From the warmth of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Dublin to the contemplative wind of the Cliffs of Moher... A guide to a halal and safe getaway with your family in Ireland.
If you live in Ireland or your path crosses Dublin, the place you must visit with your family is the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI - Clonskeagh Mosque). This is not only a large and spacious mosque but also a wide living space where children can safely run and play in its garden. The best part is the famous restaurant and halal grocery store inside the complex. After performing your noon or Friday prayer in congregation, you can eat completely halal, reliable, and delicious dishes of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine with your family in the restaurant. Finding such a comprehensive and safe Islamic facility in Ireland is a great blessing for our expatriates, especially on weekends. Afterwards, you can take a walk watching the deer with your children in the huge Phoenix Park, the lungs of the city.
The west coast of Ireland is one of the most beautiful places in the world to contemplate the natural wonders created by Allah. After performing your worship at the Galway Islamic Cultural Centre (Galway Mosque) in the city of Galway, you should head towards the famous Cliffs of Moher, battered by the fierce waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Since it will be difficult to find halal food in mountainous and rural areas, the famous 'yolluk' (travel food) tradition of our mothers saves lives here. Having a picnic on a safe green area facing the cliffs with the cheese sandwiches, cakes, and hot tea in your thermos you prepared before leaving home is an irreplaceable experience to expensive restaurants. Showing those giant cliffs to your children and explaining the power of the creator of the universe will leave an indelible mark in their hearts.
If you want to spend your weekend in those postcard-like villages of Ireland without being tied to a hotel, the 'Self-Catering' (renting a house/cottage with a kitchen) concept is just for your family. You can be alone with your family in privacy, especially in a wooden village house you rent around the Killarney National Park in the south. Since you will have your own kitchen, you have the freedom to cook your own meal and barbecue in the evenings with the halal meat you buy from big cities (for example, from halal butchers in Cork city). While riding a bicycle around Muckross Lake inside the park and listening to the sound of waterfalls during the day; tea conversations made as a family by the fireplace in the evenings will take away all the stress and fatigue brought by living abroad.
Although Ireland is not known for its Islamic history, it is a peaceful country with its lush green nature and a closely knit Muslim community that has grown rapidly in recent years. We have compiled those special routes for you where you can take a breath with your family after a rainy and busy week without the worry of 'Where can we find halal food, where can we pray?'.
Living on an island in the westernmost part of Europe like Ireland does not require staying away from our faith and family values. Whether you drink tea with your Muslim brothers and sisters from different nations in the courtyard of Clonskeagh Mosque, or contemplate Allah's art of creation as a family on the edge of giant cliffs... That lush green nature of Ireland can turn into a tremendous source of peace for your family with the right planning. If you want to experience the freedom of preparing your own halal provision by renting a self-catering house or an alcohol-free boutique hotel during your travels, we, as the HalalWorld.com family, continue to offer you the most suitable options. Happy holidays to all our brothers and sisters who consider rain a blessing!
