Make a Plan and Get to the Must-Sees Long a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to traveling, I am a bit overwhelmed trying to put together an itinerary for a week-long stay in Ireland. So many castles, bluffs, beer tours. Sifting through a stack of guidebooks, it quickly becomes clear that I cannot accomplish everything I…
Category: Ireland
Galway Getaway
Using Galway as a Base for Daytrips Our time in Galway is limited—we will use the place as a base, a place to sleep and keep our gear while we explore nearby Cong. Staying at Flannery’s Hotel, we take a quick drive through Galway, checking off the Spanish Arch, built in the 1500s, peruse a…
Trim: Saint Patrick Was Here
Big Castle, Big Saint, Big History On the last leg of our roadtrip in Ireland, driving from Galway back to Dublin, we take a slight detour north to see what is billed as the largest Anglo-Norman fortress in the country. It is a castle’s castle alright: it is not hard to imagine boats pulling up…
Encountering the Titanic in Athlone
Remembering Margaret Rice and Her Five Sons As ambivalent as I might feel about disaster tourism—is it really okay to go and look?—I am still drawn to all things Titanic. Of course, I loved the James Cameron movie, reenacted actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s “I’m the king of the world!” scene at the Luxor exhibit in Las…
Finding the Oldest Bar in Ireland
A Visit to Sean’s Bar in Athlone A series of unfortunate events lead us to Sean’s Bar in Athlone. Driving from Galway back to Dublin but willing to take detours should we see a reason to frolic and detour, we stop to get some gas. Unfortunately, my credit card will not work at the pump,…
Flannery’s Hotel Offers Affordable Convenience
Staying in Galway on a Budget Our stay in Galway will be a short one, so basically we want to check into a hotel that is inexpensive, safe, and clean. We get lucky and book a visit at Flannery’s Hotel, which is all of these and with free parking, an accommodating staff, and a pub…
Cong Beyond The Quiet Man
If you are not into the film, should you bother visiting Cong? As robust as one’s Netflix account might be, some of us just are not big fans of The Quiet Man, the John Ford-John Wayne-Maureen O’Hara film about a boxer who returns to his family’s native Ireland and, of course, falls in love. Filmed…
The Mysticism of Ross Errilly Friary
Finding Ireland in a Frolic and Detour Returning to Galway from a day trip to Cong (where The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne, was filmed), we cannot help but notice in the distance what appears to be a very big castle. Somewhere on this weeklong roadtrip, we stop making many specific plans and allow ourselves…
Cruising Killarney
A Walkable Way to Understand Ireland It takes a while for us to figure out that the way to enjoy Ireland is to wander it. Set out with a destination in mind, sure, but allow time to meander when you stumble across a castle or a church that looks intriguing. By the time we arrive…
Sign of the Day: Inner Relief Road
Killarney, Ireland’s Street with Promise So many things can be hoped for on a road named Inner Relief; surely a tourist who finds this spot in Killarney, Ireland is on the right path. —Lori Tripoli ~Advertisement~ ~Advertisement~ Planning a trip to Ireland? You might like these posts: Staying in Killarney: Romance at the Dromhall…