When you go to Ireland, you certainly could drive all over the place in a car, or ride a bus, a train or a cab. Public transportation is great in Ireland. But you will not get to meet people and get to know the countryside unless you settle yourself in an area and stay for a while. My wife and I stayed in the Dublin area and found it to be delightful. The story about Dubliners having a gift of gab is not a myth. Native Dubliners – cabbies, shopkeepers, and people on the streets – are happy to direct you to their favorite places to see or to eat. Yes, I am taking a lead from Rachael Ray!
The one stop in Dublin that is a must is Burdocks Fish and Chips. Locals and tourists flock to this place. There is only enough room for 4-5 people to stand shoulder to shoulder like sardines. The fish comes in a single huge “plank” with a lot of chips wrapped up in brown paper in a huge parcel. But this is strictly a take-away place and there is no place on the premises to sit and eat. So you must take your meal and walk across the street to the ancient Christ Church, if you can stand to wait that long, for a picturesque setting and a place to sit down with your meal. There are nearby eateries with outside seating, but they will shoo
you away if you make the mistake of sitting at one of their tables with that unmistakable package. No matter. You will love it.
Gallagher’s Boxty House is in the Temple Bar area of Dublin. A boxty is not something I have had at any Irish pub in the USA. It is a traditional Irish pancake made out of potatoes. I have seen different sorts on the internet, but the ones at Gallaher’s are light and fluffy like a crepe, but with a creamy texture. Stuffed with chicken and a lovely sauce, it makes a huge meal. And I would vote their seafood chowder as the best I have had in my life so far. A note to Guinness fans, and I am one for sure; the Irish serve a great alternate to Guinness which they call Beamish.
You must see the Oliver St. John Gogarty and its accommodations, restaurant and pub. On their menu is a Dublin Style Coddle. It is hard to explain this dish but it is like a white stew with potatoes, carrots and sausage. You got to try this with brown bread, it is heavenly. The atmosphere and music at this pub is all Irish traditional. They even have statues of little elves about the place.
All I have talked about so far is food, but we did do other things. We also went to many places in and around Dublin such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Guinness Storehouse, the Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle, the Wicklow Mountains, the village of Howth, and other marvelous places.
I have not used near enough words to tell you about the beauty of Ireland. Going on and on with words alone will never do it justice, so I have included some photos that will help you see a little of what we saw and possibly convince you that 
a trip to Ireland is well worth the money. And if you do make the trip; my hope is that you might find yourself asking, as did I, “When will I be fortunate enough to go back?”
So when are you going?
Photos in order:
Burdock’s Fish and Chips
Glendalogh, Upper Lake
Wicklow Mountains, Roman Road Area
Glendalough Forest
Coast South of Dublin
Howth Area
Greg Playing in a Pub (With World Champion Bodhran Player, Conor Lyons)
Gogarty's Pub, Temple Bar District of Dublin