We woke up early in Reykjavik and flew IcelandAir to Dublin where we connected with our 4th travel companion (my best pal, Pilar!!) who had flown in from Houston. We had 7 days in Ireland with plans to drive to various towns around the country. We rented our vehicle through Enterprise. Renting an automatic is always more expensive than renting a manual in Europe, but it was still only about $100 for each person for the week. Our first stop was Doolin to see the Cliffs of Moher! With each day we had to drive to a new town, we planned to stop somewhere halfway there for a lunch stop.
Leaving Dublin, we were heading to Aille River Tourist Hostel which is in Doolin, about 3 hours from the Dublin Airport. We planned a stop in Athlone - about 1 hour and 20 minutes away. We found a spot to park in Athlone and randomly walked into Sean's Bar. We were hungry and looking for lunch, but the bartender let us know that they didn't serve food. We walked out back, thinking maybe we could find a restaurant along the water, and that's when we saw the huge plaque right in front of Sean's Bar, declaring it the oldest pub in Ireland, and possibly Europe, having documented history all the way back to 900 A.D. Of course we found ourselves a booth, and a pint of Guinness!
From Athlone, we made our way through the windy, narrow streets to Doolin! We easily found Aille River Tourist Hostel, which was such picturesque lodging in this already breathtaking location.
Though I am not stranger to hostels, some of my travel companions were. Of course when they saw this location, it was only excitement! After dropping our luggage off, we set off to explore! Right from this hostel, you can get right to the start of a the Cliffs of Moher hike. We started the trail briefly, as it was getting dark and was raining a bit. Food and drinks were on our mind. We happened inside Fitz's Pub, which was exactly what we were looking for. We got a table right in the center of this cozy, candlelit space. And once again, to our surprise, we were rewarded with authentic Irish music! We drank and Guinness and shared smiles while 6 musicians serenaded the patrons. It was magical!
Our next day we set off to hike around the rim of the Cliffs of Moher! We wanted to start somewhere on the middle of the rim and walk down to O'Brien's Tower. Once again, having done very little research, we weren't sure where to park, but all of a sudden, in the middle of nowhere, you will see a huge parking lot. We pulled in, but were disgusted at the price tag; €12 PER PERSON in the vehicle?!?! Absolutely not. We asked the man working at the parking lot where we could park to hike the rim that was cheaper. Here is a great tip: most farms along the rim will let you park for a fraction of the cost. If you drive down about five minutes from the visitor center parking lot and park near Hags Head, the farmer there will let you park for €10 total. AND, you don't have to deal with shoulder to shoulder people. From there, it's a really great walk along the rim to O'Brien's Tower. Another bit of Irish Luck!
From the Cliffs of Moher, we were on our way to Dingle! If you need a stop between the two, I highly recommend Limerick. What an adorable town! In Dingle, we stayed at Aoibheann's Place that we booked through AirBnb. It runs about $90/night and sleeps 4 people comfortably. This AirBnb is adorable! It sits right in town, and right above The Goat Café which serves Brunch and Lunch. We put our bags in our new space, changed our clothes, and went out into this charming town!
There are adorable pubs all around this town! Our first night, we went to the Dingle Pub. It's crowded and vibrant with live Irish music and even River Dancing if you're lucky!
SLEA HEAD DRIVE IS A MUST!! If you want to see some of the greenest grass and bluest water in your life, I can't recommend Slea Head Drive enough! This was a highlight of the trip for all of us! It's a perfect way to spend a day in Dingle! We stopped to hold little lambs, and stopped as often as we could for short walks, beach visits and beers. I recommend stopping at Inch Beach, you can take really lovely walks and enjoy the sand.
From this gorgeous walk, we made our way to Kruger's Bar; Ireland's Most Westerly Bar!
And then we enjoyed one more beverage at one of the most beautiful settings I have been in at Tig Bhric & West Kerry Brewery. I can't say the beer was my favorite, but who can possibly argue with this view?!
