Outside Dublin
 

I'm thinking of going to Ireland next year, but I don't want to spend all my time in Dublin, drinking myself stupid. What other cities/towns/areas are worth seeing? The pictures I've seen of those ruined castles and abbeys look really romantic. Which ones should are the best (and which ones are opened to the public)?

I would really appreciate any advice.

Without knowing how much time you'll have or what sort of transportation, here's a very short list:

the Wicklow Mountains (just outside Dublin)

Kilkenny

Belfast

Dunluce Castle ruins (along the Antrim Coast road north of Belfast)

Inch Abbey ruins, Downpatrick, N. Ireland

Just north of Dublin the Boyne Valley has a lot to offer: Newgrange and Knowth (ancient burial mounds), Trim castle, The Hill of Tara (seat of ancient high kings), Monasterboice (famous high crosses). We wish we would have had more time in this area!

A couple of hours east is Clonmacnoise (more high crosses).

South of Dublin is Powerscourt gardens and Glendelaugh (St. Kevin's Monastice ruins).

Jerpoint Abbey, just outside of Kilkenny, was a favorite.

For more ruins and castles stay around Cashel and Cahir.

Other favorites for scenic beauty would include: Connemara, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Slea Head drive (more ancient ruins),and Killarney National Park.

P.S. Dublin has a lot more to offer that drinking (Kilmainham Gaol, Trinity College/Book of Kells, GPO and endless other historical sights). Pubs are the social centers in Ireland...some of our best memories are the people we met and time spent savoring a Guinness, Murphy's, or Irish whiskey and listening to great music.

If you spent a few days in Galway, you could take a couple of day tours (or drive yourself) and see Kilfenora Cathedral (ruins, with high crosses, near Lisdoonvarna), Dunguaire Castle, Leamanegh Castle, Kylemore Abbey and lots of great, romantic landscapes such as the Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, Aran Islands (great fort out there on Inishmore), plus small towns like Clifden. If you do a search for Kylemore Abbey, I'm willing to wager that's one you've seen on calendars, posters, etc. I did this itinerary in two full days and don't regret it at all.

To-day I toured Trim Castle and really enjoyed it.It was in its day the largest castle in Ireland and though now largely in ruin it is still well worth a visit.The Irish government has spent a fortune in conserving it and it gets 50,000 visitors per year.Much of the film Braveheart was made there.Go for the guided tour to really understand its 800 hear history and how a castle functions.If you put Trim Castle into Google you will get lots of information.It is near Tara and Newgrange too -both worth visiting.We had afternoon tea in the Station House Hotel in nearby Kilmessan village which was excellent quality and good value.