I'd try asking on the Irish Tech Slack - there's a lot of people there who are contracting.

My main advice would be that if you are taking short contracts or if you aren't sure that contracting is for you, an umbrella company is a better option than setting up your own LLC. You get the main benefit of an LLC (which is limited liability) and most of the advantages without the commitment of an LLC. Umbrella companies also take care of your accountancy and provide PI/PL insurance, which will lower your initial outlay. They are also much faster to set up than an LLC, VAT registration, and bank account.

In the long term, your own company is better, though, if only because it can hold funds.

Also, on recruiters, there are good ones and bad ones. Depending on your level, you should be aware that there are some companies that only hire through recruiters, so refusing to work with them at all may limit your options. However, if you have the network to get work without them, that's best.