The West

Famed for being a regular winner of Ireland’s Tidy Towns competition, Adare is a picture-postcard village with traditional thatched cottages, Tudor-style houses and pretty gardens. Situated beside the River Maguire, there’s lots to do including golfing, fishing, a heritage centre, and the nearby 19th-century Croom Mills.

One of the earliest Cistercian monastery foundations in Ireland, Boyle Abbey was founded in the 12th century, and now houses an exhibition of Irish history.

Scattered with ancient dolmens, tombs and cairns, the Burren lies south of Galway in County Clare. Taken from the Irish ‘bhoireann’ meaning a stony place, this barren landscape has remained unspoiled since the ice age and is a spectacular natural wonder rich in wildlife and history.

This is Ireland’s largest megalithic burial site with over 60 tombs, the oldest of which predates Newgrange (3200BC) by a whopping 700 years. The site also includes a restored cottage and contains an exhibition relating to the history of the cemetery.

Dating back to 5000BC, Ceide Fields is the most extensive stone monument in the world and comprises the oldest enclosed landscape in Europe.

If you want a taste of Ireland’s ancient history, then this is the place to get it. Located on an original Celtic settlement, the park contains 12 recreated and authentic features from the country’s past.

Vertigo-sufferers should stand well back because the sheer Cliffs of Moher plunge a whopping 214 metres into the choppy Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, the views are spectacular with both the Aran Islands and the valleys and hills of Connemara visible.

Craggaunowen, The Living Past Experience, tells the story of the arrival of the Celts in Ireland. With a stunning collection of exhibits and replica dwellings, you can really get a taste of what life was like in pre-historic times.

Located in the heart of Donegal town on the banks of the River Eske, Donegal Castle was built in 1474 by Hugh Roe O’Donnell. It has now been restored to its former glory and is well worth a visit.

The esteemed Irish poet W B Yeats is buried at this beautiful spot perfectly placed beneath the Benbulben Mountains and on the site of a sixth-century Columbian monastery. The visitor centre offers information on Yeats, Columba and the county of Sligo.

Situated on the Clare/Galway road and built in the 1500s, Dunguaire hosts medieval banquets twice a night.

This dramatic stone fort is perched on a clifftop almost 300ft above sea level. It’s an extremely important, and vulnerable, archaeological site.

This 4,000-year-old ring fort is another of Ireland’s most important ancient sites. The great stone cashel is thought to have been built by the Tuatha De Danann, God and King of Ireland, to protect the grave of his son Aedh.

Located in a magnificent setting on the banks of the River Suir, Holycross is an early 12th-century monastery. Before the close of the 12th century it was passed on to the Cistercians and became a place of pilgrimage for people from all over the Ireland.

This magnificently restored Georgian mansion was built in 1730 by Sir Henry King on a stunning location overlooking the River Boyle.

The Virgin Mary, with St Joseph and St John the Evangelist, appeared here on the 21 August 1879, and since then Knock has grown to the status of an internationally recognised Marian Shrine.

Originally a Victorian-era castle, the Abbey now serves as the home of the Benedictine nuns in Ireland. The gardens contain around 10,000 trees.

Take a walk along this heritage trail connecting the various landmarks in this historic district with the 13th-century King John’s Castle at the River Shannon at its heart.

Nestled among the hills of southeast Limerick, Lough Gur is one of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites. The interpretative centre tells the story of pre-Celtic Ireland dating back to 3000BC, and includes a slide show, exhibition models and interpretative panel.

On the shores of Lough Gill, one of Ireland’s prettiest lakes, sits the splendid manor house of Parkes Castle. Restored to its 17th-century magnificence, the castle now has a traditional blacksmith forge in 17th-century style, as well as a cosy tearoom.

One of Ireland’s many heritage towns, Roscrea boasts an intriguing 13th-century stone castle with some furnished rooms and house exhibitions. Daily tours are available.

Founded by Maurice Fitzgerald, Chief Justice of Ireland, in 1252, this Dominican Friary is known to locals simply as the Abbey. It has the oldest decorated high altar in an Irish monastic church, well preserved cloisters, carvings, and gothic and renaissance tomb sculptures.

A restored 18th-century mansion with original furniture, Strokestown is home to the National Famine Museum. A combination of original documents and images interprets the 19th-century famine.