Land of Eire: A Bucket List Trip to Ireland
Category: Bucket Lists
October 7, 2025 — Although about 10% of Americans actually have some Irish heritage, it seems like almost all of us claim it – particularly when St. Patrick’s day comes around. So what better place to visit in retirement than the beautiful island called Ireland. This will cover some of its highlights, plus some suggestions if you are considering a trip here.
What Would You Like to Do?
There are many reasons to visit Ireland. Some people come for golfing trips that hit the many famous Irish links courses like Ballybunion and Lahinch. Other people come to hike, walk, or cycle. Most come to experience the amazing scenery, get a kick out of Irish pubs, or experience bustling cities like Dublin. Many others plan a trip to Eire to explore their family roots.
You can come on a packaged tour that specializes in any of those reasons, or you can plan your own trip. Obviously the package tours are a lot easier, whisking you from the airport to your hotel, picking out restaurants, and squiring you around to see the sights. That relieves much of the stress of traveling, and is quite relaxing. You will have to be part of a group, which might range from 10-12 to over 50 people. Although that can make you feel like you are part of a herd, you might also meet some interesting travel companions. For single people, this can be a much more social way to travel. Planning your own trip, with or without the help of a travel agent, has the advantage of customizing your experience to the activities and sights you are looking for. Since driving on the left side of narrow roads is a bit harrowing, if you are on your own hiring a driver is a safer bet than renting a car.
Where to Visit
The Republic of Ireland (member of the EU) is about the size of South Carolina, while Northern Ireland (part of Great Britain in the north) has the area of West Virginia. The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro and metric system, whereas Northern Ireland’s currency is the English Pound, and measurements are in the Imperial system.
Dublin, the largest city, is in the southeast. Very old, it has beautiful parks and historic buildings like St. Patrick’s Cathedral. You can get a pint of Guinness in one of the pubs that seem to be everywhere, like in the ancient Temple Bar area near the river and Trinity College.
A visit here can involve walking around or on taking a hop on hop off bus. The modern new Epic Museum of Emigration offers a fascinating glimpse into the Irish emigration experience over the centuries. That includes how the disastrous potato famine in the mid 1800’s caused so many desperate Irish to risk an ocean passage to the Americas and Australia. If you know an ancestor’s name, where they came from, and about when they left, you can pay for help in the search for your ancestors.
On our recent trip our small group headed for the Southwest coast, using a driver provided by our travel agent. Although we saw a lot, we covered only a tiny fraction of what there is to see here.
We used the tiny coastal town of Ballyvaughan as a base to explore the area, including Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction, the Cliffs of Moher. The towering cliffs fall hundreds of feet to the crashing ocean below, and careful observers might see seabirds including puffins.
In Northern Ireland the Giant’s Causeway, with its amazing stone columns, is the number 2 tourist attraction on the Island.
Sheep and cattle graze everywhere in the burren near Doolin, where limestone stewn from the steep hillsides goes down to the raging surf below. See the excellent NY Times article, “Exploring the Vast Rocky Coast of Western Ireland” for more. The road to Doolin, a tiny village on the coast, is a narrow lane enclosed by ancient stone walls and lined by heather and brilliant red blossoms of wild fuchsia. The narrowness of the lanes is a good reason not to try to rent a car and drive yourself, which becomes quite clear when a giant truck passes from the other direction, and you are on the left hand side of the road.
After a few days there we moved on to the Dingle Peninsula. Dingle itself was the most charming town on our trip, filled to overflowing with old time pubs and handcraft shops. Don’t miss the amazing seafood at the Fish Box or the pub atmosphere at places like Peter Geaney’s. You can explore the Dingle Peninsula’s fantastic scenery from a narrow road high above the sea. Don’t miss the Blasket Island Museum, which documents the lives of the hardy folks who inhabited these islands off the coast for hundreds of years, until the few survivors left in the 1950’s.
The Dingle Peninsula has been the site of some Star Wars movies. Ryans Daughter was filmed along the beautiful sand beaches just up the road in Inch.
So Many Things to See and Do
Like we mentioned, our report covers only a fraction of what there is to see and do in Ireland. As an example, we stopped in the coastal town of Foynes and went through the fascinating museum there that documents the giant flying boats that provided the first commercial flights between America and Europe. They might not have been fast, but with their wide seats, bunks, dining area, and private cabin, they sure had a lot more room that today’s cramped airliners
On to Dublin
Heading back towards Dublin we drove through many beautiful little towns like Adare, the site of the 2027 Ryder Cup (they are already pretty excited about it!). Besides churches, Desmond Castle, pubs and shops, it features thatched roof cottages that demand to be photographed.
Looking for Irish Roots
We had lunch in the fishing port of Dungarvin, where we think my Irish great, great grandmother left for America in the 1840’s or 50’s. We didn’t have time to explore our sketchy family roots, but many an Irish-American comes to the Emerald Isle looking to connect with their long separated cousins. Just up the mountains in Rothgormuck we experienced a wonderful small hotel, Honora’s Cottage, with its fabulous food. The early morning hike up the country lane to the mountains before breakfast, saying hello to the sheep and Beltie cattle along the way, was a highlight of the day.
Ireland offers a surprising range of terrain. For example, we drove over high mountain passes to explore the Monastic town founded by St. Kevin. This spot is well worth the visit for its ancient cathedral, graves, and defensive tower.
Standing Stones
Many people make a hobby of seeking out ancient standing stones, similar to but not quite as big as England’s Stonehenge. There are many to choose from, and our target were the Piper’s Stones in Athgreave, constructed thousands of years old in the Bronze Age. It is said that one of the stones, separate from those in the circle, was the Piper, calling the tune to the dancers. Unfortunately, we were denied access by a locked gate and big warning signs. If interested, there are plenty of resources to help you find many of the more accessible stones in the country.
Wrapping Up
We hope this little travelogue gives you some ideas on the fun sights and experiences that await your dream trip to Ireland. Please feel free to share your experiences in the Comments section below.
Comments on "Land of Eire: A Bucket List Trip to Ireland"
LS says:
We were there about 10 years ago. I agree with the author, driving in Ireland is not for those who don't want a lot of excitement. Most of the rental cars, at least at that time, were stick shift and quite small. The one way streets and traffic circles in Dublin and the very narrow lanes in the countryside were intimidating. I'd like to go back to explore my family roots some day as both great grandparents were from County Cork.
SC says:
I would also like to go back to trace the roots for my family, who also go back to County Cork!
Sarah bates says:
Grand mother
Admin says:
Here's a thought. A popular bit of wisdom is that what makes people the happiest is their experiences, not the things that you can buy. So, if someone asks you to go on an adventure - take it! Of course that means you can afford it, want to do it, and can do it without ruining your finances.