Ireland has long been a fantasy escape for many Travellers (Photo: Wynand Ven Poort/Unsplash)
With a rich source of folklores and fairy tales along with an abundance of architects and destinations to match the stories, Ireland has been popular for long with most of the fairy tale enthusiasts around the world.
The country is also well-known as a rich source of materials for books and films and has been featured in many landmark works of literature and films. For our readers seeking a completely other-worldly experience, India Outbound brings top 4 fairy tale destinations in Ireland.
Lismore
Lismore has its very own fairy tale castle owned by the Earl of Burlington (Photo: Sonya Brady/Unsplash)
Castles have always been one of the main attractions of Ireland, and the historic town of Lismore is no exception. This quaint town is home to its very own fairy tale castle that looks like it has been lifted right out of a princess story.
Located in the west of County Waterford, where the N72 road crosses the Blackwater River at the foot of the Knockmealdown, Lismore is one of the most fascinating places to visit.
The town of Lismore is quaint as they come with shops dotting a tree-lined main street where flower baskets and colourful buildings add to its charm.
The Lismore Castle Gardens is a popular bucket list for many people. It is a postcard castle, towering over the Blackwater River, approached by a gorgeous stone bridge and home to a real-life Earl and Countess that is the Earl of Burlington. So, one is up for experiencing a real life fairy tale exploration, Lismore is just the town for you.
Benbulben Mountain
The Benbulben mountain is called Ireland’s own ‘Table Mountain’ (Photo: Andreas Brunn/Unsplash)
Known as Ireland’s own ‘Table Mountain’, the magnificent Benbulben is one of the most striking landscapes in Ireland.
Standing tall above Drumcliffe village in Sligo, the Benbulben consists of layers of limestone and mudstone, formed long back during the Ice Age, some 320 million years ago. Consequently, it has become famous among archaeologists for its minerals and fossils of sea creatures buried beneath it despite it being on land. Some of these fossils include Crachiopods, Caniniid corals and Bryozoan.
The Ben Bulbin country in County Sligo is one of those rare places in Ireland where fairies are thought to be visible, and some claim claimed to have been able to see the fairies or ‘gentry’ talk with them. It’s no wonder that such myths and stories have made it a source of inspirations for writers and poets, including W B Yeats.
The Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula has long been hailed as one of the most scenic places to visit in Europe (Photo: Mark Lawson/Unsplash)
The Dingle Peninsula on Ireland’s southwest coast facing the Atlantic Ocean has long been hailed as one of the most scenic places to visit in Europe. Ringed by sandy beaches and craggy cliffs it is officially recognised as the bastion of Irish language and culture.
Its glorious shades of green, crystal clear blue waters, and endless awe-inspiring landscapes, it leaves little to wonder why this peninsula is considered one of the most magical places to visit in Ireland.
The fairy fort located on the scenic and world famous Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula is an impressive and fairly well preserved univallate Rath also known as a Ringfort or a Lios. Folklore asserts that Ringforts like this one were ‘fairy forts’ imbued with ‘Druids magic’ and believers in fairies did not alter them.
The Cliffs of Moher
The name of the cliffs originated from an old fort named Mothar or Moher (Photo: Joel Protasio/ Unsplash)
The Cliffs of Moher has to be by far one of the most stunning natural sights in Ireland, and amongst the country’s most visited attractions.
These dramatic cliffs standing at a height of over 214 meters and spanning 14 km in width are known for their sheer drop and awe-inspiring coastal views.
Cornelius O’Brien, a local landlord was reportedly the first person to formally recognise the Moher cliffs as a tourist destination. He built a tower, now referred to as the O’Brien’s Tower and also stables on the Cliffs of Moher in 1835 as an observation tower for the hundreds of tourists that frequented the cliffs during the time. His observation came to be true as these cliffs are now frequented by many more tourists from around the world.
The name of the cliffs originated from an old fort named Mothar or Moher, which stood on the tip of a nearby cliff. The fort demolished in 1808, was eventually used as a material for a lookout tower during the Napoleonic wars.
On an island of storytellers, it’s no surprise that one of the most dramatic landscapes comes with its fair share of folklore and fantasy. One of the famous stories about here features a fisherman who fell in love with a mermaid, only for her to leave him to return to the sea.
