Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Lundy Foot’s & Co – Dublin, Ireland

It was time for dinner in Dublin. Everywhere was busy. We were able to find a table big enough for our party at Lundy Foot’s.

We were seated next to the area where a gentleman was playing guitar. It was a great seat because he was really entertaining.

The menu had so many delicious options to choose from. We started with the cauliflower bites for the table to share. They were crispy, big pieces of cauliflower. They served a yummy buttermilk blue cheese mayo and a pineapple hot sauce for dipping.

I ordered the Beef and Guinness Pie. They braised the beef in Guinness for over 12 hours. Then they tossed it with onions, mushrooms, carrots, and turnips. They added a dollop of mashed potatoes in the broth. Two pieces of puff pastry were placed in the center of the dish. The flavor was extremely savory. The beef was so tender it just fell apart. The vegetables soaked up the flavor of the broth and were also tender. The crunchy texture of the puff pastry was a nice complement to the dish.

The Irish stew was ordered. This was very traditional. It used braised lamb, onions, and carrots. This dish also had creamy mashed potatoes on the side. It was great to eat with all the stew broth. They served homemade brown bread with this dish.

The Fish and Chips were impressive. A large piece of fish was beer battered and deep fried. The fish was very crispy. They served twice cooked chips, which was the perfect accompaniment to the fish. They had tarter sauce on the side for dipping.

The Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie was absolutely delicious. It was creamy and savory. They slowly roasted the chicken and then shredded it. They made a cream sauce and filled it with chicken, sauteed mushrooms, and leeks. They placed the crispy puff pastry on top like the other dishes. They included mashed potatoes as well in the bowl.

The Crispy Chicken Tenders were perfect as an alternative to fish and chips. They served four large tenders, smothered in panko. They were tremendously crispy. They served roasted garlic mayo on the side for dipping.

The food and entertainment made this a perfect evening. If you want a laid back meal, where you can just relax, Lundy Foot’s is the best spot.

Check them out at lundyfoots.ie/

Enjoy!

T

The Temple Bar – Dublin, Ireland

One of the most famous bars in Dublin is Temple Bar. You can check them out on Earth Cam. There are cameras set up inside and outside of the bar. All the activities are live-streamed. It was cool to check out. We could see everyone waving to the cameras and then looking at their phones to see themselves. Our group did the same thing.

Another reason to visit the bar is the live music. The Irish band that was preforming was fantastic. They preformed some classic Irish music as well as modern favorites that the entire crowd loved. Everyone was singing. The place was packed, standing room only. We were lucky enough to grab a small table in the back when another group was leaving.

We all grabbed a pint to enjoy there. We did play slightly more to have it at Temple Bar than we had paid at other pubs, but this was a once in a lifetime experience, so it was worth splurging.

So, if you are in Dublin, you have to check out Temple Bar. thetemplebarpub.com/

Check them out on the live-stream as well to see what all the fun is about.

earthcam.com/world/ireland/dublin/?cam=templebar

Enjoy!

T

Day 5 (continued) – Dublin, Ireland

We made it back to Dublin because the weekend traffic got too bad. We got all checked into the hotel and said goodbye to Mike and Ella. This was the end of the Exoticca portion of the tour. However, we still had the rest of the afternoon and all of the next day to enjoy the city on our own.

We decided to head back down to the Temple Bar area. We enjoyed this area from our tour and wanted to spend more quality time there. The area is filled with restaurants and bars to check out.

We really wanted to visit the The Temple Bar. This famous bar is set up with cameras inside and out that live stream everything that is going on. They have live bands playing amazing music, you can’t help but want to dance.

You must get a pint while you are there, even though you will pay a little more for it.

Once we were done there, we continued to walk the streets to explore the nightlife of Dublin.

Enjoy!

T

Sean’s Pub – Athlone, Ireland

If you want to experience a piece of history then you have to stop at Sean’s Pub. This pub is the oldest in all of Ireland. The original pub opened in 900 AD.

When you walk in you can feel the history. The floor is slanted, the ceiling is low, and there are pieces of history all over the wall.

It is a pub, so while we were there, we got something to drink. I naturally got an Irish coffee, clearly, I am addicted. It was cold outside that day so the coffee and whiskey were a perfect way to warm up.

