Best weather: May to September: short showers common throughout the year (don't forget an umbrella or slicker).
What To Do
Scan the rocky cliffs: For a dramatic setting, don't miss Ireland's biggest rock stars: the Rock of Cashel (St. Patrick allegedly picked a shamrock from here to explain the Trinity) and breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, a five-mile-long sea wall that soars up to 700 feet.
Visit heritage towns: Step back to a time of fairytale thatched-roof cottages in designated Heritage Towns that include Cashel and Kinsale. For a complete list of postcard-pretty spots, visit heritagetowns.com.
Explore the peninsulas:
Drive around one of the numerous promontories that jut off the southwest coast of Ireland for breathtaking mountain and coastal views. The Ring of Kerry, a daylong drive that runs along the perimeter of the Iveragh Peninsula, is one of the most popular scenic drives. See also Dingle Peninsula for its unspoiled serenity.
Feast at a medieval banquet:
Dine before a color-soaked pageant of medieval Irish history in music, dance, mime, and rhyme in the hallowed splendor of a 15th-century castle. Best bets include Bunratty Castle, Dunguaire Castle, and Knappogue Castle.
