Ireland 2025

Time for a new adventure! One of my travel besties, Jaimee, suggested we go on a trip late July, and we took off on August 27th for Shannon, Ireland! We threw around several ideas, but we let the world and the vibes guide our decision making process, and Ireland just felt like the right choice. I have to thank Jaimee for doing nearly all the planning, as leading up to the trip, I was sick and doing my best to rest and recover so I’d be in tip-top shape for the adventure :). Thank you!

August 27th: Travel Day 

This trip started with a sniffly nose and a rough cough, having just gotten over a cold/flu the previous weekend. Determined to have a great time, I packed my bag with a mini pharmacy and began my journey to Shannon, Ireland. I thankfully made the flight from Boston to JFK, which was looking worse and worse the closer it got. I was already identifying alternative routing through LGA, which is far from ideal. If that were the case, I’d have to get myself over to JFK. Oh the joys of “non-rev” travel, hehe. 

I landed in JFK around 3pm, but my bag had to be checked, so I ran down to the baggage claim to retrieve my carryon, and back up through security. It was fairly busy and seemed to take forever to get through. But, by that time, Jaimee had landed and was walking towards the central atrium of Terminal 4. We were on the phone trying to figure out where we both were when all of a sudden, I spotted her walking straight towards me! I was so excited to see her beautiful face after nearly 3 years! Our last trip together was our incredible week in Egypt back in 2022. 

Well, our flight to Shannon didn’t leave until almost midnight, so we had some serious time to kill. We had no problem chatting and catching up on life, love, travel, and everything in between. Soon it was within the window to get into the lounge… I found a Chase Sapphire Lounge and haven’t been in one yet, and couldn’t wait to experience it! I’ve heard excellent things about the one in the Boston airport, so I was eager to get in. And it was worth the wait and certainly didn’t disappoint! Jaimee and I both had a lovely shower before the red-eye, we had some food and drinks, and enjoyed the calm, relaxed environment of the lounge. 

After a refreshing stay in the lounge, it was time to walk what felt like a mile to our departure gate. We settled into our seats and hoped we’d sleep on the 6 hour flight so we could hit the ground running upon arrival. 

Friday: Arrival Day

We landed early, and as we were on our way to customs, we were greeted by a rainbow! What a special way to begin our trip! I joked/suggested, “What if we see a rainbow every day here?” Stay tuned to see if we did:). The Shannon airport is tiny, so we got through customs and into the arrivals hall quite quickly. We got our rental car sorted, and as we waited for it to be brought around, we snagged a much needed coffee to shake off the jet lag. 

Our first stop would be Galway! I was excited to see this city, having heard it mentioned in many songs, and I just had a feeling I would love it. My first city in Ireland outside of Dublin! As we roll into town, I quickly realized how very not city-like it is, hehe. It’s so tiny! For some reason, I had a vision in my head of a larger and livelier city, but Galway is small, quaint, beautiful, and quiet. We drove straight through town to find free parking alongside the promenade. Thanks Jaimee for doing that bit of research! 

We parked, hopped out of the car and a begin a slow walk towards town. The views were insanely beautiful, and the color of the water was stunning! There were many hues of deep sea blue complemented by lighter, greenish-aqua colors. The salty, briny breeze encompassed us as we tried to take in everything we were seeing. 

We finally make it to town and walk up the busy and very touristy main street, complete with picturesque buildings and celebratory flags hanging above the pedestrian-only street. Hunting for a place to have lunch, we strolled past several pubs and restaurants, but decided we wanted something quick and light, planning on a dinner in just a few hours. We stopped by the Dough Brothers, a well known pizza joint in Galway. Not exactly a traditional Irish meal, but it was delicious! And hit the spot. A light snack to keep us going until dinner. Oh, and of course, we had to have some Murphy’s ice cream! 

We took our ice cream and sat besides a raging river that led straight into the ocean. So many people were out, sitting on the edge of the stone wall or on the grass, simply enjoying the outdoor space and the sun that was peeping through the clouds. What a gift to be still and simply enjoy our surroundings, taking it all in. So different than being at home in our busy routines where it’s easy to rush through a moment like this. 

