Seven day trips in Ireland 

While these weren’t all of my day trips, these seven were among my favourites. 

1. The Titanic Trail in Cobh, Ireland

In the charming seaside town of Cobh, Ireland, I took an excellent historical tour with The Titanic Trail. Previously named Queenstown, Cobh is famous for being the Titanic’s last port of call and for the rescue of the survivors from the Lusitania in 1915.

Later, at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, I saw black and white photographs of doomed Titanic passengers standing on the dock in Cobh, being shuttled out to the waiting ship.

2. Giant’s Causeway and Dark Hedges in Belfast

Near Belfast, I joined two coach trips to see iconic sights such as Giant’s Causeway, the Rope Bridge and Game of Thrones filming locations such as Dark Hedges, Dunluce and  Carnlough Harbour in Northern Ireland.

The Dark Hedges is a beautiful avenue of beech tree planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century. Two centuries later, the trees remain a magnificent sight but sadly they are aging and starting to die off.  

It’s a beautiful drive up the coast to the Giant’s Causeway,  which is also an iconic UNESCO World Heritage site. The basalt columns were created from volcanic activity 50-60 million years ago, but I prefer hearing the legend of the giants stepping across from Scotland more!  

3. Wild Kerry Day Tours near Killarney

In Killarney, I joined a coach trip with Wild Kerry Day Tours to see the Ring of Kerry and sheepdog champion Tom Sullivan. The Ring of Kerry is Ireland’s most spectacular mountain road and the Ring covers 180km of rolling rugged countryside and panoramic coastline views.  There is no question that the sheep have the best views here! 

Our first stop was a traditional peat bog village where we were invited to sip Irish coffee at 11 a.m., always a great start to the day. We then watched as Tess, an international border collie champion, coralled a small group of Scottish black face sheep. One sheep dog can control 200-300 sheep, which is incredible. Along the route, you’ll pass by Kells, which is where the Book of Kells at Trinity College is originally from. 

This tour departs daily at 1030 and returns at approximately 1700, for a cost of approximately €40 per person, including lunch. 

4. Guiness Storehouse in Dublin

Even if you’re not a beer drinker, there is no better place to spend your birthday than the Guinness Storehouse, which is considered Ireland’s #1 tourist attraction. 

One of those reasons is that your tour ticket includes a complimentary beverage an the best views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar, on the seventh floor of the Storehouse.  The Storehouse itself is really a ‘brand experience’, but I enjoyed it. There are different bars and restaurants on every level, with live entertainment, and of course who can resist buying a Guinness t-shirt when you’re there! 

5. An Eatwith Experience in Dublin

One evening, I took a bus to an EatWith experience to meet other travellers. There were about eight other people from around the world, including three solo women.

We all shared in the preparation of the meal and enjoyed a delicious evening chatting over soda bread, Irish stew, colcannon and of course, Irish whisky, which I had the pleasure of making. I don’t think any of us wanted to leave!” Get an authentic food experience on your next trip with EatWith, where you can join a local in their home for a home-cooked meal. Learn more here.

6. A 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour in Dublin

While in Dublin, I signed up for a 1916 Rebellion walking tour with author Lorcan Collins. Collins started the walking tour in 1996 and is focused on the non-traditional narrative about Dublin’s history, around Dublin City and the sites of the revolutionary period. 

He is the author of four best-selling books on revolutionary Ireland including The Easter Rising (O’Brien Press), 16 Lives, a collection of 16 books on the executed leaders of the Rising. The Rising Handbook in 2016. His latest book is called Ireland’s War of Independence; The IRA’s Guerrilla Campaign 1919-21. 

The 23 euro tour meets at the International Bar and takes about two hours.  

7. A Black Cab Tour in Belfast

On July 14, the day I arrived in Belfast, it was a national holiday weekend (‘the Twelfth’) and almost everything was closed. Fortunately, some of the pubs, like Robinson’s, were open for the Euro Cup. I booked a Belfast Black Cab Tour which showed me Northern Ireland with fresh eyes. I had never thought of Ireland as a country divided until this trip; in fact, I had never truly understood its history. And it’s not just this experience; Ireland’s history is being recast with a more accurate narrative. (Read more here.) 

There are many Black Cab tours offered in Belfast. I took Paddy Campbell’s tour, which employs both Republican and Unionist drivers. Tours are 90 minutes for 50 pounds per person.  Learn more here and ask for Paul. Make sure to mention you read about it on JourneyWoman.