Discover Ireland's Living History

The Irish are renowned for their easy-going nature and their warmth. Unsurprisingly, visitors find themselves effortlessly immersed in the atmosphere, finding it a wonderfully rewarding travel destination, rich in history and culture.

Pub culture is central - nay! - integral to Irish social life. To sample at the source, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin can take you through the history and production of the famed 'black stuff'. For some of Ireland's best pubs head to Galway city; if you are bored or thirsty in the 'City of Tribes' you are doing something wrong.

Ireland's new found affluence has seen the nation's art and culture blossom: theatre, music and cinema enjoy a dynamic space in Ireland's cultural landscape. In the realm of visual arts, the National Gallery has an extensive Irish School collection, a vivid chronicle of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy of old.

The Irish people's love of writing harks all the way back to the Dark Ages and the Book of Kells. More recently, Ireland has contributed a legacy of world-renowned writers including Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, who are all celebrated at the Dublin Writer's Museum.

Sport has always had a special place in the Irish heart. Gaelic Football is unlike any other game; it's a uniquely Irish spectacle. Games at local sports fields such as the beautiful Fossa GAA Ground in Killarney, are a must-see for anyone visiting during the February to September season.

Solid reminders of Ireland's long, dramatic, history range from prehistoric graves to ruined monasteries to lofty Georgian mansions. The Poulnabrone Dolmen in the Burren and Browne's Hill Dolmen near Carlow town are particularly interesting, as is the Iron Age fort of Dún Aengus on Inishmór. Temple Bar in Dublin is a well-preserved urban area with narrow, cobbled streets and a streetscape that captures the feel of the Georgian period.

Ireland's religious history is as fascinating as it's tumultuous. For Catholics, the Church of the Apparition in Knock is Ireland's answer to Lourdes. For a reality check, a Belfast Black Taxi tour shows what happens when believers lose their way.