{"id":2939,"date":"2019-02-18T16:41:55","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T16:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/overinireland.com\/?p=2939"},"modified":"2019-02-19T04:09:39","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T04:09:39","slug":"ireland-towns-villages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/ireland-towns-villages\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Small Towns & Villages in Ireland You Will Fall in Love With"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How do you fall in love with a country like Ireland? You probably read up on the history, try to learn its language, and listen to its music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to get a general sense of the people living there, you must plan a visit. For most people, that means coming to Dublin and a handful of other cities in Ireland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the way to fall in love with Ireland is one small town or village at a time. Dublin has its charms, as do Belfast, Cork, and Galway. But no city, not even Dublin, cannot claim to represent everything that Ireland is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

25 Towns and Villages In Ireland You Have To See<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you like the Irish culture and people, here are the twenty-five small towns and villages you will fall in love with too and solidify your love for Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Clear, Country Cork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Flickr.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cape Clear is an island in County Cork and the southernmost inhabited\nisland in the country. Currently, the island has roughly 125 people who call it\nhome, which is almost a tenfold decrease from the times before the Great\nFamine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Clear is an interesting place because it has\narchaeological sites of pre-Christian and early-Christian Ireland. From marked\nstones, burned mounds, Neolithic tombs, and standing stones, to a church ruin\nand other Christian sites, there are plenty of interesting things to see around\nthe island and in its Heritage Center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If history isn\u2019t interesting to you, Cape Clear is a great place for birdwatching, it has a working goat farm that\u2019s open to visitors, and it\u2019s a stopping place for the Fastnet Rock tour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are places that offer accommodation on the island, and you can find a place to eat, drink, and socialize, too. For the people who\u2019d like to witness the Irish Gift of the Gab firsthand, the Cape Clear Storytelling Festival is a great reason to visit the island late in the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baltimore, County Cork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you want to reach Cape Clear, chances\nare you\u2019ll head to Baltimore to catch a ferry. And while Cape Clear has its\ncharms, it won\u2019t hold your attention for too long. But Baltimore, on the other\nhand, might be worth a longer visit, even\nif you go there just so you can get somewhere else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides the ferry to Cape Clear, Baltimore serves as the port for ferries that can take you to other places, including the Sherkin Island and Carbery’s Hundred Isles. Baltimore is also a place frequented by deep sea anglers, as it hosts angling and wildlife tours. And that\u2019s on top of the more common activities you can partake in, such as golf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dungarvan, County Waterford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One of two Dungarvans\nin Ireland, the former administrative seat of County Waterford is a port town and\none of the jewels of Ireland\u2019s sunny south-east. And because the south-east is\nso sunny, one of the reasons why you should give Dungarvan a chance is because\nit has some of the best sunsets in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s not all. Dungarvan can be the starting or the ending point of your travel along the Waterford Greenway, one of Ireland\u2019s loveliest biking and hiking trails. It\u2019s also one of the Irish towns that offer incredible gastronomic experiences. If that\u2019s the type of things that make you fall in love with a city, you should visit Dungarvan near the end of the April, when the Waterford Festival of Food<\/a> takes place in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dungarvan wouldn\u2019t be a town in Ireland without its own castle. You can find the Dungarvan Castle, also called King John\u2019s Castle (one of a couple castles called that way), near the harbor. If you want to dig a bit deeper into the history of Dungarvan and the surrounding area, the Dungarvan Museum will provide all the information you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enniscrone, County Sligo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cBeach, sun, and fun\u201d isn\u2019t a phrase usually associated with Ireland. It sounds more like California, Australia, or even the southern parts of Europe. On their own, Ireland has all three \u2014 there are beaches, there is occassional sunshine, and there is fun to be had in Ireland. Occasionally the three happen at the same time, like when you\u2019re surfing in Enniscrone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enniscrone is a town in Country Sligo\nand a well-established tourist site. It has a great sandy beach, a golf course,\nas well as a waterpark, a spa, and a place where you can get a seaweed bath.