2018 July

Dublin is a great city. But, let’s be honest, the Irish countryside is where it’s at. You have two options for visiting the southwest of Ireland. You can take very long day tours from Dublin. Or, you can just base yourself in the country side and move around from there. We chose the latter option.

We spent three days in the southwest of Ireland, using Killarney as our base. Killarney is located in County Kerry. We stayed at the Great Southern Killarney, which is a charming luxury manor close to all the dining and shopping options in the town of Killarney. To really see the countryside, you are going to need transportation. Sure, you can rent a car where the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and drive on the left side of mountain roads. But, Chad and I value our time and our marriage. We did not want to spend our short vacation figuring out where we were going and arguing about it. So, we left the driving to the pros! We hired a local tour guide and driver from GanTours. They were excellent and the most reasonably priced of the options that I researched! They picked us up (and dropped us off) at the airport in Dublin. And served as our tour guide and transportation through the countryside. After collecting us at the airport right on time, we headed straight to the Burren in County Clare. En route, we visited our first of many castles. Our goals was to get to the Cliffs of Moher in the afternoon, after all the tour buses had already left. So, we leisurely drove through the Burren. We visited the cutest little cafe that was part of Hazel Mount Chocolates. It is a quirky little cafe set in a 1950s cottage. It has been voted one of Ireland’s top 10 food attractions.

The menu is simple: a hot soup of the day, and All.The.Cakes, which by the way, are gluten free!

After our quick little pick me up, we headed to the factory and shop, where we got some treats for the road!

Our next stop was to the Burren Perfumery, located within the Burren National Park.

In addition to being just plain lovely, all of their products use natural ingredients and are made by hand, on-site. They also have a lovely cafe that has a small menu of local dishes and luscious cakes and desserts. It was finally time to step onto the edge of the world, and visit what is probably Ireland’s most famous tourist attraction: the Cliffs of Moher.

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The next morning, we were up bright and early to drive the Ring of Kerry. It’s not so much a destination, as it is an experience. It is a 111 mile circular route that is part of the Wild Atlantic Way. It is a scenic drive through pastoral landscapes and coastlines that allows you to appreciate the natural beauty of Ireland. For a list of major attractions along the ring, click here.

You can also visit small towns along the way, like the town of Killorglin, where every year a wild mountain goat is captured and crowned as king during Puck Fair, a festival that lasts several days. Or, Waterville, a place where Charlie Chaplin spent a lot of his time.

Another highlight along the Ring of Kerry is the Gap of Dunloe. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and the Purple Mountain.

We ended our day with a visit to Ross Castle.

On our final day in the countryside, we headed to Adare village in County Limerick en route to Dublin. It is known as one of Ireland’s prettiest towns. It has traditional thatched roofed cottages that date back to the 1820s! It is also home to Adare Manor, probably the most opulent hotel in the entire region. Maybe even the whole country.

If you like nature, scenery, and outdoor activities, then the put the southwest country side on your Irish itinerary!

There is a lot to do in Dublin. There is a lot that you can do in a day in Dublin. And, not all alcohol related.

If ever you find yourself in Dublin for the day or on a long layover, consider this your definitive guide on how to spend your time there.

To fit it all in, you will need to do a bit of planning. The five biggest attractions in Dublin are the Guinness Storehouse, the Book of Kells and the Library of Trinity College Dublin, the Little Museum of Dublin, Jameson Distillery, and Glasnevin Cemetery. Luckily, you can (and should) pre-buy tickets to all of these attractions online.

Books of Kells and the Library at Trinity College

After a hearty breakfast, start your day here. Check here for opening and closing hours by season and day and for ticket prices. We were able to buy our tickets online, day of. There is a separate entrance line for pre-bought tickets, which saves time at this popular attraction. I would buy the first ticket and be there as soon as it opens. Expect to spend about an hour here.

So, what is the Book of Kells? And, why should you visit? The Book of Kells is Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure. It is also considered the world’s most famous medieval manuscript. It is a very ornate 9th century book of the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ written in Latin. The lavish decoration and artistry of the book is what makes it so famous. You are not allowed to photograph it, so here is a picture of the exhibition courtesy of Mr. Google:

You will enter into an exhibit that explains the Book of Kells first. You can then enter the room where the actual Book of Kells is stored. You then enter the Library, which, honestly was my most favorite part, and exit through the gift shop. If you are the first one in, I would visit in reverse order. So, come in, skip the exhibition, go to the Book of Kells and/or the Library first and then back track to the exhibition. This way you can have the Library and the Book of Kells all to yourself!

