Travel ideas for Ireland - unique sights, worth Guinness records

The unique Newgrange crypt, located in Ireland, is one of the oldest monuments in the world. It was built not later than 2,500 years BC. The ancient corridor is located not far from Dublin, its height is 13.5 meters. The diameter of the mound is also quite impressive and reaches 85 meters.
The remarkable architecture surprises not only with the impressive figure, but also with the unique interior structure. The length of the corridor, which leads into the burial chamber, is 19 meters, composed of huge stone monoliths weighing 40 tons. The archaeologists discovered the ancient burial accessories in the excavation research. On some monoliths one can still see today the preserved cut-out patterns.
The detailed research of the cemetery showed that its tunnel is directed to the exact place of the sunrise on the day of winter solstice. Above the entrance to the cemetery is a niche, through which the sun rays radiate into the interior of the grave at the appointed time of the year. The niche diameter is less than 20 cm, on the day of the winter sunrise - the shortest day of the year - the sun rays in the niche are focused in a special way and reach the most distant chamber of the grave corridor. Newgrange was quite a long time, discovered in 1699. Today, not only the astronomers and the architects, but also the esoteric and temporal researchers are investigating this ancient grave. ... Complete sights collection

Located in Dublin, the Guinness Storehouse (Museum of Beer Guinness) serves as a tourist center for beer lovers for almost ten years. The museum was opened in 2006. The exposition of the original museum is presented on three floors of the large building. On the last floor is the extensive collection of old beer bottles and cans, as well as the advertising leaflet and the posters, with the help of which one can learn the history of beer brewing.
In the spacious rooms of the first floor there is a kind of old beer brewery. Here are the old breweries. This hall will be appreciated by those who like to look at the exhibits closely during the excursion and touch them with their hands. You can switch the levers on the old systems and press the strange buttons.
On the ground floor of the museum are the tasting rooms, where you can sample the best varieties of Irish beer, as well as the souvenir shop where the museum guests usually buy the original biersouvenirs: jugs, themed T-shirts and even the chocolates with unusual beer filling. On the last floor of the building is the beautiful recreation zone equipped with the viewing platform and the bar. Here one can taste different varieties of the legendary Guinness and graze at the adjoining brewery, as well as the historical buildings, which seem quite tiny compared to the large company. ... Complete sights collection

The United Kingdom is famous for exotic beaches. There, on the coast of Ireland, you can see unusual places with dark volcanic sand. One of the most amazing coast parts is Inch beach located near the Dingle Peninsula. This wide sandy beach features lots of secluded coves. The place is framed with incredibly spectacular mountain scenery. The sand of dark shade is considered one of the main features of the beach. Under the influence of waves and wind, the sand shows up in the most incredible patterns.
Many experienced photographers treat Inch beach as a perfect place for panoramic photography, because it’s very close to the sea, spectacular mountains, and some of the most extensive pastures in the UK. Inch beach attracts fans of walking through historical places. There are several important historical areas in the immediate vicinity of the coast. Ruins of the 5th century buildings and many unique archeological artifacts can be found there.
Unfortunately, it’s quite impossible to enjoy beach activities at the exotic coast. Even in the summer, rains are frequent in this area, and a pretty strong cold wind blows from the seaside. However, Inch beach is ideal for hiking, commemorative photo shoots, and new discoveries, which are typical for Ireland. Another advantage of the holiday on the Dingle Peninsula is a decent selection of comfortable hotels with nice prices. For a modest fee, you can rent a cozy room and then go to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world to greet a dawn. ... Complete sights collection

In Ireland, there is the empty Blasket archipelago, which flourished until the middle of the last century. Today, you can only see dilapidated houses and occasional herds of grazing animals. The history of the archipelago is very interesting. The first mention of it dates back to 5-6 AD. The discoverer of the islands was the world famous seafarer Saint Brendan Klonfertsky, who first set his foot on the picturesque island. Already in the 13th century, the fortress was built on the largest island of the archipelago. After that, settlements gradually appeared.
The locals has long been prizing an island because of the fertile soil that is ideal for agriculture, as well as extensive meadows that are perfect for grazing livestock. Many locals were engaged in fishing. During its heyday, the scenic archipelago resembled a real paradise. It was until the mid-20th century. In 1953, local residents were forced to leave their homes due to the harsh climatic conditions that bore a direct threat to residents' lives.
In 1953, all the locals were completely evacuated and transported to the Dingle Peninsula. Today, the Blasket Islands are uninhabited. In recent years, several old stone mansions were restored there. In summer, local farmers live there. All the rest of the island is empty. When the picturesque archipelago started to attract tourists, it was decided to build several mini-hotels there. They can’t boast with an abundance of facilities and services, but fans of rest in unusual places may spend on the islands a night or two. ... Complete sights collection

Hook Head Lighthouse, also known as the Hook Lighthouse, is situated in Ireland. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. The existing tower dates from the 13th century and amazes of its considerable dimensions and firmness. The wall thickness is from 4 meters to 13 meters in the basement. Its height is 35 meters and the main identifying feature is horizontal black-and-white stripes, which make it one of the most recognized in the world.
The tower is not very attractive inside because the first lighthouse-keepers were monks. Since that time in the lighthouse were saved moderate recessions that resemble monks’ cells. The keepers lived there until the end of the 20th century. Several years ago, near the lighthouse was opened the tourist office which was placed in the old keepers’ house and a cozy café not far from the office.
The Hook Lighthouse is located on the island with the same name. An experienced travelers advice to visit it in summer. The old lighthouse has an outstanding modern tradition – every year there is celebrated the most mysterious holiday – Halloween. At that day there is placed a real costume procession and if you are a fan of the adrenaline rush, you have to be there. In the beginning of the 21st century, the lighthouse became available for tourists. Nowadays it is among the ten oldest lighthouses of the planet and the historical landmark of global significance. ... Complete sights collection

