County Sligo

County Sligo packs as much poetry, myth and folklore into its countryside's lush splendour as any shamrock-lover and archaeologist could hope for. It was Sligo that most inspired the Nobel laureate, poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats (1865–1939). Ever fascinated by Irish mysticism, he was intrigued by places such as prehistoric Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Knocknarea Cairn, iconic and hulking Benbulben and cute little Innisfree Island.

And it's no complacent backwater: there's a vibrant and creative food culture, and the coast's surf is internationally renowned.