( CNN ) Kevin Kane 's love affair with Ireland began in 2000 , when he and his then-fiancee piggybacked on a trip with his brothers and their wives . The 39-year-old financial adviser from Havertown , Pennsylvania , has been back six times since , taking his now wife , brothers and mother on various trips that spanned nearly every county in Ireland and Northern Ireland . Ahead of St. Patrick 's Day , Kane and other CNN readers shared their best memories and photos from mesmerizing visits to the Emerald Isle . The green and rugged Dingle Peninsula , in the southwest of Ireland , is Kane 's favorite destination , he wrote , though `` the Glens of Antrim are spectacular in November , the Ring of Kerry can not be described adequately by James Joyce himself on a clear day in June , and the vibrancy of Galway and Westport are enough to recharge the soul as you wander joyfully from Tobercurry to Ennis . '' Kane offered a few tips for the first-time visitor : . Do n't be overly ambitious on your first trip . `` Pick a few towns to stay in and do several days in each . One-hundred miles between towns is not a two-hour drive as you might expect . If there are no major motorways , it could easily become a harrowing four-hour trip for the novice European driver . '' Talk to the locals in pubs . `` Ask questions , do n't fake a brogue , and listen to the suggestions they are sure to make about what to see in that immediate area . The Irish are fiercely parochial and love to show off their town 's hidden secrets to tourists . '' Do something off the beaten path . `` Take a ferry out to an island to walk around a bit , find an Abbey ruin in a field to explore , take a flask of Jameson and hike up a mountain . Get lost in what Ireland is , and has to offer . '' In summary , Kane said : `` Keep your itinerary reasonable , soak up every minute you are there , and make notes for your next trip , for you will surely be returning . It 's that kind of place . '' 29 beach photos that will make you drool . 11 ways to make the most of Hawaii . What are your Ireland travel tips ?
CNN readers share their favorite views of Ireland . The Irish are a very friendly people and I have never seen any problems with them in my life, but they do tend to be quite conservative when it comes to religion ( Catholics ) and politics (