We covered a lot of ground in 13 days—some of us even arrived a day early for a total of 14 days! Huge thanks to Anna Sue Spohn, Itchin’ to Go Travel, and SIE Tours for organizing this incredible Ireland getaway. And of course Michael, our tour guide/bus driver who really made this trip special for all of us—him and his side kick Shamus (pronounced Saemus).
Starting in Dublin, we explored:
– The Guinness Storehouse with a guided tour,
– A bus tour of the city,
– The EPIC Heritage Museum,
– Dinner at Taylors Three Rock Irish Night and Cabaret, and
– Plenty of free time for personal exploration.
Next, we traveled to Cork, stopping for scenic photos along the way. In Cork, we:
– Climbed the bell tower,
– Enjoyed the Middleton Experience, viewing the Kindred Spirits monument honoring Choctaw Natives who supported Ireland during the Famine,
– Had lunch in a quaint harbor town, where some took a nap while others explored,
– Explored Blarney Castle and Estates, where some kissed the Blarney Stone for luck, while others strolled the grounds, concluding with souvenir shopping at the Woolen Mill.
Our journey continued to Killarney, where we:
– Took a scenic horse and carriage ride through Killarney National Park,
– Had a drink at the historic Foxy John’s pub, a unique combination of pub and hardware store,
– Enjoyed coastal views,
– Had dinner at Paidi O’Se’s, a pub run by the family of a legendary Irish football player, complete with stories from his son,
– Stopped at another pub for a nightcap before returning to our hotel.
The next day saw us heading to Galway, where we:
– Visited Listowel Castle in County Kerry,
– Enjoyed storytelling at John B. Keane Pub, with many of us purchasing his book,
– Took a ferry across the peninsula,
– Experienced the Cliffs of Moher, albeit interrupted by fire alarms at the Visitor Center,
– Went on a walking tour of Galway,
– Enjoyed a scenic boat cruise with Irish coffees,
– Visited Kylemore Abbey,
– Spent a delightful evening in Galway.
We then made our way north to Derry:
– Witnessed a Sheepdog herding demonstration with Border Collies—a trip highlight,
– Visited Mullaghmore Castle,
– Explored Bushmills Distillery,
– Walked along the Giant’s Causeway,
– Stopped at Grianan of Aileach Ringfort on our way to Cabra Castle in County Cavan.
– We spent the afternoon and evening at Cabra Castle, which we named our County Cavan red. We toasted dinner with a bottle of wine we brought, in honor of the castle once owned by the Reilly family—potentially connected to our own lineage. While records indicate our name might have changed from Reilly to Riley upon arriving in the States, Mike’s genealogy research has its limits before they came to Virginia, so who knows!
– Our journey concluded in Trim with a visit to Trim Castle, followed by one last dinner together before heading back to the airport on June 2nd, returning to reality.
A heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us on this adventure through Ireland. It was wonderful to dive into the culture together!
Slainte’