We finished our day walking around Dingle and enjoying the quaintness mixed with the lively spirit of the town. We shopped and wandered before finally heading to John Benny's Pub for dinner. Our waitress was wonderful! Even though she thought we were disgusting for asking for a scoop of vanilla ice cream with our Irish coffees for dessert! Dinner and dessert both were fantastic!
Other pubs to definitely check out: An Droichead Beag, Neligan's Bar, O'Flaherty's Bar, Paddy Bawn Brosnan’s, Dick Mack's Pub and Murphy's Pub.
There is so much to enjoy in this small town! We were there two days and definitely could have stayed another day or two!
Next we were off for some hiking in Killarney National Park. We were a little pressed for time, so we landed on Tomies Wood and Lough Leane Loop - a 4.5 mile trail that would take about 2 hours. This was definitely a wonderful change of pace from the last several days, and a great opportunity to sweat out some of the Guinness! ;)
We made an unexpected stop in Cobh after learning it was the last port that Titanic left from before eventually sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Cobh has plenty of Titanic history with the Titanic Museum. This is known as the Titanic Experience, which was the original White Star Line Ticket Office, the departing point for passengers of the Titanic. The entire town is filled with Titanic history and memorabilia. We were so hopped up on Titanic thoughts that once we made it to our AirBnb (The Coach House Douglas) in Cork, we got some wine and snacks and dreamily watched Leo and Kate on the living room tv. This guest house was SO comfortable and all four of us would absolutely recommend the stay.
Making our way to Dublin, we were still needing a royal experience in one of the thousands of castles that Ireland has to offer! When you're driving on the highways in Ireland, almost every exit will have signage for a castle, so you really have your pick! We selected Kilkenny Castle, built in 1260. The town is adorable, and the castle is in tact with tons of history!
We made our way to Dublin and wanted to really enjoy the nightlife within the city! We stayed at the Norseman Temple Bar est. 1696. The pub at the base of the accommodation is charming, and if nightlife is your goal, this place could not be located any better. We first went straight to Temple Bar after getting ready for a night out.
We went early in the evening, which I highly recommend. Temple Bar is always crowded due to its iconic nature and daily traditional Irish music. It really is worth the hype!! The oldest pub in Dublin, Brazen Head is also a must!
There are hundreds of pubs in Dublin, and at most you will find toe tapping live Irish music and the most tasty Guinness you could ever hope to drink! You won't be disappointed in your choices.
From Dublin was off to Carlingford, in search of Kevin, the Leprechaun Whisperer. I'd heard of him a couple years ago and I had been waiting for the time when I could finally meet him. Once again, unplanned Irish Luck graced the trip and after getting Folklore Park, who should we meet, but Kevin, the Leprechaun Whisperer!
The whole experience was magical, and in my opinion, something that people at any age are looking for when they come to Ireland. We all want to believe in a little magic. And where better to learn about the history of leprechauns and fairies, but in Ireland, in a cave in FolkLore Park?!
Kevin tells you the tales of when he was up on Slieve Foye mountain and met one of the last remaining leprechauns. Since then, he has been able to meet all of the last remaining 236 leprechauns left in the world. Every night, the leprechauns meet with the fairies and dance into the night, until the sun rises and they part ways back to their respective mountains. Everything about your time with Kevin and Folklore Park is indescribable, and one of the most whimsical and unique experiences you'll ever have.
Straight from Folklore Park, we went into the town of Carlingford and to lunch at PJ O'Hare's Pub. There is a small leprechaun's outfit hanging up in the pub, which you will understand completely after your time with the Leprechaun Whisperer!
The whimsy continued at our final accommodation of the trip, an AirBnb in Newry that I have stayed in multiple times, and would happily stay in any time I found myself in Ireland. Our host Peter made us a delicious dinner and we sat with him to watch an Irish futbol match.
The next morning, Peter took us to a burial tomb, and regaled us with so much history about the area. He ended our morning tour of Newry at the Ring of Gullion - viewpoint below. After 7 days in Ireland, we left this country feeling filled with the luck of the Irish!
Comments