"Ireland" Ireland by travelgirl78

Dublin is a great city because it is easy to get around and there is plenty to do. It has a lot to offer in the way of history, architecture, food, music, and culture. I checked out places like St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Guiness Brewery, and Temple Bar area. I had fantastic food and drinks at a variety of restaurants, while listening to traditional Irish music. I crossed the Liffey River by way of the historic Half Pence Bridge. I also walked through the neighborhoods to check out the colorful doors of Dublin.

Ring of Kerry, Ireland

I took the bus from Dublin to Killarney to spend a few days down in the Southwest corner of Ireland. The bus ride takes about 4 hours and you have to transfer in Limerick. I enjoy the ride thoroughly because it was a good way to see some of the non-touristy little towns throughout Ireland. The countryside is so green and beautiful.

Killarney is nice because it is a lot smaller than Dublin. It has a central area filled with restaurants, pubs, and shops, but it still has that small town feel. Killarney is a great place to take tours of the Ring of Kerry. This tour takes all day and brings you to a handfull of little towns around the area. It is a great way to see alot in a short amount of time. The tour bus stops frequently for photo opts, lunch, snacks, and more.

I also was able to take a nice tour of Killarney National Park by horse and carraige ride. The park is open to pedestrians, bikes, and horse carraiges, but no cars. One great sight along the ride was Ross Castle in the middle of a lake. At night Killarney is a happening place for such a little town. Each night I was able to find a bar or an open amplitheater to enjoy traditional and modern music. I had a great time there!

Andres, me, and Peter - Howth, Ireland

I took a few little sidetrips on the metro from Dublin while I was there. I had met a girl that had told me of two little towns I couldn't miss.

The first place I headed to is just down the coast from Dublin, called Killiney. The draw to that place is that it is the home or Bono from U2. The metro ride is gorgeous because it runs by the coastline and provides amazing views. Once in Killiney, I hiked up a road until I came to a large gate which I decided must have been Bono's house. Many previous visitors had graffitied their names and special messages to Bono, but I didn't feel that was appropriate. I took a few pictures and went on my way.

Next stop was Howth, which is a quaint little fishing town north of Dublin. I arrived just before sundown and took a quick walk around. I met some fisherman that were working on a prawn boat and accepted their offer to take a personal tour of the boat. Sorry mom, probably wasn't the smartest idea, but sometimes you have to take a little risk to gain a great experience. All of the men (Andres, Urich, and Peter) were gentlemen and the tour was really cool. After the tour, I found a cute little restuarant in Howth and ate some fresh and delicious seafood before heading back into Dublin.

• Pros:friendly people, great music, easy to get around
• Cons:lots of wet, rainy weather