Ireland, Fun In the Sun - This Time Anyway.

I've been told that Ireland is about the size of Maine and has weather like Seattle.  Yet we just came back from a tour of the country and had the best weather ever.  We had sunshine almost every day, highs around 23, gentle breezes, and lots of beautiful scenery. 

Dublin is fun to explore with lots of historic sites like the Custom’s House, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Christ’s Church Cathedral, and more.  Then you get the “Hag with the Bag”, the “Stiletto in the Ghetto” (or the “Why in the Sky”), and other fun sculptures.  The Irish dance at “Taylor’s” was fantastic even if the food was a bit on the ordinary side.  The Book of Kells was fun at Trinity, and lots more.  We were their during the Hurling finals and I’m sorry, but it looks more fun than football or soccer could ever be.  What talent and hats off to Kilkenny, sorry Tipperary.

I’ll likely fill out more later, but traveling around the country, we did the Famine Museum, a cruse on a river, lots of shopping, the Cliffs of Moher, tons of historic ruins, churches, monasteries, libraries, and of course Blarney Castle.  A little Germ-X and kiss away at that silly little stone!  Glendalough was really cool and, had we arrived in Kilkenny a bit sooner, we could have climbed to the top of a 9th century watch tower!

The Irish are mostly very friendly, the shopping was fun, the pubs and the music were good to fantastic, and the food was ok to good to amazing, depending on where you were and what you ordered.  I’d say you can never go wrong with the soups and stews (assuming you don’t mind lamb).  Oh and I personally loved the Uilleann pipes – much better than Scottish bag pipes I’m told because you fill the bag from a bellows instead of with your mouth so you can still play and drink!

The ring of Kerry was good, but busy.  You need to stop a lot to enjoy the scenic overlooks.  Hiking in the national park was good.  Don’t forget to go to Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel. 

Sad news about Waterford Chrystal, formally hand made in Waterford, Ireland but now mass produced in tons of other countries after an English company bought it out, then wend defunct.  England saved the mother company, but let Waterford sink.  Buy Tipperary Chrystal instead as its hand crafted by all of the former Waterford people.  If you buy Waterford, only buy items made in Ireland – it’s the best, it’s handmade, and they will be collector’s items now.  Otherwise, go Tipperary – it’s good.

So much to do and so little time…  If you go, rent a car and set your own schedule.  Yes, you can easily learn to drive on the left and it’s very natural with the steering wheel on the right.  Set your own schedule and go wild – it is a fun country full of mostly very nice people.

Cheers, -E