St. Patrick's Day: Now and Then
St. Patrick’s Day, Lá ‘le Pádraig, is a yearly feast day, celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, Patrick.   It’s a religious celebration here, but it has also become cause for a raucous good time. The St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin is now part of a five-day festival.  Last year, 500,000 people attended the city’s parade. But it hasn’t always been that way.  Read more>

St. Patrick - Who Was He?
St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain sometime around 389 A.D.  What we know about his life comes mostly from his own writings.   When he was 16 years old, a group of Irish raiders kidnapped Patrick and sold him as a slave to an Irish chieftain.  He worked as a shepherd in Ireland, and escaped after six years.  Back home, he began to have dreams and visions.  Patrick said he heard the voices of the Irish people calling him back. Read more>

20 Best Places to Kiss in Ireland Ireland is a country of romance and mist fueled by imagination, Guinness, music, pony treks, and a warm cuddle by the fire.  Our intrepid staff at Authentic Ireland has gathered impressions and information from clients (sometimes receiving more details than we needed!)  about the best places to kiss in Ireland.  Of course, we have done a bit of on-the-job research ourselves.  It was tough to narrow the list down to 20, but here they are >

When in Ennis, Bunratty & East Clare While the west of County Clare is well known for splendid beaches, the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin, central and east Clare is more often than not just a stopping off point on the way to or from Shannon airport. Maybe a jet lagged night in Ennis on arrival or perhaps a tear soaked night in Bunratty before returning home. Sound familiar? Well, you are missing out and this month we aim to make you see the error of your ways. So without further to do here are six compelling offers you will not be able to refuse!

When in Dingle
Once upon a time on a small island on the western fringes of a once mighty continent there was a town called Dingle. It was a place treasured by all who had the good fortune to have spent time there, for it was indeed a special place, blessed by bountiful seas, magnificent mountains, unnaturally friendly people, great food and some of the best pubs anywhere. No one knew what the name Dingle meant but it suited the jaunty nature of the place. more>

When in Connemara
Connemara or Land of the Sea is a wild region of bogland, pristine lakes and mountains located in the west of County Galway. Unlike the more famous Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula, Connemara is sparsely populated and the landscape much more open. This is Ireland’s big sky country. Because the area is so remote, the Irish language and traditions have survived here and Irish is the first tongue of many of the inhabitants, particularly along the south coast. All told, Connemara is the ultimate anti-dote to life in the fast lane. Two days is good, A week is fabulous. Any longer and you may not want to get back on that freeway. Here are our top picks and tips >

When in Doolin & West Clare
Clare, or the “ Banner County” is Ireland’s most easily identifiable county. It’s the pointy bit that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean above Kerry and below Galway. Clare doesn’t have the spectacular mountain scenery of those two counties. Its boasts are more modest and possibly more charming as a result. The coastline, from Loop Head (the “pointy bit”) in the south to Black Head in the north, is a winning combination of rugged sea cliffs and sheltered sandy beaches. The villages and seaside towns along the coast are all small but each is famous in its own right for different things. There is much to explore so here is our Authentic West Clare to do list>>

When in Killarney
Why should you never give a Kerryman a lunch break? Because it would take too long to re-train him afterwards. How do you recognise a Kerry business man? He’ll be the one wearing pin-striped Wellingtons. Almost every country has a section of the population that they like to tell jokes about. In Ireland we tell jokes about people from County Kerry. Not because they are stupid. In fact they have a reputation for the opposite. The main reason we tell jokes about them is that we are jealous. They have the cheek to call their county the Kingdom, yet there are few in Ireland who would dispute the aptness of the name. The origins of the name have been lost, but that doesn’t matter – Kerry feels like a Kingdom. Soaring mountain ranges, desolately beautiful valleys, crystal lakes and a spectacularly rugged coastline alternatively lashed and lapped by the Atlantic Ocean. Kerry has it all.

Read our here’s our Authentic Killarney list of things to do when in Killarney. From national parks and scenic drives to the best places to eat and drink, read all about Killarney here >>

When in Dublin
Dublin is not that fair a city, though apparently it once was. The girls are not incredibly pretty, at least when compared to other countries’ capital cities. But what Dublin does have, is character, and it has it in spades. The character is not necessarily in its grand buildings though there are some, or in its broad streets because there are a few. It is in the people. This means you cannot look for Dublin’s essence in any particular place, instead you will likely encounter it in the most unlikely of places: queuing for a bus, banter with a shop assistant or in an overheard conversation in a pub. That is not to say there is nothing to do in Dublin or places to visit, there are, but the key is watching and listening. Hang out, watch and listen.

But if you like lists – and many people do – here’s our Authentic Dublin list of things to do when in Dublin. From museums & tourist attractions to the best places to eat and drink,
read all about Dublin here.

