IRELAND

My Reflection 6/8/19-6/16/19

Where do I even begin to sing the praises of this country and this trip. My family and I decided to take a trip to Ireland to see the place our ancestors were born and raised and to take in all its beauty. We left Chicago on June 8th, with anxious hearts and full suitcases for a week on the Emerald Island. 

Once we landed in Dublin, we headed to the Hertz rental company to pick up our Rental Car. Driving on the opposite side of the road was something we all were nervous for but we were sure to support and help our dad navigate as much as possible and after a few bumps in the road, our manual stick shift car smoking up, and receiving a small compact automatic car in exchange, we were on our way. I am happy to report that we survived country one lane roads, highways, and mountain passes in a country that drives opposite of our own. 

We spent the first day roaming the streets of Dublin visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, the Old City Wall, and the Guinness Storehouse all before checking into our Airbnb in Cabra East. After a long day of travel and site-seeing we were happy to hit the hay around 9pm. 

We woke up Monday morning bright and early, packed our rental car and headed to Kilkenny Castle. This castle was beautiful outside and in, we roamed the halls and enjoyed a piece of pie and tea in the tea room after our tour. We walked the streets of Kilkenny and spoke with local souvenir shop owner about the history of this city. He gave us a map and shared his must see spots before heading out. We stopped at the Black Abbey, took a peak at the Church in town, and snapped a picture of the inn that held the first witch trial in all of Europe. Kilkenny was adorable and I would recommend it to any and all visitors. We then drove to Rock of Cashel which is the skeleton of an old castle in Tiperary, the county my ancestors were from. This old Castle on the hill was a beautiful place to stretch our legs and soak in the rolling hillside of the country. Views for miles from the top of the hill made me realize how much beauty was in store. From there we drove down one lane roads and highways to Nohoval Cove, the southernmost cove of Ireland. We climbed the rock and sunk into mud at this lush and waterfilled spot. While walking towards the most picturesque spots, we met locals who shared their enthusiasm for the country and applauded us for renting a car to see more of the land than most visitors do. We drove back north to our Airbnb Farm house in Mallow, equipped with your classic Irish Cottage feel, cows roaming and moo-ing alongside the house, the most beautiful sunsets, and rolling hills out each window. It was even more incredible to wake up in this home to the beauty of the view before heading out. 

Tuesday we took to the road to reach Dingle peninsula. The water along this part of the island is crystal clear, it almost looks fake. Driving up Connor's pass was something out of a National Geographics documentary. The rocky hillside adorned with greenery hid sheep which was complimented by the fields across the road with cows and seashore alongside it. We stopped in Dingle to walk the streets and seashore, stopping in stores for shopping and bakery tasting. We continued on from there to our Airbnb in Tralee, Fenit which took our breath away. This Airbnb was situated on the shore of Tralee Bay starring out to the mountains with cows an arms length away from the back patio. Had we known how gorgeous this place would be, we would have stayed longer. 

Wednesday, we took a trolley across the peninsula to head towards the Cliffs of Moher. Once we got to the cliffs, we were astounded to meet the beauty of the coast hugging the land. We walked up the cliffs, took pictures, and headed to Doolin, a small town 15 minutes from the cliffs. From there we took a ferry to Inis Island, one of the Aran Islands. We met a local and took a horse and buggy ride around the island, stopping at a shipwreck and a bar for drinks. The island is home to 240 people with one street of conveniences and 3 flights to and from the island a day. This quaint island gave us perspective on the important things in life, health, friends, family, and faith. From there we drove to our next Airbnb in Galway. 

Thursday, we woke up for a day full of activities in Galway. We parked at the Cathedral and took in its beauty before heading for food and viewing the Spanish Arch, Quay Street, and the Latin Quarter. Once we had our fill of these locations, we took a trolley ride around town. I must add, the food we ate all week long was top notch and I am missing the bangers and mash already. I recommend utilizing Yelp for the best spots in town with food, always view the reviews and not just the stars. We even spent the evening enjoying a trad session, classic Irish music, at Taffes. 

Friday, we woke up early and spent the rest of the day in Dublin. We managed to enjoy street performers, Grafton street, Temple Bar, Peterson Pipe Company where we bought dad his fathers day gift of a pipe, and caught other glimpses of Dublin Doors and the city. This ended our trip and filled our hearts with a deeper love for this country. 

Overall, Ireland was full of love. The land, the people, the food, the music, the accents, all made me so grateful for this life and for my family. I couldn't have imagined a better trip and a cooler bunch of people to do it with. 

Go raibh míle maith agat

May you have a thousand good things