Ireland has become a "home" to me in the sense that I would rather be there than any other place on earth. No other place in my travels gives such a sense of true peace and contentment. One of it's descriptive names is "The Land of Saints and Scholars" which is quite impressive. Ireland was so cut off from the mainland of Europe that during the fall of Rome, and the destruction of the literary collections in Europe, Ireland's monks and it's abbeys became a haven for saving many manuscripts and important writings of western civilization. The scribes as they were called meticulously transposed these works and preserved them, one being "the Books of Kells" that can be seen at Trinity College in Dublin. Without Ireland many of our most precious writings would no longer be. It was also a place that the deeply religious colonies could be separated from worldly matters of mankind. It's landscape allowing for hermitages and places of complete isolation.

Not only is Ireland known for it's incredible contribution to saving the Western Civilization but it also a place that holds some of the most diversified and beautiful landscapes in all of Europe.

I would recommend flying into the Shannon airport instead of Dublin because it puts you in a more central area to tour Ireland and it also keeps you away from city traffic which is helpful when you are just starting to get adjusted to driving on the left side of the road. I was happy to have the chance to experience Ireland in the winter; it was like having the whole place to ourselves. The local folk are more relaxed, and spending time drinking tea and warming up around a turf fireplace is charming and a taste of what most would concider the "real" Ireland.

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St. Jude's B&B Guesthouse in Galway city was the best B&B I stayed in during my whole trip to Ireland. It sounds cliche but I wish I could have taken it along with us as we continued on our trip. I had noticed a posting on igougo.com that raved about St. Jude's after I had already made my reservations at another B&B in Galway city, however, I was able to cancel the previous reservation and booked two nights at St. Jude's and was so happy I did. St. Jude's proved to be everything and more than was expected. An excellent stay for a reasonable price. Other more expensive places did not come close to the quality rooms, central location, food and ambiance of this wonderful B&B.

St. Jude's is located in a quiet neighborhood within walking distance (20 to 25 minutes) of the center city (Quay Street and Eyre Square), or, you can take a city bus right outside the gate of the B&B. It has a wonderful old-world look to the exterior, with a private off-street gated area to park. Parking can be a problem in Galway so this was very helpful.

The interior is beautifully decorated, with a quaint charm, and the rooms are very quiet and private. There is a private lounge with a fireplace, and the rooms are clean, with the best display of linens, creamy white damask covers, softer than soft sheets, and great comfy pillows. Usually we were anxious to spend an evening in a pub, but on a cold winter night we enjoyed an evening with wine and cheese in the lounge. The shower is hot and has a lot of pressure with a towel warmer to boot. There are additional heaters provided and it was warm and cozy even in the winter month of November.

Yet even more memorable was the dining room and breakfast with thick padded white linen tablecloths, wonderful gleaming dishes, and shiny pots of tea and coffee. It had a menu from the traditional Irish breakfast of eggs, bacon (ham), sausage and breads to stewed fruits and porridge. Ita Johnstone was a very gracious hostess, quiet and very accommodating offering us any information we needed. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed her two adorable poodle dogs that stay in the kitchen if you wanted to visit with them. In the warmer months there is a lovely patio garden to take refuge in surrounded in roses.

I can't say enough about St. Jude's. You will not be disappointed. One of the nicest things about it's location is that it can be easily found coming from County Clare or the coastal and mountain routes of Connemara.

Cregg Castle was all that I had hoped it would be: old world, eclectic, and a taste of the real Ireland. It has had mixed reviews, but if you love antiques, "rusticness," traditional Irish music, and lots of animals, you will love Cregg Castle.

We were welcomed by Ann Marie into a large lounge with 25-foot ceilings and a roaring fire, big overstuffed chairs and couches, candlelight, and a hot cup of tea. Plus, there was a wonderful huge calico cat to sit on our laps. She advised us to find a place, Regan's Pub, to have dinner, and we then returned to sit around the fire and later to hear Ann Marie and Paddy Broderick play their Irish instruments. It was nice of them to give us a performance due to it being off season and we were the only three staying there that night, a sharp, cold winter day. Ann Marie has a unique way of playing the Bohran, and Paddy has played his ullian pipes with the Chieftans and toured with Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames.

In the morning, as we awakened in our large pleasant room, which was a bit chilly but tolerable, we found a misty wonderland of forest, fields, huge stone fences, and quaint outbuildings outside our windows. We were encouraged to take a walk and told that there were Wellies under the front steps to wear if we wanted. Breakfast was in a large charming dining room, where we sat at the end of a huge table decked with an antique chandelier. Sue served us wonderful homemade brown bread, the best we had so far, and lovely tomatoes and mushrooms with our eggs, bacon, and sausages.

Taking that walk after eating, we were met by a barrage of anxious dogs who accommodated us to the barnyard. There was feisty Charlie the "Westie," old Magoo, and homely little Elvis and also a great brown lab and sheep dog. We also met Johnnie the donkey and Izzy the sheep, who thinks she is a dog. What a great atmosphere of stone, mist, and moss! I did not want to leave. I would recommend this place highly, not if you are looking for the fancy high-end kind of lodging, but for the diamond in the rough. Authentic Ireland. Peasant-like and real. I can't wait to go back.

Moran's Oyster Cottage dates back almost 300 years and is now run by the seventh generation of the Moran family. It is renowned the world over for its superb seafood and environmentally protected oyster beds, which attract people from the five continents, and is open year-round. It is known that kings and queens, princes and princesses, have flown in for these oysters. It is not an exaggeration to say they are the best in the world.

The dining is informal, and the cottage very small and quaint. In warm weather there are many wooden tables outside overlooking the inlet bay. It is very easy to find, between Kinvara and Galway, near Clarinbridge.

After reading about Sheridan's Cheese Shop on Churchyard St. in Galway City center in a travel guide, we were very interested in finding it right away. Eating different kinds of cheese with good wine was something we were looking forward to on these cold, windy Irish nights. Having asked several local folk, we did find it and was so impressed with this lovely little shop. Visually it was beautiful, as you will see in my photos.

The shopkeeper Siefra Kelly was a delight, and she gave us a lecture on each kind of cheese and a small sliver of each to test for ourselves. We ended up with a soft creamy blue cheese, a Durris from Cork, a sharp cheddar touched with cumin, and a goat cheese from County Clare. So, after finding the right bottle of wine, which was an Australian red, and a crusty loaf of bread, we left excited and anxious to settle in by the fireside that evening.

There are three other Sheridan's Cheese and Wine shops in Ireland, two in Dublin. One on 11 South Anne St. and the other on 7 Pembroke Lane, Ballsbridge, off Waterloo Road. Also one at Athboy Creamery, Athboy, Co. Meath. info@sheridanscheesemongers.com