Ireland Trip Report: March/April 2012
 

Well, I’ve returned from our two week Ireland adventure, and Mom and I had a fantastic trip. We traveled March 24-Apr 6, stopping in Cashel, Dingle, Killarney, and Galway, where my sister joined us from April 1. My exhaustive research definitely paid off, and I promised myself I would post a trip report. I’m hoping if I start now it will motivate me to finish while the memories are fresh! This will probably get long and detailed- you’ve been warned.

For now, a few reflections. I still can’t believe how fortunate we were with the weather. Our first week was bright sun, blue skies, and warm temperatures. The second week cooled down, but only one day of spotty rain/sleet. Nothing that affected our plans at all. How do you spend two weeks in Ireland with no rain?? We said to each other many times that while in Ireland, no matter where you were, it seemed everywhere you looked was a photograph (and, indeed, I took over 800 of them!). Even driving down the motorway, you’re surrounded by green fields, stone walls, mountains, and more.

And the driving…well. An experience to remember! Yes- the roads really are that narrow. Yes- those stone walls really are that close to the car. Yes- the sheep and cows really do show up out of nowhere. Yes- the Irish drivers really do drive that fast! You hear these things over and over, but it still takes experiencing them to truly ‘get it’. That said, we really had very little trouble with the car. We had a manual shift, Mom was the driver, and overall, adjusted quite well. I underestimated how much of an adjustment being the passenger would require though- it took a couple days for both of us to gain a relative comfort zone. The raised reflectors placed on the side of most roads were my guide- I heavily relied on them to let me know if we were ok or if I was about to be driven into a wall. That’s not to say there weren’t a few close calls with hedges, curbs, or posts though :) All part of the fun.

Nice start to your trip report, can't wait to hear...the rest of the story! We went last year the exact same dates...and experienced the exact same weather! Coincidence? Maybe we will shoot for another trip during that time frame in 2013!rvflyer

That is quite a coincidence rvflyer!

My first two installments:

Day 1
We arrive into Dublin at about 8:00 after our overnight flight. Blue skies, sun, green grass, and rabbits next to the runway. Welcome to Ireland! We knew this was our make it or break it moment- picking up the rental from Budget and making it out of Dublin in one piece. We find the car, take a spin around the rental lot, and go for it. I still don’t know how we did it- a combination of adrenaline, shock, luck, and a GPS telling us which lane to be in- but we made it to the motorway no problem and began our drive to Cashel. I’ve heard many warnings about driving too much on day 1, but this was a good distance for us. After driving a bit, including a stop for coffee and snacks, we were feeling good- confident even! I spotted a sign for Kilkenny Castle, and, with time to kill, we decided to detour.

Too bad we never did find that castle! What did happen was we got lost, then back on track via a classic Irish ‘road’, and when we were finally within a few miles of our destination, the car broke down. Yup- this simple detour had certainly thrown us into the deep end, so to speak. Another thing you hear constantly- the Irish are very friendly and helpful. Before we’d even fully processed the situation, two separate gentlemen had stopped, got under the hood, had the problem fixed (a dislodged petrol line, I think), and had us pointed in the right direction in no time! Fortunately, that was the only issue we encountered with the rental for the rest of the trip. A bit shaken, we passed on finding the castle and made our way back to the main road- though we did stop for some photos of a castle ruin along the way, which was nice.

Nothing too exciting to report from there. We made it to Cashel and our B&B- Joy’s Rockside House. I’ll just say that it lives up to all the positive reviews, and I highly recommend it. We felt very welcomed by Joan, and our room had a view of the Rock of Cashel- very nice. We stayed two nights, and breakfast was delicious. However, of all our locations, there wasn’t one breakfast I didn’t like. I’m easy to please there. We wandered around town for a while, found some food, and crashed early for the night.

Day 2

After breakfast, we walked up the hill to Rock of Cashel. They’re doing reconstructive work currently, so there was a large section of scaffolding in place. This sort of lessens the impact of the place, and some of the photos, but I can appreciate the work they’re doing. It was no less interesting to wander around, though, and the crows swooping about, building nests, and making a racket seemed very medieval to me. After exploring the Rock, we walked down the hill toward Hore Abbey, stopping to visit with some sheep on the other side of the fence. This would be a recurring event- sheep and lambs. I just couldn’t get enough of the cute little things. Maybe it’s good that I never got around to trying the Irish lamb stew anywhere. Hore Abbey was also great fun to explore. We were the only ones there and were nearly the only ones at the Rock- very peaceful.

