Table of Contents
1 The Best of Ireland 1
2 Suggested Ireland Itineraries 22
The Regions in Brief 23
The Best of Ireland in 1 Week 26
The Best of Ireland in 2 Weeks 30
Ireland for Free or Dirt Cheap 32
The Best of Ireland for Families 37
Exploring Ancient Ireland 40
Ireland Off the Beaten Path 43
3 Ireland in Context 46
4 Dublin 79
Essentials 80
Getting Around 89
Fast Facts: Dublin 91
Exploring Dublin 92
Where to Stay in Dublin 124
Where to Eat in Dublin 138
Shopping 153
Sports & Outdoor Pursuits 161
Spectator Sports 163
Dublin After Dark 163
5 Day Trips from Dublin 173
Essentials 174
North of Dublin: Counties Meath & Louth 176
West of Dublin: County Kildare 187
South of Dublin: Counties Wicklow & Carlow 195
6 The Southeast 207
Essentials 208
County Waterford 211
County Wexford 223
County Kilkenny 235
7 County Cork 244
Essentials 245
Cork City 246
Day Trips to East Cork 263
Kinsale 268
West Cork 277
8 County Kerry 289
Essentials 290
The Ring of Kerry 292
Tralee 326
The Dingle Peninsula 329
9 The Burren & Beyond: Clare, Limerick & Tipperary 342
Essentials 343
County Clare 344
County Limerick 360
County Tipperary 368
10 County Galway & Connemara 377
Essentials 378
Galway City 380
Connemara 400
11 The Midlands 413
Essentials 414
Exploring the Midlands 415
Where to Stay in the Midlands 425
Where to Eat in the Midlands 427
12 Counties Mayo & Sligo 431
Essentials 432
County Mayo 433
County Sligo 449
13 Donegal 464
Essentials 465
Donegal Town & Donegal Bay 466
County Donegal 477
The Inishowen Peninsula 483
14 Belfast 490
Essentials 491
Fast Facts: Belfast 492
Exploring Belfast 494
Where to Stay in Belfast 508
Where to Eat in Belfast 513
Shopping 517
Belfast After Dark 518
15 Day Trips from Belfast 521
Essentials 522
The Causeway Coast 523
The Ards Peninsula & Mourne Mountains 534
County Armagh 545
16 Derry & The Lakelands 551
Essentials 552
Derry City 553
Day Trips to the Sperrin Mountains 564
The Fermanagh Lakelands 567
17 Planning Your Trip to Ireland 576
Index 592