Updated 10 June 2022
(Click on photos to see full sized; disregard thumbnail photos upside down etc.)
Here are some suggestions. I’ll start with Dublin and go clockwise. First, let me say that we are big fans of toursbylocals.com. Search in any city you are in and you will find pre-planned tours as well as guides who do custom tours. The woman we found who took us in her Mercedes sedan for a day trip from Dublin to Boyle and searching out the Frazer family gravesites and farm we wonderful. The guides and the drivers are all licensed in Ireland as she was and the money is all handled through the toursbylocals.com company. It is a good way to do a day trip with a guide and not having to rent a car on your own.
Dublin
https://aswetravel.com/things-to-do-in-dublin-mini-guide/-
The Medieval part of the city as part of the Castle and now center of government is definitely worth a tour. The story of the Irish Revolt from England is important background to visiting Ireland. This gets told as part of the tour we took of the historic castle and its government buildings.
Arthur Guinness’ name comes up many times around the island as his family were great philanthropists as well as vendors of beer and spirits. There is a tour in Dublin as noted of the Guinness Storehouse. There are Guinness tours of other facilities around the island.
Trinity College is a lovely campus. The historic library is worth visiting and is impressive in its volume and depth of history. It is soon to be closed for a multiyear renovation. If the line for seeing the Book of Kells is not long, it is worth seeing just for the craftsmanship and its significant history. What you see is very controlled; the online version and the movie, The Secret of Kells, is very informative beforehand.
If below looks like the White House near Phoenix Park in Dublin, it is said that our White House was modeled on this one in Dublin.
Also might find something interesting here:
10 Best Dublin Off the Beaten Path Places to Visit
Waterford
Well you have to tour the glass factory. I thought—boring!—but it was impressive as to both the craftsmanship and the artistry. Just to see some of the unique pieces and prizes/awards they’ve been commissioned to make was worth the tour.
Lots of Viking history here to see. We didn’t get to see much more.
See https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-waterford-ireland/
Cork
Well one big thing here is to visit the Blarney Castle and climb the tower to kiss the Blarney stone. It is a beautiful castle and park to wonder around. Kay made friends with a fantastic bagpipe player.
https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-cork-ireland/
The English market is a fun visit as is St. Anne’s Church
Bantry
Heading straight north of here gets you into stunningly beautiful mountains and lake areas, several national parks near Kilkenny and Killarney area. To the west of here are beautiful ocean drives the most famous which we did was the Ring of Kerry where the battle of the Spanish Armada took place. Below is a view from our drive around the Ring of Kerry, typical of what you should also see along the ocean from Bantry.
Below is the view from our room looking out over the Kilkenny and Killarney lakes and mountains from the Aghadoe Hotel.
https://www.bantry.ie/things-to-do/
Galway
Found the town to be delightful walking with many interesting shops and eateries and pubs. We visited the Kylemore Abby and found it a lovely place to see and to take in its history. From here northward the Atlantic coastal area rugged beauty is breathtaking in places.
https://www.discoverireland.ie/galway/things-to-do-in-galway
Killybegs
From here north is a rugged and remote coast line that we passed through on the way to Northern Ireland via Londonderry on to Belfast.
https://www.discoverkillybegs.com/do
Typical remote Atlantic coastal scene with the lone castle bare to the wind and rain.
Belfast
Titanic Museum a most see! A guided tour about “The Troubles” is very helpful in understanding the Northern Ireland perspective.
https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-belfast-tours/
A must do is a day trip from Belfast up along the spectacular coast of NE Ireland (see photos on the right) ending with lunch in Bushmill (of Bushmills Irish Whiskey fame) and then out to the famous Giants Causeway, an incredible geological formation. Trip up the NE coast line is where Game of Thrones was filmed and where the Scottish Frazer’s of our family line likely migrated across to ireland. Toursbylocals.com offer several day trips from Belfast to the Giants Causeway.
Another view of the Armagh Coast while driving to the Giants Causeway
The drive up to the coast ends with the Giants Causeway, a major geologic find on the far northern coast of Ireland.
South of Belfast is Downpatrick, Ireland.
St. Patrick is buried here (461 AD) as well as one of the most ancient churches in Ireland if not in the UK dating back to the time of Ptolemy (AD 130) (more info here). Beautiful as well as sacred spot to visit.
