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Ireland

September - October 2024
A 29-day adventure by Terry And Randy Read more

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  • Northern Ireland
  • Ireland
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Car, Friendship, Nature, Short trip, Sightseeing
  • 1.3kkilometers traveled
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  • 29days
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  • TravelerIreland
    1
    Day 3–6

    Dublin Fair City

    September 11, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Our flights were scheduled to leave late; 11:55, so we hung out with Tug until 3:00 before heading to the airport. The roads were great, and traffic was light until we got close to Toronto. We met Mike and Lori at Arizonas on Carlingview, and we enjoyed a nice dinner on the patio. We were less than a block from our parking spot, and we made it to the airport with three hours to spare. The flight was uneventful and we arrived in Dublin around 11:30 Wednesday morning. Immigration and Customs was a breeze, and we found the Dublin Express as soon as we walked out of the terminal. Our hotel was a short walk from the George Quay stop. The rooms were small but nicely appointed. We took a short break and then headed to the Temple Bar area to see the sights. We stopped at John Gogartys first, and they had great live music. We really felt we were in Ireland, and we enjoyed a couple of sets. We walked a little further down Fleet Street and found the actual Temple Bar. We met some fun people from Texas and really enjoyed our time there. We found a good traditional restaurant on the way back to our hotel and after that had an early night. The next morning, we found a nice restaurant for breakfast and then slowly made our way to the Jameson distillery. We walked along the north side of Liffey, enjoying the sights. We made a few side trips and even checked out a Mark's and Spencer's. The distillery tour was so cool. We really enjoyed it and met a nice young woman from Colorado who joined us for drinks at the Brazen Head afterward. We made our way slowly back towards our hotel and stopped for dinner. The next day, we had tickets for the Guiness Warehouse tour. We'd had so much fun the previous day we were moving a little slowly so we gave ourselves lots of time to walk the 3 kilometers to the warehouse. It was a little different than Jamieson in that it was a self-directed tour, but after we got started, it was pretty impressive. By the time we finished the tour and arrived at the top floor Gravity Bar, we were ready for our pint. Randy and Mike had a traditional pint, but Lori and I tried the Hop House 13. The views were beautiful, and the beers were good. It was really crowed so the people watching was really interesting. We stopped for dinner on the walk back to the hotel and did a little more exploring. The next morning, we caught the Dublin Express back to the airport and picked up our rental car. It was a fun three days, and we were looking forward to continuing our travels.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    2
    Day 5

    The First Epic Drive

    September 14, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Our destination today was less than two hours if we took the motorways, but where's the fun in that. The Old Military Road wound through the Wicklow Mountains through Sally's Gap and was said to be one of the most scenic drives in Ireland. What could have been an hour and a half drive turned into four and a half hours, but oh, what a drive. Our compact SUV was really working hard to climb some of the inclines, but its compact size was a blessing on the narrow winding roads. The scenery ranged from fertile farmland to fields of heather to windswept barren land to green wild forests. We thought we saw all four sides of the Wicklow Mountains, and I was asked a few times if I was taking them in circles. We'll there was one time I did have us going the wrong way but only for about five minutes. Randy did an amazing job as always. Once we arrived in Glendalough, we thought the best of the drive was behind us, but definitely not so. We wandered around the ruins of the Church and Abbey, then headed southwest for our final destination, Graiguenamanagh. The roads were just as breathtaking for the rest of the journey. We were very happy when we met our host Mary out front of The Weavers Cottage on High St.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    Day 6–8

    Graiguenamanagh

    September 14, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    We had absolutely no idea how to pronounce the name of this lovely little village until we arrived. Even after a couple of days there, it was still a challenge, but what a lovely place. We rented the Weavers Cottage, which was very comfortable. It was only a short walk to the shops, restaurants and pubs. Mary, the owner, gave us a warm welcome and some great recommendations on local spots. The cottage was well appointed, and the fridge and cupboards were stocked. We also had a convenience store right beside us. Since it was Saturday night, the town was busy. We stopped in at a couple of pubs and then had dinner at a nice restaurant. We found a pub with live music after dinner, it was packed and we stayed for a set of rock music. It was packed with a younger crowd so people watching was great. The next day, we drove into Kilkenny and visited the castle. We had a nice lunch on the river and picked up a few supplies before heading back to Graiguenamanagh. We visited the pubs again, then picked up takeout and spent the evening in the cottage. The drive to and from Kilkenny was a highlight of our time here. The country roads were just magical.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    Day 7–8

