The Emerald Isle

 

We made it to Ireland!!! And the game of weather ping pong continues! We started with beautiful warm beach weather in Fiji, had snow in New Zealand, perfect weather in Australia, heat and humidity throughout Asia and extreme heat in India, ideal fall weather in South Africa, warm 90-degree summer weather in Greece, and now we’re back down to 60s in Ireland. It’s amazing that we’re still only living out of two backpacks!

We arrived in Ireland a little later than planned thanks to our second flight delay of the trip (we’re pleasantly surprised it’s only the second one!). We arrived at 3am Ireland time, 5am Greece time, which was not the ideal way to kick off our 10-day road trip, but we made it! And that was our biggest concern earlier in the day.

Our sampling of Ireland started with a day in Dublin followed by a loop around the stunning Emerald Isle. We were excited to hit some big sites like Giant’s Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Loop, and the Ring of Kerry while hopefully finding a few hidden gems along the way.

We began our Dublin adventures with a walking tour of the city that started at St. Stephen’s Green and took us around the main sites. We learned that the park was originally created as a private space for a rich housing development and each resident was required to plant six trees which grew into a lovely park. The space was eventually opened up to the public and is now enjoyed by everyone.

We stopped by Bewley’s for a coffee and then peeked into St. Teresa’s Church hidden in the alley. We popped into the Bank of Ireland which is the former Parliament House and passed the risqué statue of Molly Malone. We continued to Dublin Castle and the massive Christ Church, stopping to admire the statue of Homeless Jesus. We stood on Dublin’s oldest site where the first Viking settlement was established 1200 years ago, and then made our way down to the River Liffey, and on to Temple Bar to explore one of the oldest areas of Dublin. It was quite the walking tour!

Across River Liffey, we found the shopping hub and stopped for our first sampling of Irish fish and chips. It was pretty tasty! We continued roaming around the city, admiring the European architecture we love, and eventually ended up at Jameson Distillery for a sample of Irish whisky.

Our afternoon unintentionally turned into a boozy one. We had a Guinness tour booked for 5pm and with time to kill, we decided to head to Roe & Co for a cocktail. We had read about this up and coming distillery and debated scheduling a tour, but with minimal time in the city, we decided to save that for another visit. However, we were glad we had time to check out their tasting room! It was a great place to kill some time and sample a couple of redesigned cocktails. After chatting with the bartender, we went with a Brass Tax (a twist on an Old Fashion) and an espresso martini made with whiskey and Guinness. Both were excellent!

As 5 o’clock rolled around, we crossed the street to the Guinness Storehouse for our tour. The Guinness tour is a self-guided immersive experience that takes you through the brewing process and history of the iconic company. We enjoyed learning about this famous beer, especially how the nitrogen that’s infused into the beer creates over 300 million bubbles in each pint of Guinness! So many bubbles! Those bubbles are what give Guinness its creamy texture. That’s also why every can of Guinness has a little nitrogen ball inside. #funfacts We also enjoyed seeing the display of old advertisements and finding several more in the pubs all around Ireland. “My Goodness - My Guinness”

After learning how to properly sample a Guinness, we made our way up to Gravity Bar for our complimentary drink, Guinness mustache test, and a 360 view of the city.

We found a gem of a stop for dinner - Space Jaru. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious and as the flavors lingered, we continued our walk back to the hotel. Feeling torn on whether or not we should head to a pub for some music or just hit the sack, we decided an early night to bed would be the prudent choice…We knew we would have plenty of opportunities to visit small-town pubs down the road.

We spent the next morning at St. Patrick’s Cathedral followed by a tour of Trinity College. We walked around the campus, admired the Long Room, and gazed at the legendary Book of Kells. We had a vague knowledge of this famous book, but thanks to our little tour, we now have a much better understanding and appreciation of it. The Book of Kells is a beautifully decorated manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament that were created by Celtic monks in 800 AD. It’s written in Latin and includes intricate lettering and illustrations that are stunning. You'll have to Google it to see it as we weren't allowed to snap any photos.

