Traveling in Ireland Podcast Archives - Ireland Family Vacations

Booking flights to Ireland is the moment your vacation starts to feel real. But when you’re comparing itineraries, the choices aren’t always straightforward.

One flight connects through Chicago, Boston, or another US airport before flying overnight to Ireland. Another flies overnight to London, Amsterdam, or Paris, where you’ll catch a second flight to Dublin.

If those two options are reasonably comparable, I’m choosing the US connection every time.

And there’s a simple reason why.

This article is also available as the Traveling in Ireland podcast, episode 359. Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links.

After an overnight transatlantic flight, most travelers are tired. Even if you’ve managed to sleep (a skill I have yet to master), you’re adjusting to a time change and probably not operating at your best.

That’s when I want my travel day to get easier, not more complicated.

With a North American connection, you land in Ireland, clear the necessary arrival procedures, and begin your vacation.

With a European connection, you’re navigating another airport, possibly going through additional security or passport procedures, and waiting for another flight.

There’s also that little burst of energy you get when you land after crossing the Atlantic. You’re excited. You’ve arrived in Europe!

If you’re in Ireland, you can use that energy to get outside, enjoy some daylight, and begin adjusting to Irish time.

If you’re in London or Paris, you’re spending it finding your next gate.

By the time you finally reach Ireland, you have ‘lost’ several hours of your first day. And if you can check directly into your accommodations both the shower and bed look awfully inviting.

I’ve connected through Heathrow multiple times, including a flight this past spring, and it is one of the more laborious layover spots you can choose.

Heathrow is massive. Depending on your flights, a connection can involve long walks, additional security, terminal changes, buses, and passport or border procedures.

It’s easy to look at an itinerary with a two-hour Heathrow connection and think that’s plenty of time.

But those aren’t necessarily two hours of sitting around drinking coffee and popping into the shops. There’s quite a bit that needs to happen between flights.

I’ve also connected through Amsterdam and Paris. While every airport is different, my feeling is the same: once I’ve flown across the Atlantic, I don’t want another airport standing between me and Ireland.

Another reason I prefer connecting in the US is that I think flight disruptions are easier to manage before crossing the Atlantic.

Problems are always more difficult when you are tired and may have language differences.

Years ago, I was traveling to Ireland with my daughters, who were quite young at the time. Our outgoing flight was canceled, and the airline rebooked us through Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

I approached the airline desk to make sure the three of us would have seats together.

The employee looked at me, looked at the girls, and said he wasn’t going to send us through Paris.

Instead, he arranged for us to fly directly to Ireland on Aer Lingus, a completely different airline.

Not every flight disruption ends that well, of course. But I’ve never forgotten his kindness, and the experience reinforced my preference for handling connections before leaving the US.

I’m not saying you should never book a flight with a European layover. I’ve done it, and sometimes it’s the right choice.

If the savings are significant, you’re using airline miles, or your departure airport offers limited options, a European connection may be worth the extra effort.

And if you’re planning to spend a few days in London, Paris, or Amsterdam before continuing to Ireland, that’s an entirely different situation.

But when two itineraries are reasonably comparable, I’ll choose the one that gets me directly to Ireland after the overnight flight.

When comparing flights to Ireland, look beyond the ticket price.

Consider where you’re connecting, how much time you’ll have between flights, what airport procedures may be involved, and what time you’ll actually arrive in Ireland.

A slightly cheaper ticket isn’t always the better value if it means more travel fatigue and less time enjoying your first day.

If you’re still working through your Ireland vacation plans, my free TRIP Ireland Vacation Planning Resource helps you organize the important decisions around Transportation, Rest, Ideas, and Priorities.

You’ll also find more advice in my Ireland Travel Tips resources.

Because the goal isn’t simply to find the cheapest way to Ireland. It’s to arrive ready to enjoy the vacation you’ve been planning.

The post Booking Flights to Ireland? Why I Recommend Avoiding European Layovers appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

Dublin is one of the most popular bases for an Ireland vacation. But if you’re staying in Dublin, how far should you travel for a day trip without spending most of your day getting there and back?

I like to use a 90-minute radius. Three hours of round-trip travel still leaves plenty of time for exploring. And if you create a loop with a few stops along the way, you can easily build a five-, six-, or seven-hour day without feeling like most of your Ireland vacation was spent in the car.

And a 90-minute radius from Dublin covers far more than you might expect.

When planning day trips, I’m not looking at how far you can possibly travel from Dublin and still return that night.

The better question is: How far can you travel, have a worthwhile experience, and return without feeling like you spent most of your day driving?

For me, 90 minutes is a useful guideline. From Dublin, that 90-minute range stretches north toward Belfast, west toward Athlone, southwest toward Kilkenny, and into the Boyne Valley and Wicklow. And there are plenty of worthwhile places even closer to the city.

Travel north from Dublin and you quickly reach the Boyne Valley, an area filled with some of Ireland’s most significant historic sites.

Among the places you can visit are the Hill of Tara, Trim Castle, Brú na Bóinne and Newgrange, the Battle of the Boyne site, and Monasterboice.

Trim Castle is roughly 45 minutes to an hour from Dublin, and you can easily spend a full day exploring multiple sites throughout the Boyne Valley.

Rather than choosing one attraction and returning directly to Dublin, this is a good area to create looped day trip with multiple stops.

Athlone is approximately 90 minutes west of Dublin, whether you drive or take the train.

Many visitors know Athlone because of Sean’s Bar, but there’s much more to explore in this part of Ireland.

Just south of Athlone is Clonmacnoise, one of my favorite monastic sites, with its round towers and high crosses. Depending on how you plan your day, you might also travel toward Tullamore or Kilbeggan for a whiskey experience.

And at the outer edge of that 90-minute range is Birr. Birr Castle Demesne is a place I think is skipped far too often when travelers are planning their Ireland itineraries.

Kilkenny is another easy 90-minute trip from Dublin, either by car or train.

The medieval city offers enough to keep you busy for a day, with legends of witches, a round tower you can climb, hurling experiences, and walking tours around the city.