Paddy's Day in Achill
There is nothing like the sight of milk-white hairy legs in kilts to make one shiver involuntarily. When this is combined with near freezing temperatures and hailstones simultaneously smacking you in the face, the more likely reaction is to turn and run terrified towards the nearest warm bar. These were the sights and sensations that confronted me last Saint Patrick’s Day morning on Achill Island. But I didn't turn and run. In fact, I was smiling at the improbability of it all while feeling sorry for the owners of those legs as they stomped the ground in the vain hope of restoring circulation to their exposed limbs.

Achill Island, off the coast of County Mayo is Ireland's largest island. Though it is connected to the mainland by a bridge it has a character and set of traditions all its own, which are proudly maintained and boasted of by the locals. These people are islanders for sure. It will take more than a man made bridge to change them, or the place they call home. more>>

Ireland FAQ
We answer the most frequestly asked questions about traveling to Ireland. more>>

Irish Festivals: Top 11 for 2007
I believe I claimed last month that there are over 400 festivals held in Ireland each year. Well, I was way off. Double that and add the square root of the number musicians in the country and you might be closer to the truth. I won’t bore you describing the exhaustive research and scientific techniques used to separate the ugly, bad and merely good from the absolutely fantastic. Suffice to say I have the utmost confidence in the result. A few days spent at any of these festivals will move you in mysterious ways, all of them good. I have attended many of the festivals included (some I attend religiously every year) but there are some I have never attended, but are included because they occupy a mythical status in the Irish festival calendar and I know from speaking to friends that have attended them that they definitely belong in this top 11. I have also included is a short list of specific interest festivals which may be just what some of you are seeking. more>>

Driving in Ireland
So how scared should you be? The honest answer is not very. I have been driving in Ireland for nearly 20 years and have never had an accident. Ok, there was one, but I was young and reckless at the time and had an entirely unfounded feeling of invincibility working against me. The crash was entirely my fault, but even so I must say the guards were very nice. They took me down to the station and made me a nice hot cup of tea to calm my nerves. So even if the worst happens you have that to look forward to. But there is no reason why it should come to that assuming you have outgrown the fallible invincibility of youth. more>>

Irish Weather
I think it is fair to say that Irish weather is pretty notorious. It is known for being both weepingly wet and laughingly unpredictable. A devilish combination if ever there was one. But does it deserve this infamous reputation? Probably not, but the Irish do such a good job complaining about it, that everyone is convinced it does. Including, the Irish themselves. more>>

Spotlight: Self-Catering Vacation Rentals
Many people come to Ireland with the intention of seeing as much of the country as they can in a week or 10 days. This is understandable if it is your first visit and is likely to be your only one. There is a drawback to this approach though which you may have gathered from the article above: all that driving can prove quite tiring and perhaps even stressful. Maybe your idea of a vacation is to slow down, relax and unwind. Well then self-catering is for you. Don’t let the “self-catering” put you off. This simply means you will have to make your bed each morning if you want it to be made when you climb into it again that night. And if you want a Full Irish each morning you will have to cook it yourself. But let’s be honest consuming a plate of fried bacon, eggs, sausages, black and white pudding, mushrooms and beans is probably not the healthiest way to start the day. more>>

Tipping in Ireland
Should you tip, and if so, where, when and how much should you give? The short, happy rule in Ireland is that you never tip. But, like all rules there is one exception. Twenty years ago, nobody in Ireland tipped for anything. And with good reason. Food in restaurants was passable at best, service was slow and you often got the impression your waiter or waitress thought they were doing you a favor. For the most part this has changed greatly. more>>

The Authentic Guide to Guninness
Ah, Guinness. The pint of plain, sure 'tis your only man. Some even claim it is good for you. Well, whatever the veracity of that claim it is surely true that no other drink is as synonymous with a country as Guinness is with Ireland. Brewed in Dublin since 1759, Guinness had a ninety-something percent market share in Ireland up to the mid 1970's, so it is not hard to understand it's pre-eminence in the field, or lake, of Irish beer. more>>

Restaurant Recommendations
We give our recommendations for dining in Ireland. more>>

Pub Recommendations
We give our recommendations for the best places to enjoy a pint while in Ireland. more>>

County Cork & Kerry: The Beara Way
Well, as July’s most enthusiastic staff member – the competition was tough I promise – it falls to me to me to tell you about my recent trip to the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Kerry that is, as the county is known in Ireland. Every county in Ireland has a second name, or nickname if you will, usually associated with some event in the county’s history. The origins of Kerry’s nickname may have become vague, but no one questions its aptness. more>>

County Clare: The Willy Clancy Festival
The Willie Clancy Summer School, or Willie Week as the locals call it, runs every year from the first Saturday in July until the following Sunday week, i.e. 9 days in total. The festival is Ireland's largest traditional music summer school, held annually since 1973 in memory of the piper Willie Clancy. During the week, nearly a thousand students from every part of the world attend daily classes taught by experts in Irish music and dance. In addition, a full program of lectures, recitals, dances (céilithe) and exhibitions are run by the summer school. more>>