The added bonus is that you get to stroll through the charming Trinity College.

The Little Museum of Dublin

We actually did not get a chance to visit this little gem because we got into Dublin late, and Chad really wanted to visit Glasnevin. But, you are planning ahead, the cemetery doesn’t open until 10:00 a.m., and this is pretty close to Trinity College, so make this your next stop. The tickets are only 10 euro. You can only visit by guided tour, which starts on the hour, every hour and is included in the price of your ticket. The museum tells the story of Dublin and is considered Dublin’s best museum, so you kind of have to go. These photos of the museum are from Lovin Dublin:

Glasnevin Cemetery

Because this is a bit out of the way of central Dublin, this should be your next stop.

I’m not huge on cemetery tours. This is probably because (fun fact) part of my law practice is funeral and cemetery law (I defend funeral homes and cemeteries against civil lawsuits). As a result, I spend a lot of time in cemeteries and dealing with cemeteries. So whenever I am in a cemetery, I go into work mode, which is not ideal for vacation mode. BUT, this is actually a pretty cool cemetery and well worth a visit.

First, it is massive. It is also immaculately maintained. Glasnevin is the largest provider of funeral services in Ireland. There are about 2.5 million burials in the cemetery. They also perform about 2,500 burials a year.

You can walk around on your own, but I recommend that you take one of their tours. Otherwise, you don’t really have an appreciation for the what and where the significant burials in the are. There is a museum, admission to which is included in the price of your tour ticket, and you can buy a separate ticket (reduced price when you buy a tour ticket) to climb the large tower at the front entrance. The tower is actually a HUGE mausoleum built to commemorate the life of one of Ireland’s greatest political figures, Daniel O’Connell. He is actually buried at the base of the tower.
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If you do just the tour, plan to spend at least 90 minutes here. If you do the tour and either the tower or the museum, plan to spend two hours. If you do all three, plan for at least 2.5 hours. After the tour, head back into central Dublin for lunch. I recommend you go to a local fish and chips eatery for a quick bite.

Guinness Storehouse

After lunch, you’ll probably be ready for a beer. So why not make it the beer that Ireland is known for? And, why not get it from the place that it’s made? A visit to the Guinness Storehouse should be next on your list. The tour is self-guided and takes anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes. On the fourth floor, you can learn how to pull the perfect pint. If you REALLY love Guinness, there is also a one-hour connoisseur’s experience that you can book. You will end at Gravity Bar on the 7th floor, which has 360 degree views of the city.

Jameson Distillery

Once you’ve had your fill of beer, it’s time to move on to liquor, so head on over to Jameson for a little whiskey. Once at the distillery, you can take their tour (20 Euro per person), which is about 40 minutes, or book one of their three tasting experiences.

There is a reserve bottle of Jameson that is only sold here. You can purchase it and have your name engraved on the bottle. These are great gifts.

Merrion Square

Walk off that buzz in Merrion Square where you can see the childhood home of the famous Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde and the park just across the street that has a statue of Oscar Wilde.

In this neighborhood you will find beautiful Georgian architecture. If you have a thing for beautiful colored doors, then make sure you make your way here. This is also Dublin’s museum district.

If you want to hear some traditional live Irish music, make your way to the historical O’Donoghue’s Pub. This was the birthplace of the Irish folk band The Dubliners. This pub is just a short walk from St. Stephens Green, Ireland’s best known Victorian public park.

The Winding Stair

It’s dinnertime, so head over to the cutest little restaurant/bookshop on the river, The Winding Stair (photo below from: http://winding-stair.com/about-us/). The bookshop is one of the oldest surviving independent bookshops in Dublin. The cafe serves traditional Irish cuisine.

Cross over the bridge for your night cap.

The Temple Bar

End your night with a visit to the Temple Bar. It is super touristy, but it offers great people watching, live music, and has one of Ireland’s largest whiskey collections.

So, there you have it — an action packed non-stop day in Dublin that hits all the highlights! There is a little history, a little culture, and a little fun. If you follow our itinerary, I’d love to hear your feedback. If you’ve visited Dublin and have something to add, let me know! Otherwise, Sláinte!

Archives for July 2018

Ireland: The Southwest Countryside

Ireland: 24 hours in Dublin