West of Ireland

What an unbelievable coastline! The journey could begin in Killaloe, on the banks of the River Shannon – Ireland’s longest river – and run along the coast through Kilkee, a bustling seaside resort during the school holiday; out along the towering Cliffs of Moher, past the world-famous Burren and into the village of Lisdoonvarna. To be honest, you could stay a month in Clare and never get bored and the same has to be said of Galway, Mayo and Sligo too.

The drive from Galway City via Clifden, past huge mountains and massive lakes, is a journey through Connemara and the curtain of time, perhaps with a break in the wonderful town of Westport. Sligo has its own particular beauty and one of the most famous poets of all time, the Nobel Prize winning WB Yeats, who is buried at Drumcliff Cemetery.

Along this west coast of Ireland the clocks are almost an hour later than the rest of Britain, which of course lends itself to much revelry and ‘craic’ from music, song and drink. Lighter evenings also allow more time to explore the many islands, all served by regular summer ferries, to play golf on world famous links courses or to catch a salmon from fast running rivers such as the Moy. The Western Counties offer unrivalled scenery and numerous outdoor activities in unspoilt surroundings. Natural beauty combined with a rich history.