Leinster
Far more than Dublin - if you look beyond the capital
Leinster is where most visitors land, spend two nights in Dublin, and leave thinking they've seen the east. They haven't. Twelve counties stretch from the Viking streets of the capital to the Wicklow Mountains, Boyne Valley's passage tombs, and the medieval lanes of Kilkenny. The further from Dublin you go, the quieter it gets.
12 Counties
The capital. Viking roots, Georgian squares, and a city that rewards repeat visits.
The garden of Ireland. Mountains, valleys, and Glendalough.
Sunny southeast. Opera, strawberries, and Viking history.
Ireland's second smallest county. Barrow Valley walks.
Medieval lanes, craft beer, and the best-preserved castle on the island.
The quiet midlands. Slieve Bloom Mountains and heritage towns.
Clonmacnoise and the Shannon. Bog walks and birding.
Horse country. The Curragh, Newbridge, and the Japanese Gardens.
Boyne Valley and the Hill of Tara. 5,000 years of history.
Ireland's smallest county. Cooley Peninsula and Carlingford.
Lake country at the centre of the island. Athlone and Mullingar.
One of Ireland's least-visited counties. Literary roots and quiet waterways.
Latest from Leinster
Getting to Leinster
Leinster's heritage runs from the High Kings at Tara to the Norman invasion that reshaped the east. Pale country - the area around Dublin where English rule held strongest - has left its mark in architecture and surnames alike: Burke, Butler, Fitzgerald, Power.