If you’re driving, your return journey also creates opportunities for additional stops.

Add in the Rock of Dunamase in the morning and a spin through Abbeyleix, one of my favorite small towns in Ireland, for a wee visit to Morrissey’s Pub to create a full day’s adventure.

You don’t have to travel as far as Kilkenny to find an easy day away from Dublin.

Kildare and the Irish National Stud also fall comfortably within the 90-minute range and can work well for travelers who want to explore beyond Dublin without committing to a long day on the road.

Articles like this highlight a few great options — but they’re just a small part of what Ireland offers.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you understand how to combine them into a trip that feels balanced and easy to navigate.

Travel south from Dublin and you have the Wicklow Mountains National Park within easy reach.

Glendalough is approximately 45 minutes from Dublin, while Powerscourt Estate, with its gardens and waterfall, is even closer.

This is a particularly wonderful escape if you want a day that feels very different from your time in Dublin without traveling a great distance.

Some of your easiest Dublin day trips require very little travel at all.

Howth offers its well-known cliff walk, while Malahide combines a charming village with a castle and plenty of history.

To the southeast, you can explore the coast around Bray.

These closer destinations are a reminder that a good day trip doesn’t have to involve traveling to the edge of your 90-minute radius.

Sometimes staying closer gives you more time to explore.

Belfast is approximately a 90-minute drive from Dublin and can be a reasonable day trip from the city.

But Belfast and the Causeway Coast shouldn’t be treated as the same trip, in my opinion.

Once you continue beyond Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast, you add hours to your day. What began as a manageable trip north can quickly become a 12- or 13-hour excursion.

That’s an important distinction when you’re deciding what makes sense from Dublin.

I’m often asked about day tours from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher.

Yes, they can be done.

That doesn’t mean I recommend them for most travelers.

A trip from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher involves roughly seven hours of round-trip driving. Tours may also add stops in the Burren or Galway, which means you’re trying to fit quite a lot into your time on the west coast before making the long journey back to Dublin.

The result can be a 12- or 13-hour day, with much of it spent traveling.

If your entire Ireland vacation is based in Dublin and the Cliffs of Moher are something you absolutely want to see, that may be a tradeoff you’re willing to make.

But if you’ll be traveling elsewhere in Ireland, I recommend visiting the Cliffs of Moher while you’re in the west instead.

The same principle applies to the Giant’s Causeway, as mentioned above.

When I recommend a 90-minute radius, I’m not trying to determine how far you can possibly travel from Dublin and still return that night.

The better question is: How far can you travel, have a worthwhile experience, and return without feeling like you spent most of your day driving?

That distinction matters.

If you’re spending three or more hours traveling each way, you may reach the destination on your list – but you have considerably less time to experience the places between Dublin and that destination.

Keeping your day trips closer allows you to slow down, make additional stops, and spend more of your vacation experiencing Ireland instead of watching it pass by through a window.

Using Dublin as your base doesn’t necessarily mean staying in the middle of the city.

Places such as Malahide, Howth, Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, and Maynooth can give you access to Dublin without requiring you to stay in the city centre.

You could even consider staying farther toward Kildare if that location works better with the rest of your itinerary.

This can be useful when you want to combine time in Dublin with day trips into the surrounding countryside.

Everything I’ve highlighted here can be explored with my Ireland Travel Compass.

The interactive planning map includes hundreds of places to see, things to do, and experiences around Ireland. You can use it to look at the places you’re considering as bases and see what else is nearby.

That makes it easier to build days around realistic travel distances instead of discovering after you arrive that the places on your itinerary are farther apart than you expected.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you turn ideas like these into a trip that fits your time and travel style.

The goal isn’t to see how far you can get from Dublin in a day. It’s to choose trips that leave you enough time to enjoy the Ireland you traveled all this way to experience.

This is part of my Best Places to Stay in Ireland for Day Trips. See the full series here.

Traveling in Ireland podcast episode 358

The post How Much of Ireland Can You Explore from Dublin? appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

Kinsale may sit at the beginning or the end of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, depending on how you travel it, but this colorful County Cork town deserves more than a quick stop.
Fáilte Ireland certified guide Clodagh FitzGerald shares a local’s perspective on Kinsale, from the history of Charles Fort and James Fort to harbour adventures, coastal walks, great food, and some of the best places to explore nearby.

Highlights include:
Why Kinsale deserves more time than a quick day trip
Charles Fort, James Fort, and the Old Head Signal Tower
Walking tours, harbour cruises, kayaking, and other ways to explore
Where to eat and stay in Kinsale
Day trips to Cork City, Cobh, West Cork, and beyond

Clodagh also shares an important Ireland itinerary tip: don’t over-plan. Quality beats quantity when you’re trying to enjoy Ireland rather than simply check places off a list.

The post Exploring Kinsale, Ireland: Food, Forts & Coastal Adventures appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

One question I’m asked more and more often is whether you can stay in one central location and take day trips around Ireland.

It sounds very logical. Unpack once, stay someplace central, drive out each day, then return to your home away from home.

The problem is that Ireland doesn’t really have one location that makes the entire island easy to explore.

So what happens if we actually try it?

The geographic center of Ireland is near Castletown Geoghegan in County Westmeath. There isn’t a lot in this tiny village for a visitor, so for this exercise I’m using nearby Athlone as a practical central base.

And at first glance, Athlone looks pretty terrific.

From Athlone, Dublin and Galway are each about 90 minutes away. Kilkenny and Fermanagh are roughly two hours, Westport is around two and a half hours, and the Cliffs of Moher are about two hours and 45 minutes.

If those are the places you want to visit, Athlone could be a terrific base.

But there’s another number you need to consider.

A destination that is two and a half hours away doesn’t mean you’ll spend two and a half hours driving that day. It means roughly five hours in the car just getting there and back.

Then add the driving you’ll do while exploring, time at attractions, meals and stops along the way. That day trip could easily become an 8½ to 10-hour day.

Do that for several days in a row and those “easy” day trips begin to look very different.

Stretch the radius a little farther and the limitations of one central base become even more obvious.

