Page 5 of Touring Ireland by Car by Car Rental Council of Ireland

after which you might want to go for a mid morning stroll to the phoenix park it s one of the largest city parks in the world and is home to the president of ireland the phoenix park visitor centre and dublin zoo afternoon north of dublin time to leave the city centre and drive north out to clontarf r105 to the bram stoker experience you can take the heart pounding journey through castle dracula and watch the terrifying enactments creating the unique and spine chilling story of count dracula and his victims clontarf is approximately 3.8 miles from the city centre and should take you just under 30 minutes to get there after clontarf drive to malahide castle approximately 8.3 miles from clontarf r105 r107 malahide castle set on 250 acres of parkland in the pretty seaside town of malahide was both a fortress and a private home for nearly 800 years and is an interesting mix of architectural styles memorabilia letters first and rare editions and many items associated with joycean dublin just up the road under 1/2 a mile is the bustling town of dun laoghaire an old victorian harbour town people come from all over dublin to walk dun laoghaire s two piers the east pier is 1,290 m long and the west pier is 1,548m each pier ending in a lighthouse here you can also enjoy the excitement of a high-powered trip around dublin bay on marine rescue boats east coast/midlands region laois heritage trail 1 day tour borris-in-ossary ­ camross 138 kms 86 mls afternoon drive back across the river to the famous guinness storehouse about 1/2 a mile from the phoenix park there is a fantastic interactive exhibition inside and you ll be able to sip the perfect pint from the best vantage point in the city the gravity bar with lunch and a tour of the storehouse you could spend approximately two and a half hours here parking is available for visitors alternatively you can drive across the river to smithfield less than 1/2 a mile from the storehouse which is one of dublin s most up and coming areas take the tour through the old jameson distillery and round it off with a complimentary glass of irish whiskey the chimney in smithfield is also worth a visit with its beautiful views all over dublin cushendun county antrim travel through buncrana malin head the most northerly point on mainland ireland to moville continue on to londonderry and walk around its ancient encircling walls still intact and perfect before visiting the award-winning tower museum st patrick s grave on cathedral hill drive to newcastle where the mournes `sweep down to the sea on past the lively fishing port of kilkeel and through rostrevor and warrenpoint towards newry mountmellick camross evening its now time to leave the car and take a stroll down dame street and take the alley that runs down by the central bank and you will find yourself in temple bar representing a concentration of predominantly contemporary arts and cultural practices meeting house square is a spectacular open-air performance space located off eustace street it is surrounded by a cluster of innovative cultural centres which are well worth a visit during the summer months meeting house square is home to temple bar s free outdoor festival which celebrates all forms of contemporary culture and includes live performances film screenings and family events borris-inossory donaghmore day 10 newry ­ dublin 108 kms 67 mls from newry travel south towards dublin through dundalk to the historic town of drogheda visit the prehistoric tombs at newgrange knowth and dowth complete your tour of the boyne valley at slane where st patrick lit the first paschal fire on the hill in ad 434 as a challenge to king laoghaire s fire on the nearby hill of tara before returning to dublin day 8 6 londonderry ­ belfast 176 kms 109 mls travel eastwards through limavady to downhill and its small mussenden temple drive through coleraine portstewart and portrush to the dramatic ruin of dunluce castle and the giant s causeway home to the legendary giant finn mccool and take a short detour to bushmills distillery continue along the north antrim coast to the carrick-a-rede rope bridge travel through the glens of antrim through ballycastle cushendall and carnlough towards belfast the capital city of northern ireland day three south of dublin morning on the third day it s time to discover what the south of dublin has to offer dalkey castle heritage centre is 10.3miles from the city centre leave by donnybrook road n11 and then take n31 at the dalkey castle heritage centre you can explore goat castle with its murder hole bartizan garderobe machicolations and battlements view models of medieval dalkey the atmospheric and funicular railways and the much-loved trams or take one of the new archaeological tours to dalkey island dalkey village is very pretty and worth walking around day two morning after a whirlwind of culture on the west side of the city on the first day it s time to soak up the literary and artistic tradition on the north side less than 1/2 a mile from o connell bridge lie the hugh lane gallery at charlemount house one of the finest georgian buildings in dublin and the dublin writers museum on parnell square heading back south side why not take a walk around the famous grounds of trinity college the college grounds are extensive and magnificent with fine 18th and 19th century buildings dotted among picturesque cobbled squares and ancient playing fields the trinity library is also worth a visit for among its many treasures it contains the extraordinary eighth century celtic-christian manuscript the book of kells dublin three day tour dublin is a very vibrant city and the three day tour below has something for everyone starting in borris-in-ossary on the n7 the heritage trail takes you first to the workhouse museum in donaghmore this step back in time will transport you to the years between 1853 and 1886 to relate the stories of the families who lived and died in the workhouse before during and after the great famine join the n7 again at borris-in-ossary and follow the heritage trail signs to aghaboe abbey founded by st canice in the 6th century this abbey has a turbulent history take time to stop at the abbey and read the plaque there detailing its history continue following the heritage trail signs to the planned estate village of durrow this town developed under the patronage of the viscounts of ashbrook and is home to a suite of interesting buildings around the village green from durrow there is a possible detour to the tiny village of attanagh access to this village is via the n77 kilkenny road taking the left turn which signposts the village this village mainly consists of a charming 7 day 9 belfast ­ newry 151kms 94 mls enjoy a relaxing morning exploring belfast and the ulster folk transport museum drive from bangor along the ards breezy coast road at ballywalter turn inland to greyabbey for a sheltered drive to portaferry cross strangford lough by car ferry towards downpatrick to visit day one city centre and surrounding area morning to start the tour first go 11/2 miles west from o connell bridge to the collins barracks the impressive new home of the national museum where you ll be able to find out everything you ever wanted to know about irish history afternoon drive to sandycove just under 2 miles away from dalkey on the way back into the city centre a pleasant little harbour where the james joyce museum can be found in the martello tower featuring telescope birr castle county offaly

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