HANDY APPS FOR TRAVELLING IRELAND
Calling all tech-savvy travellers heading to Ireland! I have handpicked 21 apps that will make planning your trip to the Emerald Isle a bit easier and way more fun - be it a weekend getaway to Dublin or a road trip around the country, there is something for all types of trips and all sorts of interests.
All apps mentioned below are free and most of them are available on iOS and Android.
JOURNEY PLANNER
The name of the app speaks for itself - it is an aggregate platform provides travel planning, timetable and information from all licenced public transport providers across Ireland.
> Also try: Dublin Bus, a bus operator providing services in Dublin (iOS | Android), Dublin Coach, a network of nationwide bus services (iOS | Android), Iarnrod Eireann, the national railway network (iOS | Android), Real Time, an app that provides real-time arrival and departure information on all public transport services (iOS | Android)
WILD ATLANTIC WAY
The Wild Atlantic Way is a spectacular 2,500km drive along the Irish rugged coastline. The app, curated by the Fáilte Ireland (National Tourism Development Authority), offers everything you need on this epic journey: from hidden gems, activities, and accommodation, to handcrafted itineraries, notable food stops and ongoing events along the route. You won't miss a thing! It also features the Wild Atlantic Way passport, which helps you track where you’ve been and makes for a pretty souvenir of your trip.
IRELAND TRAVEL GUIDE BY TRIPBUCKET
The Irish version of TripBucket brings you an interactive guide to the country and all it has to offer. Apart from the basic features like where to eat and stay, it allows you to create a customised bucket list of places to explore around Ireland and shows suggestions based on your indicated interests.
> Download: iOS
THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDES
Developers from Creative App Solutions have created seven the so-called unofficial guides to different parts of Ireland, which aim to equip you with everything you could ask for to make an exciting trip. Whether you are doing to Dingle Peninsula, Aran Islands or Killarney, the apps provide you with an insight into history, folklore and legends of the stunning sights.
> Download: iOS
SADUBLIN
If you are into street art, this app is for you. It is a platform that aims to collect images of Dublin's public murals and graffiti allowing its users to contribute new artworks to the map in just one click.
> Download: iOS
STORYMAP
Want to see Dublin through the eyes of its people? StoryMap provides a collection of audio and video recordings of historical curiosities or anecdotes and stories from locals as well as themed routes that will navigate you around the city and turn your stroll into an engaging customised walking tour. How's it that for an authentic experience?
IRISH PUBS
No trip to Ireland is complete without a visit to one of its traditional pubs, but how to pick where to go? This app is your one-stop place for finding the nearest and highest rated watering holes in the country: browse spots by location and amenities such as live music and live sport.
> Also try: Murphy's Pure Cork, an app that releases free pints to its users any time something uniquely ‘Pure Cork’ happens (iOS - Irish app store only, Android)
BEOIR FINADER
Looking to try a new beoir (pronounced as "be-ah-irr") while in Ireland? Craft beer enthusiasts, this one if for you - BeoirFinder helps you find establishments across the country that serve Irish micro beers and ciders, be it bars, pubs, restaurants, off-licences or breweries. As there has been a major boom in microbrewing in Ireland in recent years, the app aims to support and raise awareness of native Independent brewers and their products.
> Also try: Untappd, although not Irish, can also help you find new brews and where they are sold (iOS, Android)
DUBLIN EVENT GUIDE FOR FREE EVENTS
The app is a smartphone version of the website of the same name, a weekly service that provides comprehensive information about all free cultural events such as festivals, exhibitions, talks, markets, and so on in the Greater Dublin area. Though quite buggy in iOS 10, this is a great source of insiders' tips.
> Download: iOS
DUBLIN WALLS
For history lovers out there, this app will take you back a few centuries as you explore the city’s medieval world. Besides showing you what parts of the original Dublin walls have survived the time and still exist above ground and under, it displays what old maps would have looked like with the use of stunning graphics, videos, photos and 3D animations. So you can fly over rooftops and towers, gates and prisons, trace ancient landmarks interacting with the historical city in a modern context!
> Download: iOS
DUBLIN LITERARY WALKING TOUR
If Irish literary is your area of interest, get this app and take an audio narrated walking tour of places around Dublin associated with its great writers. Check out the spots that were once made famous by Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, Oliver St John Gogarty, and, of course, James Joyce, whose work “Ulysses” is about a day in the lives of Dubliners in the early years of the 20th century (the author himself lived in 20 different houses around town).
> Download: iOS
> Also try: Patrick Kavanagh, A Dublin Literary Trail, an audio walking tour of Kavanagh's Dublin (iOS)
DUBLIN DISCOVERY TRAILS
Another project developed and endorsed by Failte Ireland, the Dublin Discovery Trails app enables visitors to explore the history, heritage, and culture of Dublin through a series of themed self-guided walking trails accompanied with audio commentaries and personal accounts. The trials are easy to follow yet full of interesting discoveries along the way.
> Also try: Dublin City Walks, another app offering various self-guided walking tours (iOS | Android)
MYTAXI
While Uber is available in Dublin, it fails to reach the coverage and service of Mytaxi, formerly knows as Hailo (you can read about the reasons behind it in this article; in short, it has to do with the way taxi licensing works in Ireland). Other than that, the app works like similar taxi services - simply book, pay for, and rate your ride all in one place.
THE IRISH TIMES
Although not the most obvious choice for a travel app, The Irish Times will keep you up to date on news from Ireland and offer an Irish perspective on what is happening around the world. Apart from the news section, the app includes a range of new sections such as opinion, culture and life and style.
THIS IS GALWAY
Check out this app for all things Galway, city and county: upcoming gigs and events, brunch and date night ideas, day trips, and much more! This is Galway is curated by passionate locals who want to show fellow Galwegians and curious visitors alike that their city has something for everyone.
For the past three years, I've been on a mission to find the most functional, useful, and all-around great platforms. Check out the blog posts below to see what other apps I highlighted in the past to make your next trip even more fun:
What are your favourite travel apps? Share in the comments below and let me know if you've used any of these apps before!
Happy travels x
