Ireland’s Unique, Off-Beat, & Often-Missed Sites
The nearby dolmen holds our attention, as does the local music session.
We can’t resist haunted pubs, beloved movie locations, and shops run by colorful locals.
We’re the contributors of IrelandTravelKit.com, and we’re happy to share our favorite bits of Ireland with you.
Take the Tayto Tour: Trandragee, Co Armagh
For an American in Ireland, calling a french fry a chip can take some getting used to, but then we have to adjust to calling a potato chip a crisp. Then to make things a bit more confusing, the...
Saint Mochta’s House: Louth Village, Co Louth
Along the road are the ruins of a 13th century church and cemetery, but it's the stone roofed church that is worth a peek. Known as St. Mochta's House, it likely dates to the 12th century and is...
Heywood Gardens: Ballinakill, Co Laois
The terraced gardens lead to a wonderful nature walk along the river on one side and a lime tree walk takes you to a circular walled garden on the other. The fountain with turtles who spray water...
Northernmost Point in Ireland: Malin Head, Co Donegal
What a view from Ireland’s northernmost point... even on the cloudy, rainy day I was there. The locals said that on clear days you can see Scotland. We hiked rocky ledges to Hell’s Hole which was...
The Bridge from Circle of Friends: Inistioge, Co Kilkenny
The village of Inistioge played a starring role in the 1995 movie ""Circle of Friends based on the Maeve Binchy best seller and starring Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell. A line of trees were...
Longest Monkey Puzzle Tree Avenue in Europe: Inistiogue, Co Kilkenny
The restored Victorian gardens at Woodstock provide an enjoyable walk, and the Monkey Puzzle Tree with its jigsaw-shaped branches delivers just one interesting feature of the gardens. The 1/4 mile...
St Brendan’s Well: Valentia Island, Co Kerry
This holy well sits at the western edge of Valentia Island and is dedicated to St Brendan the Navigator. It is believed the Irish saint was the first person from what is now Europe to "discover"...
Hindu-Gothic Gate House: Cappoquin, Co Waterford
The story goes that this Hindu-Gothic folly was built originally of wood and paper mache as a wedding gift...the honored newlyweds liked it so much, they had it built in stone. Dromana Gate is...
The Origins of the Jack-O-Lantern: Museum of Country Life, Castlebar, Co Mayo
The tradition of carving pumpkins for Halloween started in Ireland... except they put their knives to turnips instead (in fact the Irish are credited with the origins of Halloween as well). An...
Athassel Priory Ruins: Golden, Co Tipperary
Once the largest medieval priory in Ireland, Athassel offers a maze of old buildings you can freely explore. The site is relatively unvisited except for the occasional family on a picnic or ruin...
