Ireland
Looking at a map of Ireland it seemed we could easily drive through the entire country in a week. However, as a foreigner driving a car on the other side of the road, it made it challenging to get from one point to another. Even though we calculated about 5 hours of driving each day, from Dublin to Cork, there was just too much sightseeing that we had to set aside for a future trip so that we would not miss what we already had purchased tickets for. Our 6 day journey began with checking into the lovely Wynns Hotel in the center of town. After picking up our rental car at the Dublin Airport, it took quite some practice driving through the town in circles trying to figure out how to reach the front of the hotel. We didn't realize that we kept driving past a nearby parking structure used by the hotel. After we walking into the hotel we discovered that there is a unloading zone across from the hotel and the doorman will park the car for you. TIPS: We requested an automatic transmission through Payless car rentals which offered the most affordable rate for an automatic from the airport. However, when we arrived at the rental counter they could not guarantee an automatic and there were at least 30 people waiting for a car or waiting for a shuttle ride to the terminal. Plan for extra time at the counter before planning any activities on the same day as your arrival. |
Established in 1845, the Wynns Hotel is one of the highest rated and has the best breakfast in town. Centrally located, we were able to catch tour buses and the hop on bus within a short walk.
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Day 1 - Dublin
Our first stops was the Guinness Storehouse at St. James Gate in Dublin. You can easily spend your day studying each of the 7 levels in the building, leaving the best for last:
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The Guinness Storehouse is open every day closing at 7 pm, later during the Summer. For 18.50 Euros, a pint of Guinness is included. By booking online in advance you'll take advantage of the fast track queue.
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Through the streets of Dublin, we enjoyed the hop on bus and our walk through popular neighborhoods. After reading several travel articles on Ireland, it was almost impossible to narrow down what we wanted to see.
We went inside the famous Temple Bar, but we were surprised having just arrived after so many hours traveling that there wasn't really anywhere to sit and relax. It was very crowded and noisy. We found a perfect place nearby... |
Dinner in Dublin
Here we stopped at the Shack Restaurant across from The Temple Bar searching for the best fish and chips in Dublin. What I found unique about Irish fries were that the outside of the french fry was very crunchy, but the inside was very soft. I heard that they boil the fries first and then fry them. I don't know if that is true, but this was truly the best fries I have ever had! The fish portions were just as excellent and generous. Besides eating our way through Ireland, there were many Irish items to try at the top of my list:
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Northern Ireland
Day 2 - Dublin to the Giant's Causeway
My husband has been to Ireland before, but this was my first time. I wanted to see the Giant's Causeway and The Hedges from the Game of Thrones. A few years ago it wasn't as easy crossing into Northern Ireland with a rental car as it is now. Still, we didn't take a chance driving in a new area so I found a highly rated tour company, Finn McCools, to spend the day sightseeing which included the city of Belfast for less than $50 each.
My husband has been to Ireland before, but this was my first time. I wanted to see the Giant's Causeway and The Hedges from the Game of Thrones. A few years ago it wasn't as easy crossing into Northern Ireland with a rental car as it is now. Still, we didn't take a chance driving in a new area so I found a highly rated tour company, Finn McCools, to spend the day sightseeing which included the city of Belfast for less than $50 each.
Starting from our hotel in Dublin, we walked to the bus stop at the Hugh Lane Gallery to meet our tour. We began our journey and on our way, we stopped at a local gas station for a quick break and were pleasantly surprised at the selection of pastries, cappuccinos and dining options available inside. It was remarkable how clean and cozy it was inside and out. It was like being at a rest stop with a restaurant.
The first stop, the Dark Hedges, we continued our trip to see the famous trees and ended up parking nearby at a hotel. We walked to the hedges, passing an adorable fairy garden where you'll need to be respectful and avoid disrupting their home. The time spent at the Hedges was very short so you need to be quick in taking photos.
The second stop was Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO world heritage site, which was formed by a volcanic eruption or the footsteps of the Irish Giant, Finn McCool. As a side note, if Northern Ireland is not in your future travel plans, rock formations and basalt columns can also be experienced at Devils Postpile National Monument in Mammoth Lakes, California.
