Many visitors to the West of Ireland start their journey in Shannon , as its airport is one of Ireland's principal ports of entry.  Shannon, however, offers little beyond its airport, so gather your rental car and head out from there.

Major attractions in the West can be found in County Limerick, County Clare (Cliffs of Moher and the Burren) and County Galway (the Connemara and the Aran Islands).  We will start our recommendations for the best places to visit in the south and proceed in a northerly direction (to Galway).

Near Shannon, you will find Bunratty Castle & Folk Park.  The castle dates from the 15th century and was restored in 1954.  It has interesting decor and is located in an attractive setting.  The nearby Bunratty Folk Park is a re-creation of 19th century rural life in Ireland and is reasonably interesting to visit.   Finally, you may choose to attend the Castle's entertaining Medieval Banquet, but you will need to make reservations in advance.

If you want to spend some time in a luxurious, castle-like setting, Dromoland Castle, which is now a hotel, is near Shannon. Dromoland is quite posh, featuring a 375-acre estate and  a well-received golf course that opened in 2004. Alternatively, you may prefer to fish, play tennis, shoot, boat, or take a spin at their spa. For more information, click here.

Limerick    a little further east is a magnet for those who have read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.  The city, once an outpost of the Vikings and later home of the Normans, has evolved into an industrial center that has limited attractions.

You might be interested in visiting King John's Castle , a 13th century edifice that was built to guard the city from invaders sailing up the Shannon River (which, by the way, is the longest river in Ireland and the British Isles). The castle today is a commercial venture, but tales of its history and associated displays (including the armory)  are reasonably interesting, especially to kids.  Click for more information from the official website of the castle. 

If you decide to make the journey to Limerick, you might want to detour to see Adare (around 18km from Limerick), which is widely touted as the most beautiful little village in Ireland and is an official Irish "Heritage Town".  We think Adare "tis" the prettiest, or a least one of top contenders. Although there has been a village here for quite some time, the "old" Adare was destroyed in the 17th century and rebuilt in its present style in the 19th century.

If you are looking for Irish cottages with thatched roofs and a good selection of souvenirs for the folks at home, this is the place.  Situated on the River Maigue in a woodlands environment, Adare is a pleasant place to visit. The town also has a number of pubs and restaurants, so you can quench your thirst after all that shopping.

If you are looking for luxury, you might be interested in Adare Manor, a hotel, spa and golf resort (Robert Trent Jones Sr.) that is often top-ranked in the list of best resorts in Europe.  Click here for the Manor's homepage.

Finally, you might be interested in seeing the only Holy Trinity Abbey is Ireland.  Originally constructed in the 13th century, it was later restored and is now a Catholic church.  The Trinitarian Order was founded in France in the late 12th century and existed to raise ransom for Catholics who had been enslaved in various locations around the world because of their faith.