\nIt\u2019s also a child-friendly place with a couple of playgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But surfing and kitesurfing are two of the more important reasons to visit Enniscrone and fall in love with it. It can be the place where you first started learning to surf because the waters around Enniscrone are beginner-friendly. If surfing is not your thing, don\u2019t worry \u2014 Enniscrone is also a good place for fishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kinsale, County Cork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Kinsale is not a town you want to visit while you\u2019re\ndieting. This town in County Cork has a reputation for its restaurants \u2014 both\ntheir number and their great food \u2014 which is why people sometimes refer to it\nas the Gourmet Capital of Ireland. But great food isn\u2019t the only reason to fall\nin love with Kinsale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kinsale is a very picturesque town. It has plenty of brightly-painted buildings, a marina filled with yachts, and a long stretch of the coast. The town lies near two forts \u2014 Charles Fort and James Fort, and it has a world-famous golf course. And there\u2019s also a long history, including a famous three-way battle, for visitors to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you\u2019re the practical kind of traveler, you\u2019ll want to know that it\u2019s very easy to reach Kinsale. The Cork International Airport is only fifteen miles away, and Kinsale has a good connection with the rest of Ireland through its proximity with Cork City. If a nice plate of food in a lovely and lively historic town is your ideal way to experience Ireland, Kinsale is the place to have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clonakilty, County Cork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Clonakilty.ie<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clonakilty is a town in County Cork, in the south of Ireland,\nthat has more than one thing that put it on the map. If you plan to travel with\nsomeone who has autism, or if you yourself are an Autistic person, you will\nlove Clonakilty for the fact that it\u2019s Ireland\u2019s first accredited\nAutism-Friendly Town. In fact, this might make you love Clonakilty even if you\nhave nothing to do with autism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other thing that makes Clonakilty so great is its\nproximity to so many incredible beaches\nand villages. You can use the town as a base while you venture out on excursions\nto The Warren and the village of Rosscarbery. And then there are Duneen, Owenahincha,\nDunworley, Inchydoney, and other beautiful beaches you should visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clonakilty is also known as the town near which Michael Collins was born. If you\u2019re not sure who Michael Collins was and why he is such a towering figure in the history of modern Ireland, you will be able to find out in the Michael Collins Heritage Centre. The Michael Collins House is also in the town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tramore, County Waterford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source:Flickriver.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tramore isn\u2019t a resort town, but\ntourism did play an important role in its development. Its proximity to\nWaterford City and the Waterford Airport helped. That alone wouldn\u2019t be enough\nto draw people to visit a small seaside town. But the three-mile beach for\nwhich the town was named would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town will give you plenty of reasons to stay once the beach has attracted you. For one, it\u2019s a great place to go surfing. You can also learn to sail or kayak in Tramore, or simply swim in the sea. If golf is what you fancy, you can play one round or a few in Tramore. Or you can ride a horse on the beach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tramore Walk will take you to the beautiful cliffs near the town. While you\u2019re at it, you might want to stop by the Metal Man, a giant metal statue of a man standing on a pilon and pointing towards the sea. And if that gets you tired just in time for dinner, you\u2019ll have plenty of restaurants to choose from, and plenty of places with live music to entertain you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strandhill, County Sligo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In truth, you\u2019ll find more than a few small charming towns\nin Ireland that offer great sunsets, beautiful beaches, and seaweed baths. There\nalways seems to be a golf course somewhere near, and a couple of surfing\nschools. Strandhill doesn\u2019t seem to be an exception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strandhill Beach is a well-known destination for surfers,\neven though it\u2019s not swimmer-friendly. The town is close to Culleenamore\nStrand, where you can occasionally see seals, but also enjoy horseracing. There\nis a golf course in Strandhill, and you can enjoy the seaweed baths, too. And\nthen, there\u2019s Knocknarea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knocknarea is a large hill near Strandhill. It\u2019s famous for being home to Ireland\u2019s second largest cairn, a man-made pile of stones that indicates something important, called Medb\u2019s or Maeve\u2019s