Exhilarating! That’s how I remember my short tour of Ireland!
Lush and green, with endlessly changing landscapes – and some of the famous rain to blur the bus window at times!
I did a five day trip with CIE Tours https://www.cietours.com/taste-ireland that commenced in Dublin and ended in Shannon.
It was certainly an express ride through the Irish countryside and into the history books.
I loved the diversity of Ireland – the cleanliness of its towns, the pride so obvious in the maintenance of the many different houses we passed and the road signs written in both Irish and English.
We were fortunate to have Joe Lyons as our bus driver and guide. A self-confessed “rare breed”, Joe was a charismatic, passionate and family-loving Irishman from Armagh. Well-versed in storytelling, he provided many glimpses into both his own life as well as the turbulent history of Ireland.
I learned so much about Ireland from Joe. Even simple things such as the meaning of the traditional Irish Claddagh ring (which he wore) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claddagh_ring and the Irish worry stone made of Connemara marble (which I brought home as a souvenir!)
I asked Joe what led him to drive tour groups and he told me that he’s been driving forever – tractors, cars and buses. He just loves to drive, though he admits that as someone who works tirelessly to please his clients, he needs to slow down and recharge sometimes.
And the way he understands best is communing with nature in the Mourne Mountains https://www.ireland.com/en-au/destinations/regions/mourne-mountains/
There were 38 of us on the tour, 34 Americans, three Canadians and one “Aussie” – me! So I was met with “G’day Aussie” during the first day’s roll call. (Having actually spent my younger years in NZ, it made a change from the oft-heard comment …”ah, so say fish and chups for us then!!”)
Our tour commenced in the lobby of our hotel in Dublin from where we were taken on a panoramic tour of this fair city. Highlights included elegant Georgian homes and modern buildings by the River Liffey.
Leafy street in Dublin
We visited Dublin Castle for a guided tour. Not your typical grey stone monolith, this impressive complex was for centuries the seat of colonial power in Ireland. Today, many official ceremonies are held in this beautifully restored building which has, like much of Ireland, a deeply moving history.
The interior of the castle was quite splendiforous, with its ornate ceilings, vibrantly polished timber doors and beautiful carpets.
On Day 2 we travelled to Blarney Castle and Killarney, stopping en route for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel on their hilltop perch.
And no, I very definitely did not climb the winding staircase to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and gain the gift of the gab. (And I aint a “wuss”). I was happy to just wander around the beautiful gardens.
Killarney was a quaint lakeside town. That night we were treated to a delicious meal in our hotel and an opportunity to get to know some of the people on the tour.
Throughout the day there had been much laughter and merriment as we travelled along in the bus, with Joe providing a roving commentary and at times, exchanging cheeky repartee with certain passengers.
“I don’t want to see the same people sitting up the front every day” he announced. “Variety is welcome.” And after that, I reckon quite a few of us took the opportunity to sit up front for a first-class view out the front window.
Mind you, the back of the bus was certainly a lively place to be, with some of the Americans from New York City and Texas.
Although I was a solo traveller, I was welcomed by these friendly folk and enjoyed their travel stories as well as learning more about their lives in America. It was great to be invited to join them at meal-times and whenever we made a sightseeing stop on the way.
I grew up in NZ and knew about sheepdogs, so it was rather intriguing to visit a farm in Ireland and watch the Irish version of a sheepdog herding sheep.
Beforehand, we were treated to a delicious morning tea which included home-made scones – definitely a tasty start to the day!
The famed Ring of Kerry took us on a winding, 100-mile scenic drive through some breathtaking coastal and mountainous country
Ever-changing landscape
At the visitor Centre on Valentia Island we watched a short film on The Skellig Experience. This told the story of the neighboring island of Skellig Michael, a filming location for “Star Wars” https://www.skelligmichael.com/star-wars/ and once the austere home of early Christian monks.
We then enjoyed fish and chips at the local pub in Portmagee.
That night, we returned to Killarney and I took the opportunity to wander the streets and enjoy a scrumptious meal of traditional potato cakes in a friendly and welcoming pub.
Our next day’s adventure took us from the coast of County Clare, across the River Shannon Estuary on a 20 minute ferry ride.
We were bound for the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone soaring almost 700 feet above the Atlantic.
After dire warnings from Joe, our illustrious driver, we didn’t dare explore outside the boundary walls for fear of disappearing in a sandstone slide to infinity!!
The visitor centre here proved an amazing building, tucked into the side of a hill with a glass frontage. This was probably the coldest day we’d experienced and after a quick trip climbing steps to the top for a decent view, a few of us retreated to the cafe inside the visitor centre for a tasty lunch and some souvenir-buying!
Our final night in Limerick included a medieval-style feast in Bunratty Castle.
After climbing up several sets of narrow steps to the main hall, I was glad to sit down and sample the famous Mead!
Afterwards, we were serenaded by songs and harp music evocative of medieval times, with excellent traditional dishes eaten in the way of the times – with fingers!
That was my last night of the tour, as I had to return to London the next day.
My hotel room in Limerick had a pretty amazing view of the River Shannon.
Here’s a marvellous statue depicting the Irish game of Gaelic Football in the main street of Limerick.
Note: Gaelic football, commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch
After a short walk around the town of Limerick the rain started and it was getting cold so I headed back to the hotel and caught a cab to Shannon Airport about a half hour cab ride away.
I have great memories of my time in Ireland, not forgetting the visit to St Brigit’s Well in County Clare. St. Brigid, one of Ireland’s greatest female saints was thought to have lived in the sixth century and credited with founding the convent at Kildare.
Thanks to Joe and all my fellow travellers who accompanied me on my first trip to the Emerald Isle.