Then we moved on to Cahir Castle. This was a highlight. I felt like a big kid climbing the walls, up and down stairs, and exploring every nook and cranny. I especially liked the discovery of the murder hole, which is one of my favorite features of many of these old castles and strongholds. Very cool invention! It was so nice out we decided to follow the Suir River walk to the Swiss Cottage, which was closed. Oh well- a worthwhile stroll anyway. Lots of families were out and about enjoying the sun.

After buying some sandwiches to eat beside the river, we were feeling ambitious and went on to follow the scenic Vee drive into the mountains. Gorgeous views- and a bit scary! We had our first roadside sheep encounters here, and we also discovered why it’s a good thing the rental car had the hubcaps zip-tied on. And all on our first full day. No regrets became a motto for us on the trip.

We closed the day with another stroll around Cashel and stopped by Bolton Library, even though it was closed. There was a portion of the original city walls nearby as well. We also stopped by our first pub that night, which had some live music…country music! No big deal, we would have some good traditional music in our future, plus I had my first pint of Guinness. It’s true what they say- I’ve never liked Guinness before, and yet in Ireland, I really did!

We will be in Ireland in September, doing a similar drive.

Enjoying your trip report and looking forward to more.

Thank you for sharing this! I'm curious about the hubcaps though. Were thinking of spending some time around Dublin next spring and will be following your report.

mike

I finally had some down time today, so I present to you the next 4 days...

Day 3

Today’s final destination- Dingle. Joan suggested a route to us that took us via the Glen of Aherlow and Adare. Driving through the Glen was a great tip- fantastic scenic views as expected. We were getting more comfortable with the car by now, too, gaining more practice in the mountains. We stopped in Adare for lunch, though we didn’t end up walking around too much. I would have like to see Desmond Castle, which we passed on the way in, but tours weren’t running yet. We ate at the Good Room Cafe- tasty! It was a cute little place with an interesting menu. Then it was on to Dingle. We decided to drive by Inch Beach and stopped there for a bit to walk around. Our home for the next two nights was Coastline B&B. Vivienne was very welcoming, and this was probably my favorite lodging of the trip. We had a large room with a patio, bay view, and the best shower I’ve had in a while. Better than my own!

We took a walk around the harbor and into town where I had some Bailey’s ice cream from Murphy’s, which also had such enticing flavors as sea salt and brown bread. Vivienne had given us a couple spots for music that night, so we decided to relax in the room for a while, then head out for a late dinner before finding a pub. Not the best idea, as most food places were either closed, or nicer/more expensive than we wanted. We ended up getting some take out from a diner just before they closed. We stopped by O’Flaherty’s, which I’d heard was one of the best places for traditional music. I have to say I was underwhelmed, though. The two musicians/singers were talented, but I think things were a bit more subdued than I’d been hoping for.

Day 4

If I had to envision the ideal Ireland in my mind- this day would be it. Start to finish, it was our best day, in my opinion. Slea Head Drive was the reason I had chosen Dingle as a destination, and it did not disappoint. We were a bit apprehensive about the driving, not knowing what to expect, but not one problem with that. Historic stops along the way included Dunbeg Fort, Beehive huts, Gallarus Oratory, and Kilmalkedar Church. We’re both interested in ruins and archaeological sites, so we enjoyed wandering around all of these. Again, there were not too many others about, and, often, we had a place nearly to ourselves. We also stopped at Louis Mulcahy pottery under the advice from our B&B host Vivienne. I purchased a vase, but what a hard decision! Lots of beautiful items to choose from, and a good range of sizes/prices also, which was nice. We stopped in the café there as well.

It’s easy enough to describe those things, but I’m not sure I have the words to describe the scenery that is Slea Head. If any place can be called breathtaking, it’s this place. I look at pictures that I took, and they don’t even look real to me, as if there’s no way those sights exist- certainly not with just my non-professional point-and-shoot camera! And, yet, there we were. I’d say it was the contrast in colors that grabbed me- blue sky, bluer water, and that rich green of Ireland. We stopped many times for scenic views, and took a good long stop at Slea Head itself to walk up the hills some with views of the Blasket Islands. I truly hope I can make it back to the peninsula again someday.

