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Munster

Old Head of Kinsale, Munster, Ireland (© Robert  Fudali - Fotolia.com)
Old Head of Kinsale.
Map of Munster (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)

Introduction

The province of Munster (Mumhain in Irish) corresponds almost exactly to the ancient Kingdom of Munster, which existed from the 4th to the 12th century. Munster is particularly famous for Irish traditional music and harp players. In sports, Munster excels at rugby and hurling. Most of the early medieval Ogham inscriptions in Old Irish language are found in Munster, especially in County Kerry.

Munster has the largest land area of any Irish province, with 24,675 km² (9,527 sq mi). Its population is only of 1.2 million, slightly more than Dublin's urban area. Munster's largest city is Cork, with 120,000 inhabitants. The Shannon Free Zone, in County Clare, has attracted over 100 multinational companies thanks to its generous corporate tax policy. It is adjacent to Shannon Airport, once the largest airports for commercial flights between Europe and North America, in the aftermath of WWII.

Famous people from Leinster include (chronologically): the scientist and inventor Robert Boyle, the political leader Daniel O'Connell, the submarine designer John Philip Holland, the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins, the Nobel Prize physicist Ernest Walton, Irish President Patrick Hillery, and the radio and television broadcaster Terry Wogan.


Attractions

County Clare

Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
must-see Cliffs of Moher
Burren National Park
Polnabrone Dolmen in the Burren National Park (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
outstanding Burren National Park

Other attractions

very good Killaloe
good Leamanagh Castle
good Scattery Island

County Cork

Bantry House & Garden
Bantry House & Garden (photo by Schorle - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
outstanding Bantry House & Garden Hotel
Blackrock Castle Observatory
Blackrock Castle (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
very good Blackrock Castle Observatory

Blarney Castle & Gardens
Blarney Castle (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
very good Blarney Castle & Gardens
Blarney House
Blarney House (photo by The mobot - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Blarney House Hotel

Cobh
Cobh Harbour (© Artur Bogacki - Fotolia.com)
very good Cobh
Cork
Cork  (© Andrei Nekrassov - Fotolia.com)
very good Cork

Old Midleton Distillery
Blackrock Castle (photo by Jim Woodward-Nutt - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
very good Jameson's Old Distillery, Midleton

Other attractions

good Ballycrovane Ogham Stone

County Kerry

Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael (photo by Arian Zwegers - Creative Commons 2.0 Generic license)
outstanding Skellig Michael
Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park (photo by Michal Osmenda - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
outstanding Killarney National Park

Muckross House
Muckross House (photo by Mrmcpenpan - Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license)
very good Muckross House
Ross Castle
Ross Castle (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
very good Ross Castle

Blennerville Windmill
Blennerville Windmill (© Lukasz Pajor - Fotolia.com)
good Blennerville Windmill is Europe's tallest and most westernly windmill. It is also the biggest functional windmill in Britain and Ireland.
Gallarus Oratory
Gallarus Oratory, Dingel-Halbinsel (photo by K. Jähne - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
good Gallarus Oratory

Lartigue Monorail
Lartigue Monorail at Listowel (photo by Colin Park - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
good The Lartigue Monorail is the world's oldest passenger-carrying monorail powered by an engine (as opposed to horse-drawn).

Other attractions

good Derrynane House

County Limerick

Adare Village
Thatched house in Adare (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
outstanding The thatched village of Adare has been dubbed Ireland's prettiest village.
Limerick
King John's Castle, Limerick (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
outstanding Limerick

Adare Manor
Adare Manor (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
very good Adare Manor Hotel
Foynes Flying Boat Museum
Foynes Flying Boat Museum (photo by IrishFireside - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
very good Foynes Flying Boat Museum

Adare Castle
Adare Castle (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
good Desmond Castle in Adare (ruins)
Askeaton Castle & Friary
Askeaton Friary (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
good Askeaton Castle & Franciscan Friary

County Tipperary

Cahir Castle
Cahir Castle (© Patryk Kosmider - Fotolia.com)
very good Cahir Castle is the best preserved medieval castle in Ireland. It featured in the 1981 film Excalibur.
Cahir's Swiss Cottage
The Swiss Cottage in Cahir (photo by Stefan Riesner - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Swiss Cottage, Cahir

Other attractions

good Nenagh
good Ormond Castle (ruins)
good Rock of Cashel

County Waterford

Lismore Castle & Garden
Lismore Castle (photo by TheLizardQueen - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)
outstanding Lismore Castle & Garden.
Ballynatray House
Ballynatray House (photo by Andreas F. Borchert - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
very good Ballynatray House Hotel

Curraghmore House and Gardens
Curraghmore House and Gardens (© PHB.cz - Fotolia.com)
very good Curraghmore House and Gardens

Other attractions

very good Dromana House & Gardens
good Ardmore Round Tower and Cathedral (ruins)
good Ballysaggartmore Towers
good Waterford

Eupedia's Rating System

Cities, towns, villages & historic buildings

  • : Local interest
  • : Moderately interesting
  • : Outstanding place
  • : Best of the country - shouldn't be missed
  • : Best of Europe

Natural attractions

  • : Local interest
  • : Moderately interesting
  • : Highly recommended
  • : World-class natural attraction
  • ※ : UNESCO World Heritage site


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