Visiting a New Autumn in Ireland

So many Americans — nearly 40 million — claim Irish ancestry that it’s little wonder it’s an incredibly friendly place for stateside visitors. We’re practically nations of cousins. (In 2011, President Obama famously identified his great-great-great-grandfather, an Irishman named Falmouth Kearney who at age 19 fled famine-ravaged Ireland for America more than 160 years ago.) Add to that an unimpeachable reputation for friendliness, dramatic history, a way with whiskey and comfort food, and a very public show of support for LGBTs, and the Republic of Ireland makes for a warm and welcoming destination. 

For five miles along the Atlantic Coast of County Clare in the west of Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher (pictured) drop dramatically to the sea — over 700 feet at their highest point. It’s one of Ireland’s most-visited sites, and it features in Irish myths and fables from times of antiquity. On a clear day you can see as far as the Aran Islands. CliffsOfMoher.ie

Photo courtesy of Chris Hill/Tourism Ireland