If this trip was a film it would be a road epic. Sweep from mountain passes down cliffside roads past sandy shores to discover charismatic cities, big-name sights and hidden beaches.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
ESSENTIAL PHOTO
BEST THREE DAYS
DIGITAL VISION/GETTY IMAGES ©
This 10-day trip takes in so much. You’ll bob on a boat beneath 600m cliffs, clamber castle ruins and marvel at massive seabird colonies. Scenery-rich routes link sites telling tales of rebellion, the Troubles, famine and faith. Memorable drives connect experiences rich in Irish culture, from lyrical poetry to pubs alive with traditional music. On this trip you’ll really discover Ireland, tip to toe, head to heart.
1 Derry/Londonderry
Derry/Londonderry comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors: a vibrant, riverside city, encircled by impressive, 17th-century fortifications. Like Belfast it has a past of bitter sectarian divisions, but here too a remarkable healing is under way. You’ll get a true taste of both the enormity of the problems and the progress during your visit. Stroll atop the city walls, past Unionist strongholds and absorb the powerful murals of the Republican Bogside district. En route, be sure to visit the Tower Museum (Union Hall Pl; adult/child £4.20/2.65; 
10am-5pm Tue-Sat), where audiovisual exhibits bring the city’s rich and complex past to life.
The Drive » Distance 12km. As the A2/N13 heads west out of Derry towards Letterkenny, road signs switch from mph to km/h: you’ve just entered the Irish Republic. At Bridgend follow signs left up to Grianán of Aileách, a dizzying ascent.
2 Grianán of Aileách
This fort encircles Grianán Hill like a halo. Ducking in through its cavelike entrance and clambering up its tiered battlements reveals eye-popping views of Lough Swilly, with Inch Island plumb in the centre; Counties Donegal, Derry and Tyrone stretch out all the way around.
It’s thought the site was in use in pre-Celtic times as a temple to the god Dagda, becoming the seat of the O’Neills between the 5th and 12th centuries. But it was demolished by Murtogh O’Brien, king of Munster, and most of these remains are a 19th-century reconstruction.
The Drive » Distance 50km. The N13 cruises west to traffic-choked Letterkenny (with handy accommodation options; see Click here). There, climb north gradually on the N56 towards Dunfanaghy, with the distant Glendowan Mountains sliding into view. Once up in the high hills, take the R255 left to Glenveagh National Park and Glenveagh Castle.
3 Glenveagh National Park
Lakes shimmer like dew in mountainous Glenveagh National Park (Páirc Náisiúnta Ghleann Bheatha; www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie; 10am-6pm mid-Mar–Oct), where knuckles of rock alternate with green-gold bogs and oak and birch forest. In delightfully showy Glenveagh Castle (adult/child €5/2; 10am-6pm mid-Mar–Oct) rooms combine stuffed stags with flamboyant furnishings, highlights being the tartan-and-antler-covered music room and the pink candy-striped room (formerly Greta Garbo’s).
The exotic gardens are spectacular too, their terraces and Italianate style a marked contrast to the wildly beautiful landscape. A shuttle bus runs to the castle from the visitor centre, but the 3.6km walk is a better way to soak up the scenery.
The Drive » Distance 16km. Head west on the R251, an exhilarating, bouncing drive through cinematic scenery: the Derryveagh Mountains tower to your left, and the fast-approaching peak of Mt Errigal fills your windscreen ahead. At the hamlet of Dunlewey (Dún Lúiche), turn left to the lake.
4 Dunlewey
Simply stepping out of your car in this mountain hamlet provides an insight into the isolated way of life this high in the hills. It’s underlined at the Dunlewey Lakeside Centre (Ionad Cois Locha; www.dunleweycentre.com; adult/child €6/4; 10.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun Easter-Oct), where the 30-minute tour of a thatched weaver’s cottage reveals a huge loom, spartan bedroom (complete with chamber pot under the iron bedstead) and snug lounge warmed by a peat fire.
The Drive » Distance 60km. The R251, then the N56, begin a slow descent south, bumping past crags and sudden loughs and bogs. Shortly after heritage-town Ardara turn right, following brown signs to Glen Gesh Pass. It’s an ear-popping ascent up hairpin bends and past wayside shrines. Near the top, turn right into the walled parking bay.