Our last stop on the coast was Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, 66 feet long and almost 100 feet high, originally used by salmon fishermen starting in the 1600's. No worries about this bridge as it has been reconstructed several times for safety with the current one constructed in 2008. Driving back to Dublin we stopped in Belfast for about one hour, shopping for souvenirs and had dinner at one of the oldest pubs in Belfast, Whites Tavern, established in 1630. We had our first hamburger and those delicious fries. What a treat! On our trip home, we rested for a few hours and enjoyed the rest of the drive before arriving back in Dublin about 7:30 pm.
The first stop, the Dark Hedges, we continued our trip to see the famous trees and ended up parking nearby at a hotel. We walked to the hedges, passing an adorable fairy garden where you'll need to be respectful and avoid disrupting their home. The time spent at the Hedges was very short so you need to be quick in taking photos.
The second stop was Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO world heritage site, which was formed by a volcanic eruption or the footsteps of the Irish Giant, Finn McCool. As a side note, if Northern Ireland is not in your future travel plans, rock formations and basalt columns can also be experienced at Devils Postpile National Monument in Mammoth Lakes, California.
Our last stop on the coast was Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, 66 feet long and almost 100 feet high, originally used by salmon fishermen starting in the 1600's. No worries about this bridge as it has been reconstructed several times for safety with the current one constructed in 2008. Driving back to Dublin we stopped in Belfast for about one hour, shopping for souvenirs and had dinner at one of the oldest pubs in Belfast, Whites Tavern, established in 1630. We had our first hamburger and those delicious fries. What a treat! On our trip home, we rested for a few hours and enjoyed the rest of the drive before arriving back in Dublin about 7:30 pm.
Day 3 - Dublin to Bunratty
We looked forward to a hearty breakfast at the Wynns Hotel before embarking on our road trip out of Dublin towards the Cliffs of Moher. Prior to this trip, I've traveled to many foreign countries and of course, each country has something unique that sets them apart from others. Food is probably the most exciting way to provide a lasting impression. One lump or two? Breakfast at the Wynns Hotel was varied and very satisfying. After a delicious assortment of pastries, fruit and cereals, we ordered off the breakfast menu, eggs benedict and two sunny side up eggs with bacon and a grilled tomato. |
After breakfast, we drove out towards the city of Galway on the highway M4. Gas stations on highways are clean and come complete with excellent food court selections. Picnic tables along with a dog park would easily convert these into perfect rest areas.
One of the things we look forward to is seeing animals in other countries. Here we stopped and had an opportunity to chat with a local who seemed very friendly and eager to make a new friend. |
Roscommon
Stopping in the town of Roscommon where my husbands ancestors are from, we arrived early so none of the pubs were opened yet. We walked around the town and were impressed by how clean the streets are. Pride is evident in this lovely town. We ended up having lunch at the Rogue & Co Cafe on Main Street. With nearly 200 excellent google reviews, I was looking forward to trying one of their organic soups. I ordered the pumpkin soup with the Irish brown bread and they were both absolutely delicious! It's interesting what we take for granted and as I walked past the cash register, I noticed a tray of baked goods sitting on the counter. In America I'm used to seeing pastries and bread under a cover or in a display case. Perhaps this is done purposely here so that customers can smell the enticing aroma of fresh baked items. |
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After lunch we walked over to Regans Gastropub to have a pint of Guinness and watch the royal wedding on tv. After the ceremony, we jumped back into our rental car and drove towards Galway, passing the home that belongs to our Irish priest who married us. Unfortunately, he was in California during our trip...