And, then… we tackled Conor pass. No regrets, right? Well, the views were probably worth it. I don’t have enough adjectives to keep describing scenic views, but you get the idea! We started the drive from Dingle, and upon reaching the overlook, were wondering what all the fuss was about. The initial plan was to just turn around from there, but I wanted to find the waterfall and lake I’d read about, so onward we go. Yikes! Now I know what the fuss is about. I kept reading that the ‘hard part’ is only one section of road, don’t worry, just do it, etc. Well, sure, only one section, but it was one long section in our opinion! At one point we literally got trapped against the rock ledge facing another car and couldn’t back up. So, that kind, white haired, Irish gentleman reversed himself a considerable way back down so we could get by. Have I mentioned how nice they are there? Turns out that waterfall was a good place to catch our breath.

After some yummy seafood chowder at Murphy’s, we made it to O’Sullivan’s Court House Pub for music that night- this was our best pub experience by far, and why I consider the day near ideal as a whole. Great craic to be found.

Day 5

I had my first Full Irish breakfast this morning, complete with the pudding. I don’t know what the fuss is about that either- tasted good to me! I never thought I’d be too hot on this trip, but today got me there. And got me some sunburn as well! We drove to Killarney, stopping first at Muckross House. We chose a tour a couple hours off and went walking to Torc Waterfall and hiked a bit up the trail past the fall. I wish we had had more time for Killarney National Park- just gorgeous there with the lakes and mountains and forest. I’m a big National Park fan in the US as well, and probably could spend days here just finding different hikes. This was a good taste, though.

I enjoyed the tour of Muckross House- our tour guide was very informative and personable. How nice to have had such views of the lake/mountains from the house! Next, we headed over to Muckross Abbey- another fun exploration site. The history is so meaningful, but I also really felt the desire to go back to childhood and play hide and seek in many of these places. Finally, we drove to Ladies View. Same impressions, different location- lovely!

Our home for the next three nights- Earls Court House. Earls had the best breakfasts for me. I couldn’t get enough of their porridge, and loved how they prepared their smoked salmon and eggs. A bit disappointed with the room, just because I had booked a balcony room with mountain views, but we were only on the first floor. So, we could see some bits of mountain beyond the trees, but not what I had envisioned! Not too much to complain about though- still a very nice accommodation.

Had some delicious Shepherd’s Pie for dinner- unfortunately didn’t make note of the restaurant, but it was the best I’ve had. We ended up at Sheehan’s Pub for music- a good time, but the population was heavily weighted in the upper age range that night!

Day 6

Today comes in as a close second just behind Slea Head as my favorite trip. Temperatures were supposed to return to low/mid 50’s (F) the next day, when they had been reaching well into the 60’s, so we decided this was the perfect day for the Gap of Dunloe tour. After taking the tour bus to Kate Kearney’s, which wasn’t open, we opted for the horse and trap through the Gap with two others. Scooby was a good sport, but the poor horse really seemed to struggle through parts, even though we walked the hardest bits. Our driver was nice, but she didn’t have much to say beyond telling which lake we were seeing, or what part of the valley we were in. Maybe I expected too much. In any case, we enjoyed the trip through, and it was great sites, as usual. Really loved all the sheep happily perched up on the mountains and rocks.

Following a simple lunch at Brandon’s Cottage, we got on our boat for the Lake’s ride. I really enjoyed this as well, and was glad it wasn’t much colder or that portion would have been much less comfortable! As much as I love mountains, it was nice to be out on the water as well- more scenic pictures to add to the collection.

After the boat ride, we opted to pass on the bus return, and instead took a tour of Ross Castle. Another very informative guide, and another enjoyable stop. I think after this all the ‘stone things’ started to run together in my mind, though. We were seeing a lot! The walk back to Killarney was much more pleasant than I thought- I hadn’t realized most of it was through walking trails and a portion next to a stream as well.

Tonight was a much desired night off- we picked up take out pizza, and headed back to the room to relax and do laundry. Overpriced laundry to be sure, but it was nice having the facilities in the hotel.

Thanks for the memories! It sounds like you had a marvelous trip, with lots of fun and a good attitude.

Ireland is simply gorgeous, isn't it?

