Our Irish Adventure

Not unlike our first map, this shows the locations we’ll be staying each night. Very excited to be spending four days in Kinsale!

We will be returning to the Emerald Isle starting later this week. I will be posting a map of our trip shortly. We are both very excited to go on this trip and to share our trip. –Eric

Our Ireland 2015 trip begins at the end of this week!

Posts are orders chronologically, so you’ll need to scroll down to see the most recent!

This image shows where we will be staying each night. 

Sitting down for a nice breakfast while we wait for our flight to Boston. Nothing unusual to report.

Perhaps avoid National Coney Island restaurant here in Metro, at least for breakfast. I’m sure their coney dogs are outstanding.

The flight on Aer Lingus – whose fine reputation I would not wish to blemish – was far from ideal. Our in-flight television had no sound, so no music or movies. The food was fine, but the space was remarkably uncomfortable. I didn’t sleep a wink and Cindy managed a few minutes at best.

So, we disembarked at 5 a.m. Dublin time – 1 a.m. Michigan time – and made our way to the luggage carousel and then to the car rental, Europcar. The airport at Dublin was decked out in festive green for the weekend, and not surprisingly there were many Americans and others from various countries arriving. It already felt different from home. It took us a minute to realize the green signs depicting a figure running for a door was simply their exit signs, and nothing more alarming.

The rental went fine enough, after we realized the car was not exactly what we had expected, that being due to the statement “or similar”, when we picked out the car. So, luggage stowed, we used our GPS Garmin to find Baldoyle. It gave us directions, and our drive of terror began.

I didn’t mind driving on the left side, and turning to the left aginst the curb and all. The challenge was in dealing with the roundabouts, other drivers and trying to follow the Garmin’s directions. Lacking a compass, we had no idea what direction we were moving. After 45 minutes of driving, we realized we were nowhere near our destination, and in fact were moving north rather than east.

Once we managed to turn around, we stopped at a gas station, where a very obliging and kind older man named Philip helped us on our way. We had a few more diversions on our driving adventure before finally reaching the town of Baldoyle. It took a phone call to Leslie to finally reach our B&B – which, as it turned out, we had passed three times already.

It was 9:15 when we finally laid down in the amazingly comfortable bed. We slept for 3 hours, and it felt like 8. Our hosts proved to be a charming couple, very kind and obliging. After showering, we gathered our packs and boarded the city bus per Leslie and Brenden’s directions. It cost 6.60 euros for the both us, and we found they would not take bills, only coins. Fortunately a fellow bus rider was kind enough to change our fiver for coins.

 

The bus took us the city center, and we managed to locate the Hop-on Hop-off bus just down the way from the old General Post Office. It took us on a guided tour of Dublin, pointing out interesting historical sights, including Trinity College, St. Stephen’s Green, the National Gallery, and some literary sites. Among them was the fantastic statuary of O’Connell, which included some metal ladies who had suffered some unfortunate wounds.

We disembarked the bus near the tattoo shop Reinkarnated, just to drop in to check the place out, as we had an appointment the following day. The artists  were very nice and very professional and we left feeling very confident about our getting tattooed there.

Boarding the bus again, we completed a full circuit of the city tour. It dropped us off in the Grafton area, where we checked out a book store and some other sights, before settling down for dinner at the Duke pub. It was here that we enjoyed our evening’s entertainment of a literary pub crawl – compliments of Beth. It consisted of a pair of very enjoyable, very knowledgable and fairly funny actors. They guided us to four different pubs which had a connection to the history of Dublin or famed Irish literary figures.

 

We left the pub crawl fairly late, but did manage to see a couple notable buildings that were part of the “Greening of Dublin”.

By some grand luck, we somehow managed to navigate our way through the night streets of the city to our bus station, where we just managed to catch 29A back to Baldoyle. We got back to Leslie and Brenden’s and slept a long night of well-earned sleep in the extremely comfortable bed.

The following morning, on Day Two, Leslie served a full Irish breakfast, the first I’ve ever had. I’m proud to say I enjoyed both the black and white pudding. The breakfast was hearty enough to keep us through the entire day to dinner. The day began with a bus ride into the city, where Cindy wanted to cross the Ha’ Penny Bridge.

