Linger in a small Irish town for a while and unique characteristics start to stand out: a monument in the square, an old pub with a family name that goes back generations, or intricate detail on doors that offer a flavor of times past.
Some of the country’s most exquisite villages defy a conventional linear layout. Their streets curve and cross over each other in a web that has evolved over a millennium. Others have a grid system so geometrically perfect that they look ornamental.
These eight beautiful towns in Ireland are among the best in the country, where the past still sits comfortably with the present—and even visitors can become part of its ever-evolving fabric.
Sheen Falls and Arch Bridge are a few of Kenmare’s features.
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Kenmare, County Kerry
- Location: 25 miles south of Killarney
Kenmare’s defining features are its elegant streetscape and the copper steeple of Holy Cross Church, but it’s the alpine scenery where the Caha Mountain Range meets that Atlantic Ocean that has drawn visitors here since it developed into a village in the mid-17th century.
This town in Ireland’s southwest borders the sheltered waters of Kenmare Bay and has an astonishing choice of fine dining restaurants and pubs like O’Donnabhains’ Bar, with a red facade that attracts a steady footfall. On the edge of town is the Sheen Falls Lodge, a former fishing lodge that offers views of the cascades that pour into the bay, with vistas to soak in offerings of scallops or duck at its restaurant the Falls.
Kenmare is at the crossroads of two peninsulas—Beara and Ring of Kerry—so visitors can spend days discovering secret coves and ocean views.
The River Barrow is a can’t-miss aspect of Graiguenamanagh.
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Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny
- Location: 15 miles southeast of Kilkenny City
A mid-18th-century, seven-arch bridge connects this County Kilkenny village to neighboring County Carlow across the River Barrow. Set in a valley between the Brandon Hill and Blackstairs Mountains, Graiguenamanagh captures a nostalgic air of bygone times as mist rolls off the river and coils around its twisting, lamplight streetscape.
Graiguenamanagh’s name means village of the monks—largely because the hulking Cistercian Duiske Abbey has been the cornerstone of the town since it was founded over eight centuries ago. Lying in its shadow is Mick Doyle’s; it’s the very paragon of the traditional Irish pub with timber detailing and plenty of smooth Guinness. Before settling in, follow the four-mile trail along the River Barrow’s contour, partly along a towpath where horses once pulled barges. The gentle hike up the slopes of Brandon Hill passes through woodlands of old oak, ash trees, and hazel to keep you company.
Adare Manor will be home to the Ryder Cup in 2027.
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Adare, County Limerick
- Location: 16 miles south of Limerick City
The pastoral setting of Adare, with its thatched cottages and plaster buildings, exudes old-world charm. The head turner here is Adare Manor, a 19th-century mansion and golf course set on 850 acres in the village center. The hotel’s stained-glass windows, enormous crystal chandeliers, cut stone arches, and 26-foot-high gallery are just a few features of this Gothic revival masterpiece. Expect more of that distinctive character on the modern cuisine menu at the manor’s Oak Room Restaurant, where executive chef Mike Tweedle is wowing guests with offerings like Dooncastle Oyster Teriyaki. Restaurant 1826 in the village also has the best of local gourmet cooking like game Scotch egg or pan-fried black sole on the bone.
Newport is worth a stop for travelers on the Great Western Greenway.
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Newport, County Mayo
- Location: 7 miles north of Westport
The seven-arch viaduct that links Newport to the southern rim of the Black Oak River was once part of a railway line and a major feat of 19th-century engineering. These days, it forms one of four major hubs along the 30-mile Great Western Greenway, Ireland’s longest off-road trail that connects Westport Town in the south to the bone white beaches of Achill Island in the north. Come here for spectacular views of Newport’s curving streetscape and Clew Bay cove.
Down in the village, St Patrick’s Church is worth a morning visit to catch the early sunlight through its stained-glass windows, created by renowned designer Harry Clarke (who created more than 150 stained-glass windows throughout his lifetime). Afterwards, stop by Kelly’s Kitchen for a full Irish breakfast consisting of sausage, egg, bacon, black and white pudding, fresh bread, and coffee.
Dromoland Castle’s history dates back more than a thousand years.
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Quin, County Clare
- Location: 12 miles north of Shannon Airport
Inviting inquisitive visitors through its myriad of narrow country lanes, Quin has a wealth of buildings that date from the Bronze Age in the surrounding countryside. This town’s village center is lined with colorful pubs that skirt around the contours of Quin Abbey’s medieval ruins.
Walk six miles on a marked trail by 3,000-year-old Mooghaun Hillfort—a series of circular stone walls once inhabited by a powerful clan—there’s a commanding view over the countryside and River Shannon on this path. The walk passes streams and forests to Dromoland Castle, a neo-Gothic hotel on a 500-acre estate overlooking a lake and golf course. The bedrooms are regency chic, and its Earl Thomond Restaurant sources house-grown vegetables and fresh catches to create a balanced menu that includes poached Doonbeg lobster and roast rump of Burren lamb.
Stop by the colorful streets of Kinsale on a trip to Ireland.
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Kinsale, County Cork
- Location: 15 miles south of Cork City
County Cork’s coastline is a splendid necklace of seaside villages from Ballycotton to Castletownshend—the most dazzling of which is former pirate enclave Kinsale. The town is in one of the most southerly regions of Ireland and once played a pivotal role during the the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 (during which England conquered Gaelic Ireland). Now the historical area is full of restaurants, art galleries, cafés, fine dining and, of course, atmospheric pubs where any pirate worth his or her salt would linger (after all, it’s the birthplace of pirate Anne Bonny).
Spend the night at Victorian-era Acton’s Hotel on the harbor, while next door Fishy Fishy is the place for fresh catches; follow the waterfront trail to the Bulman Bar for pints. The town is also a great starting place for a road trip—it’s the trailhead for the Wild Atlantic Way, a meandering drive that weaves along 1,500 miles of Ireland’s western seaboard.
Ashford Castle in County Mayo has been around for centuries.
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Cong, County Mayo
- Location: 24 miles south of Castlebar
If you think Cong looks like it’s been peeled straight out of a storybook or movie set, you’d be right: Director John Ford captured its dips and turns and cottage character in his 1952 Academy Award–winning movie The Quiet Man.
A bridge links the town across a river to Ashford Castle, a French château–style palace that was built in stages dating back as far as 1228. It’s a place where guests can attend its school of falconry or just amble around the 350-acre estate. Its restaurant offers seasonal menus, featuring dishes like lobster ravioli, roasted quail, wild rabbit, and champagne sorbet.
Craving a seaside getaway? Visit Roundstone.
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Roundstone, County Galway
- Location: 48 miles west of Galway City
The brightly painted buildings along Roundstone’s main street snuggle together up its hilly terrain, where the Atlantic breeze can whisk up at any minute from the water below. The mountain-meets-ocean setting is particularly agreeable with an alfresco bowl of hot seafood chowder or cold pint of Guinness from O’Dowd’s Pub. There you can take in one of west Ireland’s most forlornly beautiful regions, Connemara, as fishing boats putter across Roundstone Bay to deliver their catches to the village harbor.
A 10-minute drive away is the town of Ballynahinch and its castle, a country hideaway in a woodland with fast-flowing water. Round off the day in the area with a night cap on a leather chesterfield by the fireside at the Fisherman’s Pub.