Cairn. The real jewel of Knocknarea is The Glen, a microvalley of glacial origin named after the mythological Queen Medb. The flora within will blow your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalkey, County Dublin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dalkey is a small town and a suburb\nof Ireland\u2019s capital city, Dublin. It got its name from the nearby Dalkey\nIsland which, at various points in time, was home to the early settlers of\nIreland, the Vikings, and the early Christians. But that\u2019s not the most\nsignificant part of the town\u2019s charm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalkey is, to say it bluntly, a\nsuburb for the well-off. It\u2019s a place where sightings of the likes of Bono,\nEnya, and Van Morrison are not that uncommon\nbecause they all own property in or near the town. The village-like feeling of Dalkey\nmust have appealed to them, as it will appeal to anyone who likes the charm of\nvillage life without the actual hassles of living in a small village. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not into celebrity-spotting, you might want to visit Dalkey for the Dalkey Book Festival, or the Lobster, Crab & All That Jazz festival. While you\u2019re there, stop by the Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre and learn about the history of the Viking-founded town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rosses Point, County Sligo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Golfbreaks.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rosses Point is a village and a\npeninsula in Country Sligo, and just like Strandhill, it\u2019s one of the many\nseaside towns and villages that has a beautiful beach, a golf course, and some\namenities for water sports. But it\u2019s not a generic village because Ireland\ndoesn\u2019t create generic villages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rosses Point\u2019s unique and lovely\ncharacter was molded by the village\u2019s tie with the great body of water\nstretching out in front of it. There are three lighthouses in or near Rosses\nPoint, including a Metal Man lighthouse. The town is the home of the Waiting on\nShore Monument, which perfectly depicts the relationship the Irish of Rosses\nPoint has historically had with the sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The waters north of Rosses Point are\nthe final resting place of three ships of the Spanish Armada. Rosses Point is\nalso home to the Shanty Festival, which\ntakes place in June every year. That might be the best time to visit the\nvillage and enjoy what it, and the sea, have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clifden, County Galway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Connemara is a region in County\nGalway that\u2019s known for two things: a strong presence of the traditional Irish\nculture, and breathtaking landscapes. As such, it\u2019s a place people who want to\nexperience traditional Ireland must visit. And if you want to visit Connemara, Clifden\nis the usual choice for a base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will probably hear that people\ncall Clifden \u201cthe capital of Connemara.\u201d As the largest town in the region with\njust over 2,500 residents, it is the region\u2019s tourism center with an undeniable\ncosmopolitan charm. But it\u2019s really Clifden\u2019s location you\u2019ll appreciate because it is the perfect place to\nstay while exploring the beauty of Connemara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the things you might want to see on your Clifden holiday include the Inishbofin Island, the Ballynahinch estate, the Connemara National Park, the Inagh Valley, and the Kylemore Valley. The Roundstone Bog is a must of conservationists and nature lovers in general, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cong, County Mayo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Cong is a village on the border\nbetween Country Mayo and Country Galway. Cong\u2019s major claim to fame is the\nfilming of the 1952 John Ford movie The\nQuiet Man<\/em> in and around the village. Even today, this connection keeps bringing tourists to Cong. If you\u2019ve fallen in\nlove with Cong while watching the movie, you will find it equally as nice in\nperson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who prefer history to the cinema, Cong is an appealing destination. Cong Abbey, or the Royal Abbey of Cong, is a ruin of an old monastery that might have been the place where the last High King of Ireland died. The Ashford Castle is another great place you\u2019ll want to visit. It\u2019s a medieval castle turned into a 5-star hotel that has, among other amenities, a falconry school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sneem, County Kerry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Ring of Kerry is a tourist route that runs for more than\n110 miles through County Kerry. Following the Ring is probably the best way to\nexperience the great variety of activities and landscapes in County Kerry. But\neven though you can drive along the Ring in a single afternoon, it\u2019s best to do\nit slowly, in stages, with planned stays in towns and villages along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sneem, a village with a funny name that means \u201cknot,\u201d is one\nof the Kerry villages through which the Ring of Kerry passes. This village with\na population of less than six hundred is a perfect place to stop for a day or\ntwo and enjoy the slow country