By far our favorite Neolithic structure seen during our drive through Ireland…read more The path from parking lot was gravel but to get close we had to walk over some weathered and rutted limestone. Tread carefully. The enigmatic portal has been standing for many thousands of years. Maybe a marker, a tomb or something else. A must see for those driving through the Burren.

Some 22 years, I first encountered Poulnabrone Dolmen, prior to the Cliff of Moher. I was very…read moreeager to revisit. The Poulnabrone Dolmen in the Burren, County Clare, is surely one of the most photogenic ancient sites in Ireland, with its thin limestone slabs lying elegantly atop one another. It's also the OLDEST dated megalithic monument on the island, dating back 5,800 years! But the accolades don't stop there. After the Cliffs of Moher, it's the second most visited site in the Burren.

I booked a tour via Viator for the Cliffs of Moher, and it included a stop at Corcomroe Abbey. This…read more13th century abbey is now in ruins, but still maintains some of its charm. My visit was on a particularly gloomy and rainy day in July, which added to the mystery of it all. If you have an active imagination, you can envision what it looked like in its glory days. As with most ruins, it is now mainly a skeleton of its former self. Airy corridors, separated by stone walled archways, and a real graveyard, complete with a bishop's tomb effigy. There isn't a lot to see here; you won't need more than 1/2 hour to explore and take photos. If you're traveling from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher, it's along the way and worth the quick stop to appreciate the history and what once was. However, please be respectful, as this is a final resting place for many souls.

Made a small stop here while on a tour. A very nice place to explore. Nice little abbey with a…read moregraveyard. The place is basically a ruin. Seems to be in good repair and maintained, but would love to see it fully restored. Interesting piece of history. Good photo opportunities. Wouldn't come by here just for its own sake though.

I have to admit, I really don't know much about this place. We just happened to walk up on it while…read morewalking around in the city. That said, I was impressed by the signage that tells you what is going on, and the ability to walk through it when it is open. Definitely worth a stop if you are one of those tourists who likes to check out every nook and cranny.

If you are a lover of James Joyce's writings, you might want to stop here and visit his wife and…read moremuse's childhood home. Nora Barnacle met Joyce in Dublin on June 10, 1903 and arranged to go on a date on 14th, but she blew him off saying she couldn't get away. Never a quitter, Joyce arranged for a follow up on June 16th and this time went to pick her up. For readers of Joyce's classic tome "Ulysses", June 16th will forever be known as Bloomsday. Nora's famous quote of Joyce lives on: "I mistook him for a Swedish sailor - His electric blue eyes, yachting cap and plimsolls. But when he spoke, well then, I knew him at once for just another Dublin jackeen chatting up a country girl." Though it should be noted, it took them 28 years to tie the knot and it annoyed Joyce that the media of the day made such a big deal of it. But they never got tired of celebrating June 16th! True love, eh?

Fantastic little museum! Very personal, detail oriented, with a generous guide. Highly recommend…read morevisiting for a quick stop to learn more about an interesting lady and her family!

This was nice to see. The tours are about 40 minutes long and given by very young people who do not…read moreseem to care very much about it. My guide was very robotic and seemed to be reciting a script. NO worries, we were there for the cave viewing anyway. The pathway is well paved but it can be a bit slippery. Not great for someone with mobility issues. There is a part with stairs so also not for someone in a wheelchair. I mostly ignored the guide and looked around. There are some parts that are spectacularly gorgeous but most of the path ways literally just a cave. In fact, the most interesting part was at the end when we were informed about the bats but we didn't even get to see them. Is it worth it alone? No. but as part of the Ailwee complete package experience, yeah, it is worth it.

"Workin' in a coal mine, goin' down, down, down Workin' in a…read morecoal mine, whoop, about to slip down" (Workin' in a Coal Mine -Lee Dorsey) Definitely not for the claustrophobic. You will walk a narrow path (hold onto the guard rails because it can be slippery) down from the surface of our world into a spooky underground world of pitch black darkness, caves, tunnels, subterranean rivers, waterfalls, stalactites and stalagmites, and the skeletal remains of a hibernating bear that hibernated a wee bit too long. These natural wonders were discovered when a local farmer's dog chased a rabbit that seemed to vanish into thin air when it had only disappeared into a tiny sliver of the cave's opening. The tunnel has some electrical lighting along the rock walls, so you can kind of see where you're walking. You'll need those lights to negotiate the underground staircases and see the guardrails. Halfway through the tour, the guide asked us to shut off all illumination from our phones, and she then shut off all the wall lights. We were now in absolute pitch darkness! It's an interesting stop on your Irish travels, especially if there's a science lover in your group.

So this castle was fully rebuilt and restored but the owner died and left it to his children. They…read moredon't use it so it sits abandoned once again. Locals say there have been rumors of it becoming and Airbnb, or a museum, but as of now, this tower sits empty. It's a beautiful view if you hike from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher, or you can drive right next to it as well. You just can't go on the property until someone buys it from the current owners.

As Maggi R. mentioned, this castle is not open to the public. However, you can drive all around it…read moreand take scenic photos for social media - don't ask me why I do this. Regardless, it is quite a sight to behold. It's VERY scenic and picturesque if you drive above it to get photos with the ocean in the background. You will have to park on one of the few shoulder spaces on the roads surrounding it to take pix of it. You won't be able to get very close to it. It's a beautiful site to see, but unless you have other business in Doolin, don't go out of your way just to view this 16th century castle. It's just not worth it. I wasted half a day to check out this castle that I could only drive around. Other than that, I don't know a whole lot more about this 16th century Irish castle. Take a pass on this one and just enjoy the photos I have uploaded here. Not much else to do in Doolin...

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)

Kilmacduagh Monastery is found 5 km from Gort, Co Galway. It was the birthplace of the Diocese of…read moreKilmacduagh, whose name means "church of Duagh's son". The 7th century Saint Colman, son of Duagh, established a monastery on land given him by his cousin King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin (died 663 in Ireland) of Connacht. The monastery contains a round tower, notable as both fine example of this particularly Irish feature but also because of its noticeable lean, over half a metre from the vertical. The tower is over 30 metres tall, with the only doorway some 7 metres above ground level. This site was of such importance that it became the centre of a new diocese, the Diocese of Kilmacduagh, in the 12th century; it is now incorporated into the Diocese of Galway. The monastery, because of its wealth and importance, was plundered several times in the 13th century. There are no words to describe this place - if you like history or architecture, this place is a MUST see.

Wow! What a pretty…read morecastle!! It's stunning! In person it is such an amazing site. You see the castle on the mountain, and it's really pretty. I didn't have time to go close up to it. I wish we did. But we got to see it still. It's just picturesque with the backdrop. The complete package you could say.

While on a road trip in Ireland, this castle was on our list and on the way to one of our…read moredestinations. It was closed at the time of year when we saw it, but we parked and walked around the castle and really enjoyed it. It's on a beautiful lake and the weather was perfect. If we return to the area, I would definitely stop at this castle again and see the inside.