What a GREAT guide. Ireland The Best compiles over 30 years of the author's experience.

An easy-to-use guide with over 2000 recommendations:
• Eat and drink at the best local pubs, cafes and regional restaurants
• Great advice on where to sleep, from wild camping to boutique hotels
• Discover stunning scenery, landscapes and historical highlights
• Find the best coastal walks, city strolls and sightseeing spots
• Explore the true culture of Ireland and discover local hidden gems

This is a really informative book that I have enjoyed going back to again and again since downloading. I am interested in moving to Ireland and this book talks about many of the places to go. It may need an update since I'm sure many places have closed over the past year.

I really enjoyed this book! But I would Highly suggest buying an actual copy of it!

I love all things travel and knew when this book popped up that I had to read it. For someone who has always wanted to go to Ireland but has yet to have the opportunity this book was a dream! It made my imaginations come alive with the descriptions from the authors. The only thing I wish was that there were pictures in the book.

Highly recommend for anyone who likes travel.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed with in are my own.

While the book is very well researched, I struggled with the kindle format. I like being able to flip back and forth especially since each entry was coded and like to see pictures in travel guides. I also felt it was too restaurant heavy.
Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion.

I travel a lot and generally buy a travel guide before I start my research. I found that having a guide on the Kindle to be difficult to use. I prefer color pictures and being able to flip from one section to another without having to scroll so much. That said, perhaps the print version would be handier. I think that attempting to cover the entire country of Ireland in one book is a big endeavour. There is just too much to see and do. The book seemed heavy on food/restaurant recommendations. I would have liked to see more attractions or rather flesh out the descriptions of the attractions. I have found that often restaurants close by the time I read about them in travel books, so using a current review site is better for them.

I used this book as a good reference on my latest trip to Ireland. I especially liked the eBook format. Carrying heavy guidebooks in my suitcase when I travel gets old quickly. I also liked the regional format as I was concentrating my travels on western Ireland. I’m sure I’ll use it again on future trips.

***I received a copy through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***

What a useful little tool this book is! It has good information on restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels, etc along with a little fact about each place and an address. This will certainly come in handy in preparation or during a trip to Ireland. I wish there were images of the places, but those could easily be Googled. The book could feel a little overwhelming since there are so many amazing places to go to in Ireland, so a ranking system might have helped (for example, top 5 pubs in Dublin). But overall, really appreciate the info here.

I cannot recommend reading this book in Kindle format. It is difficult to read a reference book like this in a digital format. I need to be able to flip back-and-forth between the pages of a reference book in order for it to make sense to me. I’d like to think this book contains a great deal of useful information, but I have not seen a paper version of the book, and so I cannot fairly review it.

This is an extremely detailed book. At times, I was overwhelmed with the amount of ground covered and realized that a guide like this is perfect for reference when visiting, but hard to read and retain the vast amount of information it contains. I thought it was really interesting that the author treated all the locations equally, whether it was a store or cafe, bar or historic site. Each location is noted for its strong points.

Planning to visit Ireland sometime in the near future, I had hoped this book would help me narrow down the areas I would want to visit. That didn't happen. Author John McKenna shares a wealth of wonderful places to visit no matter where you go. He clearly loves Ireland and its many treasures.

When I go, this book will be the first thing I pack. I don't want to miss anything.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Travel Guide to the Old Sod

I went to Ireland the first time 30 years ago—goodness, has it been that long?—and I haven't been back for a long while. So I was delighted to see this book show up at one of my favorite book review sites. I found myself wondering how much Ireland had changed, as I hadn't seen it since before the European Union. I was certainly surprised as I looked at some of the entries of this guidebook. The Ireland I remember was much more rustic, and well, Irish. I was surprised at the number of ethnicities listed for the restaurants in Dublin as well as some swanky hotels and restaurants. I spent a fair time in Dublin, as I took a summer course at Trinity College, and was right in the heart of that city; that doesn’t sound like the Dublin I remember. This book has gotten me intrigued about the new Ireland, and I find myself wishing I was able to go back and see what it is like now.

But about the book. I must say I am disappointed that the ARC copy I received had no photos of any kind. I don't know if this is true of the published book or not. Introductory material seems to suggest that there is at least a map that goes with this book, but as I received a digital copy, I'm not sure.

The book has an easy organization. There is an introductory section about the must-visit places all over Ireland as well as annual festivals. The first several sections are all about what's going on in the big cities like Dublin, Belfast, Galway, and Cork. The next sections look at the country by dividing it into geographical areas. Next, historical places and outdoor activities are looked out all over Ireland. The book rounds out with a look at the islands. I thought that the actual descriptions of each item were a little confusing. There appears to be a lot of shorthand used in them. I found myself searching for the places that I knew of 30 years ago, but I didn't see them. I hope they are still in business as I have many fond memories; perhaps they didn’t make the cut. I was certainly surprised at the range of businesses, attractions, and types of lodging. It's been a while, but I don't remember that level of variety. I remember staying in many 10-pounds-a-night B&Bs!

While the book definitely had some drawbacks, it probably served its purpose in making me want to plan another trip to the Emerald Isle.

I found out last year (but I kinda already figured) that I am Irish. I will go to Ireland before I die. It is top of the list. This is a super comprehensive list of where to go and what to do! Much appreciated!

As an avid collector of travel guides and someone who has spent many a holiday in Ireland, I thought #IrelandTheBest: The Insider’s Guide to Ireland by John McKenna and Sally McKenna. would be an ideal book for me to review for #NetGalley.