From Athlone, getting to Clifden in Connemara is about three hours. Once you add Kylemore Abbey, the Sky Road or other stops in Connemara, you could easily have a 10 to 12-hour day.

Visiting the Aran Islands creates similar challenges when you add the drive, ferry crossings, time on the island and return trip.

The Giant’s Causeway is about four hours from Athlone, one way.

And Dingle? About four and a half hours each way. That’s nine hours of driving before you add any time actually exploring Dingle.

This is where the idea that “Ireland is a small country” butts heads with reality.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you turn ideas like these into a trip that fits your time and travel style.

Yes, for the right trip.

Staying in the heart of the country gives you access to quite a bit of Ireland. If the places you want to visit fall within a comfortable radius, Athlone could work really well.

But being in the geographic center of Ireland doesn’t make the entire country convenient.

So don’t begin your itinerary by asking, Where should I stay?

Start with:
What do I want to see and experience?

Then ask:
How much time am I willing to spend driving each day?

If you’re happy with longer driving days, your day-trip radius can be larger. If you don’t want to spend five or more hours driving each day, you’ll want a tighter radius or more than one base.

Athlone shows why there isn’t one perfect central base for exploring all of Ireland. But there are excellent bases for exploring different parts of the country.

This is the first in a series using my Ireland Travel Compass to look at those bases, including what you can comfortably reach, what makes sense as a day trip, what you can reach but maybe shouldn’t, and experiences nearby you may not have considered.

Because choosing the right base isn’t about finding the center of Ireland. It’s about finding the center of your Ireland trip.

Find the complete series here.

Traveling in Ireland podcast episode 356

The post Can You See All of Ireland from One Central Base? appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

One of the easiest ways to save money during your Ireland vacation is to use public transportation whenever possible.

I outlined the multiple ways to get around Ireland here, and in this article I’m focusing on the Leap Card, a reusable travel card that can be used on many public transportation services in Dublin and other cities and towns across Ireland.

While a Leap Card can make public transportation easier and less expensive, choosing the right card for your vacation depends on where you are traveling and how often you will use it. Both the standard TFI Leap Card and the Leap Visitor Card are useful for tourists, they work differently and neither is a nationwide transportation pass.

Tip: when you’re relying on public transportation it’s important to have wireless connectivity. Learn how to use your mobile phone in Ireland and consider renting a mobile wifi unit from WifiCandy.ie. Use code IFVTRAVEL to save 10%. Irelandfamilyvacations.com/wifi

When it comes to traveling through Ireland using buses, light rail, and trains, the Leap Card can be a wise purchase – as long as you understand where and how it can be used (and where it can’t).

This article is also available as the Traveling in Ireland podcast, episode 356. Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links.

Despite the name, the Leap Visitor Card isn’t necessarily the best choice just because you’re visiting Ireland.

The Standard Leap Card is a prepaid travel card that offers discounted fares and, in Dublin, daily and weekly fare caps. It can be used on participating transportation services in Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland, making it the more flexible option if your trip takes you beyond Dublin.

The Leap Visitor Card offers unlimited eligible public transportation in Dublin for 1, 3, or 7 consecutive days. Cards cost €8 for 1 day, €18 for 3 days, or €24 for 7 days.

The Visitor Card is only for Dublin transportation and is not valid on Bus Éireann services. It is also non-refundable.

Before buying either card, consider how much you’ll actually use public transportation. Dublin city centre is compact and very walkable. I rarely use public transportation when I’m exploring central Dublin because most of the places I want to visit are easily reached on foot.

For some visitors, purchasing individual fares may cost less than buying either type of Leap Card. Even a day trip outside the city centre doesn’t necessarily make the Visitor Card the better value. A round trip on the DART from Connolly Station to Howth, for example, costs €5.20 when purchasing individual fares or €4 using a Standard Leap Card, compared to €8 for a one-day Visitor Card.

The Visitor Card makes more sense if you plan to use public transportation several times during the day and prefer the convenience of unlimited travel. Otherwise, the discounted fares and fare caps of a Standard Leap Card may cost less.

If you’ll be using public transportation beyond Dublin, the Standard Leap Card also offers far more flexibility.

The Leap Card is most useful in Dublin, where it can be used on Dublin Bus, Luas, DART and participating commuter rail services, as well as some other bus services.

The Leap Visitor Card is specifically for travel in Dublin. This card offers unlimited travel on participating Dublin public transportation for a set period of time. I’ll explain how the Visitor Leap Card differs from a Standard Leap Card, and whether it may save you money, below.

Outside Dublin, Leap Cards can be used on participating public transportation services in a growing number of cities and towns, including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Sligo, Athlone, Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow, Clonmel, Drogheda, and Navan.

The Standard Leap Card can also be used to pay for Bus Éireann Expressway services, though you won’t receive a discounted Leap fare on these journeys. Leap Cards are also accepted on participating TFI Local Link and commercial bus services, but acceptance varies by route and operator.

It is important to remember that a Leap Card is not a nationwide transportation pass. If your Ireland itinerary includes intercity or regional travel, check whether Leap is accepted on each service before assuming you can use your card.

While the Leap Card is acepted on a growing number of transportation services, it can’t be used everywhere.

Leap Card acceptance can vary by route and operator, especially outside Dublin. As you plan your itinerary check the Leap Card website for current information about where the card can be used.

Both the Standard Leap Card and the Leap Visitor Cards are physical cards, not e-tickets or digital passes that can be uploaded to your phone.

Buying a Standard Leap Card

Standard Leap Cards can be purchased at participating Leap Card agents throughout Ireland, including many convenience stores and newsagents, as well as selected ticket machines. You can then add travel credit, or ‘top up,’ the card as needed.

Standard Leap Cards can also be ordered online, but international visitors should allow plenty of time for delivery (a minimum of 2 weeks) before their trip.

Buying a Leap Visitor Card

Leap Visitor Cards can be purchased at Dublin Airport and selected locations in Dublin, or ordered online before your trip.

Visitor Cards are available for 1, 3, or 7 consecutive days of unlimited eligible travel. The travel period begins the first time you use the card, not when you purchase it.

