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…
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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…
Leave a CommentIf 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…
Leave a CommentThe 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…
Leave a CommentEstablished 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
Leave a CommentIf 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…
Leave a CommentWe 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…
Leave a CommentA 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…
Leave a CommentWe 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…
Leave a CommentWe 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! T
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