Ireland

There has been a castle at Lismore ever since 1185, built by Prince John of England. A round tower from this period still stands today. When John became King of England, he handed the castle over to the Church, and it was used as a Bishop’s Palace until 1589. The castle was sold to the […]

The Rock of Cashel rises from the plain, bearing the remains of a cathedral and a round tower. This picturesque complex has a unique character, with the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture in Ireland. Originally, however, it was the seat of the kings of Munster, who ruled the south-east of Ireland

The city of Kilkenny has much to offer, beside of a castle and a cathedral, there is an interesting merchant house we could visit, an arts centre, an old pub and many shops. There is even a parking for campers close to the centre, which made it even easier to explore Kilkenny. Strongbow (Richard de

We were on the way to the Brownshill Dolmen near Carlow, when we discovered this beautiful one in the middle of a pasture. Shortly after we reached the Brownshill Dolmen, where we could see its majestic capstone already from the parking. There are many dolmens scattered around Ireland, but this one is truly exceptional, not

Duckett’s Grove is the ruined remains of a 19th-century mansion located near Carlow. Formerly the centre of a 12,000-acre (49 km²) estate belonging to the Duckett family, the house dominated the area for more than two centuries. It was surrounded by stables and farm buildings, as well as two interconnected walled gardens with greenhouses. The

In the little town of Avoca, we found the oldest working woollen mill in Ireland and one of the world’s oldest manufacturing companies. The mill dates back to 1723 and was used for grinding corn and spinning and weaving wool. On a guided tour, we learned about the traditional way of weaving by hand, which is still used to try out

After spending a night at the coast near Greystones and a short coastal walk, we were looking forward to a tour through another beautiful house. Killruddery was for centuries just a hunting lodge for the Brabazon family living in Dublin, until in 1820, when John Brabazon, 10th Earl of Meath, built a Tudor Revival mansion

The story of the Powerscourt Estate is a tragic one. The house, originally a 13th-century castle, was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels.  Originally the family seat of the Viscounts Powerscourt, the estate has been sold to the Slazenger family in 1961, founders and former owners of the Slazenger sporting goods business. They renovated the

The rainy weather was ideal for a tour through one of the grand houses around Dublin. We chose Russborough House, and were mesmerized by the art and beauty of the rooms we could visit on a guided tour. Russborough House is a Georgian Palladian house, designed by Richard Cassels for Joseph Leeson, 1st Earl of Milltown, built between 1741 and

The next day, the weather was ideal for an indoor activity – to say something positive about it. We drove to the Guinness Brewery in the hope of getting a parking there on a Sunday, and we did. I suppose, you haven’t heard about VIYOUU, that’s because the App isn’t released yet, but is going