If you decide you need additional days, a Visitor Card can be topped up with another 1-, 3-, or 7-day period up to five times.

The post Leap Card in Ireland: What Visitors Need to Know appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

What’s the best way to get around Ireland? It depends on your itinerary, budget, travel style, and how much flexibility you want.

In this video, I break down the pros and cons of traveling around Ireland by train, bus, rental car, private driver guide, and even boat. We’ll look at where each option works well, where it can make your trip more difficult, and why you don’t have to choose just one.

Mixing and matching transportation can often make the most sense. You might explore Dublin without a car, take a train to another city, rent a car for the countryside, or hire a private driver guide for a day.

Before deciding how you’ll travel around Ireland, figure out what you want your trip to look like… then choose the transportation that fits it.

Topics covered:
Train travel in Ireland
Bus travel in Ireland
Renting a car in Ireland
Private driver guides in Ireland
Ireland public transportation
Getting around Ireland without a car
Mixing transportation options in Ireland

The post Getting Around Ireland: Choosing the Best Transportation for Your Trip appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

The Global Irish Famine Way uses a simple but powerful symbol – a pair of bronze children’s shoes – to connect Ireland with communities shaped by Famine-era emigration. For travelers interested in Irish history, ancestry, and the diaspora, it offers a new way to understand where those journeys began, where they led, and the communities that remember them today.

A tiny pair of children’s shoes found tucked into the rafters of a 19th-century cottage in County Roscommon probably wasn’t meant to tell a story that stretched around the world.

But that is exactly what has happened.

Cast in bronze, those shoes first became markers along the National Famine Way, the route taken by 1,490 people who left Strokestown in 1847 and walked to Dublin before continuing toward Liverpool and Quebec.

Now those same shoes are appearing thousands of miles from Ireland, connecting the places emigrants left behind with the communities where they arrived.

This article is based on podcast episode 354 featuring Caroilín Callery, Founder of the National Famine Way, along with Edel McWeeney Moran, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Manager with the National Famine Way.
Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links.

The story begins at Strokestown Park in County Roscommon, home to the National Famine Museum and an extraordinary archive documenting the Great Famine at a very personal level.

Strokestown Park is managed and cared for by the Irish Heritage Trust, preserving not only the estate but the records that allow individual Famine stories to be told.

Among those records are the names of 1,490 people who left the Strokestown estate through an assisted emigration scheme in 1847.

Their journey across Ireland is now commemorated by the National Famine Way, a roughly 165-kilometer route from Strokestown to Dublin via Clondra and the Royal Canal.

But Dublin wasn’t their destination.

It was only the beginning.

More than 30 pairs of bronze shoes mark the National Famine Way in Ireland.

The original shoes were found tightly wrapped in linen and hidden beneath the rafters of an old cottage on the Strokestown estate, perhaps placed there for protection or good luck.

Their small size makes them an especially poignant symbol.

They aren’t simply a memorial to “emigration.” They remind us that the people leaving Ireland were individuals – including children – walking away from homes and communities without knowing what waited for them.

The Global Irish Famine Way takes that symbol to the places where Irish emigrants continued their journeys.

The idea began taking shape internationally in 2023, when Ireland’s then-ambassador to Canada, Eamonn McKee, contacted National Famine Way founder Caroilín Callery.

One pair of bronze shoes in Canada was the initial idea.

That didn’t last long.

Communities with their own Famine-era connections wanted to participate, and by May 2024, 15 Canadian locations had requested bronze shoes.

The response demonstrated how deeply this history still resonates within the Irish diaspora. When shoes arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland, people queued to touch them – including descendants of Irish emigrants who had never visited Ireland themselves.

That emotional connection is really the heart of the Global Irish Famine Way.

It’s not simply extending an Irish heritage trail overseas. It’s reconnecting two halves of the same story.

The project is now expanding into the United States, where countless communities were shaped by Famine-era Irish immigration.

Staten Island is among the first American locations, with interest also coming from communities around Boston and elsewhere.

But receiving a pair of bronze shoes isn’t simply a matter of asking for one.

Locations must document a genuine connection to Famine-era emigration. Historical evidence is reviewed by experts, and that process is already bringing overlooked stories back into local memory.

It’s also generating new research.

In Canada, research connected with the project has identified first responders who died while caring for sick Irish emigrants and brought renewed attention to Famine-era burial sites. As more communities investigate their own connections, the trail becomes more than a collection of memorials. It becomes a growing historical record.

The next stage may be even more fascinating for travelers with Irish ancestry.

Famine emigrants departed from more than 30 ports around Ireland, including Dublin, Sligo, Moville, Youghal, and Dingle.

The Global Irish Famine Way hopes to connect those departure points with arrival ports around the world – and, when records allow, identify the ships and families that traveled between them.

Canada and the United States are only part of that story. Irish emigrants also built new lives in Australia, Argentina, South Africa, and elsewhere.

Bronze shoes will provide the physical connection between places, while QR codes link locations digitally through the Global Irish Famine Way.

For descendants of Irish emigrants, that creates an intriguing possibility: connecting family stories with the ports and communities that formed part of the wider Famine emigration story.

Travelers don’t need to walk the entire National Famine Way to understand the history behind the global project.

Start at Strokestown Park and the National Famine Museum, where the archive and original children’s shoes provide context for everything that follows.

From there, walk or cycle a portion of the route toward Clondra and the Royal Canal. Even a short section gives a sense of the distance families traveled before they ever reached a ship.

For travelers with more time, sections can be combined with cycling, kayaking, community visits, and stops in the small towns along the route.

The National Famine Way can be experienced at any time, but May 2027 offers a unique opportunity. The 180th anniversary of Black ’47 will bring special commemorations to Strokestown Park and communities along the route, including the annual Remembrance Walk.

The National Famine Way website is the best resource for exploring the route in Ireland, discovering Global Irish Famine Way locations around the world, and finding information about upcoming events.

Website: National Famine Way & Global Irish Famine Way

Follow on Facebook & Instagram for updates.

