After a nice Irish breakfast at the hotel, it was time to start our new adventure.
We headed south towards the town of Cobh. This cute, seaside town is located on an island in Cork City’s Harbor. The colorful buildings made it so charming.
What makes this town so famous is this was the last port that the Titanic stopped at in 1912. They have a wonderful museum that is dedicated to the Titanic.
We took a walk around the town. There are some pretty steep hills so make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes.
Our walk brought us to St. Colman’s Cathedral. This beautiful place of worship sat at the top of the hill and had a spectacular view of the water.
The details on the outside of the cathedral were detailed.
Inside was even more spectacular. The tall ceilings, carved stone, stained glass windows were breathtaking.
It was wonderful to walk around and see all the statues and places to pray. I was glad I got to light a candle and say a prayer for my family and friends.
If you want to have a traditional Irish pub experience, then visit Geary’s Pub.
As soon as we walked through the doors, we felt welcomed. The locals where were at the bar smiled at our group as we walked to a table by the fireplace.
We wanted to warm up so Irish coffees were ordered all around. They were made with such care. The whipped cream used on top was freshly made. And it was accented with a shamrock on top. A little biscotti cookie was served on the side, which was a nice treat. It was the perfect ratio of coffee to whisky.
We got to meet the owner of the pub, Claude. He’s the 5th generation owner. The back room of the pub is full of his family’s history.
Claude was extremely friendly. We were all talking about travel, American football, and whisky. We did a few tastings while we were there too.
Claude was so nice he took tons of pictures with us. Plus he allowed our whole group behind his bar to get group photo.
If you want a fun experience, definitely head to Geary’s Pub.
Inside the Charleville Park Hotel is the Park Bar & Grill. The bistro style menu offered a little bit of everything.
Since I had just visited Smithwick’s, I got a pint of their Red Ale to enjoy while I looked at the menu.
I was not extremely hungry, so I ordered their soup of the day. It was a Root Vegetable soup. It came out pureed, so it was creamy. I noticed that this is a common thing for soups in Ireland. I was expecting this to be a chunky soup with pieces of potato, carrot, and parsnips. But it was still very good, and I finished the whole bowl.
A Steak Sandwich was ordered. It came out on top of a garlic Ciabatta roll. There was a pepper gravy on the side as well as French fries and a side salad. It was a lot of food. The beef was flavorful and tender.
Another dish that was ordered was the 24 hr Feather Blades of Beef. This was a tender cut of beef that fell apart with a fork. It was extremely savory. They served it with creamy mashed potatoes. There was a red wine au jus that was on top. Plus there were roasted vegetables and parsnip puree.
If you want a huge dish with leftovers, then order the Chicken and Bacon Penne Pasta. There was a generous amount of shaved parmesan, carbonara sauce, and a big slice of garlic bread. It was very creamy and filling.
If you like chowders the North Atlantic Seafood Chowder will hit the spot. It was extremely creamy and loaded with fresh seafood that ranged from shrimp, fish, muscles, and potatoes to add a chucky texture.
This beautiful, quaint hotel is just on the outskirts of town. It’s only about a mile walk to get into town.
The rooms are a great size, perfect for spreading out. The downside is there were not USB charging ports, so make sure you have a converter plug.
The entire staff is friendly and very helpful. They helped with restaurant / pub suggestions as well as helped get taxis for guests who did not want to walk.
The hotel offers a large Irish breakfast each morning. There is an assortment of cereals, fruits, eggs, sausages, and juices.
Our next stop was Charleville. We would be spending 2 nights in town. After checking into the hotel, it was time to get some dinner. We ate at the Park Bar & Grill that was located inside the hotel.
After dinner it was time to start exploring Charleville. It was a small Irish town, exactly what I was hoping for. The shops were closed for the evening, but the pubs were open.
We stopped at a local pub that was recommended to us by the staff at the hotel. It was Geary’s Pub.
This pub was extremely cozy inside. We made sure to grab a table by the fireplace to warm up. We ordered Irish coffees and got the meet the owner of the pub. It was the exact experience that I wanted to enjoy in Ireland, and the perfect way to end the day.
Since 1710, Smithwick’s Brewery has been making beer for Ireland and eventually the world.
After you take the brewery tour, stop on over to the tasting room. You have the option of getting a pint of one of their many beers or you can take a flight.
I went for the Smithwick’s Red Ale flight. The flight included:
Smithwick’s Red Ale
Smithwick’s Pale Ale
Kilkenny Draught (which is similar to Guiness)
I really enjoyed the red ale. They did not have that strong hoppy taste. They were somewhat sweet, smooth, and they felt light.
Make sure you take time to visit the brewery. And if you have enough time check out their gift shop.
When walking around Kilkenny we stopped at a pub called Paris Texas. One of the reasons we stopped was because of their name. We had actually been to the town of Paris, Texas and we had to see what this was all about. It truly was a Texas themed restaurant because their entire menu was Texas BBQ. While it smelled delicious when we walked in we were not going to get Texas BBQ in Ireland. We wanted to stick with local food.
We did hear that they offered the best Irish Coffee in Kilkenny. So that is what we all ordered. They were made with such care. There was a perfect balance of coffee and whiskey. There was a homemade cream on top that was sweet and oh so creamy. The coffee when down smoothly. It was almost scary how fast I was able to drink it.
