It would probably be impossible to pick my favorite place in Ireland, but picking my favorite places, that I can do. Let me share some places on the Emerald Isle that have won my heart.
Dunluce Castle sits perched on the North coast of Antrim in Northern Ireland. I've been here twice and have a personal connection with this wild & dramatic castle ruin. You can read more about my experiences HERE.
Cahir Castle, in County Tipperary, is one of my favorite castles. It is the perfect combination of ruin & restoration. Situated on a river with gorgeous grounds, this castle takes my mind right to the Middle Ages. It has been restored in a manner that retains this ambience, without filling it up with antiques and décor that I generally find distracting.
Glendalough Monastic Ruins and Forest combine two or Ireland's best attributes -stunning scenery and incredible history. This place is pure magic. The forest glows under a blanket of moss, a waterfall cascades down the mountain side, pristine valley lake whisper of the history they have seen. And at the base of the mountain and through out the forest, the ruins of a century monastery beckon your exploration. I could return here time and time again. Learn more and see more photos of my journeys into Glendalough HERE.
Dublin, of course, with its cobbled lanes, cathedrals, pubs, and history. My favorite thing about Dublin is its walkability. We nearly always explore Dublin on foot for there is so much to marvel at and always something new. Its lack the intensity and overwhelming size and busy-ness of larger European cities without losing any charm.
Tollymore Forest Park is one of the most lovely woodlands I've encountered in Ireland. Beautiful, whimsical, and kind of a hidden gem. Architectural follies dot the forest and evoke magic of another era. Explore with me HERE.
Understandably not everyone can travel to the Celtic Isles and traipse around castle ruins. Even for those of us that have, it is always nice to revisit a place in spirit when we cannot in body. Thankfully to satisfy our appetites for the ancient, the crumbly, the stoic, and the arching magnificence that is a castle ruin - we can visit them on the web. Sometimes we stumble upon great interesting videos. Here are some of my favorites for you to watch as we near St. Patrick's Day:
*Click Full Screen on Videos to really enjoy !
Dundrum Castle is in County Down, Northern Ireland. We visited there in 2015. I was thrilled when I found this Time Team (an awesome long running BBC Archeology Show - any episode from Time Team is fascinating and so many are on YouTube) episode of an archeological dig at Dundrum Castle
Dundrum Castle
Now Dunluce Castle is near and dear to me. It is how I stumbled upon my Irish ancestry and my far off Irish ancestors, the MacQuillans, laid the first stones here on the cliffs of Antrim.
MacQuillan Towers of Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Ireland
Looking out to sea from the Mermaid's Cave beneath Dunluce
The Connolly Cove Channel on YouTube is full of awesome short videos from all over Ireland. Below is one that introduces us to some basic history of Dunluce (for more in depth info I like the book Dunluce Castle by Colin Breen). There is also some incredible scenic drone footage of Dunluce below that includes a seaside look at the mermaid's cave:
Don't forget I have many Irish travel post over at Traveling Chariot which you can access HERE
