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Day 5 – Galway, Ireland

We started our morning with a walking tour of Galway. We started in Eyre Square / John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. It was interesting to learn how important JFK was to the Irish people.

Walking along the street in the rain, it was a true Irish experience. We learned all about the history of Galway.

The city is beautiful. It was a port city back in history. The Vikings called this place home. The Portuguese and Spanish also settled here when they were fleeing their countries. That is one of the reasons for the name “Latin Corner”. You can see their influences throughout the area.

Oscar Wilde, the famous Irish writer, is from Galway. There is a bronze statue dedicated to him.

Another interesting learning was about the famous Irish Claddagh ring, it was created in Galway. This traditional Irish ring has a heart that represents love, a crown that represents loyalty, and two clasped hands representing friendship. There is actually a battle between two jewelry stores claiming to have made the original ring.

If you are into music, Galway has been the inspiration for two songs with the same name “Galway Girl”. Both Steve Earle and Ed Sheeran wrote popular songs. Outside the Quays Bar, on Forster Street, you will find a bronze statue of the Galway Girl. Stop by and take a picture.

There is a legend that ‘Santa Claus” is buried in a church in the Latin Quarter. Whether it really is St. Nicolas or not it makes for a fun story.

While walking around, it’s hard not to go shopping. There are amazing local stores that you should check out, especially if you are looking for a Irish sweater or had. There are so many options to choose from.

Enjoy!

Day 4 (continued) – Cliffs of Moher

A visit to Ireland needs to include a trip to the Cliffs of Moher (cliffsofmoher.ie/). The views are supposed to be spectacular and awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, on the day of our visit it was raining extremely hard. It was so windy it felt like a hurricane.

The rain was not going to hold us back. We walked to the top of the lookout where O’Brien’s Tower was located. It was built in 1835.

Though it was very foggy over the water and we could not see far, we were at least able to see part of the cliffs and the water below.

It was amazing how the winds were howling and pushing the water upward, instead of down.

There is a wonderful museum that guests can walk through and learn all about the cliffs.

There is a fun 4D movie that runs every 2 minutes. It takes a birds eye view of the cliffs and adds a few surprises as you watch. It is worth watching.

Enjoy!

Day 4 – Adare, Ireland

We started this rainy morning heading to the west of Ireland. We were on our way to Adare. This small town is known for its thatched roof homes that look like something out of Lord of the Rings.

Make sure to visit their welcome center. They have great displays explaining the history of the area. It is also a great spot to grab a cup of coffee.

For golf fans, Adare is also home to Adare Manor, which will be hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027 (rydercup.com/the-2027-ryder-cup). It will be amazing to see how this small town will explode with visitors for the tournament.

After this short visit we were back on the road and starting our journey to the famous Cliffs of Moher.

Enjoy!

J.R O’Connors Bar – Charleville, Ireland

We were not ready to call it a night after we finished dinner. So we headed over to another local pub called J.R. O’Connors Bar.

It had been recently renovated but the original establishment has been around since 1863.

It was cozy inside, with low ceilings. We grabbed a seat by the fire again to warm up. We enjoyed a pint with the locals before heading back to the hotel.

www.facebook.com/p/JR-O-Connors-100064953101715/

Enjoy!

The Four Winds – Charleville, Ireland

With all of the activities and walking that we did earlier in the day, we really worked up an appetite for dinner. We thought we would check out The Four Winds that was recommended to us. Our waitress was very nice and very patient with our large group.

I ordered the Chicken & Mushroom Vol-au-Vent. This was a creamy check and mushroom dish, similar to a pot pie filling, just with a few less ingredients. They served it on top of puff pastry. And like almost all Irish dishes they served thick cut fries on the side (they call them chips).

This dish was so savory. The chicken was extremely tender. It looked like a lot of food, but it was easy to finish both puff pastries. I would highly recommend this dish.

They offered a cream vegetable soup with soda bread on the side.

A turkey dinner was offered on the special’s menu. This was a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The turkey was moist, and the gravy had a rich flavor that was perfect on the stuffing and vegetables.

