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Dublin
Cosmopolitan, colourful and over a thousand years old,
Dublin presents a fine starting point for visitors to
Ireland. This capital city is split in two by the River
Liffey, which gives form to the city and has no less than
nine bridges spanning it. Easily explored on foot, central
Dublin presents a wealth of historic landmarks, from ancient
cathedrals to gracious Georgian buildings that pay testimony
to days gone by. There are several attractions on both
sides of the Liffey, ranging from gaols and castles to
the birthplaces of famous poets and writers and guided
literary trails. |
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Trinity College
Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity
College is Ireland's oldest university and counts Jonathan
Swift, Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde, along with many
other great thinkers and writers, amongst it past-students.
This 16th century complex is home to many glorious buildings,
beautifully manicured lawns, cobbled squares and the campus
of the University of Ireland. The celebrated Book of Kells,
which dates from the 8th century and is considered to
be one of the oldest books in the world, is housed in
the College’s Collonades Gallery. Other illuminated
manuscripts taken from ancient monasteries are also on
display. |
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South and West
Nine counties comprise the South of Ireland, five in the
southeast and four in the southwest. In the Southeast,
County Wexford is favoured for its sandy beaches and pretty
harbour towns; County Carlow for its Celtic monuments
and historic sites; County Waterford for its crystal glass
factory and attractive fishing villages and resort towns;
County Kilkenny for its medieval churches and well-preserved
Norman city and County Tipperary for its lush dairy pastures.
In the Southwest, County Cork is noted for its maritime
identity and impressive coastal scenery as well as being
the site of Ireland's most famous attraction, the Blarney
Stone. Kissing this stone is said to impart the gift of
eloquence. County Kerry is loved for its rugged scenery
and the Dingle Peninsula, which juts out into the Atlantic
Ocean as the westernmost point of Europe. County Limerick
is home of the vibrant city of Limerick, which is an important
centre of music; and County Clare is noted for its outstanding
landscapes and the Cliffs of Moher. In the West is County
Galway with its vibrant city and wild scenery. |
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Cork
Situated on an estuary that opens onto the Atlantic Ocean,
Ireland's second largest city has been likened to Dublin
without the traffic; it is crammed with cosy pubs and
cultural attractions. Sights include the 19th century
Cork City Jail, the protestant Finbarr's Cathedral, and
the Cork Museum, which is largely given over to the nationalist
struggle in which Cork played an important role. Popular
day trips from Cork include Blarney Castle and Kinsale.
Cork is five hours from Dublin by car or bus. |
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