501 Places

Ireland is famous for many things. Castles, in my previously narrow knowledge of the island, was not one of those claims to fame. So I was intrigued, if not full of expectation, at the prospect of visiting Ashford Castle in County Mayo; a place I had known little about, despite the fact that all my [...]

The Irish have a reputation as good story-tellers, and given the rich and troubled history of the island it’s hardly a surprise that many legends have been exported from its shores. As a long-standing sea port and well-worn route to the New World, the western city of Galway has more than its fair share of [...]

I’m taking a shine to Galway. Having arrived here last night and enjoyed the legendary Irish hospitality on the inside of many of the city’s bars, this morning I took the chance to wander around and see what I could find. Being out at 9am the city was very quiet; hardly surprising given its lively [...]