If you are in Kilkenny and you want a great Irish coffee Paris Texas is the place. But they are also known as one of the leading Gastro pubs in the Southeast of Ireland. Check them out at www.paristexas.ie
We were heading southwest towards the charming town of Kilkenny. Along the drive it was amazing to see the old churches and structures that are still standing. It helps bring history to life as Ella would tell us stories about what we saw.
Kilkenny is a medieval city that is also known as the Marble City because of its distinctive black marble.
This was one of my favorite stops on the trip. As we rode through the town, I could not help but notice the blend of medieval structure with modern day conveniences.
We did not have enough time in this town. Almost everyone on our tour agreed. While this is the downside of being on a tour, it is perfect for when I come back. I know exactly where to go.
One of the must visits in Kilkenny is the Kilkenny Castle. It is just a few Euros, but it is worth it. What made this so interesting is how much history is in these walls. One family lived in it for over 600 years.
The paintings located throughout the great halls helped create a picture of the generations that roamed the halls.
The tapestries were awe-inspiring. They were huge and encompassed entire walls. It is amazing knowing that these were made by hand.
The dining rooms were renovated with great care. They actually were able to track down the original makers of wallpaper and carpets. As an American I was astonished by this because some of these companies are over 200 years old, which are older than our country.
The staircases were completely made of carved wood. They are like something out of a movie. The workmanship is spectacular. Even the walls were made of carved wood. We do not see this in modern day construction.
When you are in this castle, don’t forget to look out the windows. There are breathtaking views of the grounds and the gardens.
When we finished the castle tour, we were ready to get an Irish coffee. It was recommended that we check out Paris Texas; they are supposed to have the best Irish coffee in town.
Walking the streets of Kilkenny we popped into several of the local shops. It is an easy town to walk around. The blend of old and new made the town unique.
We came to Smithwick’s Brewery which started in 1710. You are able to take a brewery tour and then do a tasting at the end. They do an amazing job teaching everyone about the history of the brewery and how their beers are made.
The tasting room is large to accommodate everyone. You have the option of getting a pint of one of their many beers or you can take a flight.
It was time to get back on the bus and head to our next stop. It was a 2 hour drive and we were able to stop for a quick bite at McDonald’s to enjoy on the bus.
We started off the morning with an Irish breakfast at the hotel. They had traditional American dishes like eggs, bacon, oatmeal, and hash browns.
Then they offered unique European dishes. I wanted to make sure I tried some of these. The baked beans we interesting to me, not because of the beans themselves, but that they were being offered for breakfast and not lunch/dinner when they normally would be offered in the States.
The beans did not have that BBQ taste. They are in a tomato sauce that was sweet and simple. It did not overpower anything else that I was eating for breakfast. I ended up really enjoying these each morning.
The Black & White Pudding are sausage patties. They have an interesting texture and are really dry compared to traditional breakfast sausage. These were not my favorite, but I am glad that I tried them.
After breakfast we met with our tour guide Ella from Exoticca. She gave us a quick rundown of the daily activities and then we were on our way.
Our first activity was a walking tour of Dublin. I love walking tours because you get to understand and learn your way around a city, while learning about all the history.
Our first stop was at the statue of Countess Constance Markievicz. She was one of the leaders in the Irish Revolution in 1917. She sacrificed her wealth and station for a vision of a better Ireland.
The Steine (or long stone) was a point that the Vikings marked when they inhabited Dublin in the 10th and 11th centuries. This was the original location of the shoreline of the River Liffey during the time of the Vikings.
Trinity College is the oldest university in Ireland. It is home to the Book of Kells. This book is full of rich ornamentation that dates back to 800 AD. This ancient book depicts Celtic and Christian traditions that were captured by Irish monks.
To see the Book of Kells, it requires a separate tour ticket. We did not have time on this trip to experience this but I have it on our list for our next visit to Dublin.
St Ann’s Church located on Dawson Street cannot be missed with the big red doors. It was constructed around 1707. There is amazing gothic architecture. It had really nice dedications to soldiers who served in WWI and WWII.
As we walked down Dawson Street we came to the Mansion House. This is the home to the Lord Mayor of Dublin and has been that way since 1715. It is the oldest free-standing house in Dublin.
Temple Bar is the cultural center of Dublin and is home to an array of colorful pubs. Temple Bar is the name of the area as well as an actual pub. In addition to the pubs, there are also several restaurants and shops.
Two pubs that are a must visit when in Dublin are:
Temple Bar – always jam packed with people, wonderful live music
Oliver St. John Gogarty – named after the famous Irish poet and playwright. They offer pints, food, and live music
Christ Church Cathedral has stood at the heart of Dublin for almost 1,000 years. It was originally a Viking church before it became part of the Irish church.
St Audoen’s is the only remaining medieval parish church in Dublin.
Once the walking tour was done, we headed back to the hotel and got onto our tour bus, which would be our mode of transportation for the remainder of the tour. This is when we met Mike, our driver. What a character – and a true Irishman. He had a heavy accent, made funny jokes, and told amazing stories. Most of all he was friendly and helped us throughout the entire trip.
As we headed out of Dublin into the countryside of Ireland, I was amazed by how green it was. I have seen it in pictures, but I always just assumed it was summertime. Here I was at the end of February, beginning of March and it was green all over. It was magical for sure.
