Irish Pubs & Folklore 10 Nights

Start your Ireland honeymoon package at Shannon Airport and your Irish Tourism tailored Itinerary will show all the potential places that you could visit along the way including the beautiful Burren region in county Clare which is famous for its karst glacial like landscape and home the stunning Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most frequented attractions. If you prefer a more direct route you could travel via the famous Bunratty Castle with its adjoining folk park. At Bunratty folk park you can stroll around thatched cottages that were once commonplace in rural Ireland, there is even a remodelled village street complete with school house, post office & a 1950’s pub where you can even purchase a refreshing drink!  

Due to its compact size, Galway city is easily explored on foot. The redeveloped Eyre Square area encloses a pleasant courtyard and park, nearby you will find a new shopping centre leading out to shop street which is lined both sides with a mix of cafés, restaurants, traditional and modern shops.    The city comes alive during the summer months with tourists not just from overseas but also other parts of Ireland. Sites of interest include the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, the old Spanish Arch and the Claddagh, which the famous Claddagh ring is named after. Galway city is a great place to enjoy some traditional Irish music with many pubs having live music on a weekly and in some cases a daily basis. You will also find many lovely restaurants to enjoy a romantic meal, Galway has something to suit every visitor’s taste buds and pocket! If you are looking for an affordable meal, our best advice is to eat a pub lunch in the afternoons from 12-3, most pubs do a main course for €10-12, if you prefer to eat later, expect to pay a little bit more.

Your time in Connemara may well be the highlight of your honeymoon in Ireland! This wild region of Galway encompasses serene seascapes, rugged coastlines and magnificent mountains. Visit Kylemore Abbey which is often referred to as Ireland’s most romantic Castle as it was built by Mitchell Henry for his wife having fallen in love with the area whilst they visited on honeymoon!  Further west visit the town of Clifden with its colourful buildings, craft shops and lively pubs. Drive the breath-taking Sky road from Clifden passing desolate scenery and the narrow inlet at Clifden Bay, from here you could easily take the coastal route to the village of Roundstone. Your Irish Tourism itinerary will guide you with all the route options that you could possibly take. 

You can’t miss the Burren when travelling the coast road from Galway to Clare, and you will find Romance in every corner of it! Scramble over karst limestone formations where the bleak landscape and unusual plants give the area an other-worldly ambience. In the Southern area of the Burren the limestone rock gives way to the black shale and sandstone that form the Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs are one of Ireland’s most visited attractions offering outstanding views. Well-worn visitor walkways lead in both directions, offering various viewing points. With tickets less than €7 per person, the Cliffs of Moher are an essential stop on any affordable honeymoon in Ireland. 

On your Clare explorations you will find plenty of excellent beaches;  Bishop’s Quarter near Ballyvaughan has fabulous views over Galway Bay and across the Burren, Kilkee beach is quite compact but has a lovely seaside village beside it with a few nice places to eat, Lahinch is generally accepted to be one of Irelands finest beaches and is a hot spot for surfing and other water sport. Continuing with your Burren sightseeing you may wish to check out Aillwee Cave, the name Aillwee comes from the Irish Aill Bhuí which means "yellow cliff".  Not too far away, the Burren Perfumery is another popular stop, they make all kinds of Irish perfumes and organic cosmetics inspired by the Burren Landscape. During the summer season they often organise spontaneous talks by staff on perfume, soap-making and skincare.

At night you could check out one of Clare’s best music towns, Ennis which often hosts ‘Fleadh Cheoils’ (Irish music festivals) or Doolin which is considered by many as the traditional music capital of Ireland! In Ennis there are more than 50 pubs for you to choose from, many of which will have traditional music sessions on any given summer night. In Doolin, you are surely to find a comfortable pub to spend the last evening of your honeymoon soaking up the lively atmosphere. As nightfall approaches, join the crowds at Doolin Pier which has become famous for its stunning sunsets that tend to give the watcher a greater appreciation of life and nature.

There are two options for your journey from Clare to Waterford, the first will take you via Limerick City which has Viking roots and Cahir Castle which was featured in several movies including ‘Excalibur’. The slightly longer route will take you via Kilkenny, the medieval capital of Ireland. Kilkenny’s past is evident in a number of historic buildings including Kilkenny Castle which was built in the 1100’s and the remarkable Saint Canice Cathedral where its adjacent round tower affords wonderful views over the city. 

Waterford City itself has a selection of sightseeing choices; Waterford Crystal exhibits one of Ireland’s most famous exports, visit the newly renovated Bishops Palace where you can discover the history of Waterford from 1700 to 1970 or Reginald’s Tower, the oldest urban building in Ireland that is now home to an informative exhibition.  You may simply decide to explore the shops, bars and cafés of this compact city or take a romantic boat cruise along the River Suir. The heritage town of Lismore is close by,  here you can find many historic buildings including Lismore Castle and Gardens and St. Carthages Cathedral or take the Towers Woodland Trail outside the town and view the unusual gate lodge and bridge constructed by landlord Arthur Kiely Ussher to impress his demanding wife. The cost of building the elaborate Gothic entrance proved so great that the planned manor house was never constructed! Dunmore East can also be explored, here find a quaint and picturesque town with a lovely beach and a number of nice places to eat.

