Searching for Castles and Leprechauns
Ireland, oh Ireland, you are mighty beautiful! Over Memorial Weekend, Michael and I went with six of our adult family members to this magical country and we were not disappointed. Ireland easily tops the list as one of the most picturesque countries I have ever seen and we cannot wait to go back someday.
To start our journey, we traveled directly from Boston to Dublin via Aer Lingus. It was an overnight flight, so we landed on a Thursday morning ready to begin our adventure. When we landed, we were greeted by a very friendly gentleman that was sent to fetch us from the amazing Powerscourt Hotel. I chose this hotel for a very specific reason: tranquility. It's set down in the Wicklow Mountains, about a half hour south
from Dublin. I really wanted this trip to be about Ireland, not just about Dublin, so I decided to take us out of the city. This hotel, is unreal. It's grand, gorgeous, pristine, and just all around fabulous. The staff are amazingly accommodating, gracious, kind and very professional. Due to my status with Marriott, we were all upgraded to beautiful suites with balconies and large bedrooms--major perk! Breakfast was also included, which is always nice to have. The first day, we spent the afternoon exploring the hotel, napping, and recuperating from our travels. Once we were all revived, we set out to attend the Hooley Show at the famous Johnnie Foxes!
Johnnie Foxes is famous for their Hooley Show and also for being the highest bar in Ireland. I had to book tickets for this months in advance, and it was well worth it. The food was great, the show was even better, and you really got the feeling that you were somewhere special. The bar itself is just as authentic as you would expect, with low ceilings and dark interiors. In my opinion, this is a definite must when visiting eastern Ireland.
Our first full day was spent exploring Ireland. In advance, I had booked us the Connoisseur Experience at the Guinness Factory and that was super cool. You get a small group tasting and thorough explanation of a bunch of different Guinness brews, which is a great experience considering how crowded the factory itself can get. It was only about 30 Euro more per person, and in my opinion, that's nothing compared to what you get.
After Guinness, we split into groups and did some sightseeing. It was unseasonably hot in Dublin that day, which was great for walking around. We saw a lot and ended our day at FX Buckley's in Temple Bar--one of the top rated steak restaurants in the city. This was also a reservation that I had to make months in advance, seeing as the restaurant is so popular and is very tiny. The steaks were great and the service was A+--definitely a recommendation for Dublin!
Our second full day was one of my favorite days. We woke up early to catch our private bus to Galway, and had the hysterical JJ as our driver. Once we ended our 2.5 hour journey out west, we were given free time in Galway before we met Jimmy--our new best friend. Jimmy took us everywhere, and I mean everywhere. We went to little villages along the Atlantic Coast. We went to Doolin. We went to the Cliffs of Moher. We saw so much and it was all because of Jimmy. Doolin is an adorable little village right by the Cliffs of Moher, which I absolutely recommend you see. There isn't much there, but it's a worthwhile stop. The Cliffs of Moher are absolutely stunning and 100% worth the trip. Thankfully, we had amazing weather so we could very clearly see the cliffs, the water, and the beautiful surrounding areas.
On our third full and final day, we once again woke up early to catch a taxi to The Orchard Centre.
This visit tops the list for me and I'll tell you why. The Orchard Centre is a working dairy farm that contracts with Bailey's Irish Cream to produce the cream that goes in that delicious alcoholic beverage we all love. Joe Hayden and his brother own the farm and you can absolutely tell it's a labor of love. As we were walking around the pasture visiting with the cows, you could see how passionate Joe was about his lifestyle and his craft. This farm is his life and he is immensely devoted to it. To see such a love for something you do was truly inspirational and made this visit a true pleasure. Plus, we got to have a Bailey's tasting!
All in all, Ireland is incredible. At such a short flight from the East Coast, we will absolutely be back one day. The people are genuinely kind, warm, inviting humans and that is such a treat to experience in today's world. They have nothing but open arms for you and I encourage all of you to experience it firsthand.