- Full of color photos of very good quality.
- Several tours outlined - helpful for the tourist using a car.
- Comprehensive information on most aspects of traveling in Ireland.
- Might be too oriented towards touring in a car for some visitors.
- Some pictures have not been updated recently.
- Up to Date? Yes, within reasonable limits (reviewed was the sixth edition, 2006).
- Images and Illustrations - Many and excellent, but no original artwork as in other visual guides.
- Maps - Of good quality, but you will need a decent road atlas to complement the guide.
- Typeface - Smallish but very clear, readable in low light even on colored background.
- General Layout - Regional and straightforward, good contents pages help.
- "Completeness" - Everything you need for a decent tour of Ireland is here.
- Obvious Blunders - Travel facts section needs updating (picture ID for air travel, pet quarantine, border crossings).
- Binding and Paper Quality - Semi-gloss paper in a stitched paperback binding.
- Size and Weight - 288 pages, 5.25 by 8.75 inches, 500 grams.
- Would I Feel Comfortable Using this Book? Yes, with the aid of a good road atlas.
I liked this guide - it makes a nice read, shows you the best places in Ireland and how to get there, gives some interesting background information. It is not as in-depth as for instance the "lonely planet Ireland" and it may lack the original artwork found in "Eyewitness Ireland" ... but it does what it says on the cover: "all the great sights plus the history & anecdotes that bring them to life".
All in all just the ticket if you are a. going to Ireland for a first look-see and b. plan on driving yourself. A good, all-round guide, but not exceptional - I somehow liked the similar "Fodor's see it Ireland" better, but this may just be a very personal preference.
While most of the text is fairly up-to-date, some "legacy" problems show in the "Travel Facts" section - travelers from the UK should carry picture ID when flying to Ireland, the checkpoints at border crossings are history and the pet quarantine requirement has been drastically changed. And occasionally the pictures should be changed for a newer variety - the Hill of Tara and O'Connell Street being immediately obvious examples.
If you want to discuss this review, please use our forum to do so.
