I have exactly one week's experience to go on, which I know isn't much, having spent one week of August 2003 crossing Ireland east to west. Nevertheless, let me add what I can.

I second the endorsement of County Clare (Burren area); we spent two nights in Lisdoonvarna, which is close to Doolin and its justly famous musical pubs, including Gus O'Connor's. (Also close to the aforementioned Ennistimon.)

Too bad we missed our chance to have visted years ago, when things were so much cheaper over there. The new prosperity is presumably great for the Irish themselves (or some of them, at least), but less so for economy-minded tourists.

I was amazed that a bottle of Irish whiskey, any brand, costs more there than in my home town in the US! And whiskey at the bar comes in carefully measured (i.e, little-bitty) shots. The pints of stout are absolutely heavenly, though -- nothing at all like you've ever tasted anywhere in the outside world.

I'm glad we spent a little time in Dublin, but if you don't feel the need to go there, flying in and out of Shannon and spending your entire week in the west is probably a good idea.

Our most interesting musical evening came in Ballinlough, Co Roscommon, just across the county boundary from our relatives' home in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. The local hotel, a *very* upscale, completely modernized institution called the White House, puts on a ceili every Wednesday night, attended almost entirely by locals. The band was not strictly traditional in instrumentation -- they used an electric keyboard and modern drum kit along with pipes and concertina -- and the hotel-ballroom setting was very modern and brightly lit, but the tunes and the set dances were the real old-as-the-hills deal. The only attendees who didn't live in the immediate area were our small party from the US and a priest from Sydney, and all of us were visiting relatives in the neighborhood. Truly a night to remember.

My cousin, who brought us, was disappointed and apologetic about the music -- apparently, he expected another, more traditional group to perform that night. While that alternative might have made for an even better evening, I was happy enough with what we got.