After our short tour of Galway, we head back to the car and drive almost another 45 minutes to our B&B for the next two nights. The house was located down a small side-street that had ocean access! We were so close to the water! And looking out of our bedroom windows, we saw cows in VERY green pastures. Certainly a lovely place to spend a couple of days. 

Agianst our better judgement, we decided to lay down for a “quick” nap. Well, before we knew it, it was nearly 8:00pm, but with the sun setting officially at 8:30, we decided on a much required walk to the water’s edge. 

Finally ready for a late dinner, we head to the closest pub, and head inside. Unfortunately, we are told that they stop serving food at 8:30pm, and we’ve just missed it. Oh no. Haha. I suppose it’ll be liquid dinner for us… some Irish stout! A singer and guitarist were setting up for live music, so we grabbed some beer and sat down. The beer staved off the hunger, just slightly, but we were craving the snacks we had bought at the grocery store earlier. 

Back at the B&B, we busted open the instant oxtail soup, essentially a broth, and I found some brioche buns in the “for everyone” section of the cabinet. Holy moly was the broth delicious!  Not exactly the dinner we had hoped for, but it got the job done. We had some tea and a shower and off to bed we went. The real journey begins tomorrow!

Saturday: Day 1

Goodmoring, Ireland! We slept in a bit, as it felt all too natural with the rain and gray outside our windows. We had coffee and tea at the B&B as step one of what would be a very long day. Next stop was a breakfast spot called Pota, where we were sheltered from the rain as we enjoyed our food and a second coffee, of course. And now, officially and fully fueled, we began our day of sight-seeing. 

Jaimee had planned on us driving the Sky Road, but as we got closer, the rain got heavier. We ultimately decided to skip it, at least for now, and instead head to something we could do indoors: The Kylemore Abbey. Originally built in the late 1800s as a private residence with all the modern amenities. The man behind the project was Mitchell Henry MP, who was a wealthy landowner and one with pride in Ireland. His goal in constructing Kylemore was to show what could be achieved in the remote lands of western Ireland. It’s currently owned and run by the Benedictine community. 

We parked the car and started walking towards the entrance when we were blessed with a gorgeous view of the mansion from across the water. On a clear, calm day, the reflection of the house glimmers on the water’s surface. Too bad we had drizzle all day. Or was it to our advantage? The mountain behind the house had several visible waterfalls due to the rains we had been getting all morning. It was a gorgeous sight to take in. 

After getting a pre-soak from the rain on the way to the entrance, we go inside the house for a self-guided tour. The exhibits were really neat; there were video screens behind mirrors and talking portraits. It reminded me of something straight out of Harry Potter! And there was a beautiful, very feminine, pink sitting parlour, and all I could think about was my Nana’s “princess room,” where the grandkids got to sleep, and it was decorated with pinks, frills, unicorns, whatever a princess may want, it was there. This parlour was perhaps the adult version? Not a princess room, but a room fit for a queen?

As we finished up inside the house, we decided to walk to the miniature gothic church that mimicked its much larger inspirations. Walking up to it was like walking up to an enormous cathedral, but it was as if it were a scale model. And rather than gargoyles, this church was decorated with angels. Inside, there were marble columns with the marble being sourced from all over Ireland: green (Connemara), black (Kilkenny), red (Cork), and white (Tyrone). 

Further along down the road was a gigantic rock in the shape of an iron. Legend has it one of the local Gods threw it at another God and that’s where it landed. It is now a wishing rock. You need to pick up a small stone, and while thinking of your wish, lean your back against the rock, and toss the stone over the tip of the rock. If your stone goes over the top, your wish will come true. Jaimee and I both tried, but only one of us was successful. I’ll give you a hint; it wasn’t me, haha. 

On our way back, we considered taking a shuttle to the walled Victorian gardens, but we didn’t have a lot of time to spare, and it was raining again, surprise surprise. We opted to walk around the gift shop and to grab a quick snack for lunch in the cafe. The food was incredible! We had a sweet potato soup with coriander and an apple and strawberry crumble with warm custard on top. And we also snuck away with a small bottle of Irish cream the nuns make on site. We enjoyed a taste of that a few mornings on our trip. 

Next up was a sheep farm to see a demonstration of how sheep dogs work. It was truly amazing to watch Rex, the dog, herd all the sheep. His owner gave him commands, speaking in a normal voice, and the dog was so far away, it was hard to believe Rex could hear him. And it was raining fairly heavily. I definitely got soaked, and wished I had my rain pants with me. We were told that Rex wasn’t even half of his full speed; I cannot imagine how fast he could be in clear, dry weather! 

