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RING , or An Rinn as it is known in Irish, is a pocket of Irish tradition hidden away on the modern Waterford coast, signposted off the N25 about six miles outside Dungarvan. It's a tiny Irish-speaking community of about 1500 that has somehow survived in what is otherwise one of Ireland's more developed counties, and all the more remarkable given the "West Brit" flavour of much of the county's coast. The language survives healthily, as do other traditions, notably music and set dancing. Like many Irish-speaking areas, the community consists of farms and a handful of bars spread over a wide area, with no real centre. This can be frustrating if you don't have transport, as you have to rely on hitching to and from some of the best bars - the real draw here, as there's little to see, other than the way of life. Mooney's is the first pub on the way into Ring if you are travelling from Dungarvan. It's a great spot for traditional music, and the owners will let you camp in their field. Other bars for traditional music are The Seanachie , just off the N25, about six miles west of Dungarvan (Thurs & Sat), and nearby The Marine Bar (summer daily, except Wed; rest of year Mon, Sat & Sun only). The Oyster Festival over the first weekend in August is a real high point in Ring's music calendar: book accommodation in advance over this period or take a tent. At other times, you should have no trouble finding a bed at the pleasant little hostel , Ceol na Mara - the owners also offer B&B in their spacious nineteenth-century house (tel 058/46425, desibeau@eircom.net; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79). Other options include the welcoming, well-run Aisling , Gurtnadiha, Ring (tel 058/46134; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79), in a fabulous spot overlooking Dungarvan Harbour, or Helvick View , Ring (tel 058/46297; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79). When the tide's out, you can walk a few miles west of the quayside towards Dungarvan, and out along a sand spit. Alternatively, you could walk along the cliffs at Helvick Head to gain splendid views of the sculpted coastal cliffs and of the mountains inland.
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