2027 Dates to Know

May 13-16: International Conference at the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park

May 15: Canadian Wake at Strokestown Park

May 16-23: National Famine Way Remembrance Walk from Strokestown to Dublin

Walkers can also receive a National Famine Way passport pack with a ship ticket bearing the name of one of the families who left Strokestown in 1847. Those following the route carry that family story with them, with the opportunity to discover their fate at the end of the journey in Dublin.

Travelers don’t have to commit to the full Remembrance Walk. Joining for a day or even a section of the route offers a meaningful way to be part of the 180th anniversary commemorations while still leaving plenty of time for the rest of an Ireland vacation.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you turn ideas like these into a trip that fits your time and travel style.

The Great Famine scattered Irish families across the world. For generations, the story has often been told in two pieces: the people who left Ireland and the communities they created elsewhere.

The Global Irish Famine Way is bringing those pieces back together.

And it all begins with a small pair of shoes.

The National Famine Way is a 165 km heritage trail in Ireland following the route taken by 1,490 people who left Strokestown in 1847. It begins at Strokestown Park in County Roscommon and continues to Dublin.

The Global Irish Famine Way carries that story beyond Ireland, connecting places associated with Famine-era emigration through bronze shoe memorials and local history.

The National Famine Way begins at Strokestown Park in County Roscommon and ends in Dublin. The route travels from Strokestown to Clondra in County Longford before following the Royal Canal toward Dublin.

No. Travelers can experience individual sections of the National Famine Way without completing the full route. Walking and cycling are both options, and kayaking and other activities can also be incorporated into portions of the journey.

This makes it quite easy to include part of the National Famine Way in a typical Ireland itinerary.

The original children’s shoes that inspired the symbol can be seen at Strokestown Park. More than 30 pairs of bronze shoes mark the National Famine Way between Strokestown and Dublin.

Bronze shoes are also being installed at approved Global Irish Famine Way locations outside Ireland, connecting communities with documented ties to Famine-era Irish emigration.

Yes. The 2027 National Famine Way Remembrance Walk takes place May 16-23, traveling from Strokestown to Dublin as part of the commemorations marking the 180th anniversary of Black ’47.

Travelers don’t have to complete the entire eight-day route. You can join the walk for individual days or sections, making it possible to participate while still enjoying the rest of your Ireland vacation.

The post The Global Irish Famine Way: Connecting Ireland’s Emigration Story Across the World appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

Dark tourism in Ireland covers more ground than most travelers expect, from famine memorials and workhouses to ghost tours, ancient beliefs, and haunted castles. For travelers interested in Irish history, genealogy, folklore, or the stories that don’t fit neatly into the usual castles-and-cliffs itinerary, these places can add another layer of understanding to a trip.

Ireland’s history isn’t only castles and beautiful landscapes. It is also hardship, conflict, famine, emigration, ancient beliefs, and centuries of traditions surrounding death.

Many travelers already visit places connected to this history without ever thinking of what they’re doing as “dark tourism.”

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Luisa Golz has looked at the subject from both an academic and tourism perspective. Her PhD research focused on festivals with dark themes, and her work planning private Ireland itineraries gives her a very practical view of why travelers seek these places out – and how they can experience them respectfully.

This article is based on podcast episode 353 featuring Luisa Golz, Director of Sales at Desmond Tours.
Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links.

The phrase dark tourism is relatively new, coined by academics in the mid-1990s, but the idea certainly isn’t.

At its simplest, dark tourism means visiting places connected with death, tragedy, disaster, suffering, or the macabre. Some researchers have traced the impulse as far back as ancient Rome, when people traveled to the Colosseum to watch gladiatorial combat.

But not every dark tourism experience is equally dark.

At one end of the spectrum are places directly connected with suffering and death: famine sites, workhouses, battlefields, memorials, and locations where people died.

At the lighter end are ghost tours, gothic attractions, haunted castles, folklore experiences, and Halloween festivals.

That distinction matters when planning a trip. A ghost walk through medieval Kilkenny is entertainment wrapped in history. A famine memorial may ask something quite different of a visitor.

One reason is something academics call locational authenticity – the experience of standing in the actual place where history happened.

Dunmore Cave, about 20 minutes from Kilkenny City, is a good example. Visitors descend into a dramatic limestone cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites, but the site also has a grim history. The Annals of the Four Masters record a Viking attack there in the 10th century in which a large number of people sheltering inside were killed.

Knowing that history changes the experience of walking into the cave.

Another motivation is simply curiosity. Ireland has centuries of invasion, rebellion, famine, emigration, and political upheaval to explore, and sometimes understanding those difficult chapters gives much-needed context to the places travelers are already visiting.

Then there is the physical experience of being somewhere.

At the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, County Wexford, visitors don’t simply read about emigration during the Great Famine. They can go below deck and see the cramped space passengers endured on the Atlantic crossing.

The low ceilings and close quarters make the history much harder to keep at arm’s length.

There isn’t one neat “dark tourism trail” through Ireland. These stories appear all over the country, and that’s actually what makes them so easy to weave into an existing itinerary.

Articles like this highlight a few great options — but they’re just a small part of what Ireland offers.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you understand how to combine them into a trip that feels balanced and easy to navigate.

Halloween is probably the easiest entry point into the lighter side of dark tourism.

Its origins are closely connected with Samhain, the ancient festival marking the transition into winter. Traditions surrounding this time of year included the belief that the boundary between this world and the Otherworld became easier to cross.

Today, Ireland has embraced that connection with multiple festivals and celebrations including Púca Festival, Derry Halloween, and Dublin’s Bram Stoker Festival.

These events can make darker themes such as fear, death, spirits, and old folklore, more approachable. There’s plenty of entertainment involved, but there’s also an opportunity to understand why Ireland has such a strong connection to Halloween in the first place.

They offer another practical advantage for travelers: timing.

Ireland’s busiest touring season is winding down by mid-October. Halloween events at the end of the month give autumn travelers another reason to visit when days are shorter, crowds are often lighter, and the atmosphere is quite different from midsummer.