    Wexford

    September 16, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Our destination today was Wexford with a couple of stops along the way. We were on actually highways for part of the trip, and it felt so strange to be going fast. Our first stop was Seal Rescue Ireland, a volunteer organization that serves all of the country. Their goal is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release at risk seals. It is a very impressive organization with many dedicated individuals contributing to its success. You can find out more at https://www.sealrescueireland.org/
    We continued on to Courtown to explore this small resort town. There were many family focused attractions, a nice boardwalk, some pleasure boats, and a wharf. We walked down to the water, and Lori got her feet wet in the Irish Sea. We drove a little further south to Cahore Beach. The beaches were amazing and stretched before us for miles. Mike decided to go for a swim and then we walked for an hour or so. He said it wasn't as cold as expected, maybe the same as Lake Huron in early June. We found sea glass, some interesting shells, and even a mermaids purse. Back in the car and more crazy little roads until we reached Wexford in the late afternoon. We enjoyed exploring Wexford, visited a few pubs, and had dinner in a Thai restaurant.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    Day 9–11

    Kinsale

    September 17, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We took a side trip to Cobh on our way to Kinsale and really enjoyed exploring the waterfront. We started at the Heritage Center, where we learned about the Titanics' last stop and the sinking of the Lusitania. There were brightly coloured buildings, lots of statues and interesting little shops. Randy and I couldn't resist a sausage roll with hot mustard. Kinsale was only about an hour further west, and we arrived in the late afternoon. Parking was a challenge, but we found a spot at the library. Our rooms were above a cafe, they were really nice but really small. After checking in, we wandered around exploring the town. There was so much to see, and we really enjoyed exploring. The streets were narrow and wound up and down the hillside. Cars barely had room for one lane of traffic, and you had to keep watching out for them. We found a pub with live music to end our first evening. We took a harbour tour the following day and learned a little about the history of the area. We also had a good view of both Charles and James forts from the water. Both were very impressive. There was a farmers market by the harbour. Later that afternoon we were enjoying the sunshine at a little pub when Lori spotted friends from Sarnia walking by. What a coincidence, Chris and Paul Campbell were just finishing their two week tour with a few days in Cork. They were just in Kinsale for a couple of hours. It was fun comparing stories and hearing about their trip. We had a really nice dinner at a small but elegant restaurant across from our hotel. Overall, we really enjoyed our time in Kinsale.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    1
    Day 10–11

    The Ring of Kerry

    September 19, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We had originally planned on driving the Ring of Kerry in one day, but after experiencing the Irish roads, we decided to take two days. We booked a B&B in Knights Town on Valentia Island to break up the day. Our first stop was Kenmore, where we checked out a stone circle that dates back to 2200 to 500 BC. It's one of the largest stone circles in southwest Ireland. Our next stop, after some beautiful scenery and many tour buses, was Sneem. We walked around the colorful little town and browsed in the gift shops. It's definitely busier on this drive. There were a couple of viewpoints we couldn't stop at since all the parking spots were taken. We decided to look for a WW2 historical marker that was what we thought a short side trip. At first the single lane wasn't too bad and we only passed one car. The road gradually got worse till I convinced Randy to turn around when there was a wider spot in the road. The views were spectacular, but the road was probably the worst we had been on. We continued on to the Skellig Ring and had great views of the Kerry Cliffs. We were all quite happy when we crossed the bridge to Valentia Island. It had been a long driving day. We had a bit of a surprise when we pulled into the driveway of our accommodations in Knightstown. I found it on Booking.com, the pictures looked great, the reviews were excellent, and it was rated 4.8 out of 5. Best of all, it was waterfront. However,I didn't even want to get out of the car when we arrived. The gardens were overgrown, and there was an assortment of strange items in amongst the tall grass and weeds. Our host was sitting outside waiting for us and told us a bit about the house. It was over 200 years old, his family bought it in the 1960s, and he grew up there with his 8 siblings. He and two of his brothers still lived in the home, and he ran it as a Bed and Breakfast. The house was huge and very old. We both had our own bathrooms, but they were across the hall. It was a little creepy, but we lived to talk about it. The view from the property was so beautiful, and it turned out OK in the end. The next morning, after a full Irish breakfast, we took a small ferry off the island and completed the Ring of Kerry drive in Kilarney. Randy had his t-shirt on from Kilarney Ontario, and we found him one from the original Kilarney. Our final stop before arriving in Dingle was Inch Beach. What a beautiful spot. We first walked the beach and then went back for the car and drove on the beach. The sun was shining and it was really warm, so it was a perfect beach day.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    Day 12–14

