Surfers' paradise

Sculpted over a millennia, this is one raw view after another, with the Atlantic regularly producing the perfect storm to highlight surf spots along the coast. Donegal's Bundoran, Ireland's surf capital, was listed in the top 20 surf towns in the world by National Geographic. If you’re new to the waves, Bundoran Surf Co. runs lessons for all ages and fitness levels so everyone can make the most of their visit!

In June, the Sea Sessions Music Festival at Bundoran lights up the beach with swirling carnival lights and pumping tunes.

Sligo's Mullaghmore Head is home to what professional surfers agree is one of Europe's premier big wave locations. Watch in awe from the beaches as surfers navigate the water, tumbling in and out of the surf. Not a surf fan? Look out for Classiebawn Castle, where the ocean swells beneath the turrets and towers. Then take a moment to look over the horizon to the profile of Ben Bulben Mountain, which fills the skyline.

Linking Streedagh Point and Conor's Island, 3km of soft, golden sand make up Streedagh Strand. Paddle through the waves and look out over the reefs, where ships from the Spanish Armada sought shelter from a raging sea storm in 1588. Keep your eyes peeled – the limestone outcrops here are home to ancient fossils, formed over 4 million years ago. Get lucky and you might spot one!

From ancient to modern, visit the craft village in Rathcormac. Springing up around Dave McLoughlin's Benbulben Pottery Studio, this tranquil hub of creativity crafts exquisite designs. And you can watch him as he works, too.

If you have more time, you have to meet Martin Feeney’s award-winning sheepdog. This isn’t your average pooch, and you’ll soon be wowed by how they expertly show you the art of sheep herding in the Irish wilderness.

Love the humble spud? You’ll love Lissadell House & Gardens, then! In the grounds, you’ll find a staggering 180 varieties of potatoes – one of the largest collections in the world – lovingly tended in the Victorian kitchen garden. On Lissadell beach, meanwhile, the loud honking calls of barnacle geese create both a distinctive soundtrack and a remarkable spectacle.

If you have more time, wander through the woods around Leitrim's Glencar Lake and you'll come across the glorious waterfall, sparkling in the sunshine, made legendary by WB Yeats in his poem “The Stolen Child”.

To Yeats, Sligo was "The Land of Heart's Desire" – the place that inspired his most beautiful poetry, reflecting the sense of peace and serenity he felt whenever he was here. Yeats himself is buried at Drumcliffe Cemetery, in the shadow of his beloved Ben Bulben mountain.

You can follow in his footsteps with a visit to Lough Gill, home of the Lake Isle of Innisfree, which was immortalised in one of Yeats’s most famous poems. Stroll through the surrounding woodland walks or take a boat trip from Sligo town and immerse yourself in the poet’s world.