Travelogue: Ireland (2013)

After the kids were out of their teens, we decided to start traveling on our own again to places we’d never seen. I originally wanted to plan a Scotland and Ireland trip, but decided to spend our time to focus on Ireland. The people there were as friendly as expected, the rolling hills as green as expected, the weather as unpredictable as expected. What we didn’t expect was the excellent food, after being raised to expect everyone there eating boiled corned beef, boiled cabbage, and boiled potatoes.

Friday, Sept 13: Kilkenny

Flew into London, then a took a flight to Dublin. We picked up the rental car at the airport and I drove the motorway to Kilkenny shakily, as I was learning how to drive on the left side, with a manual transmission to boot. Westayed at the Pembroke Hotel, within walking distance of all pubs and attractions in town. 

We spent ~ 1 hour to find parking close to the Pembroke Hotel—the directions to the carpark adjacent to the hotel were sketchy at best. After settling in, we walked the town and crossed the river to the Langton Hotel for a late lunch in the restaurant/pub (Deb – Irish Stew, me – lamb shank). The Irish are inveterate talkers and we discussed beer with the bartender then met Paddy and Jonathan (both Dublin software guys in their 30s) at the far end of the bar, trading notes about sports, spirits, politics, Chicago, etc. We headed back to the Pembroke for a two hour nap then later that night went to the Left Bank Pub (former bank) to watch a R&B/Ska/Pop band until 12:30AM. We found our two friends with their friend Danica in a side room. After the Left Bank closed we headed up the street to Morrison’s (a young folks thump thump bar) until 2:30. I bought a round of Guinness for Paddy and Jonathan and they quickly raised the ante with several rounds of Jamison and Coke. Raised the roof, natch.

Saturday, Sept 14, Kilkenny

Later, we ate at Kyteler’s restaurant (just OK), and went to Dylan’s Bar for a Jameson’s whiskey flight, then spent considerable time trying to find traditional music (trad) to no avail.

Our hotel was walking distance from the town attractions. Using Rick Steve’s guidebook, we did a town walk:  Kieran St. and the shops, the Black Abbey, St. Canice’s Cathedral & tower, Smithwick’s Brewery was a target but it was closed that day.  Did a tour of Kilkenny Castle and walked the grounds. Lunch was at National Craft Gallery next to the castle.

Sunday, Sept 15, Kilkenny -> Kenmare

From Kilkenny to Cashel, 62 km, 52 min

We got up early to drive to the Rock of Cashel by 11:30:  40 degrees and cold, blowing rain at 11 AM. This is a church ruin at the top of a hill. Interesting and very Led Zeppelin “Houses of the Holy” looking.  Sun came out after 1PM and it warmed up.

From Cashel to Kenmare, 188km, 2.2 hours

Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare was the best and most expensive hotel of the trip: About a mile from town, wooded grounds next to a creek & stone bridge. Large room.

Walked the hotel grounds, drove to town and bought a Ring of Kerry road map at seemingly closed bookstore.  Ate at the No. 35 restaurant- an excellent meal, starting with pork liver pate under fat and fish cakes. My entrée was grilled duck and Deb’s was sea bass. We chatted with the owner about the drive and our food. Went back to the hotel, visited the spa for hot tub and the swimming pool, then went for a drink in the lounge. The musical entertainment there was a pair of 17-year-old twins playing Irish harp and mandolin. I recognized a Chieftains tune and we struck up a conversation with them. This started my obsession with Trad throughout the trip. We ended the evening talking to a middle-aged couple from Galway.

Monday, Sept 16, Ring of Kerry -> Dingle

Next day from Kenmare, we started the Ring of Kerry scenic drive (backwards, as suggested by Rick Steves to avoid the tour bus).  Turned off down a very narrow road to the Staigue Ring Fort, checked out Derrynane House (Daniel O’Connell’s home) but it’s closed for renovation, saw Coomakesta Pass with views of the Skellig Islands. If you like the thought of green farms giving way to wild rock outcroppings and islands by the coast, this is for you. We stopped in Waterville for a nice lunch in a small café before the big tour buses arrived, walked down to the boat launch at the sea with the tourists.  Took the Skellig Ring and turnoff, park, pay and hike for the “Best View in County Kerry” south of Portmagee and almost got blown off the Cliffs of Drumgour. We turned off further up the road to check out other stone forts.

Dingle was our favorite locale. We stayed at Dingle Skellig Hotel—like a typical vacation inn, very family and activities oriented. We walked from the hotel past an Irish football game with schoolkids. In town, we ate at the excellent James G. Ashe Pub and Restaurant—good wine, Deb orders a filet mignon she says was the best, I got the seafood triple (cod/scallops/turbot). Next we went to the Court House Pub for some Trad and Guinness. Then to An Droicead Beag (The Small Bridge) Pub for two excellent music sets—met Americans from Denver and Texas and swapped Ireland travel stories. They pushed the tables back for dancers for the last set.