Unfortunately, this was not the case. The format of the book is essentially a list of Places to stay, eat, visit and things to do. Don't get me wrong this format allows for more places and less waffle, but it is just not my preference.

Perhaps Ireland The Best would be better in paperback than on Kindle, when I first began to read and was bombarded with the different colours of font I thought it contained hyperlinks, which would have been brilliant but unfortunately not so I'm at loss as to why the words were in green, blue, white and red (I have my Kindle set to dark mode, hence white).

Overall informative, confusing and just not for me, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't suit others, perhaps with a more analytical brain.

As usual, my thanks to #Netgalley and publisher #CollinsReference for giving me the opportunity to review #IrelandTheBest: The Insider’s Guide to Ireland

The material here is mostly well presented in regional sections with corresponding maps. I was disappointed that no attention was given to any of Ireland's theatres in this guide. This is a fine enough guide book but won't be replacing any materials that I have previously used.

Ireland the Best
by John McKenna

This book is packed with so much, it would take you a year to go try out all the restaurants and pubs. The chapters are set up in categories of places to eat and places to sleep. It is setup by different areas of Ireland. You’ll find historical places to visit, parks for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Each entry has a paragraph or two explaining The Who, what and when of the different places. This is the perfect guide to bring with you so you won’t miss anything.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley

John McKenna and Sally McKenna’s book, Ireland The Best: The insider’s guide to Ireland, is amazing! Initially, one could feel slightly overwhelmed by the pure length and delineation found in the Table of Contents, (from Best Wine Bars to Vinyl Shops to Best Craft Beer to Literary Locations, etc). However, don’t be scared off! This book is impressive in its content and would clearly be a wonderfully useful resource for planning a journey through Ireland. Don’t forget to pack this GEM in your travel bag!

(Please note that the highlighted shade of light green used is difficult to read in an ebook format.)

This is an incredibly comprehensive and detailed guide to traveling in Ireland. The book starts by acknowledging the country's "famously big attractions" and also includes information on best annual events and "what the Irish gave to the modern world." The next section on Dublin has 34 sections; many of these have to do with food and with drinks ranging from coffee to cocktails. Of course, there is also a listing of Dublin's main attractions, stores, walks and views. There are similarly comprehensive sections on other cities including Belfast, Cork and the Galway area. In addition to many geographic area breakdowns, there are sections on historical places, outdoor places, strolls and more. If you are thinking of traveling to Ireland (or dreaming of going), I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I only wish that I could hop on a plane now!

A brilliantly detailed book on Ireland giving lots of interesting detail that allows the traveller to access information. John McKenna and Sally McKenna presented a great code to help people get the best out of the places they visit with an informative part giving the reader the history behind the locations. A great guide!

If you haven't seen Scotland the Best, then you aren't familiar with the format of this book. Essentially it is a book of different lists, with maps and links for you to get more info (including pictures). You can hunt by certain areas on the map for regions and cities, where different lists are noted, or search by category (ie Best Pubs).

Things I really liked are price points for restaurants and pubs that are realistic, listings for famous graveyards and churches (yeah, history nuts 101! LOL), where to get the best Irish made items and best walking treks (with miles and difficulty levels included). Overall it's a great book to use to PLAN a trip to Ireland, and then to use while there, for last minute jaunts!

John McKenna and Sally McKenna’s Ireland The Best is an informative and thorough travel guide to the Emerald Isle. Although the codes are a little difficult to remember, I love that the recommendations include many great details like location, price range, amenities, and when the accommodations open. While I think pictures would have really elevated the guide, the book is an invaluable resource for travellers as well as Irish locals looking for new adventures.

The book is a bit lengthy at more than 400 pages but don’t let that put you off! It is well worth it because there is so much helpful information and each recommendation is simple and concise. There are the usual listings of restaurants, accommodations, and historical sites. However, this book goes above and beyond by highlighting the best of just about everything you can think of in Ireland.

The McKennas include interesting and unusual lists like Irish contributions to the world, important literary places, and the most interesting graveyards. Did you know that you can stay in a lighthouse in Ireland? There’s even a section on where to get the best fish and chips! I particularly liked the sections on filming locations and the best tea rooms.

The codes are a useful addition to quickly convey information. At the beginning of the book, the McKennas outline how to decipher them. However, I had some trouble understanding the codes. I kept forgetting the abbreviations and I had to constantly refer to the key. Additionally, this book would be easier to read in paper format because it is a little difficult to navigate on an electronic device. However, you can easily get by without referring to the codes if you don’t want to.

Ireland The Best is a wonderful and in-depth guide to the best of everything that Ireland has to offer. I love that this book goes beyond the usual travel listings and gives a detailed look into practically everything to experience in Ireland. Although I think pictures and a slightly easier to follow coding system would have really elevated the book, I absolutely enjoyed this travel guide. The McKennas will inspire you to jump on a plane to Ireland with this book in your hand!

Thank you to NetGalley and Collins Reference for this book in exchange for an honest review.

🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀 lucky four leaf clovers out of 5!

This travel guidebook to Ireland can make my taste fulfilled. There are many recommendations for hotels, cafes, restaurants and pubs. Also places that must be visited based on the experience of the author. The information presented is also very complete such as maps, special roads and which cities should not be missed. The index book is very easy to find. Soon we can imagine, what must be and where in Ireland. Even equipped with information about transportation, such as walking, climbing, bus rides, and others.
Also provides information about places of extraordinary places that should not be missed when coming to Ireland. I am satisfied with this book. Thank you to authors, publishers and NetGalley.