jefe

Hi all, been a long time since I posted anything, but am heading back to Ireland this year again after a long break. This time we will be spending some time in Belfast and Dublin - and as something different, we are thinking about spending a few days touring the center (well, at least parts) of Ireland.

I'm familiar with Athlone and Tullamore, but would appreciate suggestions on other locales that could be of interest. It's just my wife and I, no kids. We dig museums, historical sights, light walking, and a bit of relaxing sometimes too. A nice drive through some beautiful landscapes is enough to keep us busy and entertained for a while. I also like offbeat things - museums and points of interest maintained by people who do it because they have a passion for it. The type of places that most people (and tour buses) might ignore. (My wife is less of a fan of this, but she indulges me)

TIA!

jef

Tony2phones

You could look into County Roscommon which has lots of options. Mining experience, Castles, community run visitors centres/museums. A range of looped walks and all sort that tick your box's.
Just linking the main site http://visitroscommon.com/ there are multiple links I could give but the main site has a lot of info.

Lough Derg Lakelands is the new badge for what used to be the Shannon Region or some of it. East Clare and East Galway with North Tipperary surrounding the Shannon's Lough Derg. I live here so I'm biased but its a very scenic part of the country with lots of walks, small villages, Holy Island.

What are your wife's interests?

jefe

Thanks Tony - I'll check those items out.

My wife is mostly on the same page - museums and history are her thing, including art. (and some shopping too)

Macross

Not exactly in the center but this is a most interesting little find. I have been twice.
http://www.saintsandstones.net/stone...an-journey.htm

I saw a show last week on the Nenagh Agricultural Show. I would love to see one of these in Ireland.

The Kilbeggan Distillery Experience was interesting. Sleepy little town but loved the distillery.

jefe

Thanks Macross - a bit farther west than we are planning for this trip, but bookmarked for another time! Lots of places listed on that site, some I've not run across before.

Padraig

The challenge with the midlands is twofold.

First, a scarcity of mountains means that you don't get spectacular scenery. You can find places that are pleasing to the eye, especially if you like lakes and rivers.

Second, your typical midland town has about one item of interest (some have none at all!), so you might travel more to find stuff.

If you were to base yourself in Carrick-on-Shannon you could easily reach Lough Key Forest Park, the town of Boyle to see the King House (which contains a museum), Strokestown for Strokestown House and Famine Museum, and Arigna to visit one of Ireland's few coal mines (no longer in production). Carrick itself is a pleasant town, and you can take a trip on the Shannon.

Or you could go big on the water experience and hire a cruiser for a few days - what is often called a houseboat in the US.

jefe

Hi Padraig

Appreciate the concerns about the spectacular scenery, but we've seen a few of them on past visits. I also think that we'll be happy to just relax for a few days, too - so staring at some lakes and rivers could be nice. And we'll still be squeezing in a few of the marvelous sites while in the North, too.

Carrick-on-Shannon added to the list of places to investigate. A trip on the Shannon, but we'd leave the driving to someone else

Thanks!

Tony2phones

Take the trip on the Shannon, plans are for Dublin to siphon off the Shannon rather than build a reservoir in the Wicklow mountains, couple that with thoughtless flood relief plans and the broad majestic Shannon is likely to become a babbling brook in a few years time.