Ireland is a country I’ve only been to once in 2013. I flew into Dublin, couchsurfed, then traveled to Belfast in Northern Ireland and barely made it back in time to Dublin for my RyanAir flight back to Maastricht, the Netherlands. In Dublin, I had some amazing times during my visits to the fantastic queer-friendly pubs. My biggest regret from that trip was that I didn’t hitchhike at all in Ireland.
Whenever I’m in Europe, I’m thinking of returning to Ireland. Though I don’t have much (any) content about Ireland at all at the moment, might I interest you in reading about my trips to Norway, Denmark, or Belgium?
Next Time in Ireland
- Hitchhike with locals. Finally! I need to right this wrong
- Revisit the capital Dublin. I already went to some of the classics, such as the Guinness Storehouse and the Library of Trinity College. My couchsurfing host showed me and two German couchsurfers around at some seaside breakwater spot. But do I know Dublin? Nope. Time to change that
- Visit some abandoned places, especially abandoned airports and the like. I’m mainly looking at Galway Airport, Moyne Aerodrome, Castleforbes airfield, Castlebar, Brittas Bay Airfield, and Gormanston Camp. The page ‘ruins in the Republic of Ireland‘ also has some good suggestions. Oh, and shipwrecks, such as MV Ranga off Dingle Peninsula and MV Plassy at the Aran Islands
- Travel off to some really remote parts, such as Blasket Islands (Inishtearaght Lighthouse), Valentia Island, Aran Islands (Teampall Bheanáin), Great Skellig, Dursey island (looks absolutely fascinating with the cable car), Clare Island, Gorumna, Mullet Island, Achill (Croaghaun), Bere Island, Clonowla (pene-enclave almost completely surrounded by Northern Ireland)
- Pick up some Gaelic. Being able to exchange some basic pleasantries seems especially relevant in remote parts that are Gaeltacht areas
- Visit Rock of Cashel as the real-life wonder of the Celtic civilization in Age of Empires II
- Hitchhike the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge and Dublin Port Tunnel
- Visit some observatories (Markree, Birr, Dunsink, Cork, and Blackrock) and planetariums (Schull + Inishowen)
- Not only enjoy the Irish nature not only on foot but also by kayaking (Lough Hyne, River Shannon, other suggestions welcome!) and perhaps even swimming (Poll na bPéist)
- Hike up or at least admire the area of Carrauntoohil (1039masl), the highest point of the island of Ireland
- Visit as many lighthouses in Ireland as possible. And boy, there are many
If you know cool places and things to do in Ireland, comment at the bottom of this page so I can always find your suggestions again once I start plotting my return! Tips especially welcome if you are Irish or lived there for a while
Are you a travel blogger and do you have good posts about Ireland? Drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
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