life of Ireland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, you can enjoy the Blueberry Hill farm \u2014 it\u2019s\ngood for adults, but it\u2019s awesome fun for kids. The Staigue stone fort is one\nof the best ruins of ringforts in Ireland. Sneem has its own sculpture park, as\nwell as a coral beach, which isn\u2019t a usual sight in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adare, County Limerick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Wikimedia.org<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It takes guts for a village to call itself the prettiest one\nin Ireland. But no matter how many of the lists of prettiest villages in\nIreland you go through, Adare will probably be on all of them. And if you go\nthere, you\u2019ll see that the County Limerick village really fits the bill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truth be told, Adare had a long time to develop into the\nlovely village it is today. The Desmond Castle on the north bank of the river\nMaigue was built in the late 12th<\/sup> century. The nearby village\ndeveloped into a market town with a priory and two abbeys. The Adare Manor,\nwhich was added later, was the center of the Dunraven estate, of which the\nvillage was a part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Adare is a mix\nof the Irish traditional and the English village architecture styles, which\ngives the city much of its charm. You can enjoy live music events in Adare, look\nfor faeries on Knockfierna, fish, watch horse or greyhound races, or enjoy in\nfalconry or archery. Do all of that, and you\u2019ll still have a couple of days\u2019 worth\nof fun left in Adare. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leighlinbridge, County Carlow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Wikimedia.org<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing that demonstrates a prideful small town more\nthan the title of the Best Kept Town in Ireland. Leighlinbridge in County\nCarlow got that honor back in 2015, and it was a\nwelcome recognition for the town that likes to keep tidy. And that\u2019s surely\nsomething to fall in love in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leighlinbridge lies on the River Barrow, and it makes\nperfect sense that a pretty small town would have a pretty bridge, in its name\nand over the river. There\u2019s also a castle, called the Black Castle, that\u2019s seen\nbetter days. Its ruins, however, really bring that historical feeling to the\nwhole town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leighlinbridge is also a very sporty town. It has three\nclubs that play Gaelic sports \u2014 a hurling club, and two football clubs. The\nVale Wanderers is the local soccer club. You\ncan catch a game if you time the visit right, but you can also travel to nearby\ntowns and root for Leighlinbridge\u2019s teams there. Being a sports fan of one of\nIreland\u2019s tidiest towns sounds just lovely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Killaloe, County Clare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Killaloe in County Clare is a town on the western bank of the\nRiver Shannon. Its twin, Ballina, is on the opposite bank and in a different\ncounty \u2014 County Tipperary. Killaloe was the birthplace of one of the famous\nHigh Kings of Ireland, Brian Boru. Brian ruled the whole Ireland from Killaloe,\nwhich technically made it the capital of Ireland, if only for a brief time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Killaloe is a part of what they call Ireland\u2019s Ancient East.\nIf you want to learn more about the history of Killaloe, the region, and Ireland\nin general, the Killaloe Heritage Centre will be able to help. You can take a\nfield trip to see the remains of Brian Boru\u2019s fort, or visit one of Killaloe\u2019s\nchurches, or the cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll never be far away from history in Killaloe. At the\nvery least, the narrow streets and the charming old houses will remind you that\nyou\u2019re in a town that\u2019s been here for a while. Apart from the history, people\nlike to visit Killaloe because of Lough Derg, the lake in the Shannon River Basin.\nThat\u2019s where you can swim, windsurf, sail, fish, or kayak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aughrim, County Wicklow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Aughrim, the one in County Wicklow, isn\u2019t all about the looks.\nBut its looks will catch your eye. The city was once a village of granite\nminers, and to this day, many of its buildings are made from granite, giving\nthe city a very distinctive aesthetic. The forge, the town hall, and the granite\nhouses set the tone for the town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To some extent, that is, because the surroundings do their\npart in making Aughrim such a lovely little place. The town lies on the Aughrim\nRiver, but very close to where the Rivers Ow and Derry meet to form it. The\nwhole valley where the town lies is very scenic. Aughrim is also the starting\npoint of the Sean Linehan Walk, a beautiful nature walk that will keep you busy\nfor an afternoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, it\u2019s the people who will steal your heart in Aughrim. The way they care for\ntheir small town got them the title of Wicklow\u2019s tidiest town for eleven years\nin a row. Aughrim was Ireland\u2019s tidiest small town in 2006. But then again, once you see how pretty Aughrim is,\nit\u2019s hard not to want to do