Since we were there as part of our tour, we all gathered together and got to hear the story about the bar.

The bartender, who ironically was named Sean, was a fantastic storyteller. He brought the history to life.

The most interesting part of the story was that during the 70s, when a new owner was doing some repairs, he uncovered some of the original walls hidden behind some wooden wall. It was able to be carbon dated by a historian. And that is how they know how old the pub is.

They also found ancient coins that were minted specifically for the bar. It was so fascinating to me that they did that for patrons to use to buy drinks.

One of the coolest spots we visited the whole trip was Sean’s Pub. It is worth a stop. Check them out at seansbar.ie/

Enjoy!

T

Day 5 (continued) – Athlone, Ireland

The next stop on the tour was the town of Athlone, which is a port town on the River Shannon, located in the center of Ireland.

There is a fort that stands in the middle of town that dates back to the 12th century. If you have enough time, you can take a tour.

One of the must-visit spots when in Athlone is Sean’s Pub. This pub is considered the oldest in Ireland. It has been around in one form or another since the year 900. You can stop in, hear an oral history of the pub, and enjoy a pint.

They have a nice museum in town as well. We did not have enough time to walk through the entire museum but we were able to check out the exhibits by the local students. It was fun to get to experience that.

Enjoy!

T

Garavan’s Bar – Galway, Ireland

Established in 1937, Garavan’s Bar is the perfect place to stop for an after dinner drink. It is time for another Irish coffee. I started to get addicted to these while traveling. Every establishment makes them slightly different. This bar was supposed to have a “World Famous” Irish coffee.

They served their coffee with a homemade piece of chocolate. There was a generous amount of cream on top. There was a rich flavor to the coffee in this version.

Check them out at garavans.ie/

Enjoy!

T

The King’s Head – Galway, Ireland

If you are looking for a great place for dinner in Galway, check out The King’s Head.

The inside was cool with tapestries all over the walls, huge wooden doors, and seats that looked like thrones.

I ordered Smithwick’s Red Ale. I really developed a love for this beer while in Ireland. It was cold and crisp, perfect for enjoying while looking over the menu.

We had really worked up an appetite with all the exploring we did, so we started with some appetizers. The homemade triple cooked chips (fries) came out first. They were piping hot. They were crispy and the potato was sweet.

The battered onion rings sounded delicious. The fresh sliced onions were sweet. The batter was crispy. There was a nice balance when paired with the soft onion.

Another great dish to share with the table is the tray of soda & sour dough bread to snack on. It comes with different spreads from olive oil, butter, and bruschetta.

For dinner the King Charles I Burger was ordered. The burger was made with homemade prime Irish angus beef. Hegartys cheese was melted on top of the patty. “Crow’s Farm” suckling pig (i.e. bacon), tomato, lettuce, cornichon (i.e. little pickles), and homemade red onion relish were stacked on top of a brioche bun. Plus more homemade chips came on the side. The burger was extremely juicy. The Irish beef is very tender and has a great flavor.

I was excited to get Beef & Guinness Stew. I finally found this stew. It took me several days but I found this classic dish. The tender pieces of beef were slow cooked in a stout with root vegetables and champ (a scoop of mashed potatoes).

The stew was deliciously savory. The beef fell apart in my mouth. The vegetables were tender and went well with the flavor of the stew broth. The mashed potatoes were a perfect way to scoop up the stew broth.

We ordered Boxty for the table to try. These are mashed potatoes that are seasoned and formed into a loaf, like a loaf of bread. Then the loaf is sliced and pan fried to get the sides crispy. It’s an Irish potato pancake. The texture was interesting because it is not as soft as you would think. The crispy texture was unique and made the potato taste wonderful.

The side dish of crispy smashed baby potatoes were a nice addition to any meal. The sweet flavor of the potatoes were seasoned perfectly.

The last dish that was ordered was the daily soup with soda bread. It was another pureed soup. It was root vegetables, so it had an earthy taste.

The King’s Head offered great comfort food. It is well worth the wait to have dinner there. Check out their complete menu at thekingshead.ie/

Enjoy!

T

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!

T

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!

T

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!

T