I've returned after a weeklong holiday in Ireland. It was a wonderful and memorable trip, visiting numerous places and making new friends along the way.
I'm not going to inundate you with photos, but if you're interested, visit my personal Facebook page and you can view the images there. (You may as well like my author page while there!)
After landing in Shannon on a misty morning, I smiled when the guide bus pulled out of the parking lot and I saw a large "Welcome to Ireland" sign across the road.
My wife, Mary, and I spent two days in Galway, a small, artsy city that's great to begin a journey on the "wild side of Ireland." It's a picturesque college town that has a colorful waterfront, street performers, museums, and more.
From there, we drove through the desolate Burrens, a limestone landscape that has been eroding for years, especially during the Ice Age. Then we walked along the Cliffs of Moher, the majestic 600-foot drop to the battering Atlantic Ocean.
We spent two days near Cork, visiting the nation's second-largest city, while taking in Blarney Castle (my wife kissed the Blarney stone) and sites in and around Cobn and Kinsale. So much to see and so little time.
The last two days were in Dublin, an underrated city that I wished could have lasted several more days. We walked across the Trinity College campus, hiked to other districts such as Temple Bar, stopped to see the William Butler Yeats exhibit at the National Library of Ireland, toured St. Patrick's Cathedral, walked around St. Stephen's Green, and spent several hours at the hallowed historic grounds at Glendalough.
Ireland is a fabulous country, offering a wide array of things to see and do. I encourage others who are considering a trip to this island nation to do so. The people are friendly (maybe a couple grumbly ones like the American I encountered leaving U.S. Customs), there a many places to experience and taste (such as a pint or two of Guinness or Murphy's).
I hope I live long enough to make another trip across the pond and take in more of this wonderful nation.
Until the next time . . .
I'm not going to inundate you with photos, but if you're interested, visit my personal Facebook page and you can view the images there. (You may as well like my author page while there!)
After landing in Shannon on a misty morning, I smiled when the guide bus pulled out of the parking lot and I saw a large "Welcome to Ireland" sign across the road.
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| Street performers in Galway |
From there, we drove through the desolate Burrens, a limestone landscape that has been eroding for years, especially during the Ice Age. Then we walked along the Cliffs of Moher, the majestic 600-foot drop to the battering Atlantic Ocean.
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| Anchors in Kinsale |
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| The iconic James Joyce statue |
Ireland is a fabulous country, offering a wide array of things to see and do. I encourage others who are considering a trip to this island nation to do so. The people are friendly (maybe a couple grumbly ones like the American I encountered leaving U.S. Customs), there a many places to experience and taste (such as a pint or two of Guinness or Murphy's).
I hope I live long enough to make another trip across the pond and take in more of this wonderful nation.
Until the next time . . .
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