We were visiting the Butter Museum, which is just next to the Shandon Bell Tower. After visiting…read morethe Butter Museum, we stepped into the church and found that, for a small fee, we could climb to the top of the tower and even ring the bells. The church chapel itself is quite nice, but the climb to the top of tower and the bells was definitely the best bit. We had walked up to the tower and the Butter Museum from the city center and had been hearing the bells ring at random times - which seemed puzzling. It was not until we stepped into the church that we learned the reason. It should be noted that the climb to the bells and the top of the tower is not easy, requiring a few contortions, a ladder, narrow and uneven steps and a narrow stair corridor. If that does not put you off - you will be well rewarded with a great view of the city. The Bells: About half way up the stairs there is a room with eight ropes connected to the bells. There is also a little book next to the ropes showing the order that the bells should be played. No doubt we annoyed the locals by playing several short tunes on the bells.

This review is for the Shandon bells at the St. Anne's church in Cork. I never thought I'd be able…read moreto ring bells at a church, but at St. Anne's you can! This church was super close to the hostel where we stayed, so we heard the bells often (during the day, they only have specific hours you can ring them). They never got annoying or anything, though. Anyway, it's definitely neat to ring the bells! Basically you go in to the church, pay a couple euro (I forget how much, but less than 5 per person I think) and climb one flight of stairs to the bells. You can decide to ring them (there are 8 of them) in a pattern so you play a song (there's a song book w/ numbers) or you can just free-style it. We played a few songs together (my sis, husband and I) and had a blast! Then you get to climb a few more flights of stairs (SUPER narrow/dark staircases that are really vertical), and you climb through an area w/ the bells & up to more stairs that lead to the viewing deck up top. Phew! It's quite a climb, and does get really narrow (so if you're claustrophobic, maybe this isn't the best idea for you), but it's so worth the views of Cork from the top! Be sure and wear the protective ear gear they give you, because those bells are LOUD! Anyway, I was a bit skeptical, but this experience was definitely worth the money & climb :). Check it out if you're in Cork!

Hmmm... not sure you can actually call this place a village - there are too many main roads parting…read moreit at various angles but none the less the place manages to maintain a nice atmosphere and it really is down to the shops and pubs and (most noteworthy of all) the restaurants. There are really very few places within the realm of Dublin where you will find such a large and varied collection of eateries and indeed a more noteworthy one - overall the quality offered is spectacular and I really think it is to do with a collective effort to bring trade to the area and also I guess an element of competition. The area is clean and well kept and with a dart station close by and several bus routes in and out it really is an ideal spot for a night out (without the kids if you can help it!). Yeaah...I'm a fan!

Come here to dine, walk or enjoy. its Dublin best kept secret.read more

This is just part of a park really but it's a nice little place to walk to and there are some great…read moreviews if you manage to walk through some of the rambling paths among the trees and bushes! The main tarmac walkway into this area leads to a little pier (don't know if I can call it a pier exactly!) where a ferry stops to take on passengers, it's just a small little ferry that takes you out to an island called garnish island in the bay. When you walk down and see this little inlet you would not believe that any sea going vessel would make it in there really but this little ferry goes in and out of here regularly. This is also a great place for a picnic or just for a little paddle if you can make it over the rocks to the water. I remember being small and seeing boys sliding down a waterfall that empties into the inlet, looked like great fun but I'm still a bit scared to try it even though I'm way older now! As i said above there are nice views from here, you won't see them initially but if you go up any of the little walkways, (you will see gaps in the trees with some steps), you will eventually come out beside the see but on higher ground and you will have a good view of the bay. Really nice photo opportunities and you might even get to see a seal or too!

This place is such a treasure! I and my bf visited here after a trip to garnish island. If you…read morego..and you like a bit of adventure, explore the forest to the right of the entrance. There's a rough trail off the path which isn't sign posted that meanders through the forest and leads you to open water with tree ropes for swimming. The tide would need to be in to be deep enough for swimming but if so you're in for a treat. It's so tranquil and beautiful. Garnish island is so nice aswell, such a surprising place!

Must stop when you're in Killarney! The Wishing Bridge was a short 20 minute walk from Kate…read moreKearney's Cottage. This area can get a bit misty and rainy, but if you wait it out there is often a perfect break. Skip the horse drawn carriage guys and enjoy the short, flat walk. The views are incredible!

Amazing breathtaking hike of about 7km. Truly an experience no matter which way you go. You can…read morechoose to start at Ross castle and hike first followed by a boat tour of the three lakes or do it the other way round. It's a must do in Killarney and has so much natural beauty to offer!!

Getting the boat out to garnish island is very exciting, especially in the summer time, you are…read moresitting on a little boat making your way out to an island and all of a sudden a seal pops out of the water and then you notice lots and lots of seals all over the place, swimming along, lolling on rocks and dong whatever it is that seals do. Eventually you have to leave the seals behind however and you land on Garnish Island. It's basically an island that is like a big garden where you can relax or really take an interest in all the tropical rare plant life around you. There is a tower that you can climb up to in order to get some spectacular views of the gardens and of Glengarriff harbour; you might even see more seals! It's not a cheap trip, you need to pay for the boat to get there and then you need to pay to get into the gardens, unless you want to sit on the pier and wait for the next boat to come and bring you back! It's a nice thing to do on a sunny afternoon all the same!

We had a wonderful visit of lovely Cashel. The people are delightful and there are lots of shops to…read morevisit. I'd visit again.

Pro: great Irish gifts, authentic Irish wool products, fabulous customer service…read more Con: wool products are a bit high priced, but it's well worth it. I would say this is not really a con because the price was reasonable compared to other Irish wool products. The wool seems like it was of higher quality too. I loved this store and the town!!!!!! Quills has friendly staff, and a very big store. There's lots of items for sale, knitted Aran goods from sweaters to beanies to scarves. They also sell traditional Irish gifts. They sell clothing and boots. I had the best experience shopping here. The staff are very knowledgeable about all the knitted goods, and explain the history behind it. As a tourist, this was my best shopping experience in all of the Republic of Ireland! Whenever I make it back to Emerald Isle, I plan on spending the day in Kenmare and visiting this lovely store! I only wish I took pictures of the inside. If you are looking for Irish knits, nice clothing, or other Irish gifts, Quills is the place to be! You can pay with your Visa or Euros.

A couple of weeks ago we visited a few of the Quills Woollen Markets in the southwest of Ireland…read moreand bought a few items as well. At the one at 1 Main St, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, we purchased what we thought was a men's wool sweater. It certainly seemed to be priced as a wool sweater. It was a gift for a family member back home. We found it in the upstairs area of the store. We gave our family member the gift last night only to discover the sweater was made from polyester. What a disappointment. We never thought to actually read the tag (our mistake) because the area of the store seemed to imply that the goods were wool items. This was a bit of an embarrassing mistake. The sweater certainly wasn't priced how we would expect a polyester product to be priced. My advice is to try not to assume, regardless of setting. If you're looking for something authentic, be sure to check the item and tags (if any) thoroughly. The other items we purchased all seem to be as expected.