DETOUR:
LOUGHREA PENINSULA
Start: 4 Dunlewey
This leg’s scenery is scenic enough, but if you fancy some sandy shores with your mountains, try this detour. Around 20km south of Dungloe, at Maas, instead of swinging left on the N56 to Glenties, peel right onto the coastal R261 which winds deep into beautiful Loughrea Peninsula. Next, take a minor road right to Narin, following signs to the beach (trá), a 4km spectacular, dune-backed, sandy stretch, where you can walk out to tiny Iniskeel Island at low tide.
Post-stroll, continue on the shoreside road, past Portnoo and Rossbeg, rejoining the R261, then the N56 at Ardara.
5 Glen Gesh Pass
The Glen Gesh Pass is one of Donegal’s most spectacular mountain views, and this parking spot is the place to take that holiday snap. The V-shaped valley sweeps away far below, while the Derryveagh Mountains line up far behind. The road you’ve just driven up is a tiny ribbon, snaking off into the distance. There’s a picnic area immediately below the parking spot, ensuring an alfresco meal with a truly memorable view.
The Drive » Distance 16km. Edging over the summit, a cluster of wind turbines spin into view. Descend gradually, past unfenced grazing (watch out for free-roaming sheep) and neat piles of drying peat. Suddenly, the sea around Glen Head appears. Head through Glencolumbcille (Gleann Cholm Cille) on the Malin Beg Rd; the Folk Village comes soon after.
6 Glencolumbcille
Glencolumbcille may feel like the middle of nowhere, but the three-pub village offers scalloped beaches, a strong sense of Irish identity and an insight into a fast-disappearing way of life. Father McDyer’s Folk Village (www.glenfolkvillage.com; adult/child €3/2; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun Easter-Sep) was set up in 1967 to freeze-frame traditional folk life for posterity. Its six thatched 18th- and 19th-century cottages are packed with everyday items, from beds and cooking pans to tools and open fires.
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The Drive » Distance 9km. The R263 snakes south, and soon reveals the massive mountain of Slieve League. Edge past it to Carrick (An Charraig), then follow brown Slieve League signs south beside the inlet to tiny Teelin (Tieleann).
7 Slieve League
The Cliffs of Moher may be more famous, but the ones at Slieve League are taller – the highest in Europe, in fact. This 600m, multicoloured rock face seems stark and otherworldly as it rears up from the Atlantic Ocean. A diminutive 12-seater boat, the Nuala Star ( 
074-973 9365; www.sliabhleagueboattrips.com; from €20; Apr-Oct), sets off from Teelin to the foot of the cliffs. The trips are weather dependent and have to be booked. If the sea is too rough, you can drive or walk to the cliffs.
The Drive » Distance 110km. The drive east from Carrick completes a gradual descent from wild, pitted hills to smoother urban life; remote homesteads give way to garden-fronted houses. The N56 skirts Donegal town, from where the N15 heads south to Sligo.
DETOUR:
DONEGAL CASTLE
Start: 7 Slieve League
Midway between Slieve League and Sligo, river-side Donegal Castle (www.heritageireland.ie; Castle St; adult/child €4/2; 10am-6pm Easter–mid-Sep) makes for a picturesque detour. The original 1474 castle was torched then rebuilt in 1623 along with a neighbouring Jacobean house. It’s a deeply attractive spot: grassy lawns lead up to geometric battlements, and rooms are packed with fine furnishings and antiques.
The castle is in the centre of pretty Donegal town. Follow signs from the N56, and afterwards take the N15 to Sligo.
8 Sligo Town
An appealing overnight base, vibrant Sligo town combines lively pubs and futuristic buildings with old stone bridges and a historic abbey. It also shines a spotlight on William Butler Yeats (1865–1939), Sligo’s greatest literary figure and one of Ireland’s premier poets. The Sligo County Museum (Stephen St; 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-4.45pm Tue-Sat May-Sep) showcases his manuscripts and letters, along with sepia photos, a copy of his 1923 Nobel Prize medal and a complete collection of his poetic works.
