Exploring the Rock of Cashel

Said to have been formed when the devil bit a big chunk out of the Slieve Bloom Mountains and then spat it out in disgust when he saw St. Patrick getting ready to build a great church, the Rock of Cashel set high on the limestone outcrop in the middle of pasture looks...

Exploring Kilkenny Castle

Originally an Anglo-Norman stone castle, Kilkenny Castle was built in the 13th century by William Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke. In 1391, James Butler, the 3rd Earl of Ormond bought it and it became the primary Irish residence for his family for almost 600 years. It...

Guide to Visiting Waterford Crystal

If you’ve ever wondered how those stunning pieces of crystal that companies like Waterford Crystal are famous for, then a tour behind the scenes of the Waterford Crystal factory is a must-do in Ireland. The tour takes you up close to each step in the manufacture...

Guide to Visiting Hook Lighthouse

Situated at the tip of the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, Hook Lighthouse, or as it is locally known “the Tower of Hook“, marks the entrance to Waterford Harbour. The headland is called Rinn Dubháin in Irish which means St.Dubhán’s Head, but the word is so similar...

Guide to Visiting Ireland’s Dunbrody Famine Ship

Docked in New Ross, SS Dunbrody is an authentic reproduction of an 1840’s emigrant vessel that tells the story, along with the help from some talented performers, of the mass emigration of the Irish people. Want to save this for later? Click the Pinterest button on...

A Night in an Irish Castle: Huntington Castle

Huntington Castle in Clonegal, Ireland with its 400-year history was our choice for accommodations for our second night in Ireland. Like many, I have always dreamed of staying in a castle and Ireland seemed like THE place to make that dream a reality. Although I must...