and argument. We had them all the time about almost anything. If I'd have said how good the last finger of his Jameson we shared, he would have taken the other side and we would have had the same argument with the same points)

Ok, off the bitter sweet walk in the memories.

For the trip, I have to say that I'm envious. Out of everywhere I went in the military (the good and the bad places) I never got to go to Ireland.

If it was me, my wife would get tired of me ding all the history sites I could, and then hitting all the ole pubs I came across

...The other pub in Cork is a true masterpeice, the Hi-B in Cork (108 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork). It's right out of the 50s, and seats about 12 people MAX! The owner can be found there most days and he's owned if for like 70 years. When you go in, there are warning signs that you are not to use your cell phone and you must be respectful. The owner has been known to throw cell phones out the window, and kick people out for doing so. It's on the 2nd floor, a bit hard to find, but one of the best places in Cork for a pint and just like your grandpa liked to drink.

O, that sounds like my kind of place

[Captain_K]

I got to take my teens there... first pint, legally, with the kid...off for the second and dinner at the local cabbie pub

[Greyblade]

Have lived & worked in Ireland myself for 5+ years, left in 2010 and I am always returning whenever I can, that's how much I love the place and the people there.

My unmissable first things to do would be:

-enjoy a beer, some dinner & some chat with the locals in a pub somewhere
-tour the Antrim coast road (Northern Ireland) & especially visit the Dark hedges, the Giants Causeway & Dunluce castle
-visit the most unknown of all counties, yet one of the most beautiful & authentic ones , Donegal county (Slieve League, Glenveagh castle, Donegal town)
-visit Wicklow & Glendalough when you're in Dublin, or better, sleep in a hostel/B&B there
-visit south Dublin & the beautiful mansions in Dublin 4, 7, etc...

So many things to do & see you'll need another visit for sure. Better, you'll WANT another visit. I just love Ireland so much I am planning to retire there.

[Captain_K]

In Irish sea side Blackrock, off to the pub. Belfast was nice, old stuff was cool. Day at the Causeway and the great Finn MacCool (sp) story of how it got there. Some of the small Northern sea side stuff was nice. Castles we've seen, I like the one where lighting took out the back with the servants...

[Captain_K]

Dunluce Castle remains. Nothing like a castle with the back blown off by lightening killing all the servants who's ghosts drove the owner mad....

[Captain_K]

Just spent the afternoon listening to classic old Irish music, watching a street performer juggle blades, fire, sword swallow, and crack rude jokes. All this in Galway.. staying at a BnB in Athenrey which claims to be the oldest town in Europe dating to 1000 or so. Dinner was at "The King's Head" where supposedly the Irish Axeman who took an English king's head under Cromwell's payment.. no blood on English hands... I might have missed a date or two or messed a name... but its the stout, cider, and ale doing it...

[Arduin]

What a great holiday!