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The Drive » Distance 32km. Take the N4 south, then the N17 (signed Galway). Soon the R293 meanders left through Ballymote and a deeply agricultural landscape. Make for Gurteen (also spelt Gorteen), following signs for the Coleman Irish Music Centre. It’s the pink building right beside the main village crossroads.
9 Gurteen
You’ve just explored poetry, now another mainstay of Irish culture: music. The Coleman Irish Music Centre (www.colemanirishmusic.com; admission free; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat) champions melody and culture south-Sligo style, with multimedia exhibits on musical history, instruments, famous musicians and Irish dancing. The centre also provides tuition and sheet-music sales, and stages performances.
The Drive » Distance 60km. Continue south on the R293, an undulating ribbon of a road that deposits you in bustling Ballaghaderreen. There pick up the N5 west (signed Westport) for an effortless cruise through lowlands that are grazed by cattle and dotted with rounded hills. Some 55km later, signs point right for the National Museum of Country Life.
GARETH MCCORMACK/GETTY IMAGES ©
EOIN CLARKE/GETTY IMAGES ©
WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP
BELINDA DIXON, AUTHOR
It’s partly sensory overload: overwhelming scenery, tangy peat smoke, sweet strawberries, tingling sea spray, buzzing céilidh (sessions of traditional music and dancing) and soft, soft sand. It’s emotional too: Derry’s political murals are deeply disturbing, but also inspiring in their progress towards peace; don’t miss our city walk (p362). And from the stark, sheep-dotted mountains in the north to the gentle lowlands of the south, this trip is one heck of a drive.
GARETH MCCORMACK/GETTY IMAGES ©
a Castlebar
Your discovery of Ireland’s heritage continues, this time with a celebration of the ingenuity and self-sufficiency of the Irish people. The National Museum of Country Life (www.museum.ie; Turlough Park, Turlough; admission free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 2-5pm Sun) explores everything from wickerwork to boat building, and herbal cures to traditional clothing. This historical one-stop-shop is a comprehensive, absorbing depiction of rural traditions and skills between 1850 and 1950.
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The Drive » Distance 80km. On the outskirts of Castlebar, the N84 heads south (signed Galway), bouncing beside scattered settlements before dog-legging through appealing Ballinrobe. This hummocky landscape of fields and dry-stone walls is replaced by bogs edged with peat stacks as you near Galway city.
b Galway City
The biggest reason to stop in Galway city is simply to revel in its hedonistic, culture-rich spirit. Narrow alleys lead from sight to sight beside strings of pubs overflowing with live music.
Start explorations at the quayside Spanish Arch (1584), thought to be an extension of Galway’s medieval walls. Next walk a few paces to the Galway City Museum (Spanish Pde; admission free; 10am-5pm Apr-Oct) where exhibits trace daily life in the city through history; highlights include the smelly medieval era and photos of President John F Kennedy’s 1963 visit to Galway. Then, stroll a few metres to the Hall of the Red Earl (www.galwaycivictrust.ie; Druid Lane; admission free; 9.30am-4.45pm Mon-Fri), the artefact-rich archaeological remains of a 13th-century power base.
You can’t leave Galway without experiencing a music session, so walk further up Quay St to nearby Tig Cóilí (Mainguard St), a gem of a fire-engine-red pub which stages two live céilidh a day.
The Drive » Distance 80km. Join the M6 towards Dublin for the hour-long, smooth motorway cruise to Athlone. Follow signs to Athlone West/Town Centre. Soon the River Shannon, bobbing with houseboats and pleasure cruisers, eases into view. Park by Athlone Castle, which appears straight ahead.
c Athlone
The thriving riverside town of Athlone is an enchanting mix of stylish modern developments and ancient, twisting streets. Viking Tours ( 086 262 1136; www.vikingtoursireland.ie; 7 St Mary’s Pl; adult/child €10/5; May-Sep) runs cruises from beside Athlone Castle, along the River Shannon aboard a replica Viking longship sailed by costumed crew. The best trip goes south to the stunning ruins at Clonmacnoise, allowing you a 90-minute wander there.
