Cool museum, super informative and interactive. Most definitely definitely haunted tho, I don't…read moreeven believe in ghosts but this place obv had so much suffering that the people left the feeling behind.

Ive been in planning a trip to Wicklow Gaol for years and finally decided to get my act together…read moreand go yesterday. The tour is a self guided audio tour with plenty to see and plenty to read as you move around. There are interactive exhibits within the cells so don't be afraid to go in and have a poke around. As one of Ireland's "most haunted " places, there are parts that might scare little ones such as the basement area but as its self guided you can move on easily. It's good value for money too as its only 5.90 and you get a ticket for the car park with your admission. This is an important thing to note as I was on my way to the pay and display when I saw this on the door. There is a small coffee shop within the gaol which serves hot and cold food and you get a 10% discount if you keep your Gaol receipt. We didn't visit it while we were there, preferring to head back to Avoca on the road home to Dublin for some posh food!

My husband and I stopped by here while heading out of Dublin to do a bit of a tour of manor houses…read morebetween Dublin and Wexford. I had heard they had beautiful gardens and a nice place to stop for lunch. I have to say, the gardens were indeed absolutely beautiful. There was a wedding being prepared inside the house, so you weren't allowed to go inside when I was there. However, I'm not sure if you're normally allowed inside or not. After spending about an hour walking around the grounds and snapping photos, we stopped at the little outdoor cafe by the manor house for some coffee and lunch. We each had a sandwich which came with a little side salad. There was also nice classical/light jazz music playing in the background. I have to say, it made for quite the relaxing afternoon. From the area where they serve food, you overlook the gardens as you sit out in the sun. If it does start raining, which, because this is Ireland, invariably it will... they do have some limited seating. Would love to come here next time and sit outside with some wine. :)

You could drive up along the Southern Cross Road in Bray by endless rows of boom-time estates…read morewithout ever realising that you have passed an Elizabethan-Revival mansion and its ample gardens. But you have, and that hidden gem is Killruddery House. Some Irish people have an ambivalent attitude towards manor houses for obvious reasons but Killruddery is worth a little expedition. It's naturally steeped in history - it's been home to the Brabazon Family (the Earls of Meath) since 1618 and currently the home of the 15th Earl of Meath. The house and gardens are open to the public from April to September and they have recently opened a cafe (although you'll have to pay the entrance fee even if you're just after a coffee). Killruddery hosts arts events in the beautiful orangery every summer. It's a truly unique spot to catch a gig in - Lisa Hannigan recently played and I've seen Eleanor McEvoy and David Kitt strumming away under the pristine glass roof. It's also used extensively as a film location and has a stables so don't be surprised if you hear some neighing! A nice day out for tourists and locals alike.

Venturing down a woodland trail puts things into perspective. Trees join limbs before the sky and…read moresunshine filters down in golden patches. Bees land on wild flowers and the sound of birdsong is powerful. All of a sudden, the softest blanket of purple haze shimmers before me. A shock of bluebells huddle together, their heads downcast. The astonishing splendour of nature has awoken me and I feel like telling the bluebells to look up. Look up and appreciate the beauty around you. The magnificence of yourselves.

Went for a lovely walk here recently. It's a bit out of my way but I wouldn't mind coming back,…read moreespecially in Spring when the bluebells and wild garlic are in full bloom. Seemingly there are walks to the extend of 10km and well sign posted. Some of the ways we walked are lovely small. Just pure nature. A nice suurounding to unwind.

Bray Head and its views are breath-taking. It's so peaceful and calming…read more The coastal views are nothing short of stunning. We decided to do the cliff walk from the promenade up to the head. At the very top is the infamous cross. The last time we were there much of the cliff walk was closed due to mudslides. We decide to soldier on and made it almost to the top. We were ill-prepared for the mud and walk rounds. While we were wearing good walking shoes, we should have been wearing hiking boots. The experience of the climb is one that you won't forget. When all open and no mudslides it's not a very difficult walk at all. Depending on how far you want to go, the walk can last 1-3 hours. A shorter walk around the summit is just about an hour. The loop to Greystones is longer but absolutely worth it.

Good little hike, even if not especially demanding or challenging. Also an ideal way to spend half…read morea day outdoors away from Dublin using only the train and/or bus. We went up from the Bray side - basically, walk the sea promenade, start going up and then keep to the right - and diverged from the main route midway to merge with the Cliff Walk heading to Greystones. The marked path is a loop walk but we wanted to avoid going back towards Bray. I don't think you need to be specially fit to get to the top, there are a couple of short but steep inclines, but I believe most people can do it if they take their time - or stop for a lot of photos. You'll see plenty of families climbing it :) I just wouldn't recommend it on or right after a very rainy day, as parts of the track can get muddy and slippery. The views along the way are very rewarding, and it's good exercise too. The loop walk alone should take you 1.5/2 hours if you are relatively fit and make few stops. You can spend a good 2.5 hours if you continue your hike towards Greystones. And as if the green landscape descending into the sea wasn't enough to sell this hike, there's also some nice places both in Greystones and Bray where you can rest up and treat your tired self to some nice food and drink - for the ultimate feel-good experience, I'd recommend the Happy Pear :)