Following our viewing of the esteemed book, we headed up the stairs to the Old Library’s Long Room. This magnificent library typically holds 20,000 rare and original books from a collection that began in 1743. Upon our arrival, we learned that the library is going through a massive restoration project where all of the books are being cleaned and cataloged. Unfortunately, this meant that most of the shelves in the library were empty, but with a little imagination, we could envision the full magnitude of the space. One bonus of the visit was seeing Ireland’s oldest harp. The engravings on the harp were beautiful!

Leaving the library, we made our way to the new Book of Kells Experience that was included with our ticket. It was a neat display, but we wish we had done the experience first before seeing the book as the experience provided a nice explanation and history of the Book of Kells and Long Library.

We took one final stroll through the city before heading to the airport to pick up our rental car and beginning our journey to Northern Ireland.

Our first sights of the Irish countryside left us in awe. The patchwork hills, multicolored fields, hedge fences, stone walls, little farmhouses, and sheep and cows scattered about was idyllic. I was left trying to take it all in as made our way to Ballycastle.

We drove straight to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and arrived just as the park was closing. Luckily the guide told us to park up the road and we could still access the park. It worked in our favor as we had the entire place to ourselves. We hiked along the stunning coastal path, past the grazing sheep, down to the suspension bridge and Carrick Island which used to be a salmon fishery. The fisherman would cast their nets off the (much older) bridge, down 100 feet into the little channel, catching as many as 300 fish at times.

The walk back was just as magical with views of the green fields, jagged cliffs, and the surreal feelings of finally being in Ireland.

We zipped through the tiny country roads to our Airbnb and settled in for the evening.

We woke up excited for the second day of our Irish road trip and a visit to Giant’s Causeway. We made sure to arrive early and nearly had the place to ourselves. This feat of nature was incredible! It felt like we were walking inside a painting.

We passed the Camel as we hurried down the path leading to the interlocking, hexagonal rocks. We climbed over the structures, up and down the columns, and took way too many photos. Thanks to the audio tour, we learned about Finn Mac Cumhaill, the legendary giant who built the rocks as a bridge to Scotland in order to challenge a rival giant. It's easy to imagine the giant bounding about!

Can you find the Camel?

We breathed in the crisp fresh air scented with blooming wildflowers as we followed the walking path towards Finn’s chimney. We passed the Giant’s Boot and 39-foot “organ pipes” and made our way to what’s known as the Amphitheater. We ended with a bird’s eye view of this magnificent site.

We stopped at the visitor’s center for a quick snack and had the BEST scone. I chose the perfectly crispy local cherry scone and Jeff sampled the cheesy scone. My mouth is watering just thinking about these delicacies!

Next was a short drive to Dunluce Castle. We’ve seen quite a few castles thanks to all of our European travels, but I still love exploring these medieval structures. Much of Dunluce castle is ruins, but it was preserved enough to give you a feel for what it was like back in the 1500s.

We took a little break for a picnic lunch and to walk around the town of Bushmills before setting off to Old Bushmills Distillery for our whiskey tour. Bushmills received their license from King James in 1608, making them the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. We enjoyed touring the facility, learning about the distilling process, and seeing the hundreds of barrels stacked and aging. We finished the tour by sampling a dram of whiskey.

With our itinerary for the day complete, we made our way along the teeny tiny country roads to our Airbnb which had a remarkable view of the Irish countryside.

We took our hosts’ recommendation and headed to Derry (or Londonderry depending on who you are) for dinner. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at The Exchange followed by drinks and live music at the pubs along Waterloo Street.

One benefit of visiting Ireland in the summer is that the last light is around 10:30pm, which meant we caught a remarkable sunset on our way back to the Airbnb. We sat on the swings while watching the colors transform and sweep across the horizon.