The Drive » Distance 45km. Continue through Athlone, picking up the minor N62 to Birr, which rises and dips past grazing livestock. Soon a boggy landscape takes over; look out for the swaths of exposed soil left by industrial-scale peat harvesting. At Birr, follow signs to the imposing, crenulated gateway of the Birr Castle Demesne.
TOP TIP:
M6 TOLL
The recently completed M6 heading east out of Galway is a sleek, effortless drive. But like all shiny new things, it has to be paid for: have your €1.80 ready for the toll booth 20km east of Athenry.
d Birr
Feel-good Birr is one of the Midlands’ most attractive towns, with elegant pastel Georgian buildings and a spirited nightlife buzzing with live music. It also boasts Birr Castle (www.birrcastle.com; adult/child €9/5; 9am-6pm mid-Mar–Oct, 10am-4pm Nov–mid-Mar) where magnificent, 1000-species-strong gardens frame a large artificial lake. Don’t miss the romantic Hornbeam cloister and the 12m-high box hedge, planted in the 1780s and now one of the world’s tallest.
The Drive » Distance 74km. The N62 loops south through Roscrea towards Thurles, with the Silvermine Mountains’ dark tops creeping up on the right. Then come Templemore’s wide streets, before the N62 wiggles onto the M8 (head towards Cork); the Rock of Cashel is signed 13km later.
DETOUR:
ATHENRY
Start: b Galway City
Most people sweep past Athenry, but it actually boasts one of Ireland’s most intact collections of medieval architecture. This amiable town features a restored, boxlike Norman castle (www.heritageireland.ie; adult/child €3/1; 10am-5pm Easter-Sep), the medieval Parish Church of St Mary’s, a 13th-century Dominican Priory (with superb masonry) and an original market cross.
Athenry sits beside the M6, and is signed off it.
e Cashel
The iconic and much-photographed Rock of Cashel (www.heritageireland.com; adult/child €7/3; 9am-6.15pm Jun-Sep, to 4.45pm Oct-May) is one of Ireland’s true highlights – the Queen included it on her historic 2011 visit. The ‘rock’ is a fortified hill, the defences of which shelter a clutch of historical, religious monuments. The site has been a defensive one since the 4th century and its compelling features include the towering 13th-century Gothic cathedral, a 15th-century four-storey castle, an 11th-century round tower and a 12th-century Romanesque chapel.
The rock is a five-minute stroll along Bishop’s Walk from appealing market-town Cashel.
The Drive » Distance 67km. As you head north up the M8 (signed Dublin) you’ll notice rounded field-chequered hills, backed by a distant smudge of mountains. At Urlingford, take the R693 into central Kilkenny.
f Kilkenny
Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh) is the Ireland of many people’s imaginations, with its gracious medieval cathedral, tangle of 17th-century passageways, old-fashioned shopfronts and ancient live-music pubs. Make for Kilkenny Castle (www.kilkennycastle.ie; adult/child €7/3; 9am-5.30pm Mar-Sep), a late-12th-century stone affair built by the son-in-law of Richard de Clare, the Anglo-Norman conqueror of Ireland (a man graced with the sobriquet ‘Strongbow’). Forty-minute guided tours focus on the Long Gallery, an impressive hall with high ceilings, vividly painted Celtic and Pre-Raphaelite motifs and ranks of po-faced portraits.
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The Drive » Distance 50km. Pick up the R700 southeast to New Ross. Hills feature again here, both in the rise and fall of the twisting road, and in the blue-black ridge of the Blackstairs Mountains far ahead. At New Ross make for the quay and the three-masted sailing vessel you can now see.
g New Ross
In Ireland’s Great Famine of 1845–51 a staggering three million people died or emigrated, often to America and Australia. Many left in ‘coffin ships’, so called because of the appalling mortality rates on them. When you step aboard the replica Dunbrody Famine Ship ( 051-425 239; www.dunbrody.com; The Quay; adult/child 8.50/4.50; 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar) you ‘become’ a migrant: you’re allocated a living space and rations, while actors around you vividly re-create life on board. Expect cramped conditions, authentic sounds and smells and often-harrowing tales.