Not long after, our tattoo appointment began. We uploaded some pics through Facebook and you can see them there. I found it to be only mildly irritating, and not that painful at all – something like a paperclip being drawn over my skin. Cindy’s tattoo was beautifully enhanced.

After the tattoos, we visited Trinity College, viewed something of the Book of Kells, and managed to get over to the National Museum of Ireland to view the Brooch of Tara and other antiquities. Also, some pretty grim remains of people buried in bogs thousands of years ago.

Finally, we got back to the house and caught a cab to Howth, where we learned it is best to call ahead for late dining. After finding no room at three pier-side seafood restaurants, we lucked out after twenty minutes with a small but most excellent place called The Deep.

A delicious shared seafood platter later, we caught a taxi home and here we are.

 

This morning we bid farewell to Dublin Town and made our way to the Midlands for our next overnight stop. On our way we first headed north to Newgrange, which was constructed approximately 5000 years ago (and pre-dates the Pyramids at Giza in Egypt). It is a neolithic burial tomb that was rediscovered in the 1960’s. For those of you who don’t know, each Winter Solstice time (December 18-December 22), the sunrise is at just the perfect angle to align with the roof box of the entry and light fills the inner chamber. Each year a lottery is held to allow 20 people per day to be in the chamber at sunrise. An incredibly rare experience. On the way to the tomb I was telling Eric that we should enter the lottery every year and on the one in a million chance we were selected, we should come and do it. That was until I got inside. Mind you, the outside of the structure is maybe 300 feet across. Even when they said if you are claustrophobic go in last, I thought “I’m good, I’m only afraid of heights”. I’m envisioning a narrow passageway to a large open area. No. It was a 50 ft. long, 2 foot wide, 4 1/2 foot high passageway into a 8 foot by 8 wide foot room now crammed with 25 people…and then they turn the lights off for about a minute.  I made it in and out without passing out and that is my high achievement for the day. Eric loved it and was a great calming influence. I’m glad I did it, it is truly awe inspiring but I’m taking my name off the lottery list forever.

 

Next a much less stressful drive to our hotel in Athlone on Lough Ree. Lovely suite overlooking the very large lake that is the River Shannon a few miles south. Made it here in time for a really great wine tasting. The Polish sommelier was great and we both learned a lot about wine. Didn’t hurt that two of the three wines were Spanish which we love already. At the end there was a quiz and I’m proud to say Eric and I won and got a bonus glass of 20 year old port while all the losers had to watch 🙂 What can I say, I’m competitive. Looking forward to a lovely dinner at the hotel and some relaxing.

 

Today’s lesson: Always have toilet paper with you when you go into the restroom as half the stalls have none. Always take a large handful with you when you leave and put it in your coat pocket. Saved the day for me! Side note – since women were not allowed in pubs in days gone by, the Ladies is always in the basement 🙁

Today’s phrase: (Sign on shop door) Close the door! Today the weather’s in bits! I plan to over use that anytime it rains when we get home.

 

 

The 17th started out very nicely, with a lovely sunrise over Lough Ree. I went out that morning to sketch the small tower just off the shore.

Heading north toward Castle Kilronan, we decided to check out the Arigna Mining Experience, an attraction designed to show you what it was like in Ireland’s last operating coal mine.

The experience was remarkable. Our guide – as are all the guides there – was a former miner himself, having worked those mines for 21 years decades ago. He led us into the coal mine shafts, some 600 yards or so, describing in detail the process of blasting the rock, grinding out the coal, and shoveling and hauling it out. This was all done in two 8-hour shifts. It was a miserable, back-breaking life, and seeing their workplace up close was both educating and grim. We both wore hard hats, and fortunately there were no tight spaces. Outside it afforded a beautiful view of the surrounding rolling land and the village below.

Heading out of the Arigna area, after a brief geographical diversion, we made it to Castle Kilronan. We can safely say the Castle did not disappoint in any respect. It was a visual feast, the accommodations were amazing, and the staff very professional.

