When you think about Ireland, you immediately think about drinking Guinness in cozy pubs, leprechauns, St Paddy’s Day, wild coastlines and trad music, don’t you?
But do you also think about cities or towns? I bet not, unless you’ve been. Last July, before I went there, it surely wasn’t architecture that came to my mind when I was daydreaming about Ireland. And apparently that was for a reason; in the end I didn’t care for the cities at all – the countryside and coastline on the other hand were unforgettable.
What I did love, however, were the typical Irish streets. The brightly colored houses, plethora of pubs and street artists make every street pleasantly lively, like only a street in Ireland can be.
Join me on a street tour around the Emerald island!
Dublin
My highlights: Trinity College, National Museum of Ireland, Chester Beatty Library, Kilmainham Gaol, the National Botanic Gardens and Guinness, obviously.
Cobblestones and pubs in Temple Bar
Georgian Dublin
Busy O’Connell Street
Lovely street in the Dublin suburbs
It’s always crowded on Grafton Street
Street musicians next to Molly Malone
Cashel
My highlights: the Rock of Cashel alone is well worth a visit to Ireland.
A Gaelic cross and a castle hotel
Kilkenny
My highlights: Kilkenny Castle, St Canice’s Cathedral, medieval alleyways and local beer in pubs.
Quiet and narrow street running towards St Mary’s Cathedral
Colorful front doors
Lovely little houses
An awesome street of pubs
Cork
My highlights: the English Market and the signposted walking tours.
Interesting neighbors: a pub and a funeral home
Typical narrow Irish street in Cork
Lovely day for a Guinness!
I love how every house has its own color
Kenmare
My highlights: the coastline, ruins and small villages on the Ring of Kerry.
A whole lot of road signs
Here comes the rain!
Here is where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner on our Ring of Kerry road trip
Kilfenora
My highlights: the High Crosses.
Don’t you love that yellow and green? Imagine if every house was grey.
Galway
My highlights: Galway Bay and the River Corrib, Galway Cathedral, the pubs on Shop Street and Galway City Museum.
A busy street in Galway
This pedestrian street full of shops is actually called Shop Street
Medieval Kirwan’s Lane
One of my favorite streets in Galway
Cong
My highlights: the lakes and ruggedness of Connemara.
Cozy street in Cong, where some scenes of the Oscar-winning movie The Quiet Man were filmed
Hmmm, where to park?
This is the first of three photo essays I’m doing on Ireland. So stay tuned for more!
Monica Roberts
Monday 2nd of May 2016
Yep, it is that colourful ... especially in the southwest!
Bram Reusen
Monday 2nd of May 2016
The southwest is gorgeous!
Jennifer
Tuesday 14th of January 2014
Wow, it is much more colorful than I pictured! We haven't been to Ireland yet, but it is on our list.
Bram Reusen
Thursday 16th of January 2014
If you have any questions, you know where to find me.
Devlin @ Marginal Boundaries
Tuesday 10th of December 2013
Funny I don't recall everything being so colorful when I was there a few years ago, and it wasn't because it was gloomy or anything, perhaps my perception was off, heh.
One of my favorite although somewhat scary memories from Ireland was in Dublin.
We were walking around some neighborhood, not too far from the Temple Bar district and happened upon some graffiti covered walls. As we were taking pics we noticed a group of kids - 6-12 year olds - harassing a Domino's delivery driver on his bike. We thought nothing of it really as they didn't bother us. However as we were leaving that block we turned back and saw one of the kids using an aerosol can as a flame thrower on one of those electrical boxes - the ones that control street lights - and realized that the Domino's guy probably got away in the knick of time or else he might have been the one in flames, not the inanimate electrical box. Needless to say we got out of there pretty damn quick!
Bram Reusen
Sunday 15th of December 2013
That's a crazy story. I did notice a lot of youth hanging around on the streets, and sometimes they were loud and rude. But I bet that's the case in most og the bigger cities around the world?
Dan @ A Cruising Couple
Tuesday 10th of December 2013
Looks amazing! I've never been to Ireland but the pubs are always the first thing that came to mind. Looks like I'll have to take a Guinness to go and explore ;-) Thanks for sharing such great photos!
Bram Reusen
Tuesday 10th of December 2013
Haha, a Guinness to go! I wish they did that!