Belfast (UK)

We really enjoyed our time in Belfast. It’s one of the rare places today where pivotal history has occurred in the last 50 years. The black cab tours are highly recommended.

40,000 interlocking basalt columns form the Giant’s Causeway according to Wikipedia. 90 minutes from Belfast, bus tours are usually arranged with a few other stops along the way. The full-day tours are a good way to see the countryside.

Cahir Castle is just off the main highway between Dublin and Cork, and worth a few hours. It’s nothing elaborate, just a small Irish town with a castle.

For a small town with a castle, Kilkenny actually has quite a bit of history.  James II of England spent the winter months here a couple of years, albeit after he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution.  From Dublin one could possibly make a day-trip of it, but a car would be required.

Blarney Castle lies just west of Cork.  It’s worth a stop when heading from Dublin to Kerry.  We won’t get into the details of the Blarney Stone, but, obviously, it’s here.

The Ring of Kerry is the most well-known of the three rings one can take around the southeastern Ireland peninsulas, the other two being RO Dingle and RO Beara.  We chose RO Kerry, and have no regrets.

Bunratty Castle is situated just east of Shannon airport, and a great way to spend one’s first or last day in Ireland if transporting through Shannon.  The grounds house a number of exhibits that show what country life was like in earlier days.