If you're sick of visiting crowded, tacky castles, sick of watching audio visual presentations and…read moresick of gift shops with shamrock snow domes, come to Aughnanure. Set in picture perfect grassland with lovely Yew trees and a bubbling brook, this 14th century tower house is in great condition. Admission is about €4, guided tours are informal events and there are good information boards in the castle proper. The banqueting hall, dry dock and ammunition store are all unique and still well preserved. Well signposted off the N59 from Galway and on most maps but be careful driving in - the last mile or so is one of those Irish country roads with room for one car only and lots of blind corners.

Lots of ducking if you are over 5'0 tall, long walk down a tunnel, then many steps to the bottom,…read morethen you get to see the stalactite and it is all worth it, they give you a hard hard, not because they are nice (which they are) but because you will bump your head. Some of the passages are slightly narrow and until you get to the main cave they are very short. So walk low, make sure to wear your hard hat and you will be awed and amazed, especially when you see the tiny hole the original discoverers had to crawl though, make sure to walk around the path before or after your cave visit to see the animal the fairy village the original entrance and some beautiful scenery. Not a huge cavern but something to see when in the area. Takes about an hour down and back up, well worth the price of admission for a natural wonder,

We really enjoyed this stop. We were traveling with our 4 year old and a bit apprehensive on…read morewhether it would be manageable. Our tour guide was wonderful and really tailored his talk to things she would find interesting. There are 120 stairs to climb down (and back up!) but if a 4 year old can do it, so can you! We also had some tea and snacks at their cozy cafe. Free WIFI at the cafe. Tip: make sure you are dressed appropriately as you will get a bit muddy. There was also a nature trail to walk and lots of animals to look at.

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 live local to here so may be biased but I always bring visiting friends here on the start of any…read moretour of the area. Some unconfirmed local facts that may be true plus others that are. One of only 2 square lighthouses in the world with the other located in France. Because of the weather report from this light house back around the time of the D Day attack on France the main day was postponed by 1 day due to poor weather reported from here. Helipad used by Irish Coast Guard for refueling etc. Current lighthouse keeper is Vincent Sweeney and very friendly if about.

Belmullet is such a friendly and beautiful place . I was offered a lift by a local - I didn't know…read morehim , and he said he had to show me all the best parts of the area . Its one of the best days I've ever spent . Visit if you get the chance .

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.

It was a rainy day when we visited Achill Island, so we just decided to drive on the Wild Atlantic…read moreWay. Even though it was rainy and very windy, we really enjoyed seeing the views along the coast. We stopped several times to get pictures of the gorgeous cliffs. We spent about an hour exploring, but had the weather been better we would have spent more time. I think it's definitely worth spending some time exploring this island, rain or shine!

Listed as One of the most beautiful beaches in the world and yet no one is ever there! I've been to…read morethis beach three times. Very little traffic, winding and twisting road to get there but it's amazing. Sheep grazing on the mountains. Stunning

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...

True 5 star visit…read more Nestled in the heart of Connemara, on the Wild Atlantic Way, Kylemore Abbey is a haven of history, beauty and serenity. Home to a Benedictine order of Nuns for the past 100 years, Kylemore Abbey welcomes visitors from all over the world each year to embrace the magic of the magnificent 1,000-acre estate.

Overall this is a beautiful place, however we attended a lecture within the Abbey and were totally…read moredisgusted with the older gentleman who gave the lecture. Despite a request to "slow down" his speech so we could understand him, he ignored the request and in essence gave a 20 minute lecture in 10 minutes. At least 5 people out of 12 lingered afterwards and complained to each other about his arrogance.

We saw a sign on the road - a big impressive sign... "This looks big and impressive" I said "Woo…read moreHoo" Junior said We followed the signs and soon arrived at the castle.. it was a little disappointing on first inspection. "Boo" I said, "That's not a Castle" Junior said. None the less we got out and explored what we could - the castle was locked up for repairs but apparently you can normally go inside and explore a bit. It is apparently the last residence of the famed Irish she-pirate Grace O'Malley/Granuaile - she used to tie the mooring rope of her ship to her toe when she went to bed. The full story is on the pic attached (pic of the plaque)

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.