We just returned home from an amazing trip to Ireland with 15 of our loyal readers and want to make you all emerald-isle-green with envy! It was a fabulous week filled with great sites, fun times, and many unforgettable “wow” moments. Here is a photographic recap of some of those good times.
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Ireland Trip Day 1 – Arrive Dublin
Our Ireland trip began in the capital city of Dublin. Known as the gateway to Ireland, Dublin is a magnificent place with many delightful sites to visit. There are numerous historical sites, a lively pub scene, delicious food, stunning green spaces, and friendly locals. The crew had no problem filling their time with all of our recommended sites to see while in the city.
That evening we enjoyed an opening dinner at Taylor’s Three Rock. Taylors Irish Night is filled with traditional Irish song and dance, accompanied by a great selection of quality Irish food. The night began with a traditional three course Irish dinner, including an Irish coffee. This was followed by a traditional Irish band accompanied by a cast of professional Irish dancers. One of our group was chosen to try a tongue twister: “I’m not the pheasant plucker, I’m the pheasant plucker’s son, and I’m only plucking pheasants ’til the pheasant plucker comes.” You can imagine how this turned out!
This was a great way to kick off a trip to Ireland!
Ireland Trip Day 2 – Dublin to Belfast
On the first full day of our trip, we made our way to Northern Ireland. Along the way, we saw the glorious Mourne Mountains.
We stopped along the way at Down Cathedral. Legend says this historic church is the burial place of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The Gothic Revival cathedral dates to the 12th century and still retains preserved medieval elements.
Upon arrival in Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland, a local guide gave us a tour of all of the key sites in the city. Then it was off to see Titanic Belfast. This museum recreates the story of the world’s most famous ship in an iconic, six floor building right beside the historic site of the original ship’s construction. The journey began immediately upon entering the building’s giant atrium. We were surrounded by the four ‘ship’s hull’ shaped wings which house the Titanic Experience. There are nine large galleries in the interactive exhibition. We learned about the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast, her construction and launch, to her famous maiden voyage and subsequent place in history.
After a long day, we enjoyed a free evening and a chance to hit the local pubs, restaurants, and shops.
Ireland Trip Day 3 – Causeway Coastal Route to Derry
Today, we traveled through Northern Ireland toward Derry, on the Causeway Coastal Route. It hugs the coastline and is known as one of the most beautiful road trips in the world. We stopped to snap a photo of Carrickfergus Castle, a medieval castle dating to 1177.
Then we stopped at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. First erected by salmon fishermen in 1755, the bridge is suspended almost 100 feet above sea level. It connects the mainland to Carrick-a-Rede island. Unfortunately, the bridge was closed due to wind conditions. We were able to go down and see it. Some of us were disappointed and others relieved not to cross it!
Next, we visited the Giant’s Causeway. Formed by ancient lava flows, the area features 40,000+ hexagonal basalt columns jutting up from the ground. According to legend, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was created by the mythical Irish giant, Finn McCool. Our Giant’s Causeway guide took us down the Blue Trail and told us all about the terrain, as well as the legend of its creation. Then some took the shuttle bus back up to the Visitor’s Centre while others hoofed it back up the hill or took the Red Trail cliff-top walk.
We enjoyed lunch at a cute little pub near Giant’s Causeway. Then we stopped by Dunluce Castle to see the roofless ruins which was once the home of the clans McQuillan. We then continued on to Derry for a free evening in this amazingly preserved walled city.
Ireland Trip Day 4 – Derry to Galway
Day four started early with a walking tour of Derry. Derry has Europe’s best-preserved medieval walls completely encircling the historical city center. You can walk around the 400 year old walls from moat level or at the top of the ramparts. We enjoyed seeing iconic landmarks like the Guildhall, St. Columb’s Cathedral, and the Bogside Murals.
After the tour, we hit the road to make our way to Galway. In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a walking tour of Galway. We saw Lynch Castle, Saint Nicholas Church, and the famous Spanish Arch. We then had the evening free to explore the city.
Ireland Trip Day 5 – Galway to Limerick
Today we traveled along the Wild Atlantic Way and through The Burren. This is area is quite a contrast to the rest of the Ireland – it looks like you are driving through the surface of the moon! The green goodness of Ireland still shows through, though.