I haven't yet put together summaries for the rest of our trip, but if anyone is interested, here's the link for my photo album. Be warned though- 800 pictures!

http://mel.kodakgallery.com/

OMG----800 photos and how I loved every one of them. I think we took a lot of photos also, but maybe 800 is a bit more. We so loved the west coast of Ireland that we returned to do the middle, north to south, within 8 months time.

To us, the middle looked much like Wisconsin, where we are from, but the highlights were our stay nearby Carrick-on-shannon at
http://loughkeyhouse.com/index.html

and later on dinner in Middleton, near Cobh. One of our best is http://www.farmgate.ie/midhome.htmthe country.

It was hard to top the Dingle Penisula---our favorite.

Thank you for taking us on a return journey and we loved all the details.

This is what Fodors is all about---sharing those details that we can relive or make notes for our next trip.

http://www.farmgate.ie/midleton/midhome.htm

Here's a better site for Farmgate restaurant if you are ever in that area.

Megan, I enjoyed seeing your photos. My very favorites were the ones where you met the cows on the narrow road and it looked as if they were going to go straight up over the car roof and continue on their way. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the links TPAYT. I think if/when I make it back to Ireland I'd like to stay near Dublin to really explore the city and add in some day trips from there, perhaps to Belfast and north/east locations.

irishface- read on for details on those cows- a favorite moment of ours.

Day 7

Ring of Kerry today. For those wondering, it took us 8-9hrs to drive, with some stops and dinner. I certainly don’t regret doing it, but admittedly, I found myself a bit underwhelmed by ROK. Maybe if we had driven it before seeing Slea Head Drive I would have a different opinion, but I was spoiled. The weather, while still nice, was also a bit colder and less sunny, so that may have played a role in comparison. We also didn’t stop in too many of the towns along the way. However, we still got some great scenic views and history stops, and our favorite livestock moment by far!

Besides the usual pull overs for scenic views, stops that day were in Cahersiveen for a walk around and to drive to Ballycarberry Castle and Cahergall Stone Fort, ‘Kerry’s Most Spectacular Cliffs’ near Portmagee, and the Staigue Fort in Castlecove. About the pull offs- again, maybe I’m too biased toward Slea Head, but there didn’t seem to be as many pull over opportunities on the ROK, aside from a few of the parking lot type scenic overlooks. At first I was often frustrated that there was great scenery going by, but we couldn’t stop and I couldn’t get a ‘drive by’ photograph due to the walls/hedges along the road. That’s just a minor complaint though- it did force me to just enjoy the drive and hope memory serves me well!

We didn’t visit the smaller ring fort near Cahergall Fort, but Cahergall was quite impressive. We had it to ourselves, and you’re allowed to climb up and around the walls, which is a win for me, of course. I think I like the name Kerry’s Most Spectacular Cliffs more than the cliffs themselves- good advertising! We each had to pay to park in a small lot before walking up the hill. Cliffs were a good view and a nice opportunity to walk around. Staigue Fort was worth the stop for more than one reason. One- another great example of that architecture, though no climbing permitted, and a lovely location. Two- the highlight of our day. All the scenery and ruins couldn’t match up to our cow encounter :-)

On the way to the fort we came upon a cow near the road. She was startled by the car and went back closer to the gate, but we made note of the location so we could be on the look out driving back. Good thing! As we slow down going around a bend, we’re forced to just stop there because half the herd was currently trotting down the road, with our friend from earlier in the lead. The other half were still in the field, but were following along and quite upset with events. Fun times for us though! After they finally made their way past us, we continued on, passing a very banged up gate, and made our final stop in Kenmare. Most shops were closed by then, and we were tired, so we didn’t walk around too much. We found some dinner at O’Connor’s (Guinness stew, yum) and made our way home. We tried the Danny Mann pub that night- not impressed with the singer there, but delicious irish whisky and brown bread ice cream in a wafer bowl.

I am enjoying your report immensely! We are going to Ireland for the first time in June. Heading to look at your photos now.

No climbing now at Staigue Fort? Bummer! We climbed all over it in '93 when we "did the Ring." Perhaps we weren't supposed to? Perhaps a warrant for our arrest should we show our faces on the Ring again? Not that my face hasn't changed a lot in 19 years!

