Short escapes in Ireland
Long weekends, close to home
From an hour down the road to a proper west-coast adventure. Pick where you're travelling from to see drive times, or filter by county.
Co. Clare · About 3 hours 15 minutes from DublinThe Burren & Cliffs of MoherBare limestone hills full of wildflowers, cliffs 200 metres above the Atlantic, caves to explore and music in Doolin every night. The Burren is one of Ireland's great weekends.
Co. Meath · About 45 minutes from DublinThe Boyne ValleyFive thousand years of history under an hour from Dublin: Newgrange, the Hill of Tara, a Braveheart castle and a distillery in a castle stable yard.
Co. Louth · About 1 hour 15 minutes from DublinCarlingford & the Cooley PeninsulaMedieval lanes, oysters straight from the lough, a greenway with mountain views and the Mournes across the water. Carlingford packs a lot into a small village.
Co. Sligo · About 2 hours 45 minutes from DublinSligo & StrandhillSurf lessons, seaweed baths, a mountain with a queen on top and Yeats country on the doorstep. Sligo is the west coast with a bit of everything. Drive times are estimates, so allow extra time for traffic, especially on bank holiday weekends.