From the caves of Fermanagh to a Big House in Sligo; a Cork armada to a Dublin jail and a Japanese garden, Irish Times writers check them all out
Marble Arch Caves European Geopark
www.marblearchcaves.net
Where: Marlbank, Florencecourt, Co Fermanagh
Highs: An unusual opportunity to explore a vast natural underworld of winding rocky passages, rivers and waterfalls - plus the obligatory stalactites and stalacmites, of course. Many of the rock formations are startlingly beautiful, like abstract sculpture. Tour guides provide an engaging narrative of the caves' history and development as an
attraction. Even though you're tramping through the caves with a host of other tourists, the place retains its strange mystique.
Lows: You don't get much time to linger and examine the rock formations. The 75-minute tour isn't exactly a route-march, but you're encouraged to keep up and only take photographs at designated points. The jokey names ascribed to various stalactites and calciferous outcrops - carrots, parsnips, cauliflowers - gets a bit wearing after a while. The remote location of the Marble Arch Caves means that visitors from the south and east of Ireland face a long journey to get there.
Restaurant: This is your bog-standard "chips with everything" kind of place. Prices are reasonable: kids will go for the burgers, and adults can sample the chicken curry or lasagne. Best bet is to forgo the meals and take a pot of tea and a few scones outside and sit in the sun, while you're waiting to visit the caves.
Visitors' verdicts: "So beautiful - but very cold, you should bring a warm sweater, even in summer!" - Silvia from Slovakia. "I felt a bit scared so deep underground, but I enjoyed finding out about how the caves were discovered by men with candles stuck on to their bowler hats" - James (10) from Sligo.
Unmissable: The magical, if short, boat trip along a subterranean river, floating through dramatically-lit caverns.
What would have made it better: More interpretative material at the visitors' centre, less pile-it-high tourist bric-a-brac.
Open: 10am-5pm (July and August). But phone ahead - the caves can close if weather is bad, and it's advisable to book.
Admission: Adult £7.50 (€11.02), under-18s £4.50 (€6.61), student/senior citizen £5.25 (€7.71); family ticket £18 (€26.44).
Star rating: ****
- Fionola Meredith
The Lissadell Estate
www.lissaddellhouse.com
Where: Drumcliff bay, off the N15, north of Sligo
Highs: The former home of Countess Markievicz and the Gore-Booths is a national treasure, but seeing the muddy wellies of the current occupants (including seven children)
lined up on the steps outside gives it a lovely homely touch. Still forbidding from the outside, the house has undergone an amazing transformation in the past three years, in the careful hands of the new owners Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy. Downstairs
has been restored to its 19th-century glory and the interior design shows painstaking attention to period detail. More like an art gallery than the usual "big house", the walls are covered with paintings and drawings by Markievicz, her sister and other Irish artists.
A new addition this summer is the Yeats room with paintings by contemporary artists.
Lows: My head was spinning, as there's so much to absorb. Arrive early, so you'll have enough time to look at the memorabilia in the billiard room.
Restaurant: The tearoom (for delicious scones) is in the darkly atmospheric surroundings of the servants' dining room, warmed by a log fire. Another cafe is due to open in mid-September, in the restored coach house.
Visitors' verdicts : "The house is hugely interesting. I'm looking forward to coming back next year to see how the gardens have progressed," said Christine Euston from Scotland. "It's a wonderful restoration and the guide's stories are one of the best bits. We made a special trip here and it was well worth it," said Margaret Kyle from Co Down.
Unmissable: Three years ago, the alpine gardens were a wilderness, but they're now a wonderful sight - made even better by the panoramic views across Drumcliff bay.
What would have made it better: More attention to the "downstairs" life of the big house.
Open: Daily 10.30am-6pm, April-September 30th. House tours every hour. Tour of the alpine garden at 2.30pm on Sundays.
Admission: House €6 adults, €3 for ages four-16/free for under-fours. Walled kitchen garden €5, free for under-10s. Walled alpine garden €5/free for under-10s.
Overall star rating : *****for adults * for children
- Sarah Marriott
Armada Centre, Bantry House
www.bantryhouse.ie
Where: Bantry, west Cork
Highs: The exhibition, detailing the arrival of 50 French warships and 15,000 soldiers in a failed effort to aid Wolfe Tone's 1796 rebellion, is quite interesting and very detailed. The adjoining Bantry House is worth a visit, while those who manage the 100-step trek up to the Italian Gardens behind the house are rewarded with a superb view of Bantry Bay where it all happened 210 years ago.
Lows: A few more toilets wouldn't go astray and a plan in the guide to the various rooms in Bantry House would also help.
