1

This is one possibility http://www.glendalough.connect.ie/knockruehouse/index.html . I have not tried it myself. You will certainly be able to get a dublinbus service as far as Blessington. It is on the east side of the Wicklow Mountains (Other side from Glendalough). Cattle is more common within the rural areas close to Dublin.

You may wish to e-mail acouple of the TICs mentioned in your lp for Ireland. This is one where their local knowledge may be invaluable.

R

2

A large part of the Bed and Breakfast network is Farmhouse Holidays. This is a B&B on a family farm. Guests are not expected to work on the farm although there may be opportunity to watch some activity.

Irish Farm Holidays
http://www.irishfarmholidays.com/ifh/index.cfm

Counties near Dublin are Wicklow, Kildare, Meath and Louth. Kildare and Meath have good flat pasture land and are the centre for the Irish Horse industry. so a stay or visit on a stud farm can be on the agenda.

With apologies to post 1, there is cattle farming in Wicklow as there can be less labour involved then sheep. It's West* Wicklow that has an awful lot of sheep farming. Some of farms are not very big <100 acres and in the Wicklow Mountains approx. 500 metres, sheep roam freely, including over the narrow roads. The N81 road runs from Dublin through villages like Blessington, Baltinglass and down into Tullow County Carlow.

In the West of Ireland there is better opportunity to see very small fields cleared of stones that are used to build the dry stones walls that tourist brochures use. South County Mayo is a good area to see this. The road between Claremorris and Ballinrobe (south west) and small roads off this road.

3

I agree with #2. My original answer was much too concise!

R