Megan; We stayed at Earl's Court in September 2009 and October 2010. We had a baloney room on the second floor and loved it; views were mostly of trees but the room was very nice and comfortable. The porridge on the breakfast buffet was my first experience with porridge and I feel in love. I have since ordered some on line twice. Glad you liked Muckross House and Ross Castle, two of my favorites also.

Yes Connor Pass is nerve racking in one section; we too got VERY up close and personal with the rock wall.

Glad you had such a wonderful time. We can't wait to go back again!

P.S. Megan; Your picture #302 is the exact view I took in Oct. 2010 and now have in a frame up on our bedroom wall. #567 at Cliffs of Mohr is also the same one we took.

Ready to go back yet?

Yes, florida, definitely ready to go back already! I think I already have 2 or 3 more trips planned in my head. I keep saying London/Wales/Scotland is my next goal within a couple years, so we'll see what wins out. I WILL return to Ireland though. No doubt.

Now a few more days to report...getting near the end now, and trying to keep up the motivation to get it all written down!

Day 8

We made the drive from Killarney to Galway via Tarbert Ferry, with a stop in Kilrush for a walk around. I also tried out one of those ‘fancy’ pay toilets, lol. That probably labels me TOURIST ( or just a dork, ha), but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve never seen anything like it! I still giggle at the idea of the door opening automatically after a time. I’d considered continuing on the Coastal rd. to Galway- very tempting, but we were going to tour Cliffs of Moher/Burren another day, so we passed on it.

Home for the next 5 nights was Ardawn House- on College Rd with all the other B&Bs and a perfect location for walking into town. We were comfortable there and spent many mornings chatting with Mike- super nice guy, and full of information. The dog track is right next door, and races were on the first night- lots of drunken entertainment outside that night! Rather uneventful otherwise- we wandered around and had fish & chips at McDonagh’s. It was Saturday, and lots of people about, but we weren’t feeling the scene. In fact, while things were much calmer the rest of the week we never did try out any pubs or music in Galway. I’m pretty sure that’s sacrilege, but we just never felt up to it at the end of the day. Oh well.

Day 9

Today my sister joined us for the remainder of the trip. I love that she was able to make it, and we could all have this experience together. She arrived early from Shannon, so Mom and I left her to rest a bit while we saw some more of Galway and took care of purchasing tickets for a Cliffs/Burren tour and for the Aran Islands Ferry. Later, we visited Galway Crystal for some souvenir purchases- lots of beautiful pieces. I chose a nice, affordable sailing boat- seemed appropriate.


Eventually we found ourselves walking to Salthill along the prom. It was a nice night for it, and I’m glad we decided to do so. It's a very pleasant walk. After a completely satisfying dinner at The Galleon Restaurant (beef lasagna for me) in Salthill we made our way back. Somehow, the walk seemed much faster on the return trip!

Day 10

We had booked a Cliffs of Moher/Burren trip with Galway Tour Company for this day, and we really enjoyed that. I would definitely recommend the company. We almost wish we had taken the Connemara tour with them as well. Our driver was Desmond, and he’s been doing so for over 18 years. Every bit of road we covered, he had something to say about it, which was wonderful. He was also very witty! Stops included Dunguaire Castle (for photos), Ballyalban Ferry Fort, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Kilfenora/High Crosses, Cliffs of Moher, and a section of Burren rock/cliffs along the road back home. We stopped for lunch at O’Connor’s in Doolin and also stopped by the sweet shop next door for homemade fudge- yum!

The Cliffs were worth the trip for me- the day was a bit overcast, but clear enough to enjoy the views. Desmond had warned us about 13 or so deaths that already occurred this year at the Cliffs, but we wandered past the barrier onto the private section of path anyway. Many people sitting on the edge, but we stayed a few feet away-close enough! We did some shopping at the Visitor’s Center, but I can’t comment on the virtual exhibitions there as we didn’t leave enough time to see them.

topping

For anyone who’s followed this, sorry I’ve been slow getting the last bits put together. 14 days was a lot to keep track of and try to describe with some sense of detail and accuracy! That said, here’s the last few days of our trip (and also a return to overly long descriptions…). I’m absolutely in love with Ireland, and I can’t wait until my next opportunity to visit.

