In a bid to boost activity, Failte Ireland launched a search for Ireland's Top Town for Visitors ... by looking at the Tidy Towns competition, drawing up a shortlist of ten towns (Ballyvaughan, Clonakilty, Dundalk, Ennis, Kilkenny, Killarney, Letterkenny, Portmagee, Trim and Westport) and then taking a look again at how the towns presented themselves. And the winner was?
Portmagee in County Kerry!
Er ... well ... congratulations, I guess. Though I wouldn't have expected it. Then again, there must be something in the air there, as Failte Ireland notes on their website: "The judges found the sense of place in Portmagee to be palpable with its location facing Valencia Island making it unique." You can't argue with the location bit, though a "palpable sense of place" is a bit too fluffy for my taste.
I would love to visit Lough Oughter Castle the next time I go to Ireland. Any suggestions on how to get to it. I have never been on a canoe so am a leary about that mode of transportation. My ancestors were the O’Reillys.