Standing on the banks of the River Shannon in Athlone, the castle dates back to the 12th century…read morewith multiple updates and fortifications. Despite its age, there has been tremendous effort to restore it to its original glory with the installation of an interactive visitor experience. Exhibits and displays give history and what it was like to be here during the Williamite War and beyond to the modern Irish Republic. Lots of artifacts and historical presentations. Great views of the town of Athlone and the Athlone Bridge. It's worth a stop. [Review 1969 of 2024 - 150 in Republic of Ireland - 22991 overall]

A lovely treasure along the Shannon River. Very helpful information desk -- try to get on a tour…read moreto get the full story, so much more informative to get an explanation of the different costumes and time periods. The lobby has some vintage artifacts that are interesting to see and ponder.

Fore Abbey is a 7th century abbey spread across the valley of ancient structures. The abbey complex…read moreincludes several notable features, such as the remains of the Benedictine monastery, St. Feichin's church, and the famous Fore Crosses. There are several ruins to explore on this stop.

For a ruin, this place was really in good shape. Most here are a pile of rocks that vaguely…read moreresembles a building. This one had rooms and working stairs. If you go, there is a big parking lot on the main road. You don't have to park on the street.

Birr Castle was built in 1620 and replaced an earlier one built in 1170. Unlike many other Irish…read morecastles, Birr Castle is still used as a residence, by the family of the seventh earl of Rosse. While the castle isn't open to the public, the grounds include extensive gardens and the Historic Science Centre, a museum of Ireland's historic scientists and their contributions to both astronomy and botany. The walled gardens include box hedges that are more than 300 years old. They are also noted in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's tallest hedge.

What can I say - a fabulous experience! The grounds are…read moregorgeous. I went for a fabulous walk, and now that the plants can grow freely, the place is a wildlife wonderland! I saw small, red butterflies in abundance, ones I'd never seen before! They were everywhere! The gift shop is also lovely, with some perfect souvenirs! I recommend the playground to all parents as it is such a fun experience for the little ones! The telescope and science museum were amazing also, I learned so much! I particularly enjoyed the part where one of the Earl's wife was talking about photography and her dark room. It was an amazing display! I recommend this trip highly, as it is so cheap to come in and such a wonderful experience!

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)

This place is amazing! It's currently being restored, so a lot of the old original structure is…read morestill in place. The man who runs it puts a lot of care into maintaining the castle and knows the whole, very long and very interesting, history! Also, the view from the top of the castle is absolutely breathtaking. Truly a magical experience.

My second time visiting the castle, I also went back in August. I love chatting with the owner,…read moreSean, who has many stories to tell as well as being very knowledgeable in Irish history.

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.

Beautiful area with nice views and a lot to experience. Very peaceful and and a good feeling of…read moreIrish culture

If you want to get to the heart and soul of Ireland, you must visit this place - about five miles…read moreeast of Ballymore on the way to Mulingar. In many ways, it is the twin of the more famous Hill of Tara. Its main feature is the most unusual, Cat's Stone, which gets its name because it's believed that it resembles a cat, and if you study it closely, it does! I wonder did Ripley's 'Stranger than fiction' ever visit it? The Hill was believed by the ancient Druids, to be the very navel of Ireland - the geographical centre - where the five provinces met! Look out on a fair day and see many of Ireland's counties unfurl themselves before your eyes like phantoms from out of the mystical mists and relax and see the smooth plains of Ireland's midlands - smooth and uplifting, as if some bountiful cream was rubbed on the serene face of Ireland's goddess, Eriu! Hidden Ireland......

This is an amazing cathedral-so many beautiful pieces of artwork, stained glass, architecture and…read moredesign. Of course, it's old! After touring around for the day, it was nice to come here to just sit and take in the peace. I love that there are multiple areas to visit-not just one large room, but several offshoots (clearly I'm not well versed in cathedral-speak, there's probably appropriate words that I'm not using). There are public toilets, which they request a small donation to go toward maintenance and upkeep. If you find yourself in the area, this is definitely a stop you will want to make.

No matter your feelings on religion this and is another gorgeous piece of art, architecture and…read morehistory. Be respectful and quiet as some are there for spiritual reasons and comfort. Love the dome and vibrant colors of the stained glass. Gorgeous marble and stone work. Mosaics. This was walkable from our hotel. They do have a sign suggesting a small donation but that seemed reasonable. They did not seem as helpful or friendly as other cathedrals we visited. The on in Cobh for example. It was nice but but not the best.