Our first stop was the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most spectacular sights. Standing 755 feet above the ground at their highest point, and almost 5 miles long, the cliffs boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland.
After a quick lunch, we visited Bunratty Castle & Folk Park. The castle was built in the 15th century, and the folk park includes 30 buildings showcasing life at all levels of society. We wandered through thatched cottages, schoolhouses, village stores, and more, to see how people in 19th century Ireland lived, from the poorest to the richest.
For dinner, we enjoyed the Knappogue Castle Medieval Banquet. This was a four course meal and entertainment from the castle’s talented musicians and dancers. Many sipped a little mead while feasting on smoke salmon, tomato basil soup, Irish soda bread, roasted chicken, and rastin (apple cinnamon crunch with Chantilly cream). Two of our own served as royalty for the evening, as is fitting for an Extravelgance group! This is a quintessential tourist experience, but a lot of fun!
Stuffed and happy, we made our way to Limerick for the night.
Ireland Trip Day 6 – Dingle Peninsula
From Limerick we drove to the Dingle Peninsula for a beautiful start to the sixth day of our trip to Ireland. Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, this area is located on Ireland’s westernmost point and offers tremendous views, prehistoric sites, and Gaelic culture. We had a great lunch in the town of Dingle. Most importantly we stopped at Murphy’s Ice Cream for dessert!
We explored the peninsula on Slea Head Drive from the town of Dingle. This 24-mile circular route is part of the Wild Atlantic Way and is one of Ireland’s most scenic drives. Every minute of the journey has awe-inspiring scenery, and we made a few stops to see glorious views, Iron Age stone structures, and ancient churches. We even saw Darth Vader and Yoda, albeit made of old tires! This is a nod to the filming of the new Star Wars movies made in the Dingle Peninsula.
We also visited the Blasket Center, an award winning cultural museum addressing the lives of the Blasket Islanders. These people lived on the remote Blasket Islands from the late 16th century until the last citizens left in 1953.
We continued to Killarney for a free evening. Everyone was excited because we were spending two nights here.
Ireland Trip Day 7 – Ring of Kerry
Our day started with a jaunting car ride to Ross Castle. A jaunting car is a horse-drawn carriage and the carriage driver AKA jarvey is a friendly local. As we trotted down the streets of Killarney and into Killarney National Park, our jarvey regaled us with entertaining stories, jokes, the names of plants and animals you see, and local history.
Then we explored the Ring of Kerry. Rather than doing the entire scenic 111-mile circular route, we opted for the mini-Ring of Kerry drive. This 40-mile drive still offers incredible views of cliffs, beaches, mountains, lakes, the ocean, and charming villages. In a nutshell, the Ring of Kerry gives travelers what they dream of in a trip to Ireland. We were in awe of the stunning emerald landscapes, seaside vistas, adorable little villages, fields dotted with wooly sheep, ancient ruins, and so much more. One highlight was the Kenmare Stone Circle where we wrote wishes for the Fairy Trees.
On our journey, we passed through Killarney National Park. We saw the scenic mountain pass called Moll’s Gap and the famous viewpoint Ladies View. We also enjoyed an assortment of charming towns, ancient stone structures, castle ruins, natural wonders, and much much more.
We enjoyed an evening in Killarney with live music and our closing group dinner. You have to change hotels a lot to see all of Ireland, but everyone was ready for a day where we didn’t move.
Ireland Trip Day 8 – Killarney to Dublin
During our final day together, we traveled from Killarney to Dublin. Along the way, we stopped to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle. The castle is in ruins, but it’s still fun to climb the narrow circular staircases and explore the old rooms. Interpretive signs are in the various castle rooms to give you an idea of what it might have looked like before falling into ruin. There’s a chapel, banqueting hall, family room, great hall, kitchen, young ladies’ bedroom, priest’s room, and even a dungeon. And Blarney Gardens are extensive and gorgeous, no matter what season you visit.
Our final stop on the journey was at the Rock of Cashel for photos. This stunning castle was the location where in the 5th century, St. Patrick met and converted Aenghus, the King of Munster, to Christianity.
Once back in Dublin, we said goodbye to our terrific guide, Michael, and to each other. It was so nice traveling in this beautiful country with a group of incredibly delightful people!ogether and drink a toast to our 8 enchanting days on the Emerald Isle!
When are you going to head to the Emerald Isle of Ireland?
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