Cork city is fast gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s trendiest cites and noteworthy city attractions include the Church of Saint Anne Shandon which from the top gives a panoramic view of the city, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral and Cork City Gaol. Cork city is noted for its chic restaurants, trendy bars and boutiques.  The English Market located in the city centre with its main entrances on Grand Parade, and on Princes Street, with further smaller entrances off Oliver Plunkett Street and Patrick Street, is a great starting point from which to explore the city and an interesting attraction of itself. Established in 1788 by the Protestant or ‘English’ that then controlled Ireland at the time, the market has been at the heart and soul of Cork city since its foundation.

If you wish to venture out further afield there are lots of places that you could visit outside the City and your Irish Tourism itinerary will help you decide which places that you want visit.  We would recommend a visit to Kinsale which is a honeymoon favourite, largely due to its many romantic harbour front restaurants, cosy pubs and general charming marina setting. Kinsale is one of Ireland’s most colourful towns with its array of brightly coloured buildings. Two 17th-century forts overlook the River in Kinsale; the star-shaped Charles Fort in the southeast, and the smaller James Fort the opposite river bank. In the centre of the town, the 16th-century courthouse building houses the Kinsale Regional Museum, with a variety of informative exhibitions on local history and some history about the 1915 sinking of the RMS Lusitania.

East of the city the town of Cobh is well worth a visit. Cobh was the last stop for the ill-fated Titanic and two museums in the town pay tribute to that. The "Queenstown Experience” located at Cobh railway station tells the story of Cobh’s connection with the Titanic and Lusitania and also relays the stories of the Flight of the Irish to North America, transportation of Convicts to Australia and the story of the Irish indentured servants in the West Indies. Titanic Experience Cobh is located in the original White Star Line Ticket Office and the departure point for many thousands of White Star Line passengers heading off to North America for what they saw as a better life. If the weather is fine, we recommend travelling south of Cobh to Fota House & Gardens and Fota Wildlife park where a few hours can easily be spent strolling around.

Your Irish Tourism itinerary will offer you a number of route options from Cork to Kerry. You might decide to travel the most direct route, giving you more time in Kerry or travel via the coast seeing such places as Mizen Head, Bantry, Garnish Island or the Beara Peninsula.  Mizen Head, Ireland’s most southerly point is cut off by a deep chasm, now spanned by a large bridge; this gives access to an old signal station, a weather station, and a lighthouse museum, all of which are set against a backdrop of stunning sea cliffs. Nearby the sandy beach at Barley Cove may be a nice spot for a romantic stroll or picnic if the weather is fine. Garnish Island is an ideal attraction to visit for honeymoon couples due to its remote location that can only be accessed by passenger ferry. On the island you will find the exotic garden amidst romantic islands walks. The Beara Peninsula is surrounded by bleak but beautiful mountains and spectacular scenery. From the tip of the peninsula a cable car can be taken across to Dursday Island, another romantic escape with a ruined castle and colonies of beautiful sea birds. 

Killarney is located on the shores of Lough Leane in County Kerry. It is starting point for the famous ring of Kerry but also has some lovely attractions within and nearby the town which are great for a visit. The town's 19th-century buildings include St. Mary’s Cathedral. Across the bridge from the cathedral is Killarney National Park in which the Victorian mansion, Muckross House and Gardens is situated. Not far from the town at Torc Waterfall the Owengariff river cascades through breath-taking wooded glens and in the opposite direction the Gap of Dunloe shows where Ice Age glaciers once carved a dramatic mountain pass through the ‘gap’ which now offers spectacular views of three small lakes.  The Ring of Kerry is a 179km circular route around Kerry’s Iveragh Peninsula, it is perhaps one of Ireland’s best known driving routes and has been bringing visitors to Kerry for years! This superb driving route takes in the towns of Killarney, Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem and Kenmare.  See such sites as the wonderful Skellig Islands which were featured recently in Star Wars & the picturesque Valentia Island where views from the Geokaun mountain are superb!

The Dingle Peninsula is an essential stop on any Ireland Honeymoon because of its wonderfully romantic sweeping sea views and curious history. Dingle town has many wonderful shops bars and restaurants to enjoy. A statue of long-time harbour resident Fungie the dolphin is by the waterfront and the town has a great aquarium where you can learn all about Irish marine life. Because of the Dingle Peninsula's isolated position beside the North Atlantic Ocean there is a remarkable preservation of over 2,000 monuments.  This amazing peninsula drive is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches and towering cliffs. Inland you will find vast rolling hills and mountains, including the 952m high Mount Brandon. The locals here speak the Irish language as their first language and there is no lack of traditional music and culture. Dunmore Head, Ireland’s most eastern point, has views across to the Blasket Islands which are famous for Irish-language memoirs documenting rural life in the 1800s and 1900s.