Bishop’s Island sits just off the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare — a sea stack completely cut off from the mainland, with a thousand-year-old monastic ruin on top. Here’s how to spot it, and what you’re looking at.
In 1651, Cromwell’s soldiers refused to cross Galway’s River Corrib. Here’s the real siege history behind the legend, and the rational explanations historians offer.
Find out which Irish port your ancestors left from — Cobh, Derry, Dublin or Belfast — using free ship records and genealogy resources. Plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.
Discover County Clare’s most beautiful towns and villages — from Ennis and Doolin to Killaloe and Ennistymon — and why people fall in love here — plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.
Ross Castle in Killarney held out through every siege for 200 years, protected by an ancient prophecy. In 1652, Cromwell’s general decided to fulfil the prophecy himself — and sailed a warship onto an inland lake to break it. Plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.
Griffith’s Valuation is the most useful record for tracing Irish ancestry. Conducted across all 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864, it names every …
Bishop’s Island, near the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, holds the ruins of an early Christian oratory completely cut off from the mainland. Here’s how to see it — and why monks chose it.
The best pubs in County Cork according to Ireland’s biggest pub poll of 2026. See the current rankings and cast your vote.
Photo: Christopher Michel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Kinsale is a small harbour town in County Cork with a population of just under 6,000 …
Jerzy Strzelecki via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) The 2026 landing season for Skellig Michael is officially open, and if visiting this ancient monastery is …
Thinking about making the move to Ireland? From visa options and where to live, to the practicalities of settling in, this complete guide covers everything you need to know.