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Cliffs of Moher
Continuing through Galway, in search of some ruins and forts on our way to the Cliffs of Moher, our goal was to make it to Bunratty by sundown. Even though we didn't have many castles on our itinerary, we stopped at the first castle we saw, Dunguaire, poked around a bit and continued to the Cliffs of Moher as we were pressed for time. Along this route there are many historical things to see such as forts and castles. Looking back, we needed at least two extra days in this area to see more ruins. |
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Day 4 - Bunratty to Portmagee
Bunratty, County Clare, is between Ennis and Limerick, near the Shannon airport. We arrived in Bunratty about 5:00 pm, checked into a bed & breakfast, and headed for dinner at Dirty Nelly's. Established in 1600's, Dirty Nelly was named after a toll keeper over the river Owengarney and is one of Ireland's most famous pub. This place is complete with a pull your own pint bar and live music every night of the week. If you're headed towards Bunratty Castle, this is the perfect place for traditional ambience along with an overnight stay in a small village with lots of charm. Don't forget to make dinner reservations, because it's often packed, otherwise be prepared for a long wait. |
The next morning, we arrived early for Bunratty Castle, as soon as it opened. It is really nice to arrive at tourist sites when they first open, because it allows you to take in all the beauty before it gets packed with tourists. The gift shop had some excellent shopping as well. I found a large variety of woolen scarves for gifts.
Killarney National Park
On our way out of Bunratty, we caught the highway N21 towards Killarney National Park in County Kerry. We stopped at the Muckross and Gardens, walked around the beautiful gardens. The estate dates back to the 17th century and covers about 13000 acres near the shores of Muckross Lake. After our walk, we opted for a late lunch in their cafe since we were about to embark on a long drive to our next destination. All their food looked fresh, well prepared with a large selection and variety. We dined in the patio overlooking the gardens and I finally had my first Shepards Pie in Ireland. It was excellent! If you have full day here, visit Ross Castle or take advantage of plenty of hiking trails and wildlife viewing. Killarney National Park is the first national park in Ireland and expands over 25,000 acres. In 1981, the park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its' high ecological value. Driving out of Killarney National Park, we headed south on a narrow highway along the Kenmare River towards the town of Portmagee.
Killarney National Park
On our way out of Bunratty, we caught the highway N21 towards Killarney National Park in County Kerry. We stopped at the Muckross and Gardens, walked around the beautiful gardens. The estate dates back to the 17th century and covers about 13000 acres near the shores of Muckross Lake. After our walk, we opted for a late lunch in their cafe since we were about to embark on a long drive to our next destination. All their food looked fresh, well prepared with a large selection and variety. We dined in the patio overlooking the gardens and I finally had my first Shepards Pie in Ireland. It was excellent! If you have full day here, visit Ross Castle or take advantage of plenty of hiking trails and wildlife viewing. Killarney National Park is the first national park in Ireland and expands over 25,000 acres. In 1981, the park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its' high ecological value. Driving out of Killarney National Park, we headed south on a narrow highway along the Kenmare River towards the town of Portmagee.
Portmagee
We arrived in Portmagee in the late afternoon and checked into the Moorings Hotel and Bar. After doing extensive research on the top sights to see in Ireland, I ran across another UNESCO World Heritage site called the Skellig Michael. This island was once a monastery dating back to the 6th century and named after the archangel Michael. As a nature reserve, you'll see different species of birds, such as the Atlantic Puffin. It is accessible by authorized boat companies, May through October, and dependent on weather. The Moorings offers a package deal with a boat ride to the Skellig Michael. The Skellig Michael was featured in the movie Star Wars, The Last Jedi. For about $90, if you happen to be lucky to land on this island for six hours without facilities, water or shade, be prepared to climb about 600 steps to get to the top for that spectacular view. After seeing the movie The Irish Pub, we wanted to visit a traditional pub. With all the sightseeing on our list we were fortunate to be able to spend some down time. After dinner at Moorings, I ordered my first Irish Coffee at O'Keefe's Fisherman Bar and we began a memorable evening speaking to the locals. One of them ran to his car and brought back his instrument. The highlight of our evening was sharing stories about tourists and listening to him for perform for all of us. |
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Day 5 - Portmagee to Cork
