About
Hi, I'm Darragh, born and raised in Dublin.
What You'll Find On Ireland By Locals
📍 Only Ireland
One country. Done right.
I don’t cover Italy, Iceland or Bali. Just Ireland. All my focus, all my experience, in one place.
🧭 Real Irish Advice
Not influencer fluff
Everything here is written by locals, not someone here on a sponsored weekend
🐢 Visit Ireland Better
Avoid the biggest mistake
Most visitors do too much. I’ll help you drive less and see more.
📸 The Famous Spots
With fame comes crowds
Tips for all the busy sites. And which to skip
🏘️ Local Alternatives
Just as stunning. Far less crowded.
Ireland is full of amazing places the tour buses skip. That’s where I’ll send you.
💡 Tried And Tested
I’ve done it all myself
I’ve driven around Ireland more times than Lance cycled around France.
👋 Want Help Planning Your Trip?
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the options, I offer Trip Planning Service to save you time & stress.
🚶♂️ Visiting Dublin?
Come walk with me. I lead guided walks through the real Dublin.
A Bad Time in Dublin
I lived in the US for a long time though. One day there, I ran into a friend who told me he was just back from Dublin. I asked how his trip was and sat back waiting to bask in pride as he told me how much he loved my hometown.
But instead, he said "it was ok, but it just felt like a busy city."
I was shocked and asked him what he did when he was in Dublin.
"I went to Guinness, Jameson, Book of Kells, Temple Bar, and the Brazen Head."
I asked, "Did you leave the City Centre at all? Did you go to Howth, Dalkey, Killiney, or the Phoenix Park?"
"Where?" was his response.
He had followed recommendations from some travel blogs, "The Ultimate Guide to Dublin" type of drivel, written by someone who spent 3 days here and declared themselves experts.
The Best of Dublin
I was appalled. Dublin is a beautiful city that is surrounded by water, overlooked by mountains and full of gorgeous coastal villages. Yet so many visitors don't even know this and never leave the concrete of the city centre.
And they miss out on the best of Dublin.
So I spent the next week writing my guide to Dublin. The Dublin I grew up in. The Dublin streets I walked every day. The Dublin I love.
And I published it.
It became the top ranking guide to Dublin on Google, outranking Lonely Planet & TripAdvisor. Because people wanted a genuine experience. To see real Dublin, not just museums about Dublin.
A Better Ireland
The success of my Dublin guide showed me something important, travelers want authentic experiences from true locals.
So Ireland By Locals was born. With a mission to show you a better Ireland too.
If you've already done some trip planning, let me guess... Dublin-Blarney Stone-Killarney-Dingle-Cliffs of Moher-Dublin. Am I right? I know because it's the same route everyone follows.
These places are stunning. But there's a better way to experience Ireland than rushing between crowded tourist hotspots.
Ireland has countless places just as spectacular as the famous ones, but lesser known. Which means fewer crowds & more authentic experiences.
There's so much more to Ireland & I'm going to help you discover it. Like a local.
Darragh
