First off, a visit here is FREE! There is no charge to enter and walk around the beautiful abbey,…read moreall outdoors. We came on a rainy day and it was still super fun. We used the laminated guide cards and took ourselves on a tour, then bought a few postcards. We spent about 45 minutes here. There was someone playing tunes on a ukulele for guests, too, which was nice. Clean bathroom facilities.

Place is amazing. Built in 1253, torched a few times and rebuilt. Last time it was torched was in…read more1641 during the Ulster Uprising when the Irish were fighting the English oppressors. The monks moved out in the 18th century. Its like walking through history and great photos can be taken from any angle. Give yourself at least half an hour to see this place...

Walk around Sligo for any amount of time and you soon learn who their favorite son was. Yes, there…read moreare monuments and statues a-plenty in the county paying homage to this sullen yet prolific writer. For this trip, I brought a book of Yeats and, honestly, I have yet to read another writer with such a dark, gloomy perspective of things. But I didn't live in his time and, if I had, I might also be penning down verses of faeries luring us to better lives. Who knows? As it was, I stood over his grave and toasted with a wee pull from my purse flask to his honor, then moved on, like his final wish to the horsemen. And I saddled up and rode off in search of fun.

If you want to do a tour of Yeats country, then this is the place to start. Run by the volunteers…read moreof the Yeats Society, you will be initiated into the essence of Ireland's famous poet laureate. See original manuscripts of his poems, rare and seminal photos of the poet, his relatives and his beloved Sligo. Feel your pulse racing to the heartbeat and hypnotic rhythm of his profound verse; feel the cream of the wordsmith's rhymes inebriate you like the bubbling waterfalls of Glencar. I don't know if Faeries exist or not, but you will now want to start exploring the icons of Yeat's muse and see for yourself. Start your journey here and maybe the Faery will take you by the hand to the mythical Tir na Nog of ancient Ireland.

We visited in late August 17. We decided to do a bit of last minute genealogy on my husband's…read morefamily: The King family. As we arrived and my husband announced his name - Mary Lavin exclaimed - "Welcome Home!". From there the visit was full of fun facts, intriguing stories and history. The 2 docents: Mary Lavin & Martina Regan were so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Mary even cut her lunch break short so that she could give us a more personalized tour. She was also able to recommend a couple of other sites to see in our short time in Roscommon and a few books with historical information. The house is beautifully restored with great care to detail. The upper floors have more interactive history in a story format which really makes the history come alive. Our sincerest thanks to Mary and Martina for making such a remarkable impact on our visit.

There are two big reasons to like Bundoran. One is the annual Ballyshannon Folk Music Festival…read morenearby (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=ballyshannon%20folk%20festival&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFEQtwIwBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DD01N-5YGhuo&ei=ZjdzUczwApCvigKF-oFA&usg=AFQjCNHB6wJILw1qcAQGCzzO4RDncfleIw&sig2=4Y6_BtrjTLSAn5J52BEOaw&bvm=bv.45512109,d.cGE) and two, the surf. We missed the fest* but hoped to score some waves. Bundoran plays host to several surf locations that draw surf travelers, pros and wannabes that don't mind a little cold water. This is because the pubs always have a warm seat and a tall pint or hair-of-the-dog to chase off the chill and they are always close. Donegal is my favorite area of Ireland and is about as far away from crowded Dublin as the island can offer. It is a small beach town chock full of friendly faces, unreal views and tasty waves, like The Peak* where the pub is within a stone's throw of the infamous break. And when the waves are small, there are the most scenic expanses of castles and redoubts, cottages and cliffs, farms and rock-strewn fields. You know, "Lord of the Rings" country, Middle-earth. Drink enough and you'll see Frodo and Samwise. If Orcs lived in Cork, they'd be "CorkOrcs", okay, I'll stop. This is my style of Ireland and what I'll always remember about it. Erin go Bragh. (I pray my surf brothers and sisters from across the pond don't send over a hit-team on me for "publishing" this wave and effing it up for all and ever. I say not to worry. This beach is about as far away from the Malibu look as one could imagine. You will never see a bikini here. Ever. And no one reads Yelp anyway.) *We come in September, the fest is in August.

6th Century Monastery, Drumcliffe. W.B. Yates burial site that he requested…read more Learned he is not actually here but is buried in France. A nice short stop in our tour with a very nice explanation of St Columba and the origins of the monastery and story of Columba. Mark & Nancy.

"But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly…read morebecause you tread on my dreams." -- W.B. Yeats Ah...one of my most favorite poems of all times. The story of this man's life is one I grew up with and was taught at all levels of my early education, national school and secondary school. Nestled in the shadow of the imposing Ben Bulben mountain, this is a must stop for literary nerds. This is the final resting place for the great WB Yeats. His gravestone reads: Cast a cold Eye On Life, on Death. Horseman, pass by. This wee village also boasts a great example of a Celtic High Cross dating from circa 9th century and also a round tower dating from the 10th or 11th century .

Since its relocation from a smaller building beside the fire station to a larger building in the…read morecentre of the town, Ballina library has grown tremendously and has become extremely accessible to the residents of the town. The library itself is bright and airy, with large windows and has two floors (the first is books, and the second has about 20 computers, and a reading room). It boasts first class facilities, including free internet access, dvd rentals, and special collections. It is very family friendly as there is a colourful, comfortable play area for kids, not to mention a large childrens collection of books. It also entertains the local schoolchildren on day trips out. An extremely modern library where the browser can choose books at ease in a friendly atmosphere.

If you enjoy history that involves the burning of a fortress by design to keep it out of the hands…read moreof the 15th century English, put this castle on your itinerary! My family and I visited here during our stay in Donegal and probably walked less than a quarter of a mile from the town square to reach this historical site. With no prior knowledge of the castle's background story, I was taken in by the remnant and the restored portions. Information panels inside provide interesting stories of the varied history of the original and successive owners. I appreciated the craftsmanship and engineering of the trusses and beams of the restored roof. The massive fireplaces and large rooms permitted me to imagine, just a little, what life was like in the castle a long time ago. Additional tidbits: I found the price of admission fair for a family. Guided tours are available. The castle has plenty of steps and no elevators. Bathrooms are available on the lower level.

Rather small but well staffed and well maintained. It takes maybe 30-45 minutes to see the entire…read morecastle. Not the biggest castle in Ireland but Donegal isn't the biggest town either.