Celtic Lore and Ireland

The signature rolling green pastures of vacation packages to Ireland's landscape is enough to resuscitate the weary traveler back to life with calming beauty and refreshing hospitality. From strange stone formations to thousand-year-old churches, Ireland's countryside is a patchwork of some of the most intriguing remnants of a unique but turbulent history, not to mention the sprinkling of jubilantly jolly pubs that will have you singing folk songs with a signature Irish dark ale in your hand in no time.

Most fascinating of Irish travel is the evidence of ancient Celtic civilization and their Viking invaders in the form of stone circles, monoliths and mounds. Burial mounds, known as Court Cairns and Tumuli, can be found all over the countryside. One such ruin in the Silvermines Mountains has lost its covering over time and the many stone chambers inside are now visible. The most impressive stone circle is The Lios in Limerick, which dates back to 2000 BCE and is given a distinctly eerie feel by the area's abundant overgrowth and crooked trees. The giant circle is 150 feet in diameter and attached to a long stone-lined path that leads to two other smaller circles in the area.

Location, Location, Location
Part of the magic of Ireland is that booking a 5 star hotel can turn out to be the equivalent of residing in the King's quarters of a 300 year old castle. The Ashford Castle in County Mayo is one such place where guests may fine tune their equestrian skills in the countryside, pick up a few games of tennis or enjoy full spa services. There is no question that vacation packages to Ireland's countryside is best enjoyed from one of the many castles or bed