In the west of Ireland it rains - a lot, really, an awful lot, so it is vitally important for those…read morewho live there and indeed those of us visiting that there are distractions of some form or another least we all team up in a bored, wet and un-tanned rage and go on some sort of killing spree (probably drowning the victims). One such distraction is the rather unpromising sounding museum of country life, which as it turns out is a very nice wee place to wander around and kill a few hours. There are samples of clothing worn by the Irish way back when, a few temp exhibits like the Moylough Belt (8th Century belyt-thingy) and when we were there a temp exhibition (until spring 2010!) called Straw, Hay and Rushes where you get to see the unbelievable vast array of things we used to use straw and hay for! - really, everything from mattresses (which you get to try out) to harnesses (which you don't) We didn't get to see much of the outside exhibits because , guess what, it was blinking raining, but the indoors bit was enough to keep us going for a couple of hours. There is no admission fee which is nice, the café is OK but not noteworthy!

We drove to the National Museum of County Life last Monday.Unfortunatly the museum was closed but…read morethe grounds were still open to the public. There are lovely walks around the grounds through the formal gardens and the kitchen gardens. There is a restored Victorian Glasshouse in the grounds overlooking Turlough House and the beautiful tulip borders which were in bloom whilst I was there. There is also a small cottage which has recently been built to show how traditional cottages were constructed. Walked along the river and continued up to the round tower on the hill. I have no doubt this would be a great place to spend a day,when the museum is open.will be back to visit when it opens.

Free (donations appreciated) and entertaining, the Galway City Museum has more than just history of…read morethe city of Galway. It was interesting to learn about shipwrecks and seabed mapping, some human biology and the history of medical devices, and really, what Irish museum would be complete without a history of the Irish Free State and the Troubles. Objects on display are tiny and massive, including the oldest Claddagh ring in existence (dating from circa 1700!) and a sailboat. The museum has stairs and a lift, making it fully handicapped accessible. There are a number of exhibits that are interactive and can be touched. Expect at least an hour to appreciate this museum, two if you're a reader. [Review 1948 of 2024 - 130 in Republic of Ireland - 22970 overall]

Free admission! We visited around 11am on a very rainy day and the museum was quite busy. It is…read more a small museum but does have some interesting displays. There is a lot of reading involved, being a busy day it was hard to get close to the reading materials. The aisles were quite crowded. We enjoyed the boating and fishing displays. They also have a section on ancient instruments.

Loved it! Arrived at 4pm Sunday and they closed at 5, but it's a great museum with free admission…read more The grounds are lovely.

Set in the grounds of Turlough Park, this is a bright modern museum. There is no charge to visit…read morebut they do appreciate a five euro donation which in my opinion was well worth it. Covering three floors, there is a vast selection of items on display covering all aspects of country life, crafts, living, clothing, tools etc. it is set out well with plenty of information. There is also a video presentation. We really enjoyed our visit to the museum but the house itself was a bit of a disappointment. Only a few rooms are open to the public. So my advise is come for the museum, not the house.

A MUST SEE! The Jackie Clarke Collection is an absolute hidden gem in Ballina. A perfect way to…read morespend your afternoon. I could not recommend it higher! They put a lot of thought into this collection and it is amazing to see the historical significance in each letter, picture, map, etc. they hold in this exclusive collection. It is interesting for tourists to see the history of Ireland unfold in each room of the collection. It is also of interest to the locals with the collection of maps which show how the county boarders have changed overtime. It is well worth the trip to beautiful town of Ballina to check it out. And if this collection isn't already enough to grab your attention, the collection is actually hosted in an old bank! The bank's old vault is now home to one of the rare original copies of the Proclimation of the Irish Republic printed before the 1916 rising. The good news is you don't need to know much Irish history to enjoy The Jackie Clarke Collection.

I've worn a claddagh ring for as long as I can remember, so I thought it would be special to get…read moreone from Galway as a souvenir during my visit. Thomas Dillon is the original maker, so I figured I'd buy from the best. They have such high quality jewelry and beautiful claddagh rings. Women's are 50 euros, men 60, for just the silver. Maybe a little pricier than other spots, but they have a lifetime guarantee and an original stamp on the inside. They have other jewelry as well and a section in the back full of historical articles and the worlds smallest claddagh ring, which is super funny! I love my new ring and the woman helping us was so knowledgeable and kind! I'd highly recommend Thomas Dillin.

I was very excited to visit this place and buy a ring but the sales associate was so rude. She was…read morecondescending when I said I didn't have a boyfriend. She rolled her eyes. She was aggressively shoving rings over my knuckles while telling me to relax. Overall, not very welcoming. I would recommend going to heart and hand a few stores down!

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!

On a recent visit to County Mayo, we decided to pay a visit to the Ceide Fields, just outside the…read moretown of Ballycastle. The Ceide Fields are a 5000 years old Neolithic field system, which were discovered in the 1930's by a local man out cutting turf on the bog. In the 1970's and 80's archaeological digs took place which uncovered many of these walls. Ongoing research is taking place. They are to be found outside the town of Ballycastle in the North of County Mayo.There is a visitor centre onsite which has splendid views of the sea and the surrounding landscape. On the day we visited it was not raining (a miracle) which enabled us to take in the magnificent scenery. To get the most from your visit I would advise to wait for the start of the tour. Some people were heading out and catching up with the tour that already had departed. Whilst you are waiting you can view the interesting displays and watch the short film in the visitor centre. We had a wonderful tour guide, who had also worked on the site. He brought the whole story about the find, the archaeological dig and the way of life of Neolithic people , who farmed the land in the area. There is a small cafe in the centre where we had 2 teas and 2 slices of apple pie, though we felt they were overpriced at €12 for what we recieved. Before you leave make sure to visit Belderrig Cliifs below the centre. there is a walkway down to the viewing point.

A fascinating place -- I can recall it vividly even though it's 7 years since we visited! In the…read more1980s archaeologists discovered that the area had been farmed about 5,000 years ago, before the bog formed; this museum explores their discoveries and what life might have been like then, and it does so very well -- it's an excellent museum. The building in which the museum is housed is particularly impressive -- a sort of glass pyramid -- and the way it was set out was captivating. We also enjoyed an interesting tour of the site with a very well-informed guide. The museum is in the middle of nowhere (and the roads to get there are slow, slow, slow), but hey, this is Ireland! The coast-line is spectacular and worth exploring (by car or on foot) in its own right anyway. In short, if you're anywhere near here on holiday, go to Ceide (prounouced Kay-zure, I think) Fields: you won't be disappointed.

This very hard-to-find museum is really a labor of love - one man's personal collection. It's the…read moremost impressive collection you've ever seen. There are more voluminous collections (although all are famous), but none are this organized. All of the artefacts here are Irish, ranging from 19th century farm and home implements to early 20th century brand packaging and medicines, to a fully equipped schoolroom, bar, and kitchen, all with period implements. Like trains? Plenty of railroad gear. Plenty of highway signs. Plenty of agricultural equipment. And the owner just goes and collects all this stuff for his own joy, and arranges it so that he can share it with you. I highly, highly recommend this place. Use the location marker I gave you - it IS signed off L1412, but you have to figure out how to even get there first. It's just east of Meanus and northwest of Bruff, if that helps. It's worth the detour. You will learn more from this than you ever would from a traditional museum, as the owner leads you around, shows you different implements - you can touch and try some of them out! - and explains so much of the history. The personal touch is what makes this incomparable. It's a 7 euro admission but you'll want to donate even more after that.