Restaurant: The tearoom in Bantry House can be a little chaotic so be prepared for some slight delays but the food is top notch. It's simple fare, fresh west Cork produce prepared to an excellent standard with a good choice of salads and rolls. There is also a beer licence so non-wine drinkers won't be parched. As for desserts, the Madeira cake with orange is irresistible!
Visitors' verdicts: "It was very interesting but it was a pity that the information wasn't also in German. There was too much information in English for me to understand - they should have displays in other languages as well," said Volker Margvardt from Mulheim in Germany.
"Excellent - this was an episode we knew nothing about in France but coming here now we have learned a lot - it was very detailed and my eldest son is very interested in both maritime matters and history so he was very excited," said Laurent Jiry from Versailles, France.
Unmissable: Hard to select one aspect of the exhibition which stands out as an absolute must see. The scaled cross-section model of the French frigate, Surveillante which was scuttled in Bantry Bay is interesting, as is the story of the dive to recover her bell and other artefacts. Also Wolfe Tone's view of the events as revealed in his diary is fascinating.
What would have made it better: The printing of information on fabric was excellent and had an authentically historical and maritime feel but perhaps an audio-visual presentation to complement the artefacts might make it more exciting for younger viewers.
Open: Daily, March to end of October 10am-6pm
Admission: House, Gardens and Armada Centre €10, Gardens and Armada Centre €5. Concessions available. Accompanied children aged under 14 free.
Star rating: ****
- Barry Roche
Kilmainham Gaol
Tel: 01-4535984
Where: Inchicore Road, Dublin 8
Highs: There are few places in Ireland with such immediate historical resonance as Kilmainham. The museum is interesting, but the tour brings visitors through the miserable conditions of the original building, to the large Victorian gaol, and finally into the stonebreakers' yard where the executions took place after the Easter Rising. Seeing the cells in which the leaders were held reinforces a sense of a place frozen in time. Also, the tour guide did a decent job in explaining the rather complicated history of modern Ireland.
Lows: If only the prisoners' graffiti remained unique to the walls; instead it seems that half the tourists passing through have scraped their names in the walls. And, in the museum, whoever thought it would be a good idea to have an interactive exhibit in which visitors could vote for or against capital punishment clearly hadn't reckoned on the votes of mischievous, blood-thirsty children.
Restaurant: A relatively small, straightforward canteen with snacks, and pre-prepared meals, such as quiche. Situated upstairs, it makes for a bit of bottleneck when busy.
Visitors' verdicts: "It's one of the few places that features modern history, and we thought it was fascinating. The guide really knew what he was talking about." Bonnie and John McGloin, New York. "I also thought it was really nice," said their eight-year-old daughter Erica, who was very excited to hear about the executions. "They have preserved it very well, you get a real sense of the history that happened here. It was good value too," said Anthony Cole, London.
Unmissable: The stonebreakers' yard. A rare opportunity to stand at a spot on which Irish history turned.
What would have made it better: In high season, the tour groups get particularly big. Smaller groups are perhaps impractical for those running the gaol, but they would make for a better experience.
Open: 9.30am-6pm, April-September. : 9.30am-5.30pm, Oct-March. Sundays (all year): 10am-6pm. Arrive at least 75 minutes before closing to catch last tour.
Admission: Adults €5.30, seniors €3.70, students and under-18s €2.10, family (two adults and up to five children) €11.50.
Star Rating: ****
- Shane Hegarty
Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens
www.irish-national-stud.ie
Where: Tully, Co Kildare
Highs: If you love horses, this is paradise. The paddocks are large and laid out on a series of avenues, so wear walking shoes and prepare to enjoy a relaxing time-out from city life. The paddocks are labelled with the horses' names so that you know which champions you're looking at, as well as the lineage of each foal, who seem to delight in showing off their form in the paddocks. The Japanese Gardens are lovely for botany enthusiasts, but boring for the rest of us.
Lows: There are no maps, so you can walk what seems like miles and get lost, only having to retrace your steps. There is a small picnic area outside the entrance beside the carpark and it would be preferable to have a larger, more sylvan picnic setting. The shop is aimed at overseas tourists and is very expensive.
Restaurant: The food was good, with a selection of wraps, hot meals such as lasagne and a delicious array of cakes. Service was excellent. The prime tables are on the veranda running along outside the restaurant.
Visitors' verdicts: "The little foals were spectacular; one came up and hugged me," said Sara from Dublin. "A very romantic place," said Dan and Marsha from New York. "My idea of heaven," said Dolores from Dublin.
Unmissable: St Fiachra's Garden features a Waterford Crystal cave that visitors will find either beautiful or gaudy.
What would have made it better: Better signage around the paddocks.
Open: Seven days, 9.30-5pm, last admission one hour before closing
Admission: €9 per adult, €4.50 per child under 16, €20 per family (two adults and up to four children under 16)
Star rating: ****
- Kate Holmquist