We had frequent stops at old pubs for Irish coffees or creamy pints of Guinness and walks around fishing villages and view points
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Ireland is wonderful and Dublin never looked better, it has an old heart but a young trendy population and one can’t help being carried along with the atmosphere.
I was there for a family reunion and to fulfill a promise I made to myself to see more of Ireland. I wanted to take a tour around Ireland and see all the places I had heard about but missed over the years. The Irish countryside with its lush 40 shades of green and the fields dotted with sheep and spring lambs, villages and tidy farms is the kind of scenery that makes me happy.
Our guide Luke and our driver Enda were a duo blessed with good humour and kindness. It helps that Luke was young, fun, upbeat, knew the history of Ireland and its folklore and ancient past. He kept us informed and amused and there was never a dull moment on the whole tour.
We started in Dublin and headed north to Belfast; Luke was up to date on the “Troubles” and the peace agreement. We toured the city of Belfast, the bus dipped in and out of Falls Road, slowing down for us to see peace murals. Belfast is the political and cultural centre of Northern Ireland and is now a peaceful city to visit.
We visited the Titanic exhibition, a must see, and then we had time to wander around in the busy shopping area. My highlight was lunch at the beautiful old Crown Bar.
We set out again in sunshine. It was a perfect day to enjoy the scenic Antrim Coast with a visit to the Giant’s Causeway. I was very grateful for the trolley that took us down to see the strange rock formations and even more grateful that the same trolley brought us up again.
It was my first time seeing the old walled city of Derry with its steep streets and historic buildings.
The next day we drove part of the Wild Atlantic Way and visited Sligo, land of myth and legend, and Benbulbin, the flat topped slab of rock made famous by W. B. Yeats’ poem. Yeats is buried in a Drumcliff churchyard in the shadow of Benbulbin. The epitaph on the simple stone reads “cast a cold eye on life on death. Horseman, pass by.”
Galway was our destination for the night and our hotel was right in the centre – Eyre Square. Galway is considered one of Ireland’s most popular cities with a young vibrant population. It has lots going for it, packed with students and filled with cafés, pubs and good shopping.
Some on our tour took the cruise offered on Lough Corrib while the rest of us settled for a lively pub dinner with music. The tour of The Burren was one of my favourite days, we walked over the rocks to get a close up of the famous iconic dolmen Poulnabrone–dating back to 3,600 BC. I was there in May and wild flowers were blooming between the cracks in the slabs of limestone; everything from cowslips, primroses and orchids.
Next up was a visit to the famous Cliffs of Moher, a natural wonder with its steep cliffs facing the churning Atlantic. Bunratty Castle is another stop worth visiting and we had time for a fun pub lunch at Durty Nelly’s. Limerick and the pretty village of Adare gave us another chance to stretch our legs with a walk around.
We were heading to Killarney, another must see for visitors, packed with accommodations, tourist facilities and good pubs. I booked a jaunting car into The Gap of Dunloe. Back in my younger days we laughed at the idea of such a lame and touristy activity but I had a wonderful time trotting along on a soft misty morning admiring the sheer volume of spring greenery.
The beautiful and remote Ring of Kerry was a whole day tour. We had frequent stops at old pubs for Irish coffees or creamy pints of Guinness and walks around fishing villages and view points. The narrow roads and steep valleys are stunning in Kerry and a wonderful place to see sheep en masse.
Kilkenny our last stop included a walking tour in the medieval centre and is not to be missed. Luke told us to watch out for all the school boys carrying hurling sticks. Kilkenny being the hurling champions of Ireland and it starts young.
Back into Dublin for a last night dinner and Irish show and it was all over. At this point we had become seasoned bus travellers and on first name basis with our fellow travellers.
I highly recommend bus travel, the ease and inclusively of the trip, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy while Luke regaled us with stories of Cu Chulainn and old Irish legends, played music and shared his in depth knowledge of present day Ireland. I don’t think any of us wanted the tour to end.