The idea of a “thin place” is harder to define, but easy enough to understand when standing in the right place on the right day.

These are locations where the distance between the physical and spiritual worlds is said to feel especially slight.

Grange Stone Circle at Lough Gur in County Limerick and the Rock of Dunamase in County Laois are two places where the idea feels particularly fitting.

Neither needs a ghost story attached to make an impression. Add an early-November mist, fading afternoon light, and the knowledge that people have gathered in Ireland’s ancient landscapes for thousands of years, and the atmosphere does most of the work.

The Great Famine is one of the darkest periods in Irish history, and its effects can be traced across the island.

For genealogy travelers, these places can be especially powerful. Many Americans arrive in Ireland knowing an ancestor emigrated sometime in the mid-1800s. Understanding what was happening in Ireland at the time can turn a name and date on a family tree into something much more human.

The National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park in County Roscommon is a good place to begin for historical context.

The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship in Dublin brings the emigrant journey to life, while the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna shows another side of poverty and survival.

At Doagh Famine Village in County Donegal, it was a simple display that stayed with Luisa: a wooden table showing the meager foods a family might have relied upon – potatoes, seaweed, and mussels.

Sometimes a small detail tells the story better than a wall full of dates.

The Doolough Valley and a Walk Made in Desperation

One of the most memorable famine sites is also one travelers can easily miss.

The Doolough Famine Memorial stands in a striking valley near Louisburgh in County Mayo.

In March 1849, starving people walked roughly 20 kilometers from Louisburgh toward Delphi seeking assistance. After failing to receive the relief they desperately needed, they had to make the journey back. Some died along the way.

The memorial itself is small against the mountains, road, and water surrounding it.

That landscape is part of what makes the story so affecting. On a quiet autumn day, with low light across the valley, it isn’t difficult to imagine how punishing that journey must have been for people already weakened by hunger.

It is beautiful country, but this is one of those places where the beauty and the history need to be held together.

The simplest advice is also the most useful: know where you are.

Before arriving, learn enough about a site to understand its significance. A few minutes of reading can completely change how you experience a place.

Local guides can be invaluable, too. They provide more than names and dates; a good guide can explain traditions, point out details a visitor would otherwise miss, and help travelers understand when normal vacation behavior might be inappropriate.

And slow down.

Not every stop needs to be photographed from six angles before moving on to the next item on the itinerary.

Glendalough offers a very practical example. Some graves are marked with flat stone slabs that can be easy to mistake for ordinary paving. Visitors sometimes walk directly across them without realizing someone is buried beneath their feet.

There is usually no disrespect intended. They simply don’t know what they’re looking at.

Awareness changes that.

Luisa Golz is Director of Sales at Desmond Tours, a private tour company specializing in customized travel around Ireland.

Desmond Tours creates private itineraries for couples, families, and groups, matching travelers with a driver-guide who remains with them throughout their journey. The company can also arrange accommodations and activities as part of the itinerary.

For travelers particularly interested in Ireland’s darker history and folklore, Luisa’s academic research gives her an unusual depth of knowledge when helping decide which experiences make sense – and, just as importantly, how to balance them with the rest of a vacation.

Desmond Tours offers free itinerary consultations for travelers considering a private tour. The company can be contacted through its website or at [email protected].

Looking for inspiration? Check out their socials on Facebook & Instagram.

Marsh’s Library, Dublin

Beside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Marsh’s Library has original wire reading cages once used to prevent book theft, damage dating to the 1916 Easter Rising, and a connection to Dracula author Bram Stoker, who studied here while attending Trinity College.

Kilkenny Ghost Tours

Kilkenny’s medieval streets make a fitting backdrop for stories of witchcraft, ghosts, and local folklore. An evening walking tour is an entertaining way to explore the lighter side of dark tourism while learning more about the city’s history.

Kinnitty Castle, County Offaly

For a dark tourism experience you can actually sleep in, Kinnitty Castle delivers plenty of gothic atmosphere. The historic castle hotel has a haunted reputation, plus a fairy garden and stone circle on the grounds.
One practical note: there’s no elevator, so don’t arrive with big luggage you aren’t prepared to carry upstairs.

Luisa also recommends The Darkness Echoing: Exploring Ireland’s Places of Famine, Death and Rebellion by Gillian O’Brien for travelers who want to explore the subject further.

What is dark tourism?

Dark tourism is travel to places associated with death, tragedy, disaster, suffering, or macabre history. The definition can also include lighter experiences such as ghost tours, haunted locations, gothic attractions, and Halloween events.

Is dark tourism in Ireland only about the Great Famine?

No. Famine history is an important part of it, but dark tourism in Ireland can also include Viking history, rebellion and conflict, workhouses, folklore, ghost stories, haunted castles, ancient beliefs surrounding death, and Halloween traditions.

How does Halloween relate to dark tourism in Ireland?

Halloween has strong connections to the ancient festival of Samhain and traditions surrounding the transition into winter and the Otherworld. Modern Irish festivals combine that heritage with storytelling, folklore, performance, and plenty of entertainment.

Is dark tourism appropriate for families?

It depends entirely on the site and the children. A ghost tour or Halloween festival may work well for some families, while locations dealing directly with famine, death, or human suffering may require more preparation or may not be appropriate for younger children.

Should you plan an entire Ireland trip around dark tourism?

Probably not, unless it is a particular passion. For most travelers, adding a few carefully chosen experiences to a broader itinerary creates a better balance.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you turn ideas like these into a trip that fits your time and travel style.

Dark tourism isn’t really as niche as the name makes it sound. Travelers encounter it throughout Ireland, sometimes without realizing it — aboard a famine ship in Wexford, walking through an old graveyard, hearing ghost stories in Kilkenny, or standing beside a memorial in a lonely Mayo valley.

The key isn’t to collect as many dark sites as possible. Choose the stories that add something to the places you’re already visiting, understand what happened before you arrive, and give yourself enough time to really take it in.

Ireland’s difficult stories are part of its story, too.

