Ireland Travel Guide: Self-Guided City Walks

Ireland is a country of Atlantic landscapes, Gaelic culture and a history shaped by a long, difficult path to self-government. From rugged western coasts and broad central lowlands to cities rich in churches, museums and historic buildings, there are many things to do in Ireland. Neywo offers free audio guides for 12 cities in Ireland, with 408 narrated places in total and 26 walking tours.

What to see and do in Ireland

Explore Ireland’s history

Ireland’s modern history is closely connected with the struggle for self-government. For more than a century, the whole island belonged to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Great Famine left a particularly deep mark: the island’s population fell by almost a third as one million people died from starvation and disease and another one and a half million emigrated, mainly to the United States.

The Irish Free State emerged in 1922 after the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The treaty also led to civil war. A later constitution named the state Éire, or Ireland in English, and Ireland was eventually declared a republic. The country shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, the Irish and Northern Irish governments have worked together in several policy areas.

Experience the Atlantic landscape

Ireland occupies about five sixths of the island of Ireland. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north and west, while the Irish Sea lies to the east. Along the western coast, cliffs, hills and mountains meet a shoreline shaped by islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays.

Inland, the central lowlands contain glacial deposits of clay and sand, broad areas of bogland and several lakes. The River Shannon crosses these lowlands and is the country’s longest river. In the southwest, Carrauntoohil rises in the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range.

The Atlantic and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream help create Ireland’s temperate oceanic climate. Winter rain is common, especially in the southwest, while the early months of summer are generally drier. Dublin receives the least rainfall, and the far north and west are among Europe’s windiest regions. Ireland is also one of the least forested countries in Europe.

Discover Dublin

The capital is one of the best cities to visit in Ireland for travellers interested in history, architecture and culture. Neywo’s Dublin guide includes 133 narrated places, among them St Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland.

Visit Cork and Cobh

Cork combines historic sights with access to the southern coast. Its Neywo guide covers 47 narrated places, including Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Blarney Castle, Blackrock Castle and Elizabeth Fort.

Nearby Cobh has 14 narrated places. St Colman’s Cathedral, the Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh Museum and Cove Fort are among the places covered by the Cobh audio guide.

Walk through Galway

Galway offers another way to experience Ireland’s western character. Its 29 narrated places include Ballindooley Castle, Merlinpark Castle, Roscam and the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, Galway. The city is a useful starting point for discovering the country’s Atlantic landscape and western cultural traditions.

See Dingle and Killarney

Dingle has 13 narrated places, including Caol Cronin - Seascapes, Saint James’ Church of Ireland, St Mary’s Church and Dingle Library. The town belongs among the places to consider when looking for Dingle, Ireland, or Dingle, Republic of Ireland.

Killarney has two narrated places: St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney, and St Mary’s Church. Together, they offer a focused introduction to the town’s religious heritage.

Discover Kilkenny and Waterford

Kilkenny has 31 narrated places, including St John’s Priory, Kilkenny Grey Friary, Maudlin Castle and Kilkenny Castle. Its concentration of historic buildings makes it a strong choice for travellers searching for Kilkenny, Ireland.

Further south, Waterford has 42 narrated places. Reginald’s Tower, the French Church, Double Tower and French Tower are among the sites included in the guide.

Visit Limerick

Limerick has 64 narrated places to explore. King John’s Castle, the Hunt Museum, Limerick Museum and Archives and Ormston House are among its principal stops, bringing together the city’s history, collections and cultural life.

Explore Sligo and Letterkenny

Sligo has 12 narrated places, including the Model Arts and Niland Gallery, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo, St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo, and the Yeats Memorial Building. If you are searching for Sligo, Ireland, these sites provide a way to explore the town through its art, religious buildings and literary associations.

Letterkenny has 15 narrated places. The guide includes Newmills Corn and Flax Mills, Glenveagh Castle, Donegal County Museum and Glebe Gallery.

See Ballyshannon

Ballyshannon has six narrated places. St Anne’s Church, Kilbarron, Assaroe Abbey and Ballyshannon Castle are among the places covered, offering a compact route through the town’s heritage.

Irish language, music and sport

Irish remains the national and first official language under the Constitution, while English is the second official language and is used most widely in daily life. Irish survives as a community language in a small number of mainly rural western and southern districts known collectively as the Gaeltacht. Bilingual road signs provide a visible reminder of the country’s two official languages.

Ireland is one of the six principal Celtic nations, and Gaelic traditions remain central to its cultural identity. Its literary tradition works in both Irish and English. Modern Irish fiction is traced here to Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, published in 1726.

Music is another enduring part of Irish culture. Traditional music has remained vibrant despite global influences, shaping American country and roots music and influencing modern rock to some extent. Gaelic football and hurling are traditional sports and popular spectator games organised on an all-Ireland basis.

Try traditional Irish food

Irish cuisine was traditionally based on meat and dairy products, supplemented by vegetables and seafood. Dishes you may encounter include boxty, colcannon, coddle, stew, and bacon and cabbage. Seafood also forms part of the traditional cuisine, reflecting the importance of the coast and the surrounding waters.

Explore Ireland with the Neywo audio guide

Neywo has free audio guides for 12 Irish cities, with 26 walking tours and 408 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages.

The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule: you simply walk, listen and explore Ireland city by city with the guide in your pocket.