The Drive » Distance 32km. Head onto the N30 to Enniscorthy (initially signed N23 to Rosslare), a gentle, rural leg punctuated by frequents treats: roadside stalls selling sweet Wexford strawberries. As you head towards central Enniscorthy, the National Rebellion Centre is a sharp left, up the hill.
h Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy’s warren of steep streets descends from Augustus Pugin’s cathedral to a riverside Norman castle. But the town is most famous for some of the fiercest fighting of the 1798 uprising against British rule, when rebels captured the town. That story is told in the National 1798 Rebellion Centre (www.1798centre.ie; Mill Park Rd; adult/child €7/3.50; 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun Apr-Sep), where exhibits cover the French and American Revolutions that sparked Wexford’s abortive revolt. It also chronicles what followed: the rebels’ retreat and the massacre by English troops of hundreds of women and children.
The Drive » Distance 19km. Carry on through Enniscorthy, crossing the river to pick up the N11, south, to Wexford. Then comes a long straight run, beside the River Slane and past more strawberry stalls, until the waters of Wexford Harbour glide into view.
i Wexford Town
The sleepy port town of Wexford is a pleasing place to stroll through heritage-rich streets beside a wide estuary. Guided tours (€4) set out at 11am (March to October) from the tourist office (www.visitwexford.ie; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat Apr-Oct), on the main Custom House Quay; it also provides maps. Or explore by yourself: head up Harper’s Lane to North Main St and the 18th-century St Iberius’ Church (where Oscar Wilde’s forebears were rectors). A left up George St leads to Abbey St and Selskar Abbey (Henry II did penance here after the murder of Thomas Becket); the 14th-century Westgate sits at the street’s end.
The Drive » Distance 20km. The N25 to Rosslare runs along Wexford’s boat-lined waterfront. After more fruit stalls, the R739 turns right through a gentle landscape of trees and rich pastures – it feels a world away from the harsh, high hills at your trip’s start. Soon the thatched cottages of Kilmore Quay appear.
j Kilmore Quay
This tiny, relaxed port is the perfect finish to your trans-Ireland trip. Seafood restaurants, fishermen’s pubs and B&Bs cluster around a boat-packed harbour. Just off shore, the Saltee Islands (www.salteeislands.info; 11.30am-4pm) overflow with gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins; Declan Bates ( 053-912 9684, 087 252 9736; day trip €30) runs boat trips (booking required). If the weather scuppers that plan, stroll west from the quay to the 9km, wildlife-rich dunes of Ballyteigue Burrow, passing a memorial garden for those lost at sea, before reaching the Cull, a 4km sliver of land sheltering a slender inlet teeming with widgeon, oystercatchers, curlew and more.
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GARETH MCCORMACK/GETTY IMAGES ©
Letterkenny
4 Station House Hotel €€
( 074-912 3100; www.stationhouseletterkenny.com; Lower Main St; s/d €79/99; 
) The 81 minimalist rooms here are immaculate, sporting rich red bedspreads, low lighting and glass-panelled bathrooms. The Depot Café Bar (mains €13-25) serves classic dishes.
Dunlewey 4
4 Glen Heights B&B €€
( 074-956 0844; www.glenheightsbb.com; s/d €50/€70; ) At this mountainside B&B the Donegal charm is in full swing. Rooms are simple and snug, while the breakfast table offers breathtaking views of Lough Dunlewey and Mt Errigal.
Glencolumbcille 6
5 An Chistin Cafe €€
(mains €10-22; 9am-9.30pm Easter-Oct) This cafe-restaurant attached to the Oideas Gael cultural centre serves up surprisingly gourmet fare to a soundtrack of mellow jazz.
4 Glencolumbcille Hill Walkers Centre Hostel €
( 086-197 4436 www.ionadsuil.ie; d €50; ) Overlooking sheep-filled paddocks, this smart place has pristine rooms. Breakfast isn’t included but the self-catering kitchen is enormous and well kitted out.
Sligo Town 8
5 Ósta Cafe €
(www.osta.ie; Hyde Bridge, Left Bank; light meals €6-13; 8am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun) An array of preserved meats, seafood and Irish farmhouse cheeses accompany well-chosen wines in this intimate, quayside cafe-cum-wine bar.