The post Ireland’s Darker Side: Famine Sites, Ghost Tours, and Haunted Castles Worth Visiting appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

Credit card coverage can be a good option for a car rental in Ireland, but simply having rental car protection on your card doesn’t mean you’re covered. Some cards exclude Ireland entirely, while others have limits on the vehicles they cover, the length of the rental, or the amount they’ll pay.

Before you decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver, you need to understand exactly what your credit card covers, what the rental company requires, and what happens if the car is damaged.

I recommend watching the video below for the complete visual walk-through of this content.

The challenge with credit card coverage isn’t simply finding a card that offers it. Most people don’t realize they are working with two separate sets of rules: the terms of your credit card benefit and the requirements of the Ireland car rental company. Both have to work together for credit card coverage to be a practical option for your rental.

Don’t assume that a credit card covers Ireland simply because it advertises worldwide rental car protection.

One of my own premium travel cards is a good example. The Capital One Venture X offers rental car coverage in many countries, but the card benefits specifically exclude both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Other cards have different exclusions.

Start with the cards you already have. Find the rental car benefit in each card’s Guide to Benefits and look specifically for geographic restrictions. Search for terms like “worldwide” and “Ireland,” and read the exclusions.

And I wouldn’t recommend getting an expensive premium travel card solely to save money on insurance for one Ireland car rental. Consider the cost of the card and its other benefits before deciding whether it makes financial sense for you.

Your credit card determines whether you have coverage.

The rental company determines what proof it requires before allowing you to decline its collision damage waiver, or CDW.

Those are two separate things.

You may be able to decline the rental company’s coverage while making your reservation online, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be asked for documentation when you pick up the vehicle.

A letter of coverage from your credit card benefit provider may be required.

I recommend having that letter with you even if you don’t think you’ll need it. Request it from your credit card company no more than 2 weeks before the day you pick up your rental – most make it easy to do on their app or website – and bring a printed copy with you when you pick up the car.

Be sure to check your rental company’s current requirements and your credit card’s current terms before you travel.

Credit card rental protection should not be confused with the comprehensive car insurance you may be accustomed to at home.

The coverage is primarily protecting the rental vehicle.

Depending on your card, covered expenses may include damage or theft of the rental vehicle, eligible loss-of-use charges from the rental company, and towing.

But the list of things that aren’t covered can be considerably longer.

Your card may exclude personal belongings, personal injury, damage to property outside the rental vehicle, certain types of vehicles, violations of the rental agreement, and other losses.

This is why you need to read more than the headline benefit.

Compare what your credit card provides with the excess coverage available from the rental company. The right choice is the one that gives you a level of financial risk you’re comfortable accepting.

There can be confusion around the phrase “declining insurance” when renting a car in Ireland.

You aren’t necessarily declining every type of protection attached to the rental.

Third-party liability covers your legal liability for injury or property damage you cause to other people. This remains in place.

The collision damage waiver, or CDW, relates to your financial responsibility to the rental company when its vehicle is damaged.

When you decline CDW to use eligible credit card coverage, you’re declining the rental company’s protection for damage to its vehicle. You aren’t declining the required third-party liability protection.

Understanding that distinction makes the choices on the rental agreement much easier to follow.

If you decline the rental company’s CDW, expect the company to place a hold on your credit card.

The amount varies by rental company and may also depend on factors such as the vehicle you choose and the length of your rental. Check the terms for your specific reservation.

You need enough available credit for the hold and for any other trip expenses you plan to charge to the same card.

Another fee you may encounter: a cost to use your credit card coverage. I have seen this at Hertz/Dollar/Thrifty locations.

Credit cards don’t all provide the same maximum rental car benefit.

Each ‘level’ of credit cars has different dollar limits and methods for determining how much would be paid after a loss.

That matters because you need to consider the value of the vehicle you’re renting.

Ask yourself a simple question: if this car were totaled, would my credit card benefit be enough to cover the loss?

You should also check whether your particular type of rental vehicle is eligible. Depending on the card, exclusions may include vehicles such as antique cars, cargo vans, motor homes, motorcycles, or mopeds.

Car-sharing services may also be excluded.

Then check the maximum rental period. Coverage might apply for 28 days with one provider and 31 days with another. Don’t assume the terms are consistent from one card or rental company to another.

This is one of the most important parts of relying on credit card coverage.

If your Ireland rental car is damaged, you will be charged by the rental company. That charge goes onto your credit card.

You then file a claim with the credit card’s benefit administrator for reimbursement.

My experience using credit card coverage after an Ireland rental car accident

That process can take time, and you’ll need to provide the required documentation.

Meanwhile, you still have a charge sitting on your credit card. If you don’t pay that balance, it may accrue interest.

Think through that possibility before deciding whether credit card coverage is the best option for you.

Don’t wait until an accident happens to learn how your credit card’s claims process works.

Before you travel, find out:

Having this information in advance can make an already stressful situation much easier to manage.

If you’re relying on credit card coverage, I recommend documenting the vehicle thoroughly.

At pickup, photograph every side of the vehicle as well as the wheels and glass. Take clear photos of existing scratches, dents, or other damage.

If something happens during your rental, photograph the damage and anything else relevant to the incident.

Then photograph the vehicle again when you return it. When possible, include evidence showing where and when the vehicle was returned.

This isn’t necessarily a requirement of your coverage. It’s simply good documentation to have if a damage charge is disputed later.

Credit card coverage can be a good option for an Ireland car rental, and it may save you money. But that doesn’t mean it’s automatically the best option for every traveler.

Before relying on it:

If that feels like more financial exposure or paperwork than you’re comfortable handling, purchasing excess coverage from the rental company is another option.

More information about Ireland Car Rental Insurance and Excess CDW

Neither choice is automatically right for everyone. The important thing is understanding what you’re accepting—and what you’re responsible for—before you pick up your Ireland rental car.

Complete Resource: Ireland Car Rental & Driving Guide

Traveling in Ireland podcast episode 352

The post Using Credit Card Coverage for a Car Rental in Ireland: What You Must Understand appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

The Beara Peninsula, also known as the Ring of Beara, sits in southwest Ireland, just south of its more famous neighbor, the Ring of Kerry. It's a good fit for travelers who want scenic coastal roads and conversations with locals without the tour buses. This guide covers where to base yourself, what to do, and how to plan a couple of unrushed days on the Beara Peninsula.