Ireland has a great number of mysterious landmarks. One of them is the Newgrange – an unusual megalithic building – that has placed near Dublin. It looks like a huge mound that is dated not later 2 500 years BC. Its diameter goes up to 85 meters and height is about 13,5 meters. The main structural peculiarity of the mound is the underground hall, which length is about 19 meters and leads to the burial chamber. The chamber is built from huge stones. Their weight goes from 20 to 40 tons.
The mysterious mound was found in 1699 but still we don’t know about its proper meaning. For many years there had been holding the continuous researching. Even they didn’t clarify the story how the mound has appeared. In the middle of the 20th century, the historical monument was fully renovated. Now Newgrange is the biggest megalithic building that has ever been found in Europe.
At present, the place is open for tourists. It is quite hard to get there because the number of tourists per day is strictly restricted, only 10 people can visit it. The researchers suppose that more than 5 000 years ago this complex could be used for ritual ceremonies. The mound is built in such way that at the day of the winter solstice sun beams light some underground chambers through the tiny gaps in walls. Some researchers claim that this ancient mound could be used for astronomical researchers. ... Complete sights collection

About 6 000 items were found in Ireland, today they are known as Fulachtai Fia. Also, they are known as burnt mounds. They commonly survive as a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat shattered stone. In the centre you can see a man-made full of water flute. Such things are common for Great Britain regions. The researchers find them one at a time, rarely 2-6 constructions.
Near every mound there is a water source. According to this, the researchers claim that these places were used for underground water abstraction. Even more, there are about 10 more theories that describe the Fulachtai Fia usage. Unfortunately, no one hasn't been proved. A great number of archaeological places are open for tourists. The researchers made up a full map of Great Britain, where you can see all developed mounds. Today this map has about 6 000 places.
The most popular and visited mound is located in the Irish National Heritage Park. This park has an outstanding open-air museum. There you can see how people lived thousand years ago. There has placed an interesting archaeological collection of showpieces, household items that were used by people in different times. Note that on the territory of the park you can order an interesting excursion. The experienced guide will acquaint you the ancient mounts too. ... Complete sights collection

Irish Aran Islands have the abandoned trawl ship "MB Plassy". In 1960 it was run aground on the rocky Inis Oírr island, the smallest island of the archipelago. The reason of it was a strong storm in the sea. The ship was built in 1940 and was used as a cargo ship. Its last cargo was a huge consignment of whisky and yarn. The ship has to transport it through Galway Bay.
Note that, the present place of the ship is not a place of its wrecking. There it appeared thanks to another strong storm. Originally, the ship was hurled against the Phoenix rocks. At the time of the shipwreck nobody from the crew was damaged.
The crew was saved by the locals, thanks to them the sailors stayed alive. They rushed to save them from the drowning ship. Nobody from the crew was ready for such extreme situation. The miracle and the locals saved this people from death. Nowadays this abandoned ship is a major point of interest for tourists. Every excursion group visit this ship. Apart from the old drowned ship, Inis Oírr island has an ancient castle of the 15th century and many other outstanding sightseeing. ... Complete sights collection

Dunguaire is one of the most famous and popular castles in Ireland. It was built in the 16th century. The castle is located in County Galway. Representatives of the Hynes clan are the founders of this castle. According to historical data, the construction of the fortress was completely completed in 1520. The castle has changed many owners over the years. It was in a rather neglected state by the beginning of the 20th century. It was partially destroyed. The famous poet and Doctor Oliver St. John Gogarty acquired the ancient fortress at this time. It was under his leadership that the complete reconstruction of the building began.
The poet organized various cultural events in his castle. Many famous figures of art and culture visited it during this period. William Butler Yeats, as well as the world-famous playwright George Bernard Shaw, often visited the castle. Christabella Lady Amphill bought the castle in 1954. A large-scale reconstruction was completed under her leadership. One of Ireland's most luxurious castles is managed by the Shannon Development Corporation today.
It is only open to the public during the summer months. Interesting entertainment events are held for participants of excursions during this period. They can participate in a costumed medieval banquet and listen to traditional Irish music performed live. Literary evenings are often held here in memory of the former owner of the castle. Other events are also held here. They are dedicated to national culture. The castle became known to the public after 1979. The shooting of the “North Sea Hijack” film took place there at this time. ... Complete sights collection

Malahide is one of the oldest and most magnificent castles in Ireland. It was built in 1185. Members of the Talbot family were the last owners of the castle. The historic building remained in their private ownership until 1975. A beautiful castle is located in the vicinity of Dublin. It is available to visit today. Usually, the tour begins with a walk through the vast park. It covers an area of 250 acres. An incredibly interesting collection of antiques is kept in the castle. You can see beautiful portraits of its former owners in the Great Hall.
The model railway is considered the most unusual artifact of the castle. It is one of the largest in the world. It is an artful layout with smaller copies of trains from the early 20th century. Models of bridges, trams, and other infrastructure elements complement the compositions. The botanical garden is located on the territory of the castle park. It was founded by representatives of the Talbot family.
Shops and a restaurant of national cuisine were opened on the territory of the park not so long ago. Visitors to the castle can relax in the cozy tea room after the tour. The castle is also well known to fans of classical music. Concerts are often held here on weekends. Many people visit Malahide Castle, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of its legendary ghosts. According to legend, five ghosts of its former owners live in the castle. Most often, visitors to the castle can see them in the Great Hall. ... Complete sights collection