Tidy towns along coast of Ireland

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When someone asks me about visiting Ireland, I tell them not to miss the southwest coast. This is the place to experience the wonders of the Gaelic language and old Irish civilization, as well as the country’s contemporary charms. It’s the most mystical, Celtic, spiritual and rugged region of Ireland — and the towns along the way are just plain cute. There’s even a competition for the best-kept town.

Every year, the Irish government holds a Tidy Town contest — and competition is fierce. Dozens of villages are judged for their beauty, charm and, yes, tidiness. My own top contenders for the title of tidiest town hug the southwest coast, where each town is more endearing than the last. Beyond their pastel facades and prim potted flowers, Kinsale, Kenmare and Dingle offer rich history, natural beauty and warm Irish hospitality.

About a half-hour south of Cork, Kinsale is a pintsized Tidy Town winner, with 5,000 people, 25 pubs and a super-sized history. In its day, this town was home to one of the most strategic forts in the British Empire. It had Ireland’s best natural harbor and offered a gateway

Canadian musician Scott Helman says touring has taught him to be patient and to go with the flow. “I know it’s corny, but whatever happens will happen,” says Helman, 22. “Be on time, pack well, stay hydrated. These are things we can control. Everything else is for the world to decide. My most memorable experiences are when things go wrong while traveling. It’s when you find the kind ones and when whatever is wrong becomes resolved, you can count on them to bring your life more meaning and joy knowing they’re in the world.” Helman currently is on tour to promote his CD “Hotel de Ville” and the single “Ripple Effect.”

An edited version of our conversation follows.

A: I don’t feel at home on the road anymore. I used to, but I think my idea of home was much less concrete to me than it is now. The amount I travel nowadays means that when I do get home, I need it to be a certain way. I need consistency. I need an escape from the constant bustle of the city. I need to wake up to find my cat, Margot, staring me square in the face. to both Spain and France — providing a potential base for either of these two powers to cut off English shipping. In what became 17th-century Britain’s version of the Cuban missile crisis, the Spanish nearly took over Kinsale, almost gaining naval advantage over England. But England won and eventually built two huge, star-shaped fortresses to ensure control of Kinsale’s narrow waterway.

The town’s long and skinny old center is part modern marina (attracting wealthy yachters) and part pedestrian-friendly medieval town (winning the affection of scalawags like me). On my last visit, my local guide showed me a clever “Tumbler Cart” parked in the center of town. In the 18th century, this service vehicle made the rounds picking up the townsfolk’s sewage and then dumping it in nearby fields. Today, it’s just a delightful ornamental decoration filled with flowers — one of Kinsale’s many quirky surprises.

Northwest of Kinsale is Kenmare, another recent Tidy Town winner that hooks visitors right away with rows of vividly painted shop fronts and a go-for-astroll atmosphere. And it keeps visitors around with the town square’s traditional fairs and markets, as well as an ancient stone circle, opportunities for horseback riding and golfing, and the Kenmare Lace and Design Centre, which highlights the trade that put Kenmare on the map. (The town’s knack

A: I work very closely with Ben Knechtel on most of my music videos. Initially we were planning to head to an abandoned water park between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. To mirror the oddity of the song and the implication of love that went wrong, we wanted to film somewhere that felt abandoned and somewhere that felt like when it was inhabited it was full of life. As a teenager, I was always infatuated with the idea of hitchhiking, squatting and living off the grid. So I took notice of Slab City, and also saw it featured in “Into the Wild.” I’m just so grateful I was able to take a song about a painful experience and turn it into something that I would call a beautiful — and slightly absurd — resolution.

A: It seems Chicago has a kind of musical renaissance happening. Montreal has always been an artist town in the purest sense, and I don’t think that’s going away. Nashville, which I’m dying to go to, looks to be the songwriters’ haven these days. Still, all places interest me. for making exceptionally delicate lace helped it survive the devastating Irish famine of the mid-1800s.)

Quaint Kenmare is the perfect base for tackling the dramatic Ring of Kerry, the road that loops around the deservedly famous western peninsula. Along the way, treat yourself to a stop at the Kissane Sheep Farm to enjoy an up-close look at sheep farming and the expertise Some of the best music has come from self-described sub-par places, stopover towns, towns overlooking bigger towns. A: We don’t ride polar bears.

A: My idea of a vacation is usually somewhere new, so it’s hard to decide on a place I’ve been. Nonetheless, I’d have to say Costa Rica for the nature and Amsterdam for the culture. (Amsterdam) is featured on the cover of “Hotel de Ville.” (Visit) all the museums. So much beauty has come from Amsterdam. One you may not have heard of is the FOAM museum. Great for modern art. Walk around. Enjoy the scenery. Avoid pickpockets. If you’re young and interested in meeting others, stay at a hostel.

A: Up north at my best friend’s cottage in Muskoka, Ontario. It’s where I feel most calm. For more from the reporter, visit of Ireland’s competent sheepdogs. Meeting the farmer, his family and their well-trained dogs is one of the best hours Ireland offers.

In the evening, I like to stir up a little serendipity just wandering the town. The pub scene changes every couple of years, but locals with the gift of gab are always up for a pint and a good time.

Farther north along the coast, colorful little Dingle — my favorite town in all of Ireland — perches on Ireland’s westernmost point. The dramatic scenery of the remote Dingle peninsula is enough to draw anyone, but the prehistoric wonders that dot this region make it particularly intriguing.

Dingle hasn’t won a Tidy Town award yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Its few streets, lined with ramshackle but gaily painted shops and pubs, run up from a rain-stung harbor always sheltering fishing boats and leisure sailboats.

For an English-speaking traveler, the best “sights” in this town are its people. You may not find the proverbial pot of gold, but you’ll treasure your encounters with the engaging, feisty people who live here. Most transactions come with an ample side-helping of friendly banter. As an Irishman once joked to me, “How can I know what I think until I hear what I say?”

Dingle feels so traditionally Irish because it’s part of

Qthe Gaeltacht, a region where the government subsidizes the survival of the Irish language and culture. Despite growing more touristy, Dingle’s traditional charms are resilient. As the older generation slows down and fades away, a new generation of entrepreneurs is giving Dingle fresh vitality.

There’s something delightful about small-town Ireland, where the people’s connection to their culture and to their town is so vivid. These tidy little hubs offer a healthy dose of Irish culture, and their locations make them the perfect springboards for experiencing the plush beauty of the Emerald Isle. When the next Tidy Town competition rolls around, I’ll be rooting for these three. Rick Steves

writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at

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