Day 11

Today we had decided to spend driving in Connemara, with Kylemore Abbey as a specific goal. I hadn’t done much research on the drive, surprisingly, so I tried to follow along with the stops listed in Galway Tour Company’s brochure for an idea of route to follow. I’d say we had moderate success with this. Today was our first cold(ish) weather day, and it was also fairly windy, but we did our best! It was sunny, raining, sleeting, then sunny again most of the day. Definitely an interesting weather day. First stop was Ross Errily Friary- a bus was just leaving, and we were the only visitors there. By now, many of the castles/abbeys/ruins were blending together, but it was still interesting to wander around. There was a well that apparently was where fish would have been kept, which was something different. My sister described this, and other such structures, as resembling human habitrails- I think that is a quite accurate description!

After that, we continued on our way to Kylemore via Lough Nafooey and Joyce Country. We really felt the experience of driving in Ireland today, as well. We were quite used to the roads by now, but at one point there we were, driving through a mountainous area, no one around except sheep, no satellite GPS reception, the map did not have finer details of the smaller roads we were on, and there was a distinct lack of road signs! Fortunately, we were on the right road, but I was starting to think we would just keep driving further and further into the mountains with no end in sight :-)

By the time we reached Kylemore, it was later in the afternoon, so we ended up passing on trying to visit the gardens via shuttle bus. Also, the cold was wearing us down some, so we opted to linger over lunch after we visited the Abbey and Gothic Church. I had some fantastic apple pie with custard at the café. I admit I wasn’t as impressed with the Abbey as I’d expected. It is certainly a striking image, and the grounds are lovely, with interesting history, but I hadn’t realized guests only had access to 4 or so rooms inside. I know it’s a private residence as well, so it’s understandable, but the place is huge! I thought there would be more to it. I had also forgotten our discount coupons, so no help there. Even so, we enjoyed the visit.

We didn’t really stop much after this, but we did experience the culmination of our ‘weather’ day in the appearance of several rainbows along the way, including two complete rainbows. I had never actually seen a rainbow end-to-end before, so the rain was in my favor today! Overall, Connemara was a bit odd for me. The combination of cold/wind, small disappointment with Kylemore, and also feeling somewhat rushed and like I was missing things made me feel a bit apathetic at the end of the day. Then, I look back on pictures, and wow! We still saw plenty of good sights, and I’d say the day was a success. Of course, things were still missed- I’d like to get back to explore Connemara National Park more, and get out for some hiking, but I’m satisfied. Perhaps that’s a lesson in avoiding ‘drive by tourism’- you see some things, but it leaves much to be desired.

Day 12

One word to describe today- COLD! Cold, cold, cold. We took the Aran Islands ferry from Rossaveal to spend the day on Inis Mor. Mike at Ardawn House assured us it would likely warm up later in the day. Either he forgot we would be on an island, or he was just lying to us, but it never did. We joked with him about that later- he took it in good stride :-) We debated renting bikes- I’m not sure if we would have been warmer or not with the wind still in force, but we decided to catch a ride with Michael and Prince the horse instead. It actually wasn’t too bad piled together under some blankets, and for all the wind and cold, it was a clear day with great views. The view of the Connemara mountains with splotches of sun through the clouds was very picturesque. I still looked a bit like an Arctic explorer by the time we started the walk to Dun Aonghasa, but I admit it was somehow gratifying to have officially used all the layers I had packed. And all at the same time, too!

The fort itself was interesting to see, but I really enjoyed the cliff views here. We avoided it at Cliffs of Moher, but this location was great for a classic ‘lie down and look over the edge’ photo shoot. We took the same coastal route back toward the docks as it was too cold/windy to go into the hills, as was the original plan I think. Add Aran Islands to the list of places I’d like to visit again and linger longer. I don’t know if spiritual is the exact word I’m searching for, but there was just an undefined energy and feeling to the place that I was drawn to. And, also, I paid more than I planned on for a sweater and scarf I couldn’t resist. Moving on…

The ferry ride back was much rougher, truly like an amusement park ride with all the up and down. Fortunately, no one seemed bothered by it, and there were several children on board having an absolute blast, especially with all the water spray hitting the windows. They were very entertaining. We had McDonagh’s fish & chips again for dinner, and were planning to stay out that night, but the lure of a hot shower was too strong.