Our room was outstanding, with a gorgeous view. Among the amenities was something the girls would enjoy:

Our first treat was the hour-long Indian head massage, during which we both fell asleep, at least for a few minutes. We then enjoyed the spa services, which included a sauna (really, really hot), a steam room (really, really hot and really steamy), and a very large jacuzzi. This included four massive spigots that blasted firehose-pressure jets of water onto your  unsuspecting body. That was supposed to be soothing somehow, I think. But our favorite part of this was what could only be called shower thrones – huge seats with armrests, made of river rock, in which we sat and enjoyed a shower pouring down on us.

We then readied for dinner, for which Cindy had a dazzling black dress I hadn’t seen before. The dinner was more than amazing. We enjoyed a bottle of Spanish red – a Percolo Tinto Tempranillo. The meal consisted of: an Amuse Bouche of duck spring roll with beet paint; starters: Eric – Rose Veal Wellington, roasted potato dumpling, pearl onion confit, and crispy maple ham; Cindy – Silver Hill goose foie gras, duck liver pate, glazed figs, toasted brioche and amaretto cherry compote; a strawberry sorbet with champagne for both of us between the starters and the mains; main courses: Cindy – lemon sole, gurmand and crab meat mousse, parseley potato and buerre blanc sauce; Eric – pan-seared Silver Hill duck breast, duck leg confit, butternut squash, pine kernels, all in a red wine and orange sauce; desserts: Eric – Caramel Delight consisting off carmelized pear in filo, caramel mousse, and a caramel anglaise egg nog; Cindy – roasted peach sabayon, chili chocolate, and almond crisp. Yum.

We ended the evening by watching most of P.S. I Love You, one of Cindy’s favorites. All in all, a wonderful day.

Today we bid a reluctant farewell to Castle Kilronan after a lovely breakfast and a 2.3k walk down to the lake and through the woods behind the castle. Very peaceful.

Eric is getting much more confident in  his driving so the two hour trip to Westport was largely uneventful. We made a comfort stop at a gas station though, which consisted of a shed around the back with a door that didn’t shut all the way and a bath towel for hand drying. It was quite funny really.  We also picked up 1/2 pound of white cheddar and sugar glazed baked ham and a loaf of brown bread for $8. This is not Kraft American and lunch meat, but high quality yumminess. Local and fresh tastes good.

Arrived at the Westport Coast Hotel on Clew Bay and near the base of Crough Patrick.  Every year pilgrims make the barefoot 2-1/2 hour trek to the top to honor St. Patrick. A while later we walked across the street for dinner at the Towers which has a great view of the mountain from their terrace and we were able to see a beautiful sunset from there. Food was again amazing and we did another seafood platter – best mussels I’ve ever had, smoked and baked salmon, haddock, crab claws and oysters (our first step towards raw – these were steamed). Had a few “craft beers” which the Irish haven’t quite mastered yet. OK, not great.

After another “light Irish breakfast” at Westport Coast hotel, we made south for Galway. The drive was good, as I was feeling even more confident driving here. Our first destination of the day was Kylemore Abbey. The first sight of it actually caused Cindy to gasp, as it caught us unawares on the approach.

The castle was a feast for the eyes up close, and we toured a few rooms inside before catching a bus to the extensive gardens a mile away. Much of these are being restored, and the acres of glass enclosures are supposed to be rebuilt someday.

 

Kylemore has quite a history,  but is now occupied by nuns, who make various things, including chocolates and other crafted goods. After leaving Kylemore, it was an easy drive to Kinvarra. Entering this seaside town, we passed by another castle, Dunguaire. I’m still getting used to the fact that this countryside is littered with structures built before America was even a thought.

Wending our way through Kinvarra, we arrived at Breacon Cottage in relatively short order. Our hosts, Geraldine and Noel, are inviting and kind older couple, and their B&B is set is set right on the end of a spit of land, affording us a grand view.

We wanted seafood for dinner, so Noel suggested heading west to a place in the neighboring village. The restaurant there, sadly, was open only on weekends, so we had to head back to Kinvarra. But this place was set right out on the water, and provided us with an amusing sign in the lot.

Back in Kinvarra, we enjoyed a delicious seafood platter and some Smithwicks, while watching a fisherman come into Kinvarra bay. Afterwards, it was back to Breacon, for an early evening in, and a great deal of reading.