Ruins of Dunluce castle

How to Explore the Historic Locations in Ireland

Ireland is a country rich in history, culture, and traditions. Its expansive greenery and breathtaking landscapes offer a warm welcome to the tourists. The lively people in the country will also make you feel right at home with their friendliness and warmth.

Your trip to this magnificent country will be incomplete without exploring the historic locations scattered across the 32 counties. Not only are these places beautiful and mesmerizing, but they’re also a window into Irish and Christian history.

Are you planning a trip to Ireland? Here’s how you can explore all the historic locations there.

Conduct Prior Research

Before you visit Ireland, you should do prior research to list all the historic places near the city you’ll be staying in. You can also check out their reviews, pictures, and other details to see if they interest you. Once you have a list, make an itinerary and shortlist the places you’re most interested in visiting.

If you’re interested in any particular historic aspect, such as Christian history in Ireland, then you should research and shortlist places accordingly.

Do a Family History Tour

You can also do a family history tour of all your genealogy sites if you have Irish ancestry and descent. This can include all the places where your ancestors lived, your original Irish homestead, and your ancestral townland. This is a great way to connect with your family history while also understanding the country’s history.

Check Out Nearby Counties

If you’re short on time, it may not be possible to check out all 32 counties. Instead, you can stick to the nearby counties and list places you can cover. For example, if you’re staying in Dublin, you can easily visit County Meath and check out all the historic places in this county.

 Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.

Visit the Most Iconic Places

Ultimately, the places you choose to visit depends on the time you have and where you’re staying. However, your trip to Ireland will be incomplete without visiting these iconic Irish spots:

  • The Giant’s Causeway
  • Cliffs of Moher
  • Newgrange
  • Blarney Stone
  • The Ring of Kerry
  • An Irish castle

While you should try to cover as many places as possible, you should also make sure to enjoy the beauty and history of every spot. Be respectful of the local traditions and make the most of your time while you’re there!

Hire a Touring Company

If you want to take a historic and cultural tour of Ireland, My Ireland Family Heritage is your best option. We have Ireland Failte-approved and certified tour guides who can take you to the most relevant and best genealogy sites in Ireland. We can also create a customized tour plan to explore Ireland’s historic side.

You can also hire our researchers to trace your Irish roots through high-quality ancestry research. Our one-day family heritage tours and Irish ancestry and genealogy tours are the best choices for those looking to connect with their Irish heritage.

Contact us now to learn about our services and book a memorable historic tour of Ireland with us!

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Customised Genealogy & Historical Tour

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser Oct 2024 By • Family TomBarron2013 New York City, NY2

Once in a lifetime experience

Oct 2024 • Family

We highly recommend My Ireland Heritage for anyone who wants to learn and be guided to their Irish “roots” and much, much more. Sean Quinn and Ian Darragh of My Ireland Family Heritage have deep knowledge or the areas we wanted to visit in Meath, Sligo and Kilkenny. While we knew about one side of the family history back to 1690, there was nothing known about the other that arrived in the US in the 1870s.

Ian, Sean, and Nicola did thorough research on our localities and locations from which our ancestors left for America in 1849 and later. In addition, Ian and Sean did separate day-long “recons” in advance of our time with them, seeking out local people and the specific properties with maps and whatever records still available. Their results were absolutely outstanding! In both our cases, they found and took us to our still-existing cottages and shops from the early 1820s.

It was so enjoyable to be with Ian for three days and for a special day with Sean. Whether it was the Newgrange World Heritage sites 5,500 years old , the Battle of the Boyne 1690 , or the local cemeteries and churches of our ancestors. Ian was especially attentive to my wife throughout the travels after she twisted her ankle in a rain-soaked old cemetery.

Throughout the process of trip preparation over months to giving us the final, wonderful books of Meath and Sligo, Aisling was highly professional and responsive with all the many details. The bound books she prepared are treasures! Thanks to all for truly exceptional experiences.

Newgrange World Unesco Site 5500 years old
Battle of the Boyne 1690 AD
Customised Historical Tours Trim Castle
Entrance stone at Newgrange

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Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser by Shelley L @ sjlively

Exceptional in every way!

Over the last few months of preparing for our trip, every single detail was meticulously attended, not only professionally, but helpfully, and in such a friendly manner, that I felt as if I knew Sean, Aisling and Ian before I even stepped off the plane.

The amount of work these wonderful people put into our personal history is mindboggling. My mother was an avid amateur genealogist, and had worked for decades to bring to light the trail our family took, but our resources are limited.

Sean knows exactly where to look, and was able to fill in so many gaps that had eluded us for generations. Some of the information he found, unbeknownst even to him, actually solidified the findings we had amassed over the years. Ours was a family in coal mining – I only found on our tour that they had originated from a mining area, and their arrival on the  border coincided exactly with the decline in the mining industry in County Wicklow.

I would have been overjoyed simply with the knowledge of why they left when they did, about 12 years before the famine. Breaking through our brick wall of great grandparents even farther back on the family tree was a dream come true, but to be able to set foot on not only the area they lived, and find that the house is still there was overwhelming. Seeing the family church and cemetery where our ancestors and extended family still rest is a truly moving experience.

The care taken by this company in each and every aspect of the journey cannot be overstated. Only about 2 weeks prior to my trip, Sean contacted me to let me know that he had also stumbled across some of my husband’s family name in the process and included them as well in his research. How often can anyone say that they not only got what they paid for, but more than they ever imagined? I can say that. They were even kind enough to answer a few follow-up questions after my return home, as I was so stunned on my tour with Ian that I didn’t think ask at the time.If you have the opportunity to make the trip to Ireland, contact My Ireland Family Heritage before you go.

If your family was there, Sean will go above and beyond to find them. Even without family, contact them anyway. Ian is a walking encyclopedia of history, and so fun to talk to. Aisling will make sure every “I” is dotted, and every “T” is crossed.  Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime, and the opportunity to pass on everything we have discovered to future generations

The Consultation at Hotel / Office or by Phone opens all doors
Genealogy gets you off the Beaten Track to see the Real Ireland

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