About Ireland
Ireland is known to be the 3rd largest island in Europe and is a part of the United Kingdom. In the political sense, Ireland is separated into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is far larger than Northern Ireland as it is about five-sixths of the entire island. Lush vegetation covers the island and the climate is mild without extremes in temperature, The lushness of the island is as a result of the climate and the precipitation that frequently falls lightly on most days. The population of the entire island of Ireland is almost 6.5 million. Almost 2 million people live in Northern Ireland and the rest all live in the Republic of Ireland. Ireland’s population was highest in 1841 at over 8 million people. By 1921 this had reduced to 4 million due to the Great Famine and the emigration of the Irish people.
Entertainment Activities in Ireland
All across Ireland, visitors can find some great entertainment in pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.
- Dublin
Dublin may have gone through dramatic changes over recent year but the pub still remains at the heart of its social existence. Anseo is a popular alternative venue in Dublin where you can chat and enjoy the DJs. The Dublin Literacy Pub Crawl may be a worthwhile experience, depending on your tastes. You can immerse yourself in the literacy heritage of Dublin while enjoying a few pints along the pub crawl.
- Belfast
Belfast just may be one of the last places in the UK where visitors can find un-touched Victorian pubs. The Crown Liquor Saloon is the most famous bar in Belfast. Patrons can summon the staff with bells and there are still gunmetal match-striking plates. White’s Tavern dates all the way back to 1630, the year it was first granted its tavern licence – the first tavern licence issued in Belfast. There is also McHugh’s which features local musicians, open fires and witty chess pieces created by a famous sculptor.
- Galway
The city of Galway seems to come alive at night with dancing and sing and busy pubs. There is a mix of live traditional Irish music and contemporary music in pubs that you can hear while floating between the pubs. An Pucan is a venue of traditional Irish music, often live seven nights a week. The King’s Head is a must-see entertainment stop in Galway. This pub is located in a building dating back to the 16th century. It features priceless artwork and tapestries hanging on walls and medieval fireplaces. Typically a top 40 cover band is playing there.
Entertainment Vacation Packages in Ireland
Choosing a vacation package in Ireland will be difficult as there are so many to choose from! Do a bit of research and thinking about the vacation that you would like to have in Ireland.
Exploring Vacations offers many different vacation packages to Ireland, depending on your style of vacation you are looking for. They offer planned self-drive tours, coach tours, and private guided tours. In each of these categories, there are plenty of package options. They also divide their packages into categories of “pace” – slow, medium or very busy. All of their vacation packages are listed on their website plus practical information about Ireland such as the best time to visit.
Authentic Ireland offers custom vacation packages in addition to bed & breakfast packages, self-drive tours, golf tours, bus tours, honeymoon vacations, castle vacations and vacation rentals. This site offers plenty of advice as well for those who need it. One of their most popular vacation is the Pub & Music vacation package. In this 8 day vacation package, travelers will enjoy organized sightseeing tours through the day and then spend the evenings in pubs listening to music. There is even a musical pub crawl in Dublin for one of the evenings.
How much will Ireland cost?
Ireland can be expensive if you are staying in the bigger, tourist cities such as Dublin. The bare minimum to travel in Dublin, you will need about $70 a day. That cost would include a stay in a hostel. For about $150-175, you can stay very well in Ireland, with somewhat more luxurious surroundings. Outside the major cities, you will find more bed and breakfasts which will be good quality but might be a bit more expensive. Transportation is fairly reasonable.
In Northern Ireland, it is quite a bit cheaper than the Republic of Ireland. For about $60 a visitor can stay quite comfortably. The real savings in costs in the north is in the food costs. An excellent 2 course meal for lunch will cost under $20. If you go into major cities in Northern Ireland, for instance Belfast, expect the food costs to increase by a few dollars.