We spent a quiet Sunday strolling around Derry/Londonderry and learning about The Troubles and history of this once divided city. We started the tour at the Old Town Walls that were built to protect early English and Scottish settlers back in the seventeenth century.

The tour took us by St. Column’s Well, The People’s Gallery, and the Bloody Sunday Memorial. The People’s Gallery is a collection of murals that depict key events from the Troubles. They were a unique and informative way to learn about all of the political, social, and economic struggles of this country.

We peeked our heads into St. Columb’s Cathedral and walked along the city walls before ending the tour at the Peace Bridge.

Leaving Derry/Londonderry behind, we continued on our journey south to County Clare. The drive was beautiful with wildflowers everywhere and more hedges lining the roads.

On our way out of Northern Ireland, we stopped by Grianan of Aileach, a restored stone ring fort that was constructed around 1700 BC. We entered through the tiny doorway, climbed the stairs to the top level, and took in the views. Ireland really does have "40 shades of green".

Continuing on we passed by Claregalway, a ruined Franciscan abbey founded in 1250, and on to the Burren. We walked along the cracked stones at Poulnabrone Dolmen while taking a look at the ancient megalithic portal tomb that dates back to 2500-2000 BC. This tomb is older than the pyramids and stone henge!

We checked into our B&B and walked to the “main drag” that was comprised of two pubs and a few shops. We grabbed a seat at McDermott’s Pub and waited for the Eurocup finals to begin. This pub provided the exact experience we were hoping for while visiting Ireland! There was a local band tucked in the corner playing Irish tunes and a mix of conversation and laughter wafting around the crowded venue.

We snagged the only open seats we could find and shared the table with two other couples. We quickly made friends with the locals and enjoyed chatting with them throughout the night while dining on our delicious Irish stew and fish and chips. Shortly before the game started, another older Irish couple joined the table and they were just as chatty as the others. It was so fun interacting with everyone even though we only understood 60-70% of what they said. Those Irish accents were thick!

The pub was bursting with spectators as the football game began. England and Spain were in the finals, and we learned pretty quickly that Spain was the team to root for. The local commentary was hilarious, and that paired with the perfect pub vibe and a great match made for a memorable and favorite experience (FYI, Spain clenched the win in the last three minutes) .

We purposefully picked a B&B in County Clare so we would be close to our next destination, the Cliffs of Moher, or if you’re a Princess Bride fan, the Cliffs of Insanity.

Our early start was a winner again as we beat the crowds to the site. We took in the views and tried to comprehend the sheer size of the cliffs. We listened to the birds and breeze around us as we strolled up to O’Brien’s Tower and along the coastal path. We walked north and then back the other way towards Hag’s Head, enjoying the views from all different vantage points. On the southern path, we were surprised when the rock wall ended and the cliff’s edge appeared. It suddenly felt freer but also terrifying without the barrier.

We kept an eye out for the puffins, but were disappointed to learn that they had recently left on an early departure… bummer! But the beautiful weather and incredible views made up for the puffinless sighting.

Leaving the majestic cliffs behind, we set off towards one of our most exciting stays on the trip, a night in a castle! Following a quick stop at Blennerville Windmill, we pulled up the drive, turned the corner, and ta-dah! There was our castle! We checked in and climbed the grand staircase up to our “Japanese” room. We toured the castle and garden, passing by the nights in shining armor and peeking our heads in the different rooms. The tavern was our favorite!

We hit the town for dinner, grabbing a drink at Betty’s Bar and meeting a new friend who loved sitting in the window watching the people go by.

We took it slow the next morning, enjoying our surroundings and a royal breakfast where Butler Joe gave us excellent recommendations for our upcoming adventures to Dingle and Kerry.

Knowing the rain was coming the following day, we adjusted our plans and set off to tour the Dingle Loop while we had sun and clear skies. It was the right choice because the views were absolutely breathtaking (low and behold, we could have kept our original plan because the rain never came)!