After the demonstration,  we drove further up the main road towards Westport, stopping by a waterfall on the side of the road. It was lovely! Always worth a stop! Westport turned out to be a wicked cute town… and, while we were parking the car, we saw a rainbow! We walked around town for a bit, and ended up grabbing a pint at a little pub, attempting to warm up and dry off from a rather wet day of activities. We weren’t the only ones with that same idea; it was quite crowded and cozy inside.

Soon we were on the road again, back towards our B&B, having learned from last night that restaurants stop serving food early, we wanted to be back in time for a real dinner. We continued to see several rainbows, here and there, and the grand total, just for one day was a whopping 6! Including yesterday’s rainbow, that’s already 7, one for every day we have in Ireland. Unbelieveable! Hehe.

We had dinner at Donnelly’s, a seafood restaurant about 20 minutes from our B&B in Barna. I had the seafood chowder, Jaimee had the oysters, and we shared a crusted goats cheese salad. Undeniably, THE very best goat cheese salad either of us had ever eaten. We were nearly drooling over the salad as we ate it, and there was absolutely nothing left on the plate by the time we were finished.

Just as we thought our first full day couldn’t get any more full, we went to the common area of the B&B for a peppermint tea before dinner. And we ran into the other two guests staying there, Sue and Mike. Well, turns out Sue and Mike are pirates! Of the Caribbean! Haha. I’m not joking. 

They met while working on tall ships, you know, the big ones with the sails, i.e. pirate ships, in the Caribbean! I’m already super intrigued by them, and our conversation swells and grows and becomes even more fascinating. Sue lives in a beautiful cottage in the same town that Jane Austen lived, and we learned that Sue and Mike read to each other, as we discussed how authors from the past and even Shakespeare, wrote their stories to be told to people, not read by people. I had never truly thought about that, and now I’m obsessed with the idea, and may finally try some audio books, at least, while I’m doing a long-run. 

We also began discussing a book where a phrase, “the thin place,” was introduced to Sue and Mike. Essentially it’s a place where the veil between this physical earthly world and the emotional/spiritual world is thin, giving one a sense of serenity, or a feeling of “this is where I need to be.” I have felt this in the past, perhaps my most notable moment was my time hiking the Acatenango Volcano in Guatemala.

One last little bit of fun from Mike and Sue. They left us with a recommendation to go to a seaweed soak in a barrel of hot ocean water! I’d never heard of this, and they happened to stumble across it, and they took full advantage of the experience. It is now on my bucket list! And it’s on my list for the next trip to Ireland, whenever that may be. I’m sure there are seaweed hot tubs elsewhere, and should I stumble upon one, you know what I’ll be doing:). 

Sunday: Day 2

We woke up leisurely again this morning, so difficult not to when the weather is inviting you to stay calm and cozy. Our original plan today was to head back towards Westport to hike Croagh Patrick, but again, we felt thwarted by the rain. It just wasn’t the right weather to go for a hike. However, we were corrected a few times. It’s not about whether it’s the right weather, it’s about the right clothes. Hehe. Of which, we had very little. So, we decided to start wandering closer towards our next B&B in Doolin. Along the way, I had found a number of castles we hoped to visit. I labeled them on google maps, but after our first attempt, we realized each location needed more thorough investigation. This first site was closed to the public and looked like it would be a traipse through a very wet field. Which we had been trying to avoid in the first place. 

Onto the next destination; Aughnanure Castle. The reviews were stellar on google, and the entry was only 5 euro, and I can confirm, it is well worth a visit. The gentleman at the ticket counter was so kind and attempted to give us student rates, but we giggled and admitted we were not in fact students, however we might wish for that. He also gave us a map and told us to ask him any questions, but to remember it was designed “to kill people,” and sent us on our way.

The castle was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a large structure like a mansion, or similar to other castles I’ve seen in Scotland. This castle was a more simple tower, perhaps better for defending. It certainly had features that were crafted to stop an invasion. The entry door had a hole above the ceiling where a defender may fire a bow and arrow through or drop rocks on any intruders. My personal favorite, called a “murder hole.” And there were two buttresses that stuck out away from the castle, giving the defenders a vantage point at which to stop the intruders before reaching the main gate. Once inside the main gate, there would be three doors to choose from, disorienting the intruders and delaying them as they figured out which door to go through.

