Magical Places: Thoor Ballylee, Co. Galway

This 16^th century tower on the banks of the river Streamstown near the market town of Gort in Co. Galway was once the home of no other than Nobel laureate for Literature and Ireland’s most famous poet, William Butler Yeats.

Magical Places: Cahergall Stone Fort, Co. Kerry

Cahergall is an impressive example of an early medieval stone fort, located in the tranquil landscape of the Iveragh peninsula in Co. Kerry. The name stems from the Irish Chathair Gheal, meaning “the bright stone fort”.

Magical Places: Poulnabrone Dolmen, Co. Clare

This ancient portal tomb, built by Neolithic farmers more than 5,000 years ago, is not only the second largest in Ireland, it’s also one of the best preserved of its kind in the country.

Magical Places: Drombeg Stone Circle, Co. Cork

The Drombeg Stone Circle, locally known as the "Druid's Altar", consists of seventeen tall standing stones located amid picturesque fields of green with views of the Atlantic ocean near the fishing village of Glandore in Westcork.

 

Magical Places: The Grianán of Aileach, Co. Donegal

The impressive ringfort on top of the Hill of Greenan is one of the oldest royal sites in Ireland, its history goes back to the Bronze Age and maybe even further... The structure standing there today is only the reconstructed part of what was once a much larger pre-historic complex on top of this prominent hill.

Magical Places: The Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim

This magical tunnel of entwining beech trees has long been a favourite among photographers, but in recent years the once quiet country lane has become one of Northern Ireland's most popular tourist attractions. 

 

Magical Places: The Hermitage at Tollymore Forest Park, Co. Down

Hidden in the depths of Tollymore Forest at the foot of the Mourne Mountains sits a peculiar little man-made structure on the edge of a gorge above the Shimna River: the so-called "Hermitage" is one of the strangest buildings in Ireland.

Inis Cealtra, the "Holy Island" in Lough Derg, Co. Clare

Inis Cealtra became known as "Holy Island" during the middle ages, when the monastery was one the most frequented pilgrimage sites in Ireland. But the island was already considered a sacred place in pagan times.

 

Magical Places: St. Berrihert's Kyle and Holy Well, Co. Tipperary

Hidden deep in the Glen of Aherlow at the foot of the Galtee Mountains lies the enchanted and mysterious St. Berrihert's Kyle and Holy Well. 

 

Magical Places: Ballymacdermot Court Tomb, Co. Armagh

This neolithic burial site sits on the south-eastern slopes of Ballymacdermot Mountain with commanding views over the Plain of Meigh and the ridge of hills of the Ring of Gullion.

 

Magical Places: Dunlough Castle, Three Castle Head, Co. Cork

It's hard to imagine a more remote and dramatic setting for a fortress: Dunlough Castle sits perched on the edge of a cliff at the most northerly tip of the Mizen Peninsula in County Cork.

Magical Places: The Rock of Dunamase, Co. Laois

It is one of the most impressive fortresses and hidden gems of Ireland: the medieval ruins perched atop the limestone outcrop that rises above the surrounding fields known as the Rock of Dunamase in County Laois.

 

Magical Places: Tintern of the Vow, Co. Wexford

Tintern Abbey has a colourful history: it was built to make good on a promise and became one of the wealthiest Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. After its dissolution it was transformed into a private residence for one of the most influential families of Wexford.

 

Magical Places: Nymphsfield Stone Circles, Co. Mayo

The stone circle in the townland of Glebe near Cong is part of a group of four circles known as the "Nymphsfield Stone Circles". The area is full of megalithic monuments and plays an important role in Irish Mythology.

 

Magical Places: St. Brigid's Well, Tully, Co. Kildare

There are many holy wells dedicated to the mythological pagan goddess Brigid and the 5th century christian Saint of the same name. One of them is the well in Tully, outside the town of Kildare - a town with a long history connected to both Brigids. 

 

Magical Places: Rathfran Priory, Co. Mayo

On the banks of the tidal Cloonaghmore River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean lie the remains of Rathfran Priory, also known as the 'Priory of the Holy Cross'. It is one of the earliest monastic foundations in the Province of Connacht.

 

Magical Places: The Passage Tomb of Newgrange, Co. Meath

Every year at dawn on the winter solstice a beam of sunlight enters through a small opening above the entrance of the tomb and travels inward through the passage to illuminate the entire burial chamber for a few precious minutes. 

 

Magical Places: The Valley of Echoes - the Gap of Dunloe, Co. Kerry

Winding its way along a narrow ravine through Ireland's highest mountain range is a spectacular 11 km long mountain pass known as the 'Valley of Echoes' or the 'Gap of Dunloe'. The quiet glen is a place of enchantment and full of legend and lore.

 

Magical Places: The seven churches of Glendalough, Co. Wicklow

The valley of Glendalough is a raving beauty in the heart of the Wicklow mountains, an enchanted and spellbinding place. Scattered throughout the valley are the remains of seven early medieval churches and one of the most important monastic sites of Ireland. 

 

Magical Places: The secret of the lost town of Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny

On the banks of the River Nore lie buried the remains of the medieval town of Newtown Jerpoint. The ancient ruins hold an arcane secret: local lore has it that none other than St. Nicholas found his final resting-place inside the small church graveyard here.