something to help it stay that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dingle, County Kerry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dingle is the only town on the peninsula of the same name in\nCounty Kerry. It\u2019s a harbor town where people still speak the Irish language, meet\nat the pub for music and drinks, and occasionally spot bottlenose dolphins off\nthe coast. It\u2019s as Irish as towns in Ireland get, and that alone would be\nenough to make you want to spend some time in Dingle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then, there\u2019s the whole peninsula-worth of things you\ncould be doing while staying in Dingle. Dingle is also quintessentially Irish\nin its mixture of historical heritage and natural beauty. There are around 6,000 years of human presence\non the peninsula, attested by over 2,000 preserved monuments. And you can only\nimagine the myths and the tales you can hear about times long gone in westernmost\npart of Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The natural beauty surrounding the town provides a steady\nstream of tourists who come to enjoy it. Whether\nyou want to watch the dolphins, surf in the Brandon Bay, or go horseback riding,\nyou can do all of that against the backdrop of the dramatic landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenmare, County Kerry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Wikimedia.org<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kenmare in County Kerry is a town with two names. The one we\u2019re\nfamiliar with, Kenmare, is the anglicized form of Irish words that mean \u201chead\nof the sea.\u201d The town is, after all, situated at the head of the Kenmare Bay. The\nother, Irish name of the town is Neidin<\/em>,\nand it means \u201clittle nest.\u201d And that\u2019s all you need to know if you\u2019re planning\nto visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenmare is a small town that will make you feel like you\u2019re in\na nest. Its ways will slow you down to a lovely, calm pace. The accommodation\nin the town will make you feel warm and cared for. And there will be more than\nenough of tasty choices for staving off hunger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you want to burn those calories off, Kenmare and the surrounding area will give you all the opportunity you need. You could visit the Bonane Heritage Park<\/a>, see the stone circle, ringfort, and some standing stones that witnessed over 5,000 years of history. Or you can go to a seafari or play a round or two of golf at the Ring of Kerry Golf Club. Also, the Ring of Kerry passes through Kenmare, so why not walk it a bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inistioge, County Kilkenny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Inistioge is County Kilkenny at its most romantic. The\nvillage is small, with just over 250 inhabitants. It\u2019s been featured in a\ncouple of movies, including Widow\u2019s Peak <\/em>and\nCircle of Friends.<\/em> The village green,\nthe Inistioge bridge on the River Nore, and St. Mary\u2019s church are among the main\nattractions in the village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best view of Inistioge and the surrounding area is from the Woodstock Estate above the\nvillage. There, you can find the remains of the old house, as well as the gardens\nand woodlands with many lovely footpaths. The gardens have recently been restored,\nso you\u2019re in for a treat if you\u2019re a fan of walks in nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from that, there\u2019s not much else to do in Inistioge. It\u2019s a village where you go to get away from the city bustle. Kilkenny is close if you ever need some extra noise in your life. In Inistioge, you\u2019ll enjoy the peace and quiet of a small Irish village. Or, you can spend your nights at the pub. It’s in Ireland, after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birr, County Offaly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Kennylyons.ie<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do you know what the Leviathan of Parsonstown was? It was forty\nfeet tall, seventy-one feet long, and on clear nights, it would turn its six-feet\neye to the stars in search for hidden knowledge. Sadly, people started taking\nit apart when it was a bit over sixty years old, even though it was, for quite\na while, the biggest of its kind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leviathan of Parsonstown was a telescope located in the\nBirr Castle in Birr, County Offaly. Today, you can see its replica if you\ndecide to visit the town. People who come to Birr tend to pay the Leviathan a\nvisit because, well, the castle is one of the best things about the town. It is\noccupied, however, so you can\u2019t wander it freely, but some of the grounds and gardens\nwill be the perfect place for a walk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birr is a heritage town, and its many Georgian buildings are\nvery well preserved. The town is also home\nto a well-known theater, an equestrian center, a pet farm, and a couple of lovely restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Come\nfor the telescope, stay for the charming buildings, nice food, and pleasant\nsurroundings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lismore, County Waterford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There are heritage towns, but then there are heritage towns\nthat were founded fourteen hundred years ago. Lismore in County Waterford is\none