©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd IRELAND’S BEST TRIPS AMAZING 34 ROAD TRIPS Fionn Davenport Isabel Albiston, Belinda Dixon, Catherine Le Nevez, Neil Wilson SYMBOLS IN THIS BOOK CONTENTS History & Essential Top Tips Culture Photo Link Family Walking Your Trips Tour Food & Tips from Eating Locals Drink 5 PLAN YOUR TRIP Trip Outdoors Sleeping Detour 4 Welcome to Ireland ......................... 7 Ireland Highlights Map ................... 8 % Telephone i Internet E English- Number Access Language Menu Ireland Highlights ...........................10 h Opening Hours W Wi-Fi Access c Family- If You Like ...................................... 20 p Parking v Vegetarian Friendly # n Nonsmoking Selection Pet-Friendly Need to Know ................................. 22 s Swimming a Air- City Guide ........................................24 Conditioning Pool Ireland by Region .......................... 30 MAP LEGEND Ireland Classic Trips ..................... 32 outes is Trip oute Trip Numbers Trip Detour Linked Trip Trip Stop Walk oute Tollway Walking tour ON THE ROAD Freeway Primary Trip Detour Secondary Tertiary Poulation Iconic Lane Capital National 1 Ireland ...................7 Days 35 nsealed oad Capital PlaaMall StateProince Steps CityLarge Town The Long Tunnel TownVillage 2 Way Round ............14 Days 47 Pedestrian Oerpass eas Walk TrackPath each Tip to Cemetery 3Toe ....................... 10 Days 61 oundaies Christian International Cemetery Other StateProince Park Cliff Forest DUBLIN & EASTERN eseration ydoay rban Area IRELAND ...........................75 ierCreek Sportsground Intermittent ier A Long Weekend SwampMangroe ansot 4 Around Dublin .........3 Days 79 Canal Airport Water Cable Car DrySalt Funicular East to Intermittent Lake Parking 5 West .......................7 Days 87 lacier Trainailway Tram The Boyne iay aes 6 E-oad Network Valley......................2 Days 95 National Network Ancient 2 7 Ireland ....................4 Days 103 Note: Not all symbols displayed above appear on the maps in this book CONTENTS Monasteries, CORK & SOUTHWEST 8 Mountains & Mansions ................3 Days 111 IRELAND .........................171 Wicklow Ring of 9 Mountains ...............3 Days 119 f Kerry .......................4 Days 175 Carlow Back Dingle a Roads ......................3 Days 127 g Peninsula ........... 3–4 Days 187 Kilkenny’s Southwest b Treasures ................3 Days 135 h Blitz ........................4 Days 197 Wexford & Southwestern c Waterford ...............5 Days 143 i Pantry .....................5 Days 209 Blackwater West Cork d Valley Drive .............2 Days 151 j Villages ..................7 Days 217 Family Shannon River e Fun..........................3 Days 159 k Route ......................4 Days 225 The Holy l Glen ....................2–3 Days 233 Belfast & the North of Ireland p313 Galway & the West of Ireland p243 Dublin & Eastern Ireland p75 Cork & Southwest Ireland p171 3 Contents cont. GALWAY & THE WEST OF IRELAND .........243 ROAD TRIP Best of m the West .................6 Days 247 ESSENTIALS Musical n Landscapes .............5 Days 259 Ireland Driving Guide ...................373 Mountains Ireland Travel Guide .....................378 o & Moors ..................6 Days 271 Language ...................................... 