Ireland

Pros: Awe-inspiring monuments from the Neolithic era
Cons: Guided tours provide too little time for exploring the many aspects of these monuments

Background Among the host of images suggested by the mere mention of Ireland is that of an ...

Pros: People, Sights, Countryside...
Cons: Transport system, Weather...

Ireland is often seen as a land of green fields, leprechauns and heavily-drinking, friendly people with hick accents. There is an element of truth in these stereotypes, but there certainly is more to the country of Ireland. I’ve designed this review ...

Pros: tons of fun; great show; fun people
Cons: touristy; cheesy; the drive to get there

Before even arriving in Ireland, a co-worker told my husband that visiting Johnnie Fox's Pub for a "Hooley night" was a must for our visit in the Dublin area.

We visited the Johnnie Fox website (http://www.johnniefoxs.com/) and...

Pros: There are captivating landmarks and lush green fields everywhere you look.
Cons: Oregano is difficult to come by; cayenne pepper is unheard of.

There’s so much the history books fail to tell you. When, as a child, you look at all those pictures of shop windows displaying signs to the effect that no Irish need apply, you’re likely to become outraged over America’s blatantly racist past. But now...

Pros: Excellent view, good poetry and romance
Cons: Damp, chilly and those pesky cows

If you can see but one thing in Ireland, or in County Galway, you have to go to Thoor Ballylee in Gort. One of my all time favorite places, it is was the summer home of William Butler Yates (WBY) the poet. It's actually a 14th century Norman tower ...

Pros: spectacular scenery, friendly people, interesting history
Cons: tried to cover too much territory in too short a time

"For each petal on the shamrock...This brings a wish your way...Good health, good luck, and happiness...For today and every day." Just a little Irish expression passed on to us as we traveled these past fourteen days from the Shannon to the...

Pros: Ladies dressed in Medieval low cut "push up" attire
Cons: castle's have no cons

Located in Ireland, Bunratty Castle is a major attraction in County Clare. This large castle is in excellent condition, as opposed to many other old castles throughout the United Kingdom. Perhaps the fact that this castle was actually restored and...

Pros: Fascinating and interactive; offers everything from kids' games, to art, to in-depth research.
Cons: So wonderful that it made my review too long; but it's not for the babies.

"Ego Patricius peccator rusticissimus ..."
"I, Patrick, a sinner, unlearned and simple countryman ..."

So begins Saint Patrick's famous confession. He wrote it down, he tells the reader, so that others could...

Pros: My First Write Off!
Cons: Oh, the pressure.

*Foreward*

There is an episode of The Simpson’s in which the family sits down to watch some TV and Garrison Keillor is on their TV. He slowly phrases a line about Lake Wobegon and then exhales. The crowd goes wild with laughter. Cut to the...

Pros: Beautiful, historical and mystical
Cons: All those donkeys make quite a mess of the trail. Not a pretty picture on a hot day.

Killarney is probably one of the most “touristy” towns in Ireland. At night the town itself is overrun with pub-crawlers and souvenir shoppers. The tons of tourists provide a festive atmosphere to the downtown area with shops and restaurants open until...

Pros: Awe-inspiring when you know its history; lovely park, free to visit
Cons: Well... it doesn't "do" much, really. Holds quite still for photographs.

The town of Antrim, in Northern Ireland, is home to a great number of interesting landmarks spanning over a millenium of Irish history. Its oldest monument, and its tallest, stands just outside the town - a round stone tower reaching almost 100 feet in...

Pros: Free to visit; not yet plagued by the four "T"s: tourists, tearooms, toilets, and tarmac.
Cons: Haunted. (Or isn't that a "pro"?)

What do a beech tree, a sixth-century monastery, and a ghost all have in common? Come to the shores of Ireland's Lough Neagh (pronounced "lokh nay")to find out.

On the western shore of the Lough, and on the eastern edge of County...

Pros: Beautiful & Inspiring
Cons: Too far to visit every week

Review Topic:  Sights & Attractions

Review Topic:  Sights & AttractionsWhen choosing which international city to write about for this write-off, there was a quick decision for me. If it was easier to get to, there...

Pros: Green hills friendly people, great Guinness.
Cons: Can be expensive

I don’t know if this article is more an essay than a review, but I do hope some people find it useful, Why am I writing this? Well I am Irish; I now live in The Netherlands. However having had an upbringing in Ireland that was sheltered from the rest ...

Pros: dramatic, barren limestone mountains, homey pubs, peaceful views
Cons: deforestation caused the dramatic look to the mountains, food places and petrol stations close around 9pm

…but the dramatic views here made me want to chuck my maps, itinerary and carefully compiled list of internet cafes out the window…

Driving along The Burren on Irelands’ west coast, the scenery began to get better and better. I...