of the latter. Saint Mochuda founded the city before he died in 637, and he\nserved as the first abbot of Lismore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some 550 years later, the Lismore Castle was built by Prince\nJohn, and it was a silent witness to the changing relationship between the\nIrish and the English. It\u2019s still a prominent feature on the landscape today, or\nat least its rebuilt version is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, Lismore has seen plenty of scholastic activities,\nand the 15th<\/sup>-century Book of Lismore is a prime example. All these\nthings are just one part of what makes Lismore so great. You\u2019ll be able to learn\nabout them from the town\u2019s Heritage Centre, while also having the chance to soak\nin all that makes Lismore lovely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cobh, County Cork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Ireland\u2019s history has always been tied to the sea. That\u2019s\nthe way it is with islands \u2014 the sea is what brings food but also conquerors,\nand it\u2019s where people go to escape misery. This kind of a relationship is obvious\nin many of Ireland\u2019s port towns. And that includes Cobh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, you\u2019d fall in love with Cobh because it\u2019s very much\nits own town, with its own views of how colorful its buildings should be. The\ntower of St. Colman\u2019s Cathedral is always trying to pierce the sky, and it\u2019s a\nperfect backdrop for the town that was always looking towards the sea.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in Cobh that the Titanic had its last European stop. Between\nthe middle of the 19th<\/sup> and the middle of the 20th<\/sup> century,\nCobh saw two and a half million people set off from its shores in search of a\nbetter life in America. It also witnessed the people deported to Australia. So\nif its unique personality attracts you to it, Cobh\u2019s presence in the history of\nIreland is what will make your stay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gweedore, County Donegal <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture
Source: Flickr<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gweedore is a curious little village in County Donegal. It\u2019s\nthe most densely populated village in Europe with the world\u2019s smallest harbor.\nGweedore is a part of the Donegal Gaeltacht,\nthe area in County Donegal where Irish is the primary language. And people call\nGweedore the cradle of Irish culture because\nit still hosts old customs and culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gweedore is located between the Atlantic Ocean and Mount\nErrigal. Out of the two, it\u2019s the ocean that provides more opportunity for fun.\nThe beaches in Gweedore are many and unspoiled\n\u2014 the coastline is jagged and the whole area is remote, keeping the many\nbeaches and coves in pristine shape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gweedore is a great place to go fishing, but the reason people\nvisit it has more to do with its traditional culture. Falling for the popular renditions\nof Irish culture is one thing. Coming to the source is a completely different experience.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carlingford, County Louth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Picture<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vikings are just one of the many peoples that invaded, or\ntried to invade, the Emerald Isle. They were at it in the 9th<\/sup>\ncentury, and one of the places they conquered\nwas \u2014 Carlingford. It\u2019s in the name, after all, as Carlingford means \u201cfjord of Carlinn.\u201d But the Viking invasion wasn\u2019t the only\nordeal Carlingford, and other towns around Carlingford Lough, endured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can learn all about the history of the area when you\nvisit the Carlingford Heritage Centre. You can also go to King John\u2019s Castle in\nCarlingford, or visit the Dominican Priory, or the Kilwirra Church ruins. There\u2019s\nplenty to see and do around the lough and the peninsula. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re into leprechaun-themed activities and sights, Carlingford is one of the more important places for you to visit. It is the home of the last leprechauns of Ireland, apparently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also enter a leprechaun and fairy underground cavern and see how these creatures would have lived if only they existed. But if you have kids, or you\u2019re in touch with your inner child, it doesn\u2019t get much better than a town that has both Viking stories and a leprechaun cave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How do you fall in love with a country like Ireland? You probably read up on the history, try to learn its language, and listen to its music. If you want to get a general sense of the people living there, you must plan a visit. For most people, that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/overinireland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/kinsale-3.jpg?fit=800%2C445&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauohh-Lp","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2939"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3207,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939\/revisions\/3207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overinireland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}