Tues, Sept 17: Dingle

Breakfast buffet at Skellig.  A cold, rainy, blustery morning.  We put on the rain gear and walked into town to check out the harbor and walk past the little red seashore B&Bs. Took Rick Steve’s Historical Walk tour from the book. St. Mary’s church and the nun’s cemetery.  Got two sandwiches to go at the SuperValu and shopped for souvenirs for the kids before returning to the hotel for a nap. It was John Benny Moriarty’s pub for dinner—seafood chowder, seafood pie, lamb stew.  Needing a break from Trad, we went to the Phoenix Cinema for tea, cookies and a movie “What Maisie Knew” with the Dingle Film Club (it was their night for snacks).  Back to Moriarty’s to catch an informal Trad session afterwards.

Wed, Sept 18: Dingle -> Galway

We took the second of our major peninsula drives,  the Slea Head Drive (11 miles, 6 hours). Standout attractions are the Dunbeg Fort, beehive huts, Coumeenoole (strand, surfers, hiking up the hill to a bunker and observation point of the Blasket Islands). We stopped at the Bric’s Brew Pub in Ballyferriter for lunch and reading materials.  The afternoon tour took us to Kilmalkedar church ruins and cemetery and the mystical Ogham stone.  This may have been more scenic than the Ring of Kerry drive.  From there it was a 3.5 hour drive to Park House Hotel in Galway.

Galway is the second biggest city in Eire and a good place for Trad. Stayed at Park House Hotel near downtown and at the confluence of three streets. This was at walking distance from Eyre Square and Shop St/High St./Quay St. pedestrian mall shops, restaurants, and pubs. We ate a fancy dinner at the hotel that night, then walked through the pedestrian area. Ended up at The Crane Bar in the West End for more Trad with all the University students.

Thurs, Sept 19: Galway

That morning we drove all the way to the Rossafeel ferry, but missed the connection due to a misunderstanding as to the schedule. We returned to Galway for a  walking tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral (with the JFK stained glass portrait, to commemorate his visit).

Drove the Connamara loop and National Park hike and lunch.

Visited locales where the movie The Quiet Man was made—the stone bridge, and the town Cong for White O’Morn cottage reproduction and Pat Cohan’s Bar. Nearby is the Royal Abbey with monk’s fishing house and Ashford Castle where many famous guests have stayed. All in all, it was a nice drive through small villages.

Back in town we ate at the very good Quay Street Kitchen and hit a gelato place afterwards.

Then we returned for the inevitable Trad—An Pucan Bar, across from the Park House Hotel.

Fri, Sept 20: Galway -> Dublin

This time we successfully took the Rossaveel ferry to the Arun Islands—to Inishmore. Rented bicycles and pedaled the low road, finding blackberries to eat along the road, to the Seven Churches area, then to Dun Aenghus stone fort next to the incredible 300 foot cliffs. Then we took the high road to Dun Duchathair, then returned to the ferry. Highly recommended.

Galway to Dublin, 208 km, 2.1 hours

Dublin downtown is crowded and loud, so we stayed at the historic Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire (pronounced “Done Leery”) which is a 20 minute train ride away from central Dublin. Had burgers in the hotel bar/restaurant. A cool old place where Laurel and Hardy visited (photos everywhere).

Sat, Sept 21: Dublin

Start the morning taking the green train to Dublin. We took the Historical Walking Tour starting at Trinity College, going to Old Parliament House, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral. Went to to St. Patrick’s Cathedral (another one). Taking a break from Irish food, we lunched at Wagamama Noodle Bar on King St.

After lunch we visited the National Museum with its focus on Archaeology, then followed by a sunny day followed nap in Merrion Square park, hangin’ by the Oscar Wilde statue.

That night we did the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, without reservations (they added us last), which started at the Duke Pub, then Trinity College, then O’Neill’s (our favorite), the Old Stand, Davy Byrne’s (mentioned in Ulysses). Two actors did quotes from books and poems while walking. It’s a memorable, unique experience. We were able to talk with the actors about the books.

Note: Generally we stayed away from Temple Bar, the insanely crowded pub and restaurant tourist trap in downtown Dublin near the quay. There are better pubs elsewhere.

Sunday, Sept 22: Dublin

We visited the Joyce Museum in the Martello tower in Dun Laoghaire and saw the bathers outside. I bored Deb with quotes from “Ulysses”.

Then it was the train into town to the Ireland National Gallery, then ate at a strange cafeteria where it took 15 minutes to figure out how it worked. That afternoon we went to the Porterhouse brew pub to drink microbrew IPAs (which, at that time, were just making inroads into Ireland, where the beers are monotonously Guinness, Carling’s, Budweiser, Miller Lite, and usually a cider). Then we watched half of the Irish football final—Dublin vs. County Mayo, which was taking place in the nearby stadium, with the rabid locals helping explain the game to us.  Our day was made when we encountered a very drunk guy outside this pub pissing on the sidewalk, half-blind.

We did Rick Steves’  Mc Connell St walk – statue, Millennium spire, and the late Ormond Hotel (another “Ulysses” location). We went to a Middle Eastern restaurant for dinner. On our way back to the train station, we had one last Guinness in the Lombard Pub and chatted up some local folks (what else?).