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Ireland Trip Recap - Part 2

In my last post, I shared a recap of the first part of my incredible trip to Ireland. To recap 'the recap' before heading into part 2...my extended family and I embarked on an 8-day trip around Ireland with My Ireland Tour. After arriving in Dublin, we immediately left for Kilkenny and Waterford where we stayed before heading to the famous Blarney Stone, traveling along the Wild Atlantic Way to make our way to a two-night stay in Killarney. After checking seeing the incredible Cliffs of Moher off of our to-do list, we finally made it to Galway, which is where this recap picks up! If you want to read part 1, you can do so here!



Day 5

I think our theme song for the trip became "On the road again..." because that is what it felt like and on Day 5 we were on the road to see the beautiful Connemara National Park. Connemara National Park is located in County Galway and covers roughly 4,000 acres of scenic mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands, woodlands and lake, and gosh, it was breathtaking! I will note that its landscape was vastly different from the luscious green hills of the Wild Atlantic Way. We made our way past serene lakes and picturesque landscapes, stopping a few times in order to capture the beauty on camera, before visiting Kylemore Abbey. The Abbey is a Benedictine Monastery founded in 1920 on the ground of Kylemore Castle, which was built as a gift to Margaret Henry by her husband Mitchell - what stunning grounds! From the castle, to the church, to the garden, it was really fun to tour and explore the property. It was also located on a picturesque lake and I couldn't help but imagining living there and hosting parties 'back in the day.'



We left to make a short drive to Clifden where we had lunch at my favorite pub of the trip, Guys Bar! The ambiance was 10/10 and the food was 11/10. One of the best meals of the trip by far! After exploring the quaint village we made our way to our accommodations for the night, Abbeyglen Castle. Yes, we stayed in a castle (and witnessed the most beautiful rainbow over it)! Our stay at the Abbeyglen was like no other. Owned and run by the hostess with the mostest, Brian, we had a blast partaking in the nightly festivities. Our dinner was included here and as delicious as the cuisine was, the real treat was the entertainment! After a toast and a song from the lovely host, as well as a yummy 3-course meal, we headed downstairs to the bar where we continued to be serenaded. Some of my family members even got a chance to perform a few songs. It felt like summer camp - if summer camp were to be held at a castle in Ireland. The only downside of this particular accommodation was that the only drinking water available was sourced from the local bog. Despite reassurances regarding its safety, I did not risk it.



Day 6

This day marked the final one with our driver, John, and also our longest travel day of the trip. We traveled from Clifden all the way back to Dublin, which is essentially the West Coast back to the East Coast. Although we stopped a few times along the way, the trip took 9 hours from door to door...yes, it was a longggg day! On our route, we were treated to the sight of several rainbows, which must have given us some good luck. Additionally, we drove past the largest fjord in Ireland, Killary Fjord, and lunch in the charming town of Athlone. Notably, Athlone is also home to what is said to be the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean's Bar, dating back 1,000 years. We all stopped in quick to check out this old watering hole! It was filled with relics from around the world and was really neat to see. Despite the length of this particular leg of the trip, it held its in own special meaning. My uncle was able to pinpoint the area in which my great, great, great grandfather resided, which is near Coolelan, and we made a pitstop to see. Though the original dwellings are no longer standing, the experience held immense significance for us.


After a full day of travel, we finally arrived in Dublin (YAY!) and settled into The Brooks Hotel. One of the highlights of the hotel was undoubtedly its central location in the city. Situated in a fantastic neighborhood, we found ourselves close to everything Dublin had to offer! After a bittersweet goodbye to our driver and a quick check-in, we set out for a leisurely stroll to acquaint ourselves with the city. Dublin's energy and vibrancy was a big contrast compared to some of the other towns and villages we visited. The streets were alive were musicians, busy shops, and throngs of people - but it was fun! That night we were craving pasta and had another incredible Italian dinner at Al Velsuvio. Not only was the food fresh and delicious, but I had an opportunity to practice Italian, which I personally love!



Day 7

We kicked off Day 7 with a plentiful breakfast at our hotel before making our way to tour the The Guinness Storehouse. Although beautifully designed, it felt more like M&M world in Times Square (IYKYK) and lacking the intimacy of the Jameson Distillery tour in Midleton. Nonethless we had a great time and we learned about the beer making process, the history of the company and some of its iconic advertising campaigns. The highlight? I tried my first ever Guinness! Yes, I had to wait to have it at the storehouse in Dublin in order to finally try a pint! I must say, I liked it. :)



As we had no plans the remainder of the day, we decided to spend it wandering through the city, soaking in all of the sites and sees including the iconic Trinity College, beautiful pubs and incredibly talented street musicians. One thing about us: if we have a short amount of time in a new place, we are going to spend the entire day out and about and that's just what we did! For our final dinner, we choseThe Old Storehouse Pub & Restaurant. We wanted a traditional Irish pub to commemorate our last night in Ireland and needed a space large enough to accommodate our big group and it didn't disappoint. This was mostly because of the entertainment. Unbeknownst to us when booking the reservation, an incredible solo musician would be performing that night. A few of us stayed to watch him perform after our meal and listening to him was a true highlight of the entire trip! Shoutout to Jake Suleman for sharing your incredible talent.


https://theoldstorehouse.ie
The Whole Crew at our final dinner at The Old Storehouse Pub

Day 8

Our trip was coming to and end and I don't know about you, but I always get a little sad about returning home...



Our flight out wasn't until the late afternoon a deliberate choice to allow us to savor some extra time in Dublin and I'm glad we made that decision We spent the extra time walking over to explore a part of the city that we hadn't seen yet, passing the iconic Temple Bar on our way to see the River Liffey. There is definitely a lot to do and see in Dublin and I feel like we only scratched the surface of it. We wrapped up our time in Ireland with a yummy snack at Keoghs Cafe, known for having delicious scones!


The only transportation not covered in our trip was the ride from our hotel in Dublin to the airport, so we hired a car service to bring us! It's also worth noting that in Ireland you go through US customs BEFORE boarding the plane. In the Dublin airport there are some food options after you go through, but I suggest eating at one of the restaurants before if you want a more substantial meal.


As you can tell from the recap, our trip was a busy one! As much as I loved being on-the-go, it would have been nice to have 2 more days. I think one "off" day in the middle of our trip would've have been the perfect way to reset as well as an extra day in Dublin. This would've been possible with My Ireland Tours and I would suggest this for anyone looking to book a trip through them.



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Amanda Loveless
Amanda Loveless
Feb 20, 2024

These photos are incredible!..... but that rainbow photo takes the cake. Spectacular!

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