If you visit Dublin in the early spring, try to be there on March 17, St. Patrick's Day, when the city is bursting with activity. For the literary-minded (and the lively) there is Bloomsday, held on June 16. It celebrates the great Irish novelist James Joyce, and especially his most famous work, Ulysses /BR.

If you're interested in shopping for Celtic crafts, don't miss the Kilkenny Design Centre in Kilkenny. This is the city's finest showcase for stylish Irish housewares, glass, books, fashion and jewelry. The upstairs restaurant serves generous portions of delicious homestyle food.

Ireland is rapidly modernizing its road system, but there are still some very poor public roads, especially in the rural parts of the country. Look for unexpected potholes on otherwise smooth surfaces.

Politics in Ireland is a very serious subject. It is best not to get involved in too much political discussion, especially in Northern Ireland. The subject is hugely complex and emotive. In the Republic of Ireland you should avoid referring to the “United Kingdom” or the “British Isles.” The republic is emphatically a separate country. Speak of Ulster as Ulster or as Northern Ireland.

Visit the local pubs in rural Ireland, especially in Clare, where in towns like Ennis you will find some of the greatest Irish music of all.

Visit popular places such as Glendalough in County Wicklow, Killarney in Kerry and the Cliffs of Moher in Clare outside the peak season of July and August. Glendalough, especially, can become jammed with traffic.

Enjoy the beautiful and often remote beaches of Ireland's west coast, but always be careful if you go swimming. Tides are very strong and there can be unexpected currents.

Street signs in Ireland are often confusing because just about anyone who has something to sell attaches his own sign to an already groaning signpost. You'll find this is true for location markers, hotels, guest houses and local attractions as well.

Ireland's Roman Catholic churches are extremely important places to the communities they serve, and you'll usually find someone praying if you visit. Be as discreet as possible when walking around the interiors of churches, and especially when in front of the altar. People may not take kindly to photographs being taken inside churches.