The Beara Peninsula sits on Ireland's southwest coast, split between County Cork and County Kerry. It gets less attention than the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula, partly because it falls across two counties and neither one really promotes it as its own.

Tessa Dennison, who publishes an annual magazine and book about the region called The Best of Beara, puts it simply: everyone's heard of the Ring of Kerry, but very few people have heard of the Ring of Beara.

This article is based on podcast episode 351 featuring Tessa Dennison, publisher of The Best of Beara.
Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links.

Beara doesn't have the tourist infrastructure Kerry and Dingle have built up. There are no rows of hotels or streets lined with souvenir shops. That's part of the appeal, but it also means a little more planning pays off.

Articles like this highlight a few great options — but they’re just a small part of what Ireland offers.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you understand how to combine them into a trip that feels balanced and easy to navigate.

Ireland's southwest coast has three main peninsulas reaching into the Atlantic: Dingle, the Iveragh Peninsula (better known as the Ring of Kerry), and Beara, further south and divided along the Cork-Kerry border.

Visitors to the area often drive the direct route between Kenmare and Glengarriff – about 20 minutes – instead of the loop road around the peninsula, which takes the better part of a day. The direct route, while beautiful, skips Beara's stunning coastline and wonderful history.

The best advice is to base yourself in one of the three main towns on the peninsula and use it as a hub.

B&Bs and guesthouses are scattered through the towns in between, so there's no need to stick to the three main bases if a smaller village catches your eye.

If you're not driving, you're not entirely out of luck. Kenmare-based operator, Kerry Tour Guides, runs small minibus tours around Beara – group bookings of five or six people, or occasionally single seats if there's enough interest to fill the bus.

Cycling is another option; Kenmare has e-bike rental, and the peninsula hosts an annual cycling event every May that loops the whole area.

One practical note if you are self-driving: the roads are narrow in places, with mountain passes and passing bays rather than wide lanes, but they're well maintained. Expert advice: don't be put off by the width of the road, just go slow.

No matter how you tour the area, expect a slower pace than you would find on the busier peninsulas.

The Ireland Travel Compass brings together hundreds of places across the country and helps you turn ideas like these into a trip that fits your time and travel style.

Healy Pass and the Ring of Beara Drive

The Healy Pass is the peninsula's high viewpoint – a climbing, winding, mountain road with views over Kenmare Bay and the MacGillycuddy's Reeks on a clear day. Dennison recommends driving it from the Adrigole (Bantry Bay) side, climbing up past a small grotto near the summit before the view opens up on the way back down into Kerry. It's often compared to the Gap of Dunloe near Killarney, but with far less traffic.

Dursey Island Cable Car

Ireland's only cable car connects the mainland to Dursey Island at the peninsula's western tip. It's been renovated in recent years, but the older version had a habit of carrying more than tourists – Dennison remembers sheep waiting to board alongside passengers on an earlier crossing, since it was simply the most practical way to get livestock across.

Eyeries and the Ballycrovane Ogham Stone

Eyeries is known for its brightly painted houses, and its church holds eleven stained-glass windows by a well-known Irish artist, paid for by the local community in the 1980s. Just outside the village stands the Ballycrovane Ogham Stone, the tallest of its kind in Europe – Dennison notes that researchers believe as much stone again may be buried below ground as stands above it. A short distance away, Allihies has its own draw in the Copper Mine Museum, tracing the village's mining history.

Bere Island Ferry Trip

For a step further off the peninsula itself, the ferry to Bere Island leaves from Castletownbere. It's a small crossing – room for a handful of cars, you can also cross as a foot passenger – but the island has its own military history, with Martello towers and old forts, plus beaches and hiking trails. Dennison describes stepping off the ferry as stepping into another world entirely, and says it's worth building into your trip if you have the time.
Note: This is a great spot for a kayak tour.

Bantry

Just beyond Beara's edge, Bantry is worth a stop in its own right (I say it is what Dingle was like before it became popular). Its library is a piece of 1960s architecture currently being restored, and several boat and island trips advertised through Bantry's tourist office actually depart from within the Beara Peninsula rather than the town itself.

Tessa Dennison is a graphic designer who specializes in books and magazines, and the publisher behind Best of Beara – an annual regional magazine and a 144-page book covering the peninsula. The project started in 2018, when she and her daughter noticed Kerry had a long-running local publication of its own and Beara didn't. She's published an issue every year since, aside from 2020, printing between 7,000 and 10,000 copies annually and distributing them through tourist offices and advertisers across Cork and Kerry, from Killarney and Dingle down to Skibbereen, Clonakilty, and Bantry.

Find the digital magazine, order the book, or get more information on the peninsula at bestofbeara.com.

You'll also find Best of Beara on Facebook and Instagram.

Get out on the water. Dennison's top recommendation is anything water-based – kayaking out from Kenmare, Castletownbere, or Adrigole to visit the seals, or a night kayaking trip timed to catch the bioluminescence. She says her favorite views of the peninsula are from the water, looking back at the coastline.

Give it more time than the map suggests. Beara looks small enough to circle in a couple of hours, and you can, but that skips most of what's worth seeing. Dennison's advice is to slow down, follow the odd side road or handmade sign, and see what turns up – she mentioned finding an alpaca trekking outfit that way.

Take the ferry to Bere Island. Already covered above, but it's worth repeating as a standalone recommendation – Dennison calls it one of the best ways to add a genuine change of pace to a Beara visit.

The Beara Peninsula doesn't have the crowds or the marketing that Kerry and Dingle get, but it has dramatic coastline, high mountain passes, and towns where people still have time for a chat over coffee.

One or two unrushed days here will give you an idea of what the more popular peninsulas were like before the tour buses arrived.

The post The Beara Peninsula: A Guide to Cork and Kerry’s Overlooked Coastal Drive appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.