386 Loughs of Index ............................................. 389 p the West ............ 4–5 Days 279 North Mayo q & Sligo ............... 4–5 Days 287 Sligo r Surrounds ...............5 Days 295 County s Clare .................. 8–9 Days 303 BELFAST & THE NORTH OF IRELAND .......313 The North in t a Nutshell .............10 Days 317 Delights of u Donegal ..................7 Days 329 Inishowen v Peninsula ................3 Days 337 Northwest on w Adrenaline ..............4 Days 345 From Bangor x to Derry ...................4 Days 353 The Antrim y Coast ......................3 Days 361 Clonmacnoise High Cross at this ancient monstastic site MICHAEL MANTKE/SHUTTERSTOCK © 4 5 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd INDEX Athassel Priory 237 Ards Forest Park 333-4 A Battle of the Boyne Site area codes 384 abbeys, see also churches & 17, 81, 98 Arranmore Island 325-6, 327 cathedrals Browne’s Hill Dolmen 130 Arthurstown 146-7 Augustinian abbey 282 Brú na Bóinne 97-8, 104-5, Ashford Castle 282 Black Abbey 167 162 Askeaton 228 Duiske Abbey 140 Carrowkeel Megalithic Assarancagh Waterfall 326 Cemetery 296-7 Dunbrody Abbey 146-7 Athassel Priory 237 Céide Fields 248-9, 346-8 Hore Abbey 238 Athenry 68 Cooley Cross 339 Jerpoint Abbey 108, 138 Athlone 68-9, 72-3, 117 Corlea Trackway 116 Kylemore Abbey 275-6 ATMs 382 Dun Aengus 54, 90-1, 266 Mellifont Abbey 98-100 Aughris Head 291-2, 293 Ennis Friary 305 Mt Melleray Cistercian automobile associations 375 Gallarus Oratory 192 Abbey 154 Avondale House 124 Muckross Abbey 184 Hill of Tara 97, 105 Sligo Abbey 348 Jerpoint Abbey 108, 138 B Tintern Abbey 145-6 Kells Priory 137 B&Bs 379 accessible travel 385 Kilree Round Tower & Bagenalstown 132 accommodation 23, 378, High Cross 137-8 Ballaghbeama Gap 182 379-80 Loughcrew Cairns 105 Ballina 226, 290 Achill Island 289, 293 Monasterboice 100 Ballinrobe 282-3 activities 21, see also Reginald’s Tower 147 individual activities Riasc Monastic Settlement Ballycarbery Castle 179 Adare 229, 231, 253-4, 256 192 Ballycastle 319-20, 327 Adare Castle 229 Rock of Cashel 17, 69, Ballycroy National Park 289-90 Ahakista 222 107-8, 238 Ballycurrin Lighthouse 282 air travel 378, 379 Spanish Arch 310 Ballyduff 156 Allihies 222 St Mura Cross. 323 Ballyferriter 192 Altamont Gardens 130 Antrim Coast 361 Ballymaloe House 214 Amazing Grace 341 Aran Islands 308 Ballymena 362-3 ancient sites & ruins 19, 20, archaeological sites, see 103-8, see also abbeys, ancient sites & ruins Ballysaggartmore castles & forts, churches Ardara 332 Towers 156 & cathedrals Ardmore 56, 148, 149, 154 Ballyvaughan 305, 309 389 Baltimore 212, 220 Belvedere House & car travel, see driving Bangor 354 Gardens 115-16 caravan parks 379-80 Bansha 235-6 Belvelly 214 Carlingford 164, 165 Bantry 203-4, 207, 221, 223 Benbulben 298 Carlow Brewing Company Barleycove Beach 220 Bennettsbridge 137 132 Battle of the Boyne Site 98 Birr 69, 73, 106, 109, Carlow County Museum 128 beaches 114-15, 117 Carlow Town 128, 133 Achill Island 289 Birr Castle demesne 114 Carndonagh 343 Blackwater Valley 151-7 Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge INDEX