DK Travel : Dublin : Places of interest

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Powerscourt Townhouse

Built in the 18th century for Viscount Powerscourt, this fine building was converted into a shopping precinct in 1981. The main, grand entrance opens into a fine hall and staircase. The Georgian Room on the first floor, now turned into a shop similar to the other reception rooms, has exquisite plasterwork created by Michael Stapleton. There is a variety of stores here, including jewellery designers, trendy boutiques, craft outlets, coffee specialists and greengrocers. When you have exhausted your shopping cravings, there are plenty of places to eat and drink.
Reginald’s Tower

The circular stone fortification built 1,000 years ago by Ragnvald, son of Sygtrygg, was part of the original Viking ramparts and still dominates the quayside. Over the centuries it provided a base for other invaders, including Strongbow, Henry II, King John and Richard II, as well as doing time as a prison. Today it houses an art gallery and a museum of Waterford history.
River Shannon

Ireland’s longest river opens into broad lakes, eventually widening into a huge estuary. The river’s curve traditionally marks the border of the west. Lough Derg, the largest lake, set amid wooded hills, is a popular area for boating and angling. Further downriver is an immense variety of birdlife.
Rock of Dunamase

Towering 150 ft (45 m) above a flat plain, the Rock of Dunamase is one of the most impressive and historic sights in Ireland. The sight was included on Ptolemy’s world map in AD 140, such was its fame, and the ruins date back thousands of years. Standing amid its history, you can see all the way to the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Roundstone

Cloch na Rón is the official name of this attractively laid out, Irish-speaking “planned village” built in the 1820s. In one way, it’s an authentic, unpretentious lobster-fishing community, but it also has an arty side and many attractions for visitors, including a good beach, a range of eating places, galleries and traditional shops.
Royal Gunpowder Mills

Gunpowder was one of Cork’s most important industries in the mid-19th century until the mills closed in 1903. Visitors can see the canals, sluices, weirs, mills and workers’ cottages.
Russborough

Another fine Palladian mansion, claiming the longest frontage in Ireland, Russborough was designed by Richard Cassels in the mid-18th century. Standing on raised ground it faces a stretch of water backed by the Wicklow Mountains and is kept in immaculate condition. One of the main reasons to visit is for the outstanding Beit Art Collection, put together in the 19th century by Sir Alfred Beit (1853– 1906). His nephew bought Russborough in 1952 to house the collection.
Shannonbridge Bog Railway

You might call it dirt, but they call it peat around these parts, and it is valuable. Bord na Mona (the national peat board) runs this 5.5-mile (9-km) rail trip through the Blackwater Bog and the Blackwater Power Station. The tour teaches you everything you need to know about harvesting this acidic resource and the importance it has played in powering the Emerald Isle.
Sky Road

Named for its beautiful cliff-edge ocean views, the Sky Road is a 7-mile (11-km) loop that starts out from Clifden to skirt the narrow peninsula alongside Clifden Bay. Along the way it reaches empty beaches, wild hill scenery, and sights such as the ruins of Neo-Gothic Clifden Castle, the home of Clifden’s founder John d’Arcy.
Slieve Bloom Mountains

Despite only rising 2,000 ft (615 m), the surrounding flat plain aids in creating an imposing image of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The summits have been declared a National Nature Reserve and the Slieve Bloom Way has been marked out for hikers who have waterfalls, hidden glens and peaceful villages to look forward to.