Day 13

Our last full day! The plan for today was to visit Bunratty Folk Park, drop my sister off near Shannon Airport, and then Mom and I would head back to Dublin for our flight the next day. We had likened Bunratty to ‘the Colonial Williamsburg of Ireland’- not sure how accurate that is, but it is a similar environment in many ways. The castle itself is an obvious focal point- it’s always fun to have mostly free reign of a place, and I liked that the various rooms were fully furnished. You definitely get a sense of what it was like there.

I enjoyed the folk park as well, though I probably would have gotten more out of it at the beginning of the trip rather than the end. I was definitely winding down by this point, but it was an interesting place to be sure, especially comparing the different living situations of the various classes. The Irish Wolfhounds were sweet as could be, even though they did mostly ignore us in favor of a small boy who had biscuits in his pocket!

Soon enough, we were on our way to Dublin for our final night. I had considered a detour to Clonmacnoise Abbey, but it would have been early evening when we reached it. Knowing it was an entrance fee sight, I was fairly certain we wouldn’t get there before closing, so we had to pass this time. That is still a site I would like to visit, though. We were a bit concerned about reaching Dublin at rush hour, but fortunately GPS came through and we had no trouble reaching our hotel- Holiday Inn Express. I was actually quite pleased with the room considering we hadn’t put much thought into it. It was very comfortable, and you needed to have your room key in a slot in order for the electricity to remain on, which, for some reason, fascinated me. I think we’ve established that I am easily amused, though! Mom and I had wanted a nice dinner to celebrate our last night, but we had no motivation at all to catch a bus into the city, or to get back in the car at all, so our celebratory dinner was McDonalds- ha. I have to say, though, it was really our only ‘fast food’ of the trip, and it wasn’t bad at all.

Day 14

The end of the road. The hotel provided continental breakfast, which was quite good as far as continental breakfast goes, so we filled up on that. Our flight departed at 11:00, so we didn’t have to get up super early, nor did we have to linger around, so after breakfast we made our way to the rental car return. No problems there- the car was returned, no issues found, and our fuel charge refunded (we returned full)- success! As essential and worth it as it was, the rental was an ever present thought on the trip- very confusing figuring it all out early on before reserving, then hoping nothing would go wrong, and hoping not to receive any surprise charges at the end. But, I’d done my homework, and aside from the one incident our first day, it was smooth sailing.

Not too much to report from here. I was somewhat confused on how the US pre-clearance would work at Dublin airport, having read about not entering too early but leave plenty of time also. It’s true that all the shopping/food facilities were outside the clearance area- just a small snack shop once in. However, when we checked our baggage we were told what time to report to pre-clearance, and that information was also available on the departure screens, so we could gauge our time appropriately. There was a full flight to Chicago in the waiting room that had been delayed for hours, then was cancelled soon after we arrived, so it got a bit chaotic in there. Thank goodness our flight was on schedule, and we made it back to the US and the real world with no trouble.

As far as final thoughts, I’ve tried to include tips and reflections as they came up, so hopefully my long winded report has been useful. My best advice is to do your homework, and then just go with the flow. And pack a windbreaker! All I can say is, there are so many places in the world I’d like to visit, but in a year or so when I start planning my next big trip it will be difficult to decide between another country or returning to Ireland. There is so much more I want to experience there. One thing is certain- whether it’s 2 years or 10 years, I will be back!

Side note- my standby online photo storage, Kodak Gallery, looks to be closing shop and transferring to Shutterfly. I am not sure if that will affect my separate sharing site that I linked to previously (http://mel.kodakgallery.com/). Just in case, my photos can now also be found at http://melgallery.shutterfly.com/. My US travel photos will make their way there eventually, but Ireland photos are posted.

Megan,

Was wondering why you didn't return your car the night before and use the free hotel shuttle? We plan to go this Oct and use this hotel, so good to hear that it was ok. Our plan is to drop the rental car the night before...one less thing to hassle with on the day you fly out. Holiday Inn Express says: one complimentary airport shuttle ride....so we may have to drop the ladies at the hotel, return the car, then taxi back to hotel? Not sure if that would be the best way to handle it. rvflyer

No real reason rvflyer. I hadn't thought to inquire about an early return fee if we returned the car 1 night early, and I doubt we would have felt like dealing with returning the car after a lot of driving that day. We did have to pay to park at the hotel- 6 Euro I think? Fortunately, no real hassle returning in the morning.

Great report and good reading don't have the same view on some of it but different strokes etc.

