Four seasons in an afternoon

Ireland's weather changes by the hour, not the day. Sun, a squall, and sun again between lunch and tea. Don't let a grey morning rewrite the plan; the Cliffs of Moher or the Ring of Kerry will likely clear by the time you arrive. Pack a proper rain shell and layers rather than an umbrella, which the Atlantic wind turns inside out, and keep the camera ready for the light between showers.

The pub is the living room

An Irish pub isn't only for drinking. It's where the music happens, the trad sessions starting unannounced in the corner around nine, and where a solo traveller falls into conversation within a pint. Order a Guinness and let it settle the full two-part pour before you drink; rushing it marks you out. The smaller country pubs are where the sessions are best, not the Temple Bar tourist ones.

They drive on the left, on narrow lanes

Ireland drives on the left, and outside the cities the roads narrow to hedge-lined lanes where two cars barely pass. The Ring of Kerry and the west-coast routes especially. A private driver is worth it for the scenic days so you can watch the coast rather than the verge. If you do self-drive, take the smaller automatic, mind the stone walls, and don't trust the sat-nav's idea of a shortcut.