Canadians visit Ireland, enjoy selves

Make nice video for your viewing pleasure. Perhaps remind Irelanders small, damp country not so bad after all.

The Canadians.

Where would we be without their boundless enthusiasm, general air of bonhomie, maple leaf backpack adornments and easily mockable accents?

Right back in the Dark Ages, that's where.

"See the country," she said. "Rent a car," she said.

Canadian couple Stephen Parker (with obligatory Canada-man goatee) and his missus recently took a trip to this fair isle of ours, driving in a rented Micra from Dublin to Wicklow - via Armagh, Bangor, Belfast, Carnlough, Dungiven, Limavady, Sligo, Westport, Connemara, Galway, Limerick, Tralee, Dingle, Killarney, Cork, Kilkenny, Cashel and more in between, clocking up over 2,600km in total.

The resulting video of their three-week exploits - shot by former professional cameraman Stephen and edited with a lovely soundtrack - has been garnering some positive reviews since being posted to Reddit.

Historic sites were visited, Guinness was quaffed, food was partaken of (the grub montage is great), sessions were sat in on, boreens were negotiated, miniature ponies were patted, roadside sheep were observed and at one point Stephen drives a JCB, for reasons unexplained.

"Best vacation I've ever had," Stephen said.

"Got crazy bad food poisoning in Killarney but powered through and enjoyed every minute of the trip."

Watch the full video, it's really lovely - and a timely reminder of how, despite our travails, we are lucky enough to live in a fair and beautiful corner of this earth.

Or in the immortal words of one Redditor:

"F*** it, I'm going to say it.

"I love this stupid f***ing island."