THE CYCLING COMMUNITY descended on Ireland last week for An Post Rás, an event that attracts among the very best cyclists from around the world and has a worldwide reputation for being a gruelling challenge.
While we will always love watching the big events abroad, like the Tour De France, it was a welcome reminder of what attractions our own little island has to offer. There is, after all, a reason Ireland has been named as one of the top countries in the world for travellers in 2015.
Why would you go to Lourdes when you can take a spin up to Knock? Why travel over to Glastonbury when you can pitch your tent in Laois for Electric Picnic?
Let’s take a look at some of our most loved attractions that prove you don’t have to travel too far from home to see something truly special.
Shamu v Fungie
Nobody wants to see giant orcas crammed into tiny enclosures, do they? That’s why attendance at SeaWorld parks is going down. People like to see animals in the wild and there is no better place than Dingle, where Fungie the dolphin has been flipping for over 30 years.
Electric Picnic v Glastonbury
When EP launched in 2004 as a one day event headlined by Groove Armada, you would have been forgiven for laughing at any suggestion it could become ’Ireland’s answer to Glastonbury’.
But now in its twelfth year, it has firmly established itself as one of the crowning jewels of European festivals. While it may never compete with Glastonbury’s sheer size and scale, there is something special about EP’s three night summer-ending circus of music, art, food and comedy.
All-Ireland Final v Superbowl
The Superbowl is an amazing spectacle and over 100m people tune into it every year… but can it really be compared to an All-Ireland final? Every year in Croke Park we get a match full of aggression, commitment and passion. Across the pond, you will have to make it through about three hours of adverts to see fifteen minutes of actual playing time.
Newgrange v Stonehenge
In the battle of the mysterious stone monuments, Newgrange wins hands down. Stonehenge is one of Britain’s most popular tourist attraction but it can’t compete with visiting Newgrange at Winter Solstice.
Every year at 8.58am, a narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box at Newgrange and illuminates the whole passage and chamber.
Wild Atlantic Way v Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road on the south-east coast of Australia is spectacular, and one of the world’s most iconic scenic touring routes. But it’s also really, really far away. Lucky for us, Ireland happens to be home to the European equivalent.
The Wild Atlantic Way — a 2,500km route which runs from the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal all the way to Kinsale — is the longest defined coastal driving route in the world. Check it out below:
Cliffs of Moher v Cliffs of Dover
Clare’s Cliffs of Moher topped a recent list by travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller, which looked at ‘Nine Gorgeous Cliff Views That Rival The Grand Canyon‘.
Describing the breathtaking sight, author Lauren Kilberg wrote: ”stretching for five miles along Ireland’s western coast, the Cliffs of Moher are a sight more than 300 million years in the making”.
Can’t argue with that.
Kilmainham Gaol v Alcatraz
It’s strange that Irish people would go out of their way to visit prisons like Alcatraz when they’re on holidays but don’t think to visit our equally grim and shocking version here in Dublin.
Steeped in history, this is where the majority of the Irish leaders in the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 were imprisoned. It’s also where the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were imprisoned and executed. With the 100th anniversary less than a year away, Kilmainham will play a central role in the celebration and it’s well worth a visit.
Don’t miss your chance to get involved in one of Ireland’s great events this summer. The An Post Cycle series runs throughout the summer, with cycle routes catering for everyone from the serious amateur to the enthusiastic beginner. It’s a great way for family, friends and work colleagues to spend a day of fun together while the serious rider can follow a more challenging route.
Over 16,800 people took part last year and there are four more great events between now and September. You can join in on Saturday 20 June when we come to Clare for the An Post Tour De Burren. For more information on tips, events or how to get involved — find us on Facebook, Twitter or at our website.
