Just why should you choose Ireland as a holiday destination? Good question, especially since the Emerald Isle is known for its forty shades of green due to the extremely changeable and wet Irish weather. And since Irish drinks might hold a certain respect, but the same cannot be said for Irish food. And budgeting for Ireland being rumored to be a challenge.
Rain, not too tempting cuisine and high prices - this does not sound like the ideal destination, does it? But here are some reasons why you should still consider heading for Ireland:
It is true - when planning permission was granted for
Newgrange, other cultures were still trying to figure out how to construct a decent mud-hut. Ireland's passage graves are a few hundred years older than the pyramids at Giza. And their cosmic alignments are no less spectacular. And you will be hard-pressed to find so many large prehistoric monuments in such a small space anywhere in the world.
Wherever you are in Ireland, traditional music will be played at informal sessions. We are not talking stage spectaculars like "Riverdance", new age mysticism like Enya or run-of-the-mill standards here. We are talking about a living, thriving tradition carried forward by local musicians - the real, hand-made stuff.
4. Natural Wonders in a Largely Unspoilt Landscape
Slieve League is a prime example - Europe's highest sea-cliffs, accessible only via a winding local road (with gates you have to ooen and close yourself). No ticket office, no tourist facilities, just a small information sign, a car park and miles upon miles of unspoilt coastne. Not a rarity in Ireland, but the norm off the beaten tourist track. And even those costly and developed attractions like the
Cliffs of Moher are still unspoilt enough for most visitors.
8. Easy to Get to - Easy to Get Around
A cornucopia of reasonably priced opportunities for
air travel to Ireland has made going there easy - and with the major airports of Dublin, Belfast and Shannon you can arrive quite near your intended destination too.
Car rental is widely available and
safe driving in Ireland a matter of observing a few basic rules. And always remember - the
geographical extremes of Ireland are just a day's journey apart.
9. The Really Original Irish Pubs
Yes, you can find "Irish Pubs" nearly everywhere from Ohio to Outer Mongolia. But these
Ersatz-Irish hostelries seem to come straight from central casting most of the time. The al Irish pubs can only be found in Ireland - from sawdust-and-spit affairs frequented by Cavan pig-farmers to those
top pubs in Dublin. If you haven't had your Guinness in a pub in Ireland you have not lived ... some may say.
10. It is the "Auld Country" After All
Chances are you have some Irish ancestors - if you are from the USA, Canada, Australia or any other far-flung place where the British Empire once meddled. Explore these roots.
