County Donegal

Oh, beautiful Donegal. So remote that life moves at an entirely different pace to anywhere. You can go walking for days along its tiny country lanes, wide ocean beaches, peaceful forests, and high cliffs. The people too are wonderful and warm - everyone says 'good morning' to you and it's the only place I've been to where the locals stop to give you a lift instead of vice-versa. Also, the pubs are homey, there's never a lack of Guinness, and the traditional music is excellent and authentic. It's a place where people can literally come in off the streets with their instruments and play at a 'session'. Ah, I'll be back, it's too good to miss.

Doolin, County Clare

A village with a few hundred people, one general store, three pubs, and four hostels!! For a tiny village, Doolin certainly gets a lot of visitors. Perhaps it's because the music in these pubs are excellent and there's always a 'session' in one of them of a night, even in mid-winter. Doolin is also a good place to wander aimlessly around and get totally lost in, like I did when I tried to find the Cliffs of Moher, some 8km away!

County Kerry

Dingle Peninsula. Kerry is arguably the most beautiful part of Ireland. It is also the most touristy (every man and his dog goes to see the Ring of Kerry). For my money, the Dingle Peninsula is better than the Ring of Kerry. The beauty of Slea Head just has to be seen to be believed. No wonder it's a favourite camping ground for the rich and famous (Dolores from The Cranberries, Tom and Nic… they all have houses here).

Killarney. Killarney is a lively (and tacky) tourist town with literally hundreds of pubs. Despite this, there's a great national park at its doorstep and the best hostel in Ireland (with the craziest warden - his introductory tour of the hostel is an experience and a half). The hostel always has a cosy fire going, and in the evenings everyone sits around with a pint of Guinness (courtesy of the pub next door), a guitar, and talks about everything and anything (although sex, politics and religion are popular subjects).

County Cork

I stayed with the Cashman family, whom I met completely by chance in Sydney when she and her boyfriend Brian were persuaded to dinner at the Winarta's (yes, my mum's cooking is truly irresistible). In turn, I got to stay at their house in the East Cork town of Midleton and sampled a little of Irish life for the week (football, pubs), and found out about strange local phenomina. Like the hill where cars roll up instead of down, and Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp's ill-fated movie at Ballycotton.

Stout

An astonishing amount of the 'black stuff' is drunk by the Irish (and everyone who visits Ireland). Spending a month in Ireland meant learning to drink a pint (560mL glass) or two or three. Yup, Sandra has developed a taste for it! Guinness may be the most commonly found but Murphy's is better. Smooth, creamy, with no aftertaste. Freshest in Cork where the brewery is!