Hellfire Club. What a fucking badass name. I bet all the other drinking societies wish that they…read morehad of come up with a bitchin' name like that. The origins of the cool name date back to the early 18th century, when a man named William Connolly built a hunting lodge on the site of a cairn, stones of which were used in the lodge's construction. When a storm blew the roof off, superstitious locals believed it to be some sort of divine retribution for the desecration of the cairn, and that the site would be forever cursed etc etc etc... What the Hellfire Club actually consisted of was a place where the English gentry could get sozzled and ride a few brazzers in the company of their social equals. The natives, no doubt suspecting that these English toffs were up to all sorts of Masonic shit as well, started telling stories of satanic rites, with black cats being sacrificed and allsorts. It's nice to see that Ireland's historical traditions are being revived by the young generations. Southside goths do this by having knacker drinking sessions in the ruins of the building, drawing demonic symbols that they learned from Buffy on the walls for the craic, then freaking out at the sight of those same signs later on, whilst on their second tab of acid. The syphilis-demented aristocrats of yesteryear would be proud of our nation's youths' exploits.

It's a Sunday afternoon and wifey decides to pull the kids away from TV and Lego to go on a quick…read morehike "I don't want to go.. .Scooby Do is on the TV and I want to play!!" My wife looks at me with undisguised distain, "look, the kids are happily getting ready to go, act you age and get ready too". Grumbling, I get out of my chair, turn the TV off and put my coat on. In truth I have always wondered what the place was like - having heard many rumours and stories when I was younger. lots of sadistic masses and naked women is what I was hoping for but after about 40 mins walking up hills and through forests we reached the old hunting lodge and not a naked woman was to be found. Instead we find a clearly very old building, completely open to the public (usually such places are barricaded up and closed), where you can wander around and marvel at the piles of broken bottles and used condoms. The view from the top of the mountain (and from the windows of the lodge) is spectacular - and well worth the trek. I can picture us doing it again in the summer for a picnic, it would be ideal. Worth noting - the car-park at the bottom of the mountain is very small, you'll probably end up parking on the side of the road, which is never particularly advisable!

St Kevin, patron Saint of Dublin and.......blackbirds. Love it! St Kevin had his monastery here in…read morethe 6th century and it's still beautiful today, 15 centuries later. We decided to go here towards the end of our Christmas Dublin trip and I'm so glad we did. My wife and I took a very early chartered tour bus out of Dublin. Glendalough is about 90 minutes away. The scenic drive to this historic site was well worth the 30-40 bucks we spent on the bus ride. I couldn't wait to explore this area. I only wish we had more time. The weather was perfect to tour the ruins. Cold, damp and dreary. The ruins and abbot cemetery were epic. We took a beautiful trail to the upper lake and back. Definitely an incredibly memorable experience. I want to go back and spend more time here for sure.

Inside the Park, is the Glendalough Monastery. Founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century, this…read moremonastic settlement flourished for centuries and remains a place of spiritual and historical significance. You can walk amongst the settlement and cemetery. The Upper and Lower Lakes, are here in this glacial valley. The hike around these lakes is an enchanting experience. We hiked both lakes. The water's surface acts like a giant mirror, reflecting the surrounding mountains. Awesome. Come get your calmness and peace from nature here. Again, this is very close to Dublin so easy for a 1/2 day or day trip.

All that remains of this castle is the walls of one side. but with the height of the walls inside…read moreyou can see where the various floors were located. there are 2 towers on each side of the castle walls in which all that is living now are pigeons and their fledglings. but if you are in Carlow town and you want a bit of quiet history and a break from your little shopping trip it is nice to walk along here and imagine what Carlow town may have looked like, maybe 1798 when there was a rebellion and 100's of Irish died.

Carlow Castle, Should be used for its historic and it needs to be installed by building and…read morerepairing its walls , as it was blown up years ago by a man who used to much powder explosives, and the stones were removed , sadly. +Archbishop Dr, Martin Pius Kelly.

The house and gardens are so pretty. Each room has its own feel to it, along with different…read moreceilings in each room. In the tearoom, they served us scones and tea, which were both delicious. It was a nice way to spend time after the tour of the house. We also went to the falconry and were able to see the birds of prey. They gave us the opportunity to be able to hold an owl and have a falcon fly from a tree and land on our arm (with a protective glove, of course).

My friend from New Orleans has come to visit so we wandered out here. The last time I was here was…read morefor a school tour but I always remember being impressed. Things have not changed. The tour of the house is a must, they have everything exactly to that period, with the decadent furnishing and priceless paintings. There is also a maze! We went for a jog on the circular strip that takes you all around the house grounds back to it's very own farm, it was just so beautiful, the view of the lakes to the left and the impressive period house to the right. We got lunch in the cafe there which was good if on the pricier side, but my coffee was only 1.80 euro, now that is good!