Whiskey, shanty songs, thick-brewed Guinness, hearty homemade meals and some of the world’s most alluring folkloric traditions converge on this republic surrounded by wild Atlantic swells on the outer edges of Europe.
Visitors here come in search of the ubiquitous Dublin pub night, where, fuelled by stouts, they stamp and sing until the early hours. Others seek the wild and wonderful legends of Ireland’s outlaying counties, where ruined castles and ancient sepulchres hide betwixt the verdant valley sides.
Culturally and historically interested travellers should be sure to ask their Ireland tour guide about the truly astounding complex of Brú na Bóinne in County Meath, home to some relics dating back as far as 30,000 years, or the fabled Blarney Castle near Cork, where the luck of the Irish awaits anyone daring enough to lean from the battlements’ edge.
But more than anything it’s the Irish character that makes this nation a great place to be, and the locals from Cork to Dublin are invariably friendly, fast arriving at an air of informality with any travellers who pass their way.