• Dublin is the center for Irish culture.Dublin castle image by pioregur from Fotolia.com
  
  Although winter is not peak season for travel to Ireland, there is a great deal happening on the island during the month of November. The Irish arts scene explodes around this time of year with film festivals held throughout the country, and historic tours offer deals during the off-season, making it a great time to visit castles and ruins.
  
  

Film Festivals

• The arts in Ireland are very much alive, and one of the most popular forms of artistic expression is film. Festivals have sprung up around the country to showcase the work of Irish filmmakers, and in November the film festival circuit is in full swing. From County Cork to the capital city, Dublin, film festivals abound all month long.
  
  Corona Cork Film Festival
  Emmet Place
  Cork, Ireland
  011-353-21-4271711
  corkfilmfest.org
  
  Kerry Film Festival
  20 Lower Castle St.
  Tralee, Ireland
  011-353-66-712-9934
  kerryfilmfestival.com
  
  

Historic Tours

• Tours are a popular choice for visitors to Ireland, and during off-season Ireland's tour industry offers great deals for exploring the country. Tour bus is a particularly good way to see the country in November, as the weather is blustery and cold and most the buses are heated. Quinlan Tours, one of Ireland's leading tour operators, offers a November special called Thanksgiving in Ireland. This tour travels County Killarney, taking in such sights as Ross Castle, and provides Thanksgiving dinner at the Killarney Park Hotel.
  
  Quinlan Tours
  1129 Route 9 South
  Cape May Court House
  New Jersey 08210
  800-217-7887
  quinlantours.com
  
  

Explore

• Just because it's off-season doesn't mean the major sights are closed down. Most popular attractions in Dublin operate year round, such as the Guinness Brewery, Trinity College and Malahide Castle. The best way to see Dublin and its environs is to buy a DART pass, or to hire a car for the day. But many of the sights can be visited on foot, despite the weather.
  
  The Guinness Brewery is a perennial favorite amongst visitors who enjoy the historic building, as well as the free pint of Guinness offered to first time visitors. Trinity College is in the heart of downtown Dublin, easily accessible from the Dublin Connelly rail station at Dublin's city center. The college is home to the famous Book of Kells, a must-see for visitors. Malahide Castle is a private home and historic museum in the seaside town of Malahide, just north of Dublin. Malahide rail station is just a few feet from the castle's south entrance.
  
  

Shopping

• Dublin is home to several shopping centers that can be explored despite the November weather. Downtown Dublin is home to the St. Stephen's Green Shopping Center, which has more than 100 shops in a fully enclosed mall. The two-story structure is the start of Dublin's Grafton Street shopping district, which itself has hundreds of boutiques, designer stores, pubs and eateries.