I can’t talk about the castle without mentioning the “poop chute,” and the very depictive signs they’ve put up explaining how that worked. Pretty self-explanatory I would think, but in case you needed a visual to understand, there it was. Lol. I couldn’t imagine the types of drafts that you’d be greeted with, especially on a windy day. We also learned that clothing would be hung in there as well, and the unlucky soul whose job it was to “stir the pot” would do so in the waste pit, releasing the built up ammonia, that would back track up the chute and supposedly, disinfect the clothing and kill tiny pests such as lice and fleas. Jaimee and I agreed we are quite content living the day and age we are. No, thank you. Haha. 

Before leaving, we took shelter under a roof and chatted with the ticket man. He was so knowledgeable and clearly very proud to work there. He in fact said, he was “working at a medieval castle, what more could I want?” He further explained that the castle would be painted white with lime-stone dust for two reasons, 1) to brighten up the interiors, and even with lights on, the cloudy days really did darken the interior. And 2), supposedly the limestone would help kill bacteria and could stave off illnesses such as the plague. Who knew? He told us about all the medicinal plants that grew on the property and explained how important the yew tree was back in those days. In fact, there was an ancient yew tree that would’ve been old back then, too… it’s around 1,000 years old! It has been persevered all this time on the castle grounds. To think of what that tree has born witness to…

Like I said, this is a visit well worth the stop. 

After spending more time than we thought we would there, we decided to head up the road to Oughterard to have lunch. Well, this turned out to be a delightful town as well! A bit busy, but we didn’t have trouble finding parking, and we walked over to Power’s Thatch Pub and Restaurant, complete with yes, a thatched roof! Very quaint, and the food was delicious. I’m not sure we had any meals in Ireland that weren’t quality. Whether it was the food quality or the care they cooked with, it was delicious. 

Post-lunch, we decided we needed a coffee, so down the street we walked and found a coffee shop called “My Little Flower.” We knew this stop was meant to be because Jaimee had been telling me about a “piccolo” coffee, something she discovered in her travels to Australia. And as soon as we walked in the door and read the menu, she gasped and knew what she was going to order. I had never tried one, but Jaimee describes it as the perfect espresso to milk ratio, so I was intrigued and I’m always up for something new, so I ordered one as well. It was a “split,” meaning it came with half the espresso in a cup on its own and the rest mixed in another cup with the milk. It was delightful to try the straight espresso, strong as it was, but we both added it to the other cup. And it was, without doubt, delectable, and I would agree with Jaimee. The coffee was so good, I decided to get a bag to bring home. I have been thinking recently that I don’t use my espresso maker as much as I should or would like to, and this fine coffee may be the motivation I need to use it more. I’d like to try to make my own “piccolos.” 

Our next stop was Athenry Castle, which we snagged student tickets for. The gentleman asked us ever so politely if we were students, to which we both chuckled and said “we wish,” to which the man replied, students it is, then! Haha. Another couple walked in about the same time as us, and our new favorite castle warden gave us all a spiel about the tower. In the rain. Classic Ireland? But also, pretty chilly and damp, hehe. After our educational lesson wrapped up, we were given free reign to explore the tower. Again, it felt surreal to be walking through a castle. And one in the shape of this tower. I had not expected this form at all, and still don’t picture it in my mind when I hear “castle.”

After checking out every nook and cranny, we walked over to another old ruin, the Athenry Dominican Priory, with the glass-less windows, and no way to enter. We peaked over the sides of the once window sills to get an idea of what it might have looked like on the inside and in its heyday. 

And of course, after properly traipsing through the rain and cold, we naturally found ourselves at Murphy’s Bar. We initially found a couple of seats at the bar, an older man so graciously moved aside, without us asking, so we could have two bar stools next to each other. But all of a sudden, Jaimee was gone! Haha. She went to look for a table, and came back with the best kept secret! There was a little fireplace in the back, and the perfect tiny round table for us to sit at. Someone had JUST started the fire, and it was THE perfect spot to warm up with a pint of Guinness and a fire. The guy stoking the fire was using old chair legs and other miscellaneous wood, thanks to a renovation project next door. 