If you do decide to come back to see the Connemara drop me an email and I will give you some pointers.

Great report. We are planning 3 weeks in September-early October, But I'm not sure if is it too much and maybe make it 2 weeks also and leave one week for England /Scotland or see some islands?

tasta- I am going in October/November for 3 weeks and finding it hard to fit everything in that amount of time and not be rushed or feel like I am seeing Ireland through the windscreen of the car. So I don't feel 3 weeks is too much. The posts I've read here and on other forums the consensus is no matter how long you have to spend it will never be enough.
Also, I think England and Scotland would need at least 3 weeks + each to see them properly.
Just MHO!

Megan04- Thank you for the great trip report. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for my trip in October.

I'm very glad you enjoyed your trip. I've been to most of the spots you've visited, sometimes multiple times. I agree that I enjoy Dingle more than the ring of Kerry. Donegal is even more stunning at Sliabh Liag cliffs. Ring of Beara should be on your next trip, too :)

Also, definitely go back to Inis Mor next time, we stayed two nights this last trip, and it was fantastic. Climbing up to Dun Aengosa from our B&B (Man of Aran Cottage, just around the corner!) at 9am before ANYONE else there was priceless. We rented bikes and rode all over (May 2011). I have an extensive trip report & pics, as well, you may lose some hours on it :)

I'm planning my fifth trip for August 2013. Too much to see!

Megan04...Your trip report caught my eye since your itinerary is similar to the one my mom and I are doing in October. Thanks for all of your information and the link to your pictures! I am halfway through them and love the sheep! :)

AMAZING! I read itinerary, looked at pictures and am in awe. Megan04...your trip sounded wonderful and the pictures are breath-taking. I am going to re-read this post over and over. My mother and I are planning our first trip to Scotland/Irleland for 12 days in Sept 2013 and I had no clue where to begin....I do now. Thank you.

We are NOT renting a car though. Hoping to walk mostly or take day trips via tours/buses.

We are splitting trip with 5 days in Scotland and 5 days in Ireland. Arriving first in Scotland then onto Dublin...what would you suggest are "must sees/dos" in/around Dublin... close cities to day trip to or stay a night or two and return to Dublin or I think others have said fly into Dublin, tour around and fly out of Shannon (?). I am reading too much and getting confused!

We like castles, pubs, shops, quaint small towns, sheep, ha!, can do alot of walking...I see GreenDragon's list of places to see...do you know proximity to Dublin? Ugh, I am lost!

Now I'm rambling....thanks for sharing your pictures...I am still sooooo excited for this adventure with my mother and making memories.... She is 72 and I am 47...still both kicking and raring to go!!!

D.

If you mean the places on my post here, those are mostly on the northwest, west and southwest coasts... i.e., farthest away from Dublin :)

Sliabh Liag cliffs are in County Donegal, on the south end of the county. They are the tallest accessible sea cliffs in Ireland at 900 feet. There are cliffs on Achill Island that are taller, but they are not easy to get to - it involves a couple hours hiking. Sliabh Liag you can drive most of the way up the mountain!

Ring of Beara is in the southwest corner of the country, in County Cork.

Dun Aengosa is on the Aran Island of Inis Mor, off the coast of Galway.

Another spectacular drive is the Antrim Coast, which starts near Belfast and ends around the time Northern Ireland turns into Republic of Ireland, near Inishowen. Belfast is only 2 hours drive or train from Dublin.

Hi Megan,

I'm planning a trip to Ireland for 2014, and I was wondering which road atlas you used for driving around? Or if anyone else has any advice and/or preference of which one to use, it would be much appreciated! Thanks for posting your report, I really enjoyed reading it!

I purchased and used the Collins Ireland Comprehensive Road Atlas. It was especially helpful once when I got lost. I also looked at the Back Roads Ireland (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads) for planning. This I left this home because it was heavy and something had to go.
For the most part I used my Garmin nüvi 1370 with maps of Europe to get around.

I enjoyed your trip report. We visited Ireland in October of 2011 and like you I can't wait until I go back. Thanks for taking the time to write up such an informative report.

I don't know if I missed it, but what rental car company did you use? I am helping my sister plan a trip, and we are just at the point of arranging a car. It sounds like you were happy with who you used.

Great report, I am sending a link for sis to read.