Arranmore Island 325-6 Aughris Head 291-2 Blarney Castle 205 50, 320, 356-7, 366 Blennerville 194 Carrigart 324 B-C Ballyquin 148 Barleycove Beach 220 Blessington 82-3, 85 Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery 296-7 Caherdaniel 182, 200 boat travel 378 Cashel 107-8, 109, 238, 239, Carrigart 324 border crossings 321, 376 277, see also Rock Dog’s Bay 274 Borris 131-2, 133 of Cashel Downings 334 Boycott, Captain Charles Cunningham 282 Cashel Folk Village 238 Dunfanaghy 51, 333 Boyne Valley 95 Castlebar 68, 72 Dunlewey 64 Brandon Point 193 Castlebellingham 100 Easkey 291 breweries 72, 132 Castlegregory 193, 195 Enniscrone 291, 348 Brow Head 221 castles & forts Glassilaun Beach 274 Browne’s Hill Dolmen 130 Adare Castle 229 Glencolumbcille 65 Brú Ború 238 Ashford Castle 282 Gurteen Bay 274 Brú na Bóinne 17, 81, 97-8, Ballycarbery Castle 179 Inch 189 101, 104-5, 162 Birr Castle demesne 114 Inishbofin 284 Buncrana 334, 342, 343 Black Castle 132 Kilcrohane 222 Buncrana Castle 342 Blarney Castle 205 Kilkee 230 Bunratty 230 Buncrana Castle 342 Kilmurvey 91 Burren, The 53, 91 Bunratty Castle 230 Mullaghmore 300 Bushmills 366, 367 Caherconnell Fort 55 Narin 64, 326 business hours 383 Cahergall 179 Portstewart 320 Butcher’s Gate 370 Cahir Castle 235 Rathmullan 324 Butter Slip 166 Charles Fort 218-19 Rossbeigh Strand 178 Classiebawn Castle 300 Rosses Point 298 C Desmond Castle 212, 228, Rossnowlagh 330, 348-9 253-4 Caherconnell Fort 55 Sandycove 84 Doe Castle 325 Caherdaniel 43, 181-2, 200-1 Slea Head 41, 190 Donegal Castle 65, 349 Cahergall 179 Spanish Point 262 Dun Aengus 54, 90-1, 266 Cahersiveen 179, 200 Strandhill 298 Dún an Óir Fort 192 Cahir 235 Streedagh Strand 300 Dunbeg Fort 41 camping 379-80 Youghal 152 Dungarvan Castle 148, 206 Cappoquin 153-4, 157 Beara Peninsula 221-2, 223 Dunguaire Castle 92 Cappoquin House & Belfast 12, 27, 49-50, 58, 319, Dunluce Castle 357-8 356, 359, 368-9 Gardens 153 390 Dunseverick Castle 50 Christ Church Cathedral 168 Clonca Church 341-2 Elizabeth Fort 240 Church of St Mary 138 Clonegal 131, 133 Fort Dunree 342 Clonca Church 341-2 Clonfert Cathedral 90 Glenveagh Castle 64 Clonfert Cathedral 90 Clonmacnoise 89, 106, 109, Grianán of Aileách 63-4 Collegiate Church of St 115 Hillsborough Castle 355-6 Nicholas of Myra 311 Clonmel 234-5, 239 Huntington Castle 131 Franciscan Friary Cobh 205, 207 Kilkenny Castle 69, 166 (Clonmel) 235 Coleman Irish Music Franciscan Friary Centre 67 Leacanabuile 179 INDEX (Killarney) 99 Limerick City 228 Collegiate Church of St Franciscan Friary Nicholas of Myra 311 Lismore Castle 155 C (Rossnowlagh) 330 Collins, Michael 219-20 Lynch’s Castle 311 Layde Old Church 363 Coney Island 298 Mullin’s Castle 138 Mellifont Abbey 98-100 Cong 282, 285 O’Brien’s Castle 306 St Anne’s Church 241 Connemara 12 Parke’s Castle 292 St Canice’s Cathedral 167 Connemara National Park Portumna Castle & St Carthage’s Cathedral 284, 285 Gardens 226 155 Connor Pass 193 Rock of Cashel 17, 69, St Colman’s Cathedral 205 107-8, 238 Cooley Cross 339 St Columb’s Cathedral 358 Ross Castle 184 Cork Butter Museum 241 St Declan’s Church 148 Trim Castle 96-7 Cork City 13, 28-9, 56, 59, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral 204, 207, 213-14,