Ireland Places to Visit

From its unique landscapes to rich culture and of course friendly people, there is no country quite like Ireland. The “land of a thousand welcomes” is proud to be home to people from all over the world.

There are endless reasons to live in and visit Ireland, one of them being the totally diverse and beautiful landscapes to be seen in such a small country. From the rolling hills in Kerry to the rough rugged coastline on the west, photo opportunities are endless. Surfers come from all over the world to ride the famous waves, while The Wild Atlantic Way (the longest coastal driving route in the world), has become one of the most successful tourist initiatives in recent years.

Places to Visit in Ireland

There is so much to do in Ireland, it is hard to pinpoint one particular area to visit. Luckily, the island is small and easy to get around. Newgrange in Co Meath is even older than the pyramids.

The Book of Kells, which sits in Trinity College in Dublin, is one of the most well-known Latin manuscripts in the world. The Giants Causeway in Antrim is now a world heritage site, with one of the most unique landscapes on earth. Dublin city, our lively capital, has been voted the friendliest city in the world by TripAdvisor – twice. The Ring of Kerry has often been referred to as one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Food and drink are just one of the things that make Ireland unique, from a delicious Full Irish Breakfast to a pint of creamy Guinness. Festivals are plentiful in Ireland – celebrating everything from music and dance, to food and agriculture.

History of Ireland

The Great Famine, An Górta Mór, happened in Ireland between 1845 and 1855. As Ireland was so dependent on the potato as a source of food, when disease struck the crop, disaster struck the Irish people. Most Irish land at the time was in fact owned by Britain. With millions of people unable to feed families, or pay for their homes, they were evicted.

Millions died and even more fled the country. It is estimated that over 2 million people left Ireland during this time, with 1.5 million headed for the USA alone. This is almost half of Ireland’s entire population today and one of the reasons there are so many Irish dotted all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Ireland every year, hoping to learn of their ancestry.

Culture of Ireland

Ireland has a rich culture, with its own language, Gaeilge, its own sports, hurling and football and of course a long tradition of dancing and music. There have been so many famous musicians to come from our country, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, U2, Van Morrison, The Chieftains to name but a few.

Ireland is known all over the world for having been home to some of the finest writers, playwrights and poets that ever lived. Writers include Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker and Bernard Shaw. Poets include W.B. Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh and Seamus Heaney. Their work has reached millions all over the world and continues to be brought to life every day, through plays, films and even being part of the school curriculum here.

Ireland has its fair share of sporting heroes, from Katie Taylor, winning gold for Ireland in the 2012 Olympics, to Michelle Smith who won three gold medals in 1996 for her swimming conquests.

There have been many famous actors to come from Ireland, Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson, the list goes on and on. Talent is plentiful on this beautiful Isle.

Ireland Today

Ireland is known all over the world for our accomplishments in the business world. Ireland is considered a global technology hub, attracting huge companies like Google, Facebook and Dell choosing our island as a base. We are ranked as one of the best in the world in terms of the quality of our scientific research, with 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the world having a base here. Having been through a tough recession, Ireland is once again creating jobs and beginning to thrive.