We had at least three locals tell us to add Conner Pass to our itinerary and each one warned us of the narrow lanes but insisted the views were worth it. We were a little nervous, but how can you pass on such a highly recommended site? They were right about the tight road, but luckily the single lane was a short stretch and we were able to join a caravan that zipped us through. The reward was worth it and the views of the patchwork fields were incredible. We hiked up the hill at the lookout and then continued on our way, zipping back down the other side of the mountain.

Conner Pass connected us to Slea Head and the Dingle Loop. We were very excited to see what the Loop and Dingle had to offer as everyone talked so highly of them!

Our first stop was a picnic lunch at Dun Beag Fort, built during the Iron Age (500BC-400AD). Unfortunately, due to recent storms and cliff erosion, the fort has sustained significant damage. We’re glad we stopped at Grianan of Aileach earlier on the trip so we had an idea of what we were looking at!

Our next stop was at the Beehive Huts. These unique structures sat in enclosed farmsteads and were likely occupied by single families until 1200AD. The huts were created by carefully stacking stones so that no mortar was needed. They have a single stone at the very top and a downward tilt so the water flows off. Some of the huts sit on their own and others are connected with a doorway between. They were so unique and fun to wander around!

We enjoyed the endless coastal views as we continued on. We stretched our legs by hiking through the grassy fields to Dunmore Head with views of the Great Blasket Island. Not knowing anything about Blasket Island, we decided to stop at the Great Blasket Centre and were fascinated to learn that Blasket Island was inhabited until 1953 when the last few villagers were evacuated due to extreme winter weather and an aging population.

Our final stop of the loop was at Clogher Beach. We were excited to dip our toes in another part of the Atlantic Ocean, but as we headed for the water we noticed numerous jelly blobs scattered across the sand. Instead of risking a jellyfish sting, we decided to wait to dip our toes and instead carry on to Dingle.

Our plan for the evening was to find live music which is fairly easy in Dingle as it’s a mecca for local musicians. We started at the Dingle Pub whose music began earlier than the others. We enjoyed a delicious sampling of Irish cuisine while grooving to the tunes. Our next stop was at Bob Griffin’s with little rooms separated by half-open Dutch doors and windows cut into the walls. We started in an outer room with the families (one playing cards which inspired us to play a round of Yahtzee) before grabbing a seat next to the musicians once it opened up. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the music and vibing with a mix of locals and other visitors.

Wednesday started with a stroll around the adorable little town of Dingle. We had a taste of it the night before, but this time we were able to peek into some of the shops and St. Mary’s Church and wander down the side streets. Our favorite stop was at the candy shop where we sampled the traditional “boiled” candies (sour strawberry and butter were our favorites).

We grabbed sandwiches from a local cafe and set off to see the last two sites we missed the day before. We picnicked at the ruined church Kilmarlkedar admiring the late medieval tombs and an ancient ogham stone notched with a Morse code-like script. We also witnessed an engagement while we were here!

We passed through the tiny single-car-width streets that were really two-way streets, lined with beautiful hedges and wildflowers, and stopped at Gallarus Oratory, a 1300-year-old Christian church. The Oratory was built like the Beehive Huts with stacked rock and no mortar.

With a free afternoon, we decided to hit the local pitch and putt golf course. This was a small 18-hole course with great views of the water and town. It was a mom and pop kind of course with hand made signs and rough greens, which added an extra level of fun to the experience.

We ended the day at the Courthouse listening to more live music. This time with Tom Delany playing the Uilleann Pipes (aka Irish bagpipes) accompanied by Tommy O’Sullivan, the owner, on the guitar.

According to Jeff, the Courthouse won the award for best urinals! 

There were some unique ones throughout the trip.

On Thursday, we set off for Killarney, our last stop in Ireland. We passed through the city, making our way to the Kissane Sheep Farm for a sheep herding and shearing demonstration. We learned that the tie-dyed sheep we’ve seen across the countryside are colored with different markings so the shepherds can easily identify whose sheep are whose. We figured this was the case, but now we know for sure! 

