Europe is a crowded place, and it can be hard to find a place that retains its ancient character without the modern world creeping in around the edges. If you want to see something of the old country without glass and steel distractions visit the small islands in the far West of Ireland. A high speed ferry will whisk you from the secluded port twenty minutes North of Galway to one of the Aran Islands.
These are the places to find authentic Aran Island sweaters and knits. If you have spent any time in Dublin or Galway, you know that you can't throw a hunk of soda bread without hitting a store promising to sell you real Aran Island sweaters. Don't buy in the cities. If you look closely at the tags and ask a few questions you will find that these sweaters are "designed in Ireland" and probably made from cheap wool in Taiwan. A real Aran Island sweater feels heavy, and slightly oily to the touch.
If you visit Inis Mor, which means deer island, run ahead of your fellow tourists if you can. Skip the bike rental (you'll thank me) and rush past the line of tourist vans. At the end of the dock there will be an old guy with steel gray hair and a horse cart. There's usually only one horse cart available, and this is the absolutely best way to see the island.
The driver and his frothing hard working friend will take you on a full length tour, up and down a thousand feet over two mountains covered with cobbled or gravel road. At the far end of the island the driver and horse stop for a rest and you will have an opportunity to climb another five hundred yards to Dun Aengus castle, an ancient citadel with four semicircular stone walls and its back to some of the tallest sea cliffs in Europe.
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