Green meadows, dark beer, and red-haired people; yes, that’s right, we’re talking about Ireland. Bucolic and idyllic, this place knows how to speak to Canadians. We recognize ourselves in it. Very warm and welcoming, these lively countries sweep us into a jig of fun washed down with beer.
I’ve been to the island of Ireland twice, and I’ve explored both of its countries. It’s beautiful. No need to break the bank either. There are often flight deals to Dublin.
I share my personal tips as a traveler. And Flytrippers helps you travel for less with its 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here are 4 tips to know before visiting the island of Ireland.
1. Survive Ireland
Don’t forget to drink water. Between 2 meat pies and 2 pints of beer, you need to move around a bit and stay hydrated. I know a dark beer is much better around a fireplace, but you have to get out a bit. It’s so beautiful outside, despite the changing weather.
I went to Ireland twice. The first time, it rained the whole way through, and the second time, it was sunny the whole way through… Plan for all options, but leave your bikini at home; it won’t be of much use.
There are trains and buses, but be courageous and rent a car.
Driving on the passenger side and on the other side of the road isn’t so bad. You just have to be careful at roundabouts (Whoopsie). Follow the Irish Sea and stop at every little castle and every green hill sprinkled with little white sheep.
Don’t forget that Ireland uses euros and that Northern Ireland uses pounds, and your credit card won’t know the difference. It will do a better job making itself understood than you will, because the pronunciation is paaaaarticularly unique over there.
They roll their R’s like a slightly tipsy auntie. I thought I spoke English well, but it’s not the same English over there. Maybe a taxi driver will teach you a few words in Irish, but I think it takes a certain gene to be able to use it properly… Too many consonants for the number of vowels; my mouth just isn’t made for that.
Very cultured, the Irish knew about my home province of Québec, which is always fun! They’ll also talk to you about rugby and soccer (pretend to be interested, you’ll get through it).
2. Don’t forget the North
I’ll start with Northern Ireland. THE DANGER; nah, I’m just kidding. Belfast, which kind of reminds me of Québec City, has nothing very frightening about it. Once caught up in a semi-political/religious conflict, there’s nothing to fear anymore.
With small alleyways and small bridges, it’s a very charming place. You’ll find the Titanic Museum there, which I more or less enjoyed. It focused mainly on the mechanics of the ship and its construction, but the building is particularly beautiful, and its location is significant.
Right next door, you’ll find the film studios that once hosted the sets of Game of Thrones. We have a one in a billion chance of running into Kit Harington there, and we’ll take it!
If you venture away from the city, that’s where the spectacle begins! The Giant’s Causeway is strangely fascinating. The unique geological formation is paired with the sea air, and the whole thing is sprinkled with a fantastic legend!
My kind of place. I drove there and stopped at Carrick-a-Rede. I had intended to cross the wooden bridge, but when I saw the crowd and the many buses, I decided to simply walk along the cliffs. One of my favorite moments of the trip!
3. Explore Dublin
Dublin; a patriotic anthem that warms your heart with shamrocks in your face. Rather modern and contemporary, I found an atmosphere very different from what I had imagined.
There are certainly small neighborhoods like Temple Bar, where you can smell the tradition and the vintage, but overall, the city rhymes with the word revolution.
Because between 2 beers, you have to do something; why not visit a brewery! The Guinness Storehouse brewery. Go even if you’re not a museum fan. The beer there is good (like really good; when it’s this fresh, Guinness tastes more like coffee). It’s smooth and creamy.
I’d be ready to hop on a plane, land in Dublin, drink a Guinness, and then go back to Canada; it’s so worth it. The atmosphere is great, and you develop an Irish accent from the very first sip of this historic beverage.
Take the opportunity to find a pub with traditional music and Irish dancing. It’s a really impressive style of dance, and it strangely reminds you of Québec jigging. I found a bit of myself in it.
4. Save time for the rest of the island
The picturesque image I had of Dublin may have been mistaken, but I found what I was looking for in Dalky and Galway.
Dalky is very close to Dublin; you can get there by public transit. A small fishing village by the sea, the dream of hopping on a boat to catch your own fish and chips is very tangible here. And if you want to eat healthy, there’s a way to find fried brie to go along with everything here!
Galway is a small romantic village where seeing all the patios is impossible, because there are too many of them.
The small waterways that wind through the city are magnificent and have a magical significance: the Celtic symbol of the Claddagh. Everywhere, 2 hands holding a crowned heart represent the union of the 2 confluent waterways of the city.
The combination of friendship with the hands, the heart for love, and the crown for loyalty signifies the best type of union (as much for humans as for rivers, you know). Awwwwwww! That’s why the claddagh appears on all Irish wedding/engagement rings.
When you don’t get your itinerary wrong, you can go see the Cliffs of Moher, not far from Galway, apparently it’s really beautiful (Oops).
If you want more inspiration for the rest of the country, a former Flytrippers team member, who is British, also published her 5 favorite destinations in the Republic of Ireland that are NOT Dublin.
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Summary
It’s easy to understand why such a small island has such a great soul. A myth, a legend, but very real. The sea air, the green hills, the castles, and the lively little alleyways. There’s always a more beautiful place than the last wherever you go; that’s Ireland.
What would you like to know about travel tips for Ireland? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Giant’s Causeway (photo credit: Hugo Kemmel)
