Results: This survey is about a travel destination you may not have considered - Ireland.
Published on 06/28/2025
With so many people looking for a different vacation destination given some of the recent world political and conflict events, I don't mind promoting Ireland as a place to visit, (provided you don't have sun bathing as a priority). In 1967, my family rented a cottage near Sligo in Ireland. My motorbike was as unreliable as the weather (unless rain every day is considered reliable) so I spend most of the trip indoors in either one of the many Irish pubs or in the cottage playing board (bored) games and having "singalongs" with my sisters. Most of Ireland will still be there when I return. Here are some attractions I missed on my previous visits to The Emerald Isle.
QUESTIONS
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Comments
1.
1.
Which of these attractions would you like to take in on a visit to Ireland?
I would love to visit the sea port shown in the above photograph but I don't know where exactly it is. If you recognize it please comment. I will probably ask one of the locals.
28%
553 votes
Ireland Is home to the world's longest coastal driving route. Stretching approximately 1,600 miles, the Wild Atlantic Way is the longest uninterrupted coastal driving route in the world. The trip is broken into 14 stages, allowing those with limited time to pick and complete the portion they want to see the most. Or retirees like me can take as long as we like.
35%
703 votes
Ireland Is home to over 30,000 castles and ruins, some of which you might see if you take the above drive. Some of the more well-known include Blarney Castle — home of the famed Blarney stone — and Dunluce Castle, an abandoned fortress that made an appearance in Game of Thrones.
44%
871 votes
None
9%
180 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
24 votes
Not Interested
24%
477 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.47% | 11 | |
| Mexico!!!! | 0.04% | 1 |
| All! | 0.04% | 1 |
| Too old to travel, but friends have been to Ireland recently and shared their experiences with me. | 0.04% | 1 |
| All of the above | 0.04% | 1 |
| Whiskey distilleries? | 0.04% | 1 |
| I"d like my ancestry.com to be complete enough to know exactly where some of my forebears came from, and visit that area. | 0.04% | 1 |
| Been there, done that | 0.04% | 1 |
| All the above | 0.04% | 1 |
| Killoran castle. I'm a descendent | 0.04% | 1 |
| I have been to Ireland before and with any luck I shall go again for several weeks at least. | 0.04% | 1 |
| My grandfather's family descendants | 0.04% | 1 |
| many more places | 0.04% | 1 |
| There is two separations to Ireland: Northern, which my ancestors are from and Southern, where a family inlaw comes from. It may be great to visit both areas of Ireland. | 0.04% | 1 |
2.
2.
Here are a few other places I would have visited in the 1960s if fate hadn't prevented it. Which of them would you include in your itinerary?
While you might guess the shamrock to be Ireland's official icon, it is in fact the harp, making Ireland the only nation with a musical instrument as its national symbol. You may have seen this image on Harp Lager Beer or on my favorite Guinness Stout.
26%
529 votes
The Guinness Brewery in Dublin Has a 9,000-year lease on Its land requiring a rent of just 45 pounds per month. Today, Guinness still makes its signature brew at that location, where you can visit for tastings, tours, and more — and where it continues to pay 45 pounds in rent.
30%
592 votes
If Guinness isn't to your taste, the oldest pub in Ireland Is over 1,000 years old. Sean's Bar in Athlone Ireland, dates back to A.D. 900 when it was established to take advantage of the traffic at the nearby river crossing. Today, visitors can stop by for a pint or a taste of history including the pub's sloping floors, originally designed to prevent flooding.
32%
642 votes
None
16%
317 votes
Not Interested
27%
540 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
19 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.43% | 9 | |
| Anything NOT involving alcohol. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Dangerous now- Muslims have taken over | 0.05% | 1 |
| All! | 0.05% | 1 |
| all of the above | 0.05% | 1 |
| The Blarney Stone? | 0.05% | 1 |
| Been there, done that | 0.05% | 1 |
| ALL OF THE ABOVE. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Seeing Plain Porter brewed at Porterhouse Brewery in Dublin. | 0.05% | 1 |
| have already been | 0.05% | 1 |
| There are great stories , folklore and myths of Ireland to listen to and fun to join with the people | 0.05% | 1 |
3.
3.
If the sun comes out or if you have good all weather gear, there is much to see before the pubs open. Here are three examples. Which would interest you?
An ancient Irish festival gave us Halloween (it even sounds Irish doesn't it?). It originated with the Celtic festival known as Samhain, which celebrated the harvest. Communities lit bonfires, and locals wore costumes to prevent being carried off by ghosts or spirits. Over the years, the pagan festival merged with All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1, to become the event we know today.
30%
605 votes
Although Irish and English are the two official languages (Irish is obligatory in school), a 2011 census showed more residents — about 30,000 more, — speak Polish outside of school than speak Irish. You'll be happy to know virtually everyone in Ireland speaks English. That doesn't mean you can't have some fun trying out native words like sláinte, meaning "Cheers," once your thirst returns and you next visit a pub.
27%
536 votes
With arguably one of the most fun mountain range names, MacGillycuddy's Reeks are far from being the tallest mountains in the world. In fact, only three of the peaks stand taller than 1000 meters, The tallest is Carrauntoohil, which can be climbed in a day if you're looking for some physical activity, beautiful views, and local nature during your visit.
29%
572 votes
None
15%
297 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
17 votes
Not Interested
27%
545 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.64% | 13 | |
| All! | 0.05% | 1 |
| all of the above | 0.05% | 1 |
| How about being introduced to some pretty redheaded lasses? | 0.05% | 1 |
| Devil's Causeway | 0.05% | 1 |
4.
4.
If you still have time and money left, and don't plan on spending them in Scotland across the Irish Sea, here are three more places in Ireland to visit. Which of them interest you?
It may seem strange to come all the way to Ireland to visit a Swiss Cottage but this one, commissioned by Lord Cahir gets its name due to its resemblance to an Alpine cottage. Its most striking feature is its thatched roof. The woodwork, on the exterior was designed to resemble tree branches. The interior features a spiral staircase. The cottage was used by the gentry as a place where they could live as peasants. Judging by the lavish interior, in comparison with the homes actual peasants would have lived in, the gentry were a long way off finding realism here.
34%
684 votes
I wish I had room for a photo of this next one. Dereen Woods, also known as Bluebell Woods, is a magical setting throughout the year, but the woods become even more special during the spring when they are completely carpeted with Bluebells. On a clear spring morning, Bluebell Wood is one of the most unique sights in Ireland.
36%
715 votes
If you do not have a head for heights, you will appreciate the absence of a photo of this last one. A handy stop-off point between The Giant's Causeway and Ballycastle, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is a dizzying experience to be enjoyed or studiously avoided. Looking like something from an Indiana Jones movie, the bridge conveys you across the chasm between the cliffs and the island of Carrick-a-Rede. The bridge today is a stronger and safer version of the original, put up every spring by fishermen whose nets would intercept migrating salmon.
25%
493 votes
None
13%
254 votes
Not Interested
27%
539 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
16 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.51% | 11 | |
| Ll! | 0.05% | 1 |
| all of the above | 0.05% | 1 |
| I'd like to see a windowless tiny cottage the peons had to live in during feudal times. | 0.05% | 1 |
| I would like to go to Ireland and Scotland. They sound like curious places to see. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Lovely crafts ie. linen, crystal, wool items from sheep etc. are to be found. | 0.05% | 1 |
5.
5.
Ireland is not a tropical paradise but it has a lot to offer. Americans and Canadians are welcome there, crime is low and you shouldn't have problems with the language or the food. Is this a place you might like to visit? Yes
63%
1258 votes
No
37%
742 votes
COMMENTS