On our way to the city of Cork, we drove through Killarney National Park again. We had no plans for today, but our goal was to make it in time for the last tour at Jameson's Distillery. Along our drive on highway N22, we saw a sign for a toy soldier factory and veered off the main road for a few miles. We ended up in small town near Macroom in the lovely village of Kilnamartyra. The Toy Soldier Factory is the only toy soldier factory in Europe. With casting demonstrations every half hour, a gift shop and area for the perfect birthday party. We were fortunate to arrive in time to see their new exhibit, the Battle of Waterloo, with 15,000 hand painted model soldiers. Back on the road, we stopped in the lovely town of Macroom for a pint of Guinness at Dan Buckley's Bar before continuing to the city of Cork. |
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Jameson Experience, Cork
Jameson's is probably one of the most famous of all whiskeys for over 200 years. Although Jameson's started in Dublin, the actual distillery was moved to County Cork on 15 acres where all the whiskey is now made since 1975. Located about 20 minutes east of Cork, we arrived in time for the last tour at 4:15. For less than $25, Jameson's Experience is 75 minutes, starts with a film guided tour of the buildings, taste test, warehouse and complimentary whiskey at the end. The small gift shop offered unique souvenirs and gifts to bring back home. Jameson receives over 100,000 visitors per day. After our Jameson tour, we drove back to Cork and checked into the Imperial Hotel on South Mall Street. The hotel is very nice and centrally located. Parking in front of the hotel to check-in or unload our luggage was challenging, but the hotel's parking lot is a short walk away. Cork was a larger city than we expected. If you've already been to Jameson or the Blarney Castle or if you have an extra day, I would suggest including the town of Kinsale in your itinerary. |
Day 6 - Blarney Castle to Cork Airport
On my husband's previous trip to Ireland, he visited Waterford and ran out of time to kiss the Blarney Stone so we could not miss this for him. Hearing that there is usually a one hour wait to kiss the Blarney Stone, we checked out of our hotel and arrived at the Blarney Castle and Gardens about one hour before it opened. The parking lot was empty so we returned after getting a quick breakfast nearby. We were still about 30 minutes early and started to notice the tour buses driving in. It's worth going early to avoid these crowds. As soon as the gates opened, we went directly to the castle and climbed the 127 steps to the top to be the first to kiss the blarney stone. You can bring a camera along, but if you forget it there's already a photographer ready to take your picture as you hang upside down to quickly kiss the stone. Since we had a plane to catch, on our way out of the Blarney Castle we quickly stopped at the gift shop and drove directly to the airport to catch our plane to Paris.
TIPS: When choosing a rental car agency, Payless was the most affordable without a drop off fee, Dublin to Cork. Cork airport is small and easy to navigate, you just drop off your rental car outside and bring your keys inside the terminal. In the Aer Lingus terminal, we enjoyed many options for more great food. Even though the hotels and restaurant offer free WiFi, we rented an unlimited WiFi hotspot for about $80 for two weeks. Using our own phones with this hotspot, we never needed a navigation system in our rental car. We had the ability to email and call family in the U.S. 24 hour per day, if necessary.
On my husband's previous trip to Ireland, he visited Waterford and ran out of time to kiss the Blarney Stone so we could not miss this for him. Hearing that there is usually a one hour wait to kiss the Blarney Stone, we checked out of our hotel and arrived at the Blarney Castle and Gardens about one hour before it opened. The parking lot was empty so we returned after getting a quick breakfast nearby. We were still about 30 minutes early and started to notice the tour buses driving in. It's worth going early to avoid these crowds. As soon as the gates opened, we went directly to the castle and climbed the 127 steps to the top to be the first to kiss the blarney stone. You can bring a camera along, but if you forget it there's already a photographer ready to take your picture as you hang upside down to quickly kiss the stone. Since we had a plane to catch, on our way out of the Blarney Castle we quickly stopped at the gift shop and drove directly to the airport to catch our plane to Paris.
TIPS: When choosing a rental car agency, Payless was the most affordable without a drop off fee, Dublin to Cork. Cork airport is small and easy to navigate, you just drop off your rental car outside and bring your keys inside the terminal. In the Aer Lingus terminal, we enjoyed many options for more great food. Even though the hotels and restaurant offer free WiFi, we rented an unlimited WiFi hotspot for about $80 for two weeks. Using our own phones with this hotspot, we never needed a navigation system in our rental car. We had the ability to email and call family in the U.S. 24 hour per day, if necessary.