Brendan O'Connor Ireland’s Prettiest Towns and Villages
Mar 7, 2026
Pól O’Conghaile, travel editor and seasoned travel writer, shares his picks for Ireland’s most picturesque towns and villages. He explains what makes him stop the car and highlights colourful coastal harbours, heritage shopfronts next to modern cafes, thriving market squares, murals that revive towns, and why timing and nearby estates shape a place’s appeal.
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Stopping The Car Defines Prettiness
- Pól chooses towns that make him stop the car and mooch around rather than just famous places.
- He values painted shopfronts, heritage feel and single cafés like Oolala's that signal care and invite exploration.
Barron's Bakery Made Cappoquin Worth A Stop
- Pól stopped in Cappoquin, County Waterford for Barron's Bakery rather than for a tourist hotspot.
- He bought a ham and cheese blah and coffee, showing food stops make otherwise unassuming towns memorable.
Community Effort Trumps Cosmetic Makeover
- The human element and community effort lift towns beyond painted facades into places that feel real.
- Dundalk's murals from an urban art festival transformed local pride and the town's atmosphere.