4 Pearse Lodge B&B €€
( 071-916 1090; www.pearselodge.com; Pearse Rd; s/d €50/74; 
) Welcoming owners Mary and Kieron not only maintain a stylish, cosy B&B but are also up on what’s happening in town. Breakfasts include smoked salmon, French toast with bananas and homemade muesli.
Castlebar a
5 Rua Irish €€
(www.caferua.com; Spencer St; mains €7-13; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat) With a gourmet deli downstairs and a buzzing cafe upstairs, this place champions artisan, organic produce: expect local duck eggs, Sligo pasta, Carrowholly cheese and Ballina smoked salmon. It’s open for dinner on the last Friday of the month (three courses €40); don’t miss it if you’re in town.
4 Breaffy House Hotel €€
( 094-902 2033; www.breaffyhousehotel.com; r from €85; 
) Set in a 19th-century country house, this grand hotel blends modernity with period charm. There’s a pool and spa too. Breaffy House is 10 minutes east of Castlebar, off the N60.
4 Skeffington Arms Hotel €€
( 091-563 173; www.skeffington.ie; Eyre Sq; r €65-160; ) The Skeff eschews frills – pass through its arched, traditional entrance and you’ll enter a minimalist haven. The air-con keeps you cool on hot summer nights with the windows closed (muting the frolicsome masses roaming the streets below).
4 St Martins B&B B&B €€
( 091-568 286; www.stmartins.ie; 2 Nun’s Island Rd; s/d from €50/80; ) This beautifully renovated house has a flower-filled garden overlooking the River Corrib. Rooms have all the comforts, breakfasts are a cut above (the orange juice comes freshly squeezed) and owner Mary Sexton wins rave reviews.
Birr d
4 Brendan House B&B €€
( 057-912 1818; www.tinjugstudio.com; Brendan St; s/d €55/85) Gloriously eccentric and packed to the gills with books, art and antiques, this Georgian town house is a bohemian delight. Rooms share a bathroom, but the four-poster beds and period charm more than make up for it.
Kilkenny f
5 Cafe Sol Modern Irish €€
( 056-776 4987; William St; lunch mains €9-15, dinner mains €17-25; lunch & dinner) Leisurely lunches stretch until 5pm at this much-loved restaurant. Local organic produce packs seasonal dishes, while bold flavours have a global feel.
4 Butler House Hotel €€
( 056-772 2828; www.butler.ie; 16 Patrick St; s €60-120, d €100-180; ) Once the home of Kilkenny Castle’s builders, the earls of Ormonde, Butler House contains a boutique hotel with aristocratic trappings: sweeping staircases, marble fireplaces, an art collection and impeccably trimmed gardens.
4 Celtic House B&B €€
( 056-776 2249; www.celtic-house-bandb.com; 18 Michael St; r €70-90; ) Artist Angela Byrne extends a warm welcome at her spick-and-span B&B. Some of the rooms have sky-lit bathrooms, others have castle views, while Angela’s landscapes adorn many of the walls.
Enniscorthy h
4 Old Bridge House B&B €
( 053-923 4222; www.oldbridgehousebnb.com; Slaney Pl; s/d from €35/60; ) The Redmonds’ comfortable guesthouse boasts bohemian artefacts, arty prints and a personable welcome. The River Slaney passes below the breakfast windows.
Wexford Town i
5 Greenacres Deli €
(www.greenacres.ie; 7 Selskar St; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Sat) Ireland’s best cheeses, preserves, oatcakes, crackers and chocolates are beautifully displayed in this excellent food hall. The wine selection is the best south of Dublin; stock up for picnics.
Kilmore Quay j
5 Silver Fox Seafood €€€
(www.thesilverfox.ie; Kilmore Quay; mains €18-32; noon-10pm May-Sep) Fresh-from-the-ocean offerings here include a creamy fisherman’s pie filled with prawns, monkfish, salmon and cod, plus a range of specials.
4 Mill Road Farm B&B €€
( 053-912 9633; www.millroadfarm.com; R739; s/d €45/70; ) This working dairy farm offers simple rooms and breakfasts featuring homemade bread and free-range eggs. You’ll pass it on the R739 as you come into Kilmore Quay (about 2km north of the village).