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Five must-see spots in Ireland

From County Kerry to the western coastline, there is no shortage of beauty on the Emerald Isle.
Credit: KING 5
The Cliffs of Moher on Ireland's west coast have been immortalized in films like The Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

COUNTY CLARE, Ireland — Ireland is home to some of the most stunning landscapes on earth.

Here are five spots worth seeking out on a weeklong trip:

1. The Rock of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel - also known as St. Patrick's Rock. For centuries, it was also home to kings and patron saints - St. Patrick is said to have compared a shamrock to the holy trinity there. Today, visitors can search for clovers in the meadow, or tour the medieval buildings from the 12th and 13th century.

2. Prehistoric Druid sites

Tourists can walk right up to some of the creations dating back to the Bronze Age. Stone Circle in Kenmare is a picturesque rock formation - the biggest one of its kind in Southwest Ireland. In County Clare, The Poulnabrone “portal tomb" dates back 5,000 years.

3. Killarney National Park

The gorgeous area in the southwest part of the country known as Killarney National Park looks like a storybook. In just a couple of hours, you can tour Ross Castle – used as a stronghold in the Middle Ages – and take a short boat ride on Lake Leane to Innisfallen Island. Monks farmed and studied there from the 6th to 13th centuries, and it's home to what may be one of the oldest Celtic crosses in Europe.

4. The Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is an 111-mile drive that has picture-perfect viewpoints overlooking the Lakes of Killarney, in a valley carved out by glaciers millions of years ago.

5. The Cliffs of Moher 

The breathtaking sea cliffs on Ireland's west coast are the island’s second-most visited spot. The Cliffs of Moher loom 700 feet above the Atlantic and extend for miles. Head south on the walking trail and you might spy puffins. The other direction leads to the highest point above the sea - O'Brien's Tower, a centuries-old observation deck. On a clear day, you can see three different counties and the Aran Islands.

This story sponsored by Adventures by Disney. KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.

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