By Ed Boitano, “Life After 50” Travel Editor

Eight long years had passed since I’d been to Ireland, and shortly after my recent arrival to the Emerald Isle I realized much had changed since my last visit. At the dawn of the new Millennium, Ireland had been the Celtic Tiger, experiencing a period of strong and rapid economic growth. Expatriates who had left Ireland for better work opportunities began coming back to their ancestral land for new high-end jobs and what seemed to be endless employment opportunities.

That, sadly, is one of the biggest changes. When the global recession hit a few years ago, Ireland was not immune and the country’s unemployment rate shot up to a staggering 12%. Though now on the rebound, arriving in Dublin I could see the toll the faltering economy has taken on the city. Two of my favorite restaurants along with an independent record store had closed their doors.

Fortunately, one thing had not changed – the spirit of the Irish people. After 700-years of foreign domination, and a devastating potato famine, an economic downturn is a mere bump in Ireland’s historical road map. As a friend of mine once said of the Irish: “There’s poetry in their eyes and hospitality in their hearts.” It was for that very reason that I relished my return.

Among the recommended highlights of my most recent Irish adventure were:

DUBLIN CASTLE

Originally founded by Vikings who coined Dublin “Dyflin” (meaning “Black Pool”), the 13th Century Dublin Castle has served as a military fortress, a prison, treasury, courthouse and the seat of English administration. Today it is used primarily for state receptions and presidential Inaugurations. A highpoint of our tour of the castle’s grounds was seeing the deep excavations that revealed the Viking presence.

THE BOOK OF KELLS AT TRINITY COLLEGE

Located in Dublin’s Trinity College Library, you can view a manuscript from the Middle Ages that contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. Created by Celtic monks, it is a masterwork of Western calligraphy and considered Ireland's finest national treasure. For Catholics, viewing this manuscript is a spiritual experience that rivals a pilgrimage to the Vatican.

MALAHIDE CASTLE

Nestled on 250-acres of park land, Malachite Castle has functioned for 800-years as both a fortress and a private home. With its architectural styles, period furniture and paintings, it offers a fascinating journey into Ireland’s past.

NEWGRANGE

Newgrange’s megalithic mound was built by farmers approximately 5,000-years ago. Considered a place of astronomical and religious significance, the structure’s passage and chamber are illuminated by 17-minutes of light at the dawn of every Winter Solstice.

THE CASTLE LESLIE

Nestled on 1,000-acres of countryside in County Monaghan surrounded by woodlands and lakes, Castle Leslie Estate Monaghan is one of the last Irish castle estates still in ownership by its founding family. Since the 1660s, the castle has played host to luminaries including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney. The highpoint of our tour was our guide – the most agile 94-year-old, Sir. John Leslie who shared his secret to eternal youth – he attends a local disco each Saturday night.

ULSTER AMERICAN FOLK PARK

Located in Omaha, Northern Ireland, the Folk Park recreates the experience where over two-million people left Ireland to seek better lives. Populated with traditional thatched buildings and exhibitions, docents in period costumes demonstrate crafts such as spin weaving, cooking and printing while sharing the stories of their lives. A centerpiece of the park is a life-size replica of an emigrant ship (dubbed a “Coffin Ship”) that re-creates the brutal living conditions that were endured during the 12-week voyage to the United States.

GLENVEAGH NATIONAL PARK

Resting on a pristine lake in the heart of the rugged Derryveagh Mountains in County Donegal, the renowned gardens and spectacular Scottish-style castle surpassed all expectations.

SLIEVE LEAGUE CLIFFS

Over 2,000-feet at its highest point, Slieve League Cliffs tower over the Atlantic Ocean on Donegal’s west coast. One of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, its visual splendor gets my vote for the most striking site in Ireland.

YEATS COUNTRY TOUR

Poet William Butler Yeats was born in Dublin, but his heart – and now body – belongs to County Sligo. Our tour covered the Drumcliffe, Glencar Waterfall and Inishfree areas, which inspired many of his most famous poems.

RAILTOURS IRELAND

While most of the trip was by coach, our return from Sligo to Dublin was via Railtours Ireland. The comfortable journey offered an opportunity to see scenery not seen by car. It also gave us a chance to reflect on all the remarkable sites that we’d visited. I think I’ll return again. Slán go foil!

For further information about the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, log-on to TourismIreland.com