Since you will probably be backpacking across most of Ireland, you will not be staying in a single hostel for long. It is advisable to use the Internet to get the best hostels in whichever city you visit. There are numerous sites that allow you to filter all the hostels in Ireland and arrange them according to price, services offered, proximity to roads etc.
In a nutshell, backpacking across Ireland and meeting Irish people will be an unforgettable experience. You will also not face any accommodation problems because of the many options available in all cities.
Irish food
Going To Visit Ireland? Check out the food
If you plan to be in Ireland, you'll find comfort in knowing that you are going to enjoy some very delicious meals.
As Irish food is well known for it great quality and freshness, many great dishes are served there.
In Ireland, the main meats that they use to cook with are beef, lamb and pork. As Ireland is a coastal country, they also have access to great seafood.
You'll find salmon, oysters, lobsters, scallops and mussels plentiful and many Irish dishes that are created around them. But a regular night's dinner will usually consist of one of these meats, potatoes and cabbage.
You've no doubt wondered about Irish stew. If you have never tried it, Irish stew is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, Canadian bacon that has been chopped, lamb chops that have been cubed and salt and pepper.
The Irish don't typically use a lot of seasonings to flavor their foods; they only use salt and pepper. You'll be able to taste the real flavors of the foods that are being served to you while in Ireland.
You can experience great dishes from Irish food such as corned beef and cabbage, champ, which is a potatoes and onion dish similar to mashed potatoes with green onions in it.
You can also try some of the many varieties of soup that the Irish make. Many of the soups that are made in Ireland offer a thick and filling meal. Your soup might be served with a slice of bread and a pat of butter.
Perhaps you'd prefer to try the fish and chips while you're visiting; they are a very popular dish there and everyone from Ireland as well as visitors from around the world love eating Irish fish and chips.
Bread is a very important food item to the Irish; you'll find that they offer many types of bread to go with all types of dishes. One of the most popular breads that are served is Irish soda bread. It is full of caraway seeds and raisins and is cut into triangle shaped pieces and served with sweet butter.
You'll also find some great desserts to eat too, sweet treats like apple dumplings, cream cheese pie or cherry and raisin cake. You might also choose to try the scones with a pat of jam on them for a sweet treat.
Should you be visiting at Christmas time, you'll be able to try the Irish Christmas Cake that is filled with candied fruits and nuts and is covered with a white icing. As apples grow very well in Ireland, you'll find a lot of great desserts that use apples as their main ingredient.
To satisfy your thirst, the main beverage that is served in Ireland is tea. Of course, you'll be able to find a large selection of your favorite beer as well. Irish beer is a little richer and a little darker than American beer; the Irish refer to it as stout.
You'll have no problem finding great restaurants and pubs where you can enjoy a delicious Irish food while visiting Ireland, in particular in Dublin and Cork.