There was a steak on the menu as well. Beef I popular in Ireland and there is cattle everywhere, so it’s only natural that their beef would taste great. They served onions and mushrooms on top. The salad on the side offered so freshness. The chips were the potato element to pair with the beef.

The curry chicken on the menu was a surprise. It was tender pieces if breast meat served with a lot of sauce that allowed it to be eaten with the jasmine rice.

We did get a side of mashed potatoes that everyone could share. They were great with the “brown sauce” packets that were located with the other condiments. It was similar to steak sauce and acted like a salty beef gravy. This was also good drizzled over the chips.

It was time for dessert. I ordered an Irish coffee.

This one was different than the others I had enjoyed so far in the trip. This was a little more coffee forward. The coffee beans on the top of the cream was a nice touch. They served a homemade piece of chocolate on the side to enjoy with the coffee.

There was also ice cream & jelly ordered. We were curious what this dessert actually was. When it came to the table, we realized it was ice cream and Jello. The ice cream was creamy and the vanilla flavor paired well with the cherry flavor of the Jello.

Our entire meal was fantastic at The Four Winds. If you are in Charleville then you should check them out.

www.facebook.com/TheFourWindsCharleville/

Enjoy!

Day 3 (continued) – Blarney Castle – Cork, Ireland

The Blarney Castle is one of the most famous spots in Ireland. It was built in 1446.

I was very excited to get to visit during my trip. Since we were there in the off-season we were able to spend more time wandering the grounds and inside the castle.

The flowers were starting to bloom on the walk up to the castle. It was so beautiful.

When I entered into the doorway of the castle, I felt like I was transported back in time.

As you slowly start going up the narrow staircases, there are small windows that you can peer out of to see the countryside that the castle looks over.

Since this castle has been around for centuries, some of the structures (like the wooden floors) have actually disintegrated. However, they do a great job describing each of the rooms to help you understand what you are looking at. They provide drawings on signs to help you imagine what the room would have looked like.

There were rooms from a cellar, a great hall, ladies rooms, kids rooms, and even a medieval bathroom.

As you work your way to the top of the castle, this is where the view became amazing. You are able to see the whole countryside.

At the top is also where you will find the world-famous Blarney Stone. You can kiss the stone for luck (legend says if you kiss the stone, you will be given the gift of gab). Make sure you remove anything that can fall off because you must lean back really far.

As you work your way down the staircase, you are able to check out additional rooms. The popular stop was the “Murder Hole”. This was a spot (hole) that was above the doorway. In ancient times if the castle was under attack, this hole could be used to drop things like hot coals, tar, or boiling water onto the enemies.

If you are visiting Ireland, you must put the Blarney Castle on your list of things to do.

blarneycastle.ie/

Enjoy!

Greenwich – Cork City, Ireland

We wanted to check out the food scene in Cork City, so we checked out a little café called Greenwich.

This cafe was very small inside. It was packed and they squeezed as many people as they could inside.

One of the sandwiches that we heard was famous in Cork was the spiced beef. So we ordered the Spiced Beef Reuban. The beef had melted cheddar cheese, homemade Russian dressing, and sauerkraut on toasted pana white yest bread.

The sandwich was large and good for sharing, especially since they gave a large side salad on the side. The sandwich could have used a little more of the spiced beef because it was extremely flavorful.

I also got the Parsnip Soup. It was pureed like other soups I had enjoyed so far. This soup also had a creamy texture. Naturally they served homemade soda bread on the side.

This was a good stop for lunch. Check them out at greenwichcafe.ie/

Enjoy!

Day 3 (continued) – Cork City, Ireland

Our next stop on the tour was Cork City.

Cork City has become known as the culinary capital of Ireland. There is a famous food market that is a must to check out called English Market.

This market has everything you could want from fresh bread, pastries, meats, cheeses, and even fresh, yummy chocolates.

It can be really overwhelming to go in there without a plan of what to look for. There are many places where you can get sandwiches, soups, etc.

After grabbing something to eat for lunch, it was time to get back on the bus and head to Blarney Castle.

Enjoy!

Day 3 – Cobh, Ireland

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.

Enjoy!

Geary’s Pub – Charleville, Ireland

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.