Finding the Luck of the Irish Beyond the Blarney Stone

Visit the National Leprechaun Museum

Yes—this place actually exists. While its use of the word museum may be a bit of a stretch—most people visit mainly to have their photo taken while sitting on a giant chair that makes them look leprechaun-sized—this central-Dublin institution does pack some educational value. Learn how the notion of leprechauns has changed over time (hint: a Disney movie played a role); then walk through a rainbow to their fanciful world, with guides sharing legends, folklore, and mythology along the way. It's a rare find: the Irish Times called it the Louvre of leprechauns.

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Go Hurling

Virtually unknown outside Ireland, the Gaelic Games remain massively popular here—every year, more than 80,000 people pack Croke Park to watch the finals of Gaelic football and hurling (making it a larger live audience than the Superbowl). Rooted in Irish tradition, Across Ireland, more than 3,000 sport and social clubs still teach young hopefuls the basics of these games so deeply rooted in Irish tradition. In Dublin, Galway, and Cork, an outfit called Experience Gaelic Games teaches you how to properly wield a caman and hit a sliotar (hurling stick and ball), and puts the whole experience in a richly cultural context.

Spend an Evening Pub Hopping

Home to some 750 public houses, Dublin is one of the world's greatest pub towns—walk down almost any street in the city, and you'll pass at least half a dozen. Not just about drink, these have long been gathering spots in a city with uncertain weather and stormy politics, safe places to get in from the cold and rain, tip back a pint, and talk about the issues of the day. And you'll surely find one to suit your personality—from literary haunts to sports bars, Dublin's pubs come in many stripes, and every town and village outside the capital boasts its own special spots as well.

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Sing with the Folks at O'Donoghue's

Long a favorite haunt for musicians and drinkers alike, O'Donoghue's in Dublin launched the careers of The Dubliners, a 1960s folk band that went on to worldwide success. Some of the original band members still swing by, and you can catch a jam session every night of the week, when musicians break out traditional Irish instruments and casual visitors are encouraged to sing along. Those visitors have, on occasion, included Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, and Bono, all of whom have been known to pop in for a pint when they're in town.

Visit Kilmainham Gaol

There was a time when an independent Republic of Ireland was just a dream—and when home rule was something worth fighting for. For their fervent dedication to the cause, leaders—including the instigators of five separate rebellions—were imprisoned in the infamous Kilmainham Gaol (jail) that operated between 1796 and 1924. The now-empty buildings have been converted into a museum, which offers guided tours of its gloomy, historic, confines.

Take Tea at The Merrion

Dublin's swankiest hotel, The Merrion, is set among manicured gardens, with chambers housed in four former townhouses converted to a beautiful 142-room hotel. Home to the largest private art collection in Ireland, guests can explore this stunning tableau of Ireland's 19th and 20th centuries. The hotel's collection also serves as the muse for The Merrion's pastry chef, who turns various paintings into works of culinary art at the hotel's daily high tea.

Marvel at the Book of Kells

More than just a bunch of pages, the Book of Kells is a historical artifact, a work of art, and one of Ireland's greatest national treasures. An illuminated manuscript of the Gospels in Latin, the Book contains 340 folios and incredibly detailed illustrations. Created by dedicated monks in the 9th century, lucky visitors can marvel at these colorful, ancient pages—two of the four books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)—are on display daily at Dublin's Trinity College.

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Visit an Indian Sculpture Garden

Set in a nine-hectare garden dedicated—somewhat bizarrely—to code-breaker Alan Turing, Victoria's Way in County Wicklow is home to a strange and beautiful collection of 33 black granite sculptures (plus three in bronze). Owned, operated, and designed by Victor Langheld, the park features pieces ranging from a starving Buddha with a cell phone to works dedicated to the Indian god Ganesha (one of which is featured alongside a small pint of Guinness).

Toast at the Old Jameson Distillery

The Guinness Storehouse may be Dublin's best-known alcohol-included attraction, but the country's greatest shrine to Irish whiskey is also worth the trip across town. The home of Jameson, Ireland's best-known brand—which was first distilled on this Bow Street location in Dublin way back in 1780—now hosts visitors for guided tours. Walk through the distillation process, then settle in for a drink afterward—the price of admission includes a ticket for a free shot at the end of the tour.

Meet The Good-Luck Mummies

Located in the crypt of St. Michan's Church in Dublin, these ghoulish attractions—so-called "accidental mummies"—have been remarkably well-preserved by the church crypt's dry air and limestone walls. Even skin remains on these bodies, which date back as far as 1685. One, known as the Crusader for his supposed participation in the Crusades, has become something of a good-luck charm—visitors are encouraged to touch his exposed fingers—which protrude from a crumbling casket—or even give his creepy, mummified hand a delicate handshake.

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Tim Johnson writes for the Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest, the Toronto Star, National Post, and others, as well as web outlets including MSN and the BBC Worldwide. Johnson holds a master's degree in history from McGill University, and has visited 109 countries on all seven continents. Visit him online at TimJohnsonTravels.com.