It was captivating listening to the whistle and watching the dog round up the sheep, taking them through the field, over the rocks, down the hill, and into the pen. Each dog has their own whistle commands and as we watched the demonstration, two other sheepdogs sat eagerly waiting for their turn.

We backtracked through the Killarney National Park, stopping at Ladies View and Torc waterfall for a little hike on our way back to Killarney. The forest was so green and lush it was a beautiful stop!

We were excited about our stay in Killarney as it was our first official taste of “glamping”. We settled into our fancy tent, complete with a small kitchen, our own bathroom, and views of nature. It was a great find and fun experience! I’m pretty sure we’ll be glamping again in the future.

Killarney is known for having Ireland’s most scenic race course and after finding out there were “meetings” happening, we decided to explore the world of horse racing.

Not knowing anything about the sport, we observed the first two races from the stands before moving down to the ground level and snagging a spot along the fence. We placed our first bet on Chatterbox and watched as the horses paraded around a small track before the jockeys mounted and headed for the starting line. The first set of races included hurdles in which the maintenance team had to readjust or switch out during the race depending on how the horses caught the brush panels.

We watched with elevated anticipation as Chatterbox rounded the track, clearing the hurdles and making his move. It was a close finish, but unfortunately, Chatterbox came in second. Again, not knowing anything about the sport, we went to the ticket booth to make sure our second-place ticket was null. As the bookie put it, “That’s a second-place souvenir”. So close!

The maintenance team cleared off the course in preparation for the flat races, and with our second bet placed, we prepared for another exciting race. This one started early as one of the horses bucked off its jockey and ran freely down the straightaway. That was a startling experience, but as everyone settled back in, the race began and we watched Time in a Bottle flirt with first before barely ending in second. It turns out we’re pretty good at betting on the #2… regardless of the lost bets, it was a great experience and a wild feeling hearing the horse's hooves pounding against the grass as they approached and raced by while we stood a few yards away.

Our last day in Ireland was spent driving along the Ring of Kerry. We stopped in the cute little town of Sneem for a coffee and discovered they were in the midst of their summer festival. We spied a bratwurst tent set up along the road and made a quick decision to get a day dog for second breakfast. It looked and tasted just like our German day dogs with the brat sticking out on both sides of the round bun.

We continued on to Castlecove where we walked along the beach and finally dipped our toes in the water. Turning off the main road and onto the Skellig Ring, we stopped for free samples at Skelligs Chocolate Factory. White chocolate lime and milk chocolate honeycomb were our favorites, and we were pleasantly surprised by the salted seaweed chocolate.

The drive along the coast was yet again beautiful. Unlike our sunny, blue sky drive along the Dingle loop, this one included grey clouds and a sprinkling of rain.

We stopped to stretch our legs at Kerry Cliffs, taking in the view of the jagged Skellig Island and Puffin Island in the distance while trying not to blow away.

We wandered the tiny Main Street of Portmagee and gazed at Valentia Island across the channel. We were planning to grab lunch in Portmagee, but the cafe we wanted to visit was closed, so instead we continued on picking up snacks at the grocery store and enjoying a picnic with a sea view.

We made our way back to Killarney and set off to grab our last Irish dinner in town. The Ladies' Day meeting (aka horse race) was earlier in the day, and we quickly realized that was code for a high school social gathering. There were youngins dressed as if they were heading to prom scattered all over the little town. Luckily, we snagged a seat for dinner at Murphys and enjoyed our last Guinness and Cronins Cider at Courtney’s Bar listening to a quartet playing traditional Irish folk tunes. We were so glad to get one last music session in before we left this wonderful country!

I’ve been dreaming of visiting Ireland since I was a kid and I am ecstatic that we finally made it! The experience was everything and more that I imagined and hoped it would be. The coast and countryside were absolutely stunning, the people were warm and welcoming, the roads were tiny and windy, the Guinness tasted better than in the States, and the pubs and live music were magical. I’ve already started planning our itinerary for next time!