In a famous movie, The Commitments, the main character tries to convince Irish musicians to play soul music. “Soul is the music of the black people. And we the Irish are the Blacks of Europe”. The country of Ireland is the land of musicians not only of the green pastures and rugged cliffs and many brilliant musicians have their roots in Ireland. The most western country of Europe unless you count Iceland, Ireland has a mild climate and rain it’s the norm everywhere yo travel in Ireland.
As a country next door to England, Ireland is mainly English speaking, with its own specific accent known as the Irish brogue. A tourist destination famous for its pub life and the relative low prices compared to other western European countries.
Ireland has been the source of immigrants for US and Canada for a long while and the Irish genes are spread all over North America. Dublin the largest city and capital of Ireland is where most tourists land and stay. The city made famous by James Joyce among others has been a Viking settlement some 1000 years ago when Norwegians realized this could be the perfect base to raid the British lands.
Ireland has more castles per capita than most European countries and although some have seen better days there quite a few that are still in good shape and will charge you and entrance fee because of that. Visiting Ireland means visiting breweries and distilleries also. And some reputations will be dented after extended visits to these establishments.
OVERRATED (Be warned!):
-The weather. Rainy and windy most of the time.
-Driving might a problem for travellers not British, Australians and others who drive on the wrong side of the road. Ireland has the same driving habit as the UK.
-It is pricier than most people think.
-The roads outside big cites are often subpar.
-The accent may take some getting used to. A conversation with a drunk Irish person will likely be one way.
-Most towns have neighborhoods where poverty, littering and crime are a major issue.
UNDERRATED (Cool unknown facts):
-The nature outside the cities with all green fields and valleys will reward travellers with outstanding views.
-The Irish are very sociable and have a unique sense of humour!
-Dublin is diverse city with an immense amount of culture with international restaurants, a rich history and landmark attractions
-Pubs with live music. Plenty of them with very good musicians.
-The Guinness in its natural habitat
Have you been to Ireland and what do you think of it? What do you experienced as good and what was overrated? Leave a comment below.