    The Dingle Peninsula

    September 20, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Dingle was such a great stop on our trip. Our accommodations. Tigh Furlow exceeded our expectations. The owners did a wonderful job building this apartment at the back of their property. It was a bit of a walk into town, but that meant it was so peaceful, and we even heard the sheep. Our first night, Moira drove us into town and pointed out the best places. She dropped us off at the waterfront, and we started exploring. We had a nice dinner and then hit the pubs. We heard some great music and met some interesting people. We decided to walk the 1.5 kilometers home along the dark country road, and it was an adventure on its own. We did the Slea Head drive the following day, and the scenery was unbelievable. We stopped at Carhoo Bay Beach for a long beach walk and then checked out Dunbeg Fort. We wandered around Cashel Murphy, a collection of stone beehive huts that is thought to be over 4000 years old. We dropped into the most westerly pub in Ireland, Kruegars of Dunquin, for a late lunch. There were two Hen Parties and one Stag there, so great people watching. All three parties were on buses so they were free to really enjoy themselves. We wandered around Dingle that evening, and all the pubs and restaurants were packed. It really is a wonderful place.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    1
    Day 13–14

    Are We In Listowel?

    September 22, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We left Dingle heading to Bunratty and drove the stunning Connor Pass. It was another of those winding narrow roads with sheer drops a few feet from the car. We didn't get to see those views, though, as we were driving through thick fog. It was not a fun drive, but Randy did a great job. Once we were back on level ground, the fog lifted, and the sun even came out. We'd noticed on the map that there was a town called Listowel, so we decided to stop on the way to our destination, Bunratty. Randy grew up in the Listowell Ontario area, so we couldn't resist. It was a pretty town with lots to see. It was the first day of Race Week and the Harvest Festival, so there was so much going on. We saw the race track, the Writers Museum, and the castle. I wish we had more time here. We went on to Bunratty Castle and Folkpark for their Harvest Festival, and the rain held off long enough for us to visit. Randy had caught a bug and wasn't feeling good, so he was happy to check into our hotel. He did a great job today on a challenging drive, even feeling bad.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    11
    Day 15–17

    Cliffs of Moher

    September 23, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    The drive to Doolin was a little easier, most of the way was on national roads and even some time on a motorway. Randy was still not 100%, so we were grateful for a bit of a break for him. We booked a 45-minute cruise to see the cliffs from the water, but Randy stayed behind and tried to nap in the car. It was cold, grey, and windy, so a boat ride didn't appeal to him. It was really interesting to see the cliffs from the water, and Lori, Mike, and I enjoyed the cruise. Afterward, we warmed up in Fitz's Pub while we waited for our cottage to be ready. We went back there for dinner and to listen to music later that night. The cottage worked well. It had 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, so there was plenty of room. It had a washer and a drying rack, so we were able to catch up on our laundry. Day two, we went to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center and spent a couple of hours exploring. There were at least 20 tour buses and hordes of people, but we still were able to enjoy the beautiful views. We drove a little further south to a pretty little surf town called Lahinch for lunch. Cornerstone Pub was a quaint old spot with a friendly and entertaining bartender who kept us laughing. Dylan was a native of Lahinch, and he thinks it's the best spot in all of Ireland. Surfing is his passion, and it's a great place to surf. Later that day, we walked into Old Doolin to Gus OConnors Pub for traditional music. It was a nice walk there and back. We passed a friendly donkey and a pasture with cows and horses. We had cows behind our cottage, too. We woke up to them calling for their breakfast. We really enjoyed our stay in Doolin.Read more

  • TravelerIreland
    Day 16–17

    Salthill

    September 25, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We drove through the Burren on our way from Doolin to Galway. It is a very unique part of County Clare with stunning views of a very diverse landscape. We stopped for a walk to see the landscape up close. It was so beautiful. The drive was interesting, too. We were on a road called Corkscrew Hill passing tour buses and tractors. We would pull over into the bushes as far as we could and wait for them to pass. As we got closer to Galway, it started to pour. Our hotel was in Salthill, a beachfront area of Galway, and about a 15-minute walk to the historical center of the city. We parked by the beach and tried to get into our hotel early, but no luck. We were waiting for a cab to go into the city center and it started raining really hard. We were cold and wet, so we headed into the pub beside our hotel. What a good decision. Friendly bartenders and patrons made us welcome. Horse racing was on the big screen, and several patrons were betting. We were surprised to see the races were in Listowel. Randy and Mike ran down to the closest bookie, and each placed bets. Mike won in the first race and Randy in the second. We cashed in and blew the money on pints. The weather didn't improve so we decided to stay in the neighborhood. We had a nice dinner across from our hotel and then visited OConnors Pub for traditional music. The pub was very unique. It was old and very quirky, filled with so many weird things. Randy said it was like Crackerbarrel on drugs. There were several fireplaces, and our table was a sewing machine. It was our last night with Mike and Lori. We are taking them to the train station tomorrow. We've been calling Randy Rip for all you Yellowstone fans. We met some fellow Canadians and other people from Maryland. We didn't get to see much of Galway, but we did enjoy our visit.Read more

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