Country Roads of Ireland

Travel statistics reveal that Ireland is among the most loved places on earth. But these raw statistics hide the reasons behind the country's popularity. Just what is it that makes Ireland and Irish culture so popular?

Perhaps it's the Irish, a uniquely talkative people descended from the Celts, famed for friendliness, laughter and their sense of fun.

Perhaps it's the dramatic landscape and climate of Ireland. The country is a unique blend of hills, bogs, lakes, rivers and remote islands. Irish weather is ever-changing; rain is never far away.

Perhaps it's the culture, from Ireland's giants of literature--Beckett, Heaney, Joyce, Shaw, Swift, Yeats--to musicians--the Dubliners, Phil Lynott, Christy Moore and U2.

More likely it's a combination of all of these, plus a little bit of magic unique to each visit to Ireland. Allow us to introduce you to this magical country.

Day 1: Los Angeles, USA - Dublin, Ireland

Overnight flight to Dublin.

Day 2: Dublin/Kingscourt

Upon arrival in Ireland, we were met and escorted to our awaiting motor coach, which took us to Cabra Castle, located just outside the town of Kingscourt, less than one and a half hour's drive from Dublin. The castle sits on 100 acres of gardens and parkland with delightful views of the countryside.

After a hearty Irish breakfast, we began our tour of Ireland with a visit to Castle Coole, one of the finest neoclassical homes in the country. The house was commissioned in 1790 by the Earl of Belmore. In 1802, the Earl died deep in debt from the castle's construction. The home was left to his son who completed the decorating and furnishing during the 1820s. The glory of the castle is that almost all of the house's original furniture is still in place.

In the afternoon we visited Marble Arch Caves. Our guided tour took us deep into the cave complex by boat on the river Cladagh which cuts through them. There was time to walk past stalagmites, calcite cascades and other curious limestone formations.

We continued on to Sligo for dinner and an overnight stay at the 350-year-old Markree Castle, which is set spectacularly in its own grounds and estate. It is situated a short drive away from Ireland's historical Sligo town and Yeats country.

We departed the morning of Day 4 after breakfast for a tour of Ireland's Parke's Castle, a fortified plantation manor house on Lough Gill. It was built in 1609 by Captain Robert Parke, an English MP for this area.

During the afternoon, we cruised the calm waters of Lough Gill by boat, listening to the melodious poetry of W. B. Yeats, whose country were traversing.

After breakfast, we drove through Ireland's Connemara National Park area, which is a combination of bog land, lakes and mountains. We visited Kylemore Abbey, sheltered by the slopes of the Twelve Bens mountain range. The home was built by Mitchell Henry in the late 1800s for his wife. After her sudden death, Henry sold the castle, and it became an Abby for Benedictine nuns fleeing Belgium during World War I. The nuns now run the abbey as an exclusive girls boarding school.

On Day 6 after breakfast, we headed south to view the 700-foot cliffs of Moher and take in the breathtaking vistas of the Clare Coast.

Then, it is was on to the Burren, meaning "rocky land" in Gaelic. This is a desolate place in Ireland, yet it is a unique botanical environment in which Mediterranean and Alpine plants rare to Ireland grow side by side, giving an astonishing array of flowers to this otherwise austere landscape.

We continued to Killarney, where we enjoyed an evening in a traditional Irish pub. Then we were on to dinner and entertainment at The Laurels.

On Day 7, we headed north after breakfast for an excursion along the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. We stopped along the way for photographs of some of Ireland's most beautiful scenery. To the north rises the towering Brandon Mountain, while the west coast has spectacular seascapes. We also visited the Gallarus Oratory, a miniature dry-stone Christian church built in the sixth century.

During the afternoon, we visited Ireland's Muckross House. Built in 1843, the imposing Victorian mansion and landscaped gardens overlook the lakes. Just a short walk away is Muckross Farm, a working farm that still uses traditional techniques.

Our first stop after breakfast on Day 8 was a visit to the Rock of Cashel, which rises 200 feet from the Tipperary countryside. It was the castle seat of the Kings of Musster from 360 A.D., and it remained a royal fortress until 1101 when it was granted to the church. It was here that St. Patrick baptized the first King of Ireland in 448.

That afternoon, we enjoyed a walking tour of Ireland's 14th-century city of Kilkenny, including a visit to its castle.

After breakfast, we journeyed to Kildare for a visit to the National Stud Farm of Ireland and Japanese Gardens. The National Stud Farm of Ireland is a state-run thoroughbred farm; some of Ireland's most famous horses have been bred here. The Japanese Gardens are unique, because they take the visitor on an allegorical journey from the cradle to the grave, beginning with life emerging from the Gate of Oblivion and leading to the Gateway of Eternity.

During the afternoon we drove to Dublin for a guided sightseeing tour of the statue-lined O'Connell Street and historic Phoenix Park. We also visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College.

After breakfast on Day 10, we had a full day at leisure to discover our own Dublin. Ireland's capital has a wealth of attractions, most within walking distance.