VISIT IRELAND FOR the Peace and Quiet
According to the World Health Organization, noise can cause significant health problems, including difficulty focusing and an inability to relax. Escape from the noise. Visit Ireland and reawaken your soul.
Friendly and hospitable people: There are even songs about Ireland’s famous warmth! (“When Irish eyes are smiling”) People are the heart of every destination and your Irish hosts are ready to welcome you home!
Spectacular Scenery:
Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point, the Cliffs of Moher stretch along 8 kilometres (5 miles) of the Atlantic coast of County Clare in the west of Ireland. Nearby megalithic tombs prove that people have been living in the Burren for more than 5000 years. The more famous megalithic tombs, Poulnabrone, dates back to around 2,500 BC.
Land of Music and Poetry: Need we say more? Listowel Writers’ Week, Cork Jazz Festival, Dublin Writers Week. Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, the KBC Great Music in Irish Houses Festival.
National Sport of Irish Hurling: The 2,000 year old tradition of Irish hurling combines the speed and skills of hockey, baseball, lacrosse and rugby. Its reputed to have replaced warfare in Ireland! Despite a fantatic global following, hurling remains an amateur sport. Each athlete represents his native county in “the fastest game on grass”.
VISIT IRELAND FOR CULTURE
Heritage Sites: Discover the rich history of Ireland through living heritage centers. Kingdoms and invaders, famine and emigrations, priests, poets and pilgrims, the collective heritage which helped influenced Europe and the New World. There are well over 740 national Irish heritage sites, caves, castles, and ring forts like the extraordinary Caherconnell Stone Fort. Ireland has numerous active archeological sites where ‘history comes alive’.
100 years of Irish independence: The Easter Rising of April 1916 was a rebellion against British rule in Ireland. As a military campaign, it was a failure and heavily extinguished by the British military. However, it sparked a national movement toward an independent Irish Republic.
An Island Oasis: An Irish child was once asked how the countryside stayed so green, she smiled. “We let God water the fields for us.” Ireland is surrounded by water, with 3172 glorious kilometres of coastline and hundreds of rivers, lakes, streams and inlets. Did you know surfing has become a popular family and competitive sport? Ireland is full of surprises!
And of course, Ireland’s famous brothers from Skibbereen, Paul and Gary O’Donovan, won silver medals for rowing at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Check out their magic interview here. “There are plenty of people out there with two arms and two legs just like ourselves.” We look forward to much more on and off camera from these two characters.
What do you think is the best reason to visit Ireland? Please let us know and thanks for sharing this post with your friends! If you think we missed something, please let us know!
Great list! I was saying “So true!” for each one. I think my favorite is #4. I love the music and poetry.
Thanks Sue! It is always hard to narrow the list, lest something precious fall off. If I could add #11, I might add the exciting new locally grown food movement influencing regional restaurants. Okay, #12 might also be the enormous sense of collegiality and pride among local restaurants and businesses. The sense of cooperation and excitement was really noticeable this summer. The reasons keeps going! Thanks again for your comment!