I think the most interesting thing about Ireland are the ancient relics that are still standing:…read moreeither alone off the beaten path, or alongside more contemporary structures. The Grange Stone Circle in Lough Gur, located in a field off of R512, is the former, and it is definitely worth visiting if you are near Limerick. It is the largest ancient stone circle in Ireland and dates to the late Neolithic/Bronze Age. It had a ritualistic purpose and the center aligns to the sun during the summer solstice. To consider that some of the stones were brought from 3 miles away is just astounding, as is the understanding that this site dates to 2,200 BCE. To think of the ancient peoples that walked here so long ago is certainly astounding! The stone circle is definitely an impressive site to behold! More information can be found here: http://loughgur.com/destination/the-stone-circle/

Bigger around than Stonehenge The diameter of the upright…read morestones is 45 meters (148 feet) The diameter of the capped stones at Stonehenge is 33 meters (108 feet)

St. Mary's Cathedral (aka: Limerick Cathedral) was founded in 1168 and is dedicated to the Blessed…read moreVirgin Mary. This historical landmark is one of the oldest structures in Limerick, Ireland. The church is still used today as a place of worship and prayer. If the church feels reminiscent of a palace you are not imagining things. The cathedral was originally founded at King of Munster's palace. Parts of the palace are incorporated in the present structure of the cathedral, most noticeable in the great west door. Tradition claims the the west door of St. Mary's Cathedral was originally the main entrance to the King of Munster's palace. In the 14th century the tower was added to St. Mary's Cathedral. Noteworthy sites at the church include: - The stones around the west door. Limerick's soldiers used these stones to sharpen their swords and arrows. You can still see the marks in the stones - The five chandeliers that hang from the Cathedral's ceiling. The chandeliers date back to 1759 and are only lit on special occasion. - Cannonballs in the Glentworth Chapel. These cannonballs are from the Williamite Siege of Limerick in 1961. The church was severely damaged in the war. St. Mary's Cathedral is open to the public daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. A small donation is required for tourists to enter the church.

4 euro per person to walk through the church. Both the outside grounds and the inside of the church…read morewere beautiful. The upkeep of this nearly 1000 year old building is dependent entirely upon donations, so it's worthwhile to support.

An iconic Irish castle on the shore of Lough Leane (the learning lake) that withstood repeated…read moreassaults until finally falling to Cromwell. Free to walk the grounds plus there's a free history exhibition on the main floor. Period guided tours of the structure are available for a nominal fee. It's also the jumping off points for periodic 1-hour boat tours of the lake (€15)-we reco lily of Killarney-nicer boat) or a junket out to the ruined monastery on a small island that was the seat of learning. Fascinating and worth a stop.

Everything was excellent. Great tour, great, and very verbose, tour guide. All tours are guided,…read morefive euro. No pictures allowed inside the tall house!

Free admittance with a free guided tour through the castle - and in my opinion although smaller,…read moreBarryscourt is way better than Blarney. Our tour guide was excellent and very informative. The castle has been (and continues to be) restored so you get to see each floor as it might have been not just stone rooms without floors like at Blarney. There's a lovely small garden and an orchard within the walls. Close to Fota House and Gardens this is an excellent stop while you're in the area and you can make a full day out of it by also visiting Fota. Fota Gardens and Arboretum are also free.

BARRYSCOURT CASTLE Paid my first visit in decades to…read moreBarryscourt Castle, an impressive relic of the 16th century court of the Barry family. Impressive enough as a stark ruin in the 80s but now it's much improved and well worth a visit, particularly since there is no charge at all, and that includes the guided tour of the interior. Time was short yesterday so we contented ourselves with a walk around the outside of the castle itself, through the herb garden and a large orchard. There are records of an orchard there since the 13th century and this one, with dozens of apple varieties, is laid out according to the 16th century manner. There are smaller plantings of pears and quinces. There is an information office with very helpful and friendly staff, toilets and a cafe and it is just off the main national road (N25). It is a very pleasant visit indeed and I'll be back for a longer stay, perhaps during Heritage Week which takes place in venues across the country from August 21st. Most events are free to enter, some have reduced charges. This is one of many available. See the Heritage Ireland site http://www.heritageireland.com or pick up the comprehensive National Heritage Week brochure at your local library. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/BarryscourtCastle/ Tel: +353 21 488 3864