Next up, we began our way towards Doolin, and found ourselves on a corkscrew like road. Very fun to drive, and we kept climbing and climbing, and we saw a rainbow! And we pulled over at a viewpoint and realized this is the spot we had been told about earlier, and we could see some of the Burren limestone terraces. They looked fake, but were natural! If you get a chance, Google them; truly a sight to behold.

We make our way right into Doolin, one of the cutest little towns we’ve been in. I somehow thought it’d be bigger, being a waypoint for the Cliffs of Moher, but it was so quaint and tiny and absolutely picturesque. We check into our Airbnb, which in itself was incredible, and immediately head out for a walk. We didn’t even bring our stuff into our room; we figured we’d best make use of the daylight we had left.

We walked down through “town,” which had a couple of shops and restaurants, and made our way up a hill which paralleled a cow pasture and a pitch and putt. We walked through the grassy hills and got closer to the cow pasture and the views from here were stunning. A huge waterfall was falling off the edge of a cliff in the distance, with waves crashing below, and my favorite dopey cows, just happily munching on the grass with the sounds of the water to soothe them. When I hear “happy cows,” I will think of these beauties. Such lucky cows! 

We had been told that Doolin is a traditional Irish music hotspot, so we set out to find a place with live music. We first stopped by a pub that we would revisit again, and there was a trio, playing a guitar, accordion, and a concertina. I’m always hankering for a fiddle, but this was pretty excellent too! We grabbed some liquid dinner and took up a spot by a pole with a small shelf for the drinks. It was cramped, to say the least, haha. Soon, Jaimee noticed a table that only had 2 people sitting at it. Time to make friends! We sat down and began to chat with our new friends, a couple from the Netherlands. They were taking a trip just for themselves, leaving the kids at home. They were a delight to chat with, while the trio rocked out behind us. We contemplated dinner here, but we’re ready to commit. 

Next up, we walk to another bar that supposedly has live music. We walk in and see some musicians packing up. Or so we thought. They were just arriving! Yes! We stayed put and ordered some more beer, hoping to get a menu for food. Womp Womp. We missed the kitchen call again. Haha. Liquid dinner it is! Huzzah! There is literally nowhere to stand, and its a cold, damp, chilly night, so we are holding all of our layers, plus a pint of beer. It’s cozy inside, but we’re not necessarily the most comfortable. We agree to enjoy our beer, and if we get lucky with a seat, we may stay, or if not, once we polish off our beverages, we’ll head home. Luck of the Irish was with us! After standing for 20 minutes or so, a table opened up, and thanks to Jaimee’s quick action, we snagged two chairs and unloaded our layers and took a seat. 

By now the party was really getting going. There was a group of older women, celebrating one of their birthdays, and they were beautifully outrageous and confident, and having such a blast with each other. And there was, what we think, a wedding party, that came in. Younger, full of wild intoxicated energy, and the whole place lit up. The music was excellent, and soon, everyone was dancing. It was difficult not to join in after a while. the vibes are contagious, and these little Irish pubs with live music has been and will continue to be one of my favorite travel memories. It’s a “thin place” for me, without a doubt. In a way I can’t explain, I feel called to and so welcomed and at home in a dark, warmly lit, cozy Irish pub, singing along with everyone, just having fun with friends and strangers alike. 

I’ve often related that to my love of Western North Carolina and the bluegrass I was exposed to during college. I went to Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, about 20 minutes east of Asheville. The history of the Appalachian mountains once being the same mountain range as those in Western Europe combined with the immigration from Europe to the United States, there are plenty of similarities. And I can still recal the day I showed up to WWC for the first time. I was in the car with my Mom and Nana, and the GPS (the old fashioned garmin that sat on your dash), said, “you have arrived at your destination.” Clearly, we had been taken a back way into the school, because we were on a small road, in the woods, with no buildings in sight. It was at the moment I knew that’s where I belonged. I can’t help but feel, after learning about “the thin place,” that WWC was that for me as well.

As I digress, let it be known: Ireland and Western NC hold a VERY special place in my heart. And if you’ve been to neither, I encourage you wholeheartedly to put that on your list. 🤗

Up next: Cliffs of Moher!