If anyone knows the difference between a causeway and a bridge, will they please let me know?…read moreBecause I honestly haven't the foggiest...I mean, to me this is a bridge, yet apparently for some reason it's called a causeway. Confusion reigns. Anyway, this is another beauty spot in West Cork, as you can look out onto Glandore Harbour and it's views...and keep an eye out for seals. It's so narrow that only one car can go across at a time...but there's space for 2 in the middle if you get stuck! Continuing the 'War of the Buttons' theme though, it is across the middle of the causeway that the rival gangs (á la the Sharks and Jets) draw the boundary, across which their opponents may never step on fear of...losing their buttons. Ain't Ireland quaint?!

I always thought that this was called "Poulgorm Bridge", but maybe I'm wrong. Anyways, this bridge…read moreis beautiful, crossing right over Glandore harbour. And it is really narrow. It has a footpath on each side, but these disappear at the passing point in the middle. There are parts of it from where you can fish, and from what I know, you can catch some pretty big seabass there. I stayed about 1/2 a kilometre from it in summer 2011 in an area known as Droum Leap, and I can say that the area is rather beautiful and picturesque.

Simply amazing! Love that you get to walk through the fort underground and love the views. The tea…read morehouse is overlooking the water. The volunteers are a wealth of information.

The first castle I've ever toured!…read more We paid €10.50 (student pricing) to get in. We gave ourselves about an hour but I definitely wish we came earlier for more time. There is so much to learn, watch, and interact with in the castle. It was super neat learning the history & even neater taking in the views. I could have easily spent 2+ hours just exploring every nook and cranny. There is a car park across the street that is free if you are going to the castle. The only downside is that the castle does close quite early, but I noticed everything in the city does. The hours for when we were there on a Saturday was 0930-1700. The car park closes when the castle closes. If you're into history & castles, I'd definitely recommend at least 2 hours to give a good visit here.

This is great place to learn about Limerick history, which might be representative of Ireland…read morehistory. While the castle itself has not been preserved in an excellent condition, but exhibition itself is good if you are interested in history, I learned a lot from the exhibition, Limerick has deep historical ties to both the Vikings and the Normans since 9th century. Also I enjoyed the panoramic views of King's Island and the River Shannon from castle towers.

I regret to inform everyone that I did not kiss the famous Blarney Stone. The queue was long and…read morethe wait time was two hours. Basically, the length of the drive to Blarney Castle. Plot twist, skipping the queue and exploring the grounds was the better decision. The castle grounds are basically a real-life fairytale mixed with a hint of tranquility. The walk around the property is peaceful, scenic, and picturesque. Highly recommend wandering over to the lake and stopping by the mansion.

Blarney Castle is a must-see. It's a privately owned property. The gardens are spectacular. They're…read morethe greenest gardens I've ever seen. Each section in the garden has a theme. It's fun. The castle is surrounded by the gardens and a stream that flows around it. It's beautiful. Once inside, the stairs are a bit intimidating on your way to the top. The stone is an additional level higher than when you first arrive up. There's someone at the site to help with your Blarney stone kiss. Just don't look down! After you've kissed the Blarney, be sure to make your way to the coffee and gift shop. Grab an Irish or Bailey's coffee and soak it all in. Congratulations on your adventure.

It was cold rainy and windy our week in Ireland..if that is summer id hate to see winter. I read…read moremuch debate over tours or renting a car. We rented a car and the driving especially a ring of kerry was scary. Highly recommend you do much research of what stops are worth doing. I liked 3 ladies stop and torc falls. Definitely wear non slippery comfortable shoes. Liked the abbey ruins and quick look outside formal house near the ruins. It was cold windy and miserable so boat trips were not of interest. Kerry cliffs are gorgeous but be prepared for the wind ..chin straps on hats are a must. Biggest disappointment was the rock circle .. that was waste of time. We took drinks and snacks but there are a few towns to stop and eat. Getting ice in Europe is Tricky... but we took a small collapsible cooler. Their cheese is nice so might pack cheese slicer and crackers. Hope you can do skellig ring and Dingle ... personally I don't care about castles ... Europe is covered with them but the scenery and colorful buildings . Landscape looks like green quilt.. all shades and a billion sheep.

This is a great drive and way to see the beauty of Kerry County. There are tons of great places to…read morestop and see along the way.