Ireland...Land of A Thousand Welcomes!

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.

Quick Tips:

In winter, staying for a few days in a town or city can be much more enjoyable than trying to take in a lot of miles touring. In winter or late fall, the days in Ireland are very very short: the sun rises about 7:30 or 8am and goes down at 4 to 4:30pm. so you only have 9 full sunlight hours. Plan on staying in one area for at least 2 or 3 days and enjoying the pubs and shopping. Sightseeing is difficult if you do not have good weather; plan on some fog and probable rain. We ran into hail and some snow, which is not typical for this country, especially in the southwest.

Best Way To Get Around:

Make sure you rent a small car. The economy size is nice for two people only, with one size up for three or four. Very narrow roads with no shoulders make it a challenging drive, especially on the left side of the road. I prefer a car because you can be independent. But for older people, a tour is nice, as all you have to do is concentrate on enjoying the views. Even with our car, we did take a local archaeological tour of the Dingle Peninsula, which allowed us to look at the scenery with a knowledgeable guide to explain the many details and history and point out areas we would not have found on our own.

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.

McDonagh's, on Quay Street, in the heart of the city center, lives up to its name for the best seafood. I had the tastiest fish-and-chips there. The batter was light and delicious. However, the side dishes were just okay. I did not care for their garlic cheese potatoes. My friend had the plaice grilled and she loved it.

The atmosphere is fun, with lots of seafaring decorations, but the service was just okay, not great. It was reasonable and overall we had a nice time.

Go early, as they do not take reservations and you might have to wait, especially during the high season.

Lynch's Cafe was just what we needed. It was recommended by the local folk. Situated upstairs over some shops, it had a nice view of the decorated street and a number of different rooms, with a different ambiance in each. We choose the old-fashioned dark-paneled tea room with an open fire. It had nice green walls, lovely gilded mirrors, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. It was reasonable and was really cafeteria-style. After shopping, it was a nice place to take refuge from the cold day. I had a wonderful hot cup of tea, soup, and dessert. Well nourished and warmed, we were again ready to tackle more shopping and exploring.

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

Galway City Center is the heartbeat of Galway City. It has maintained it's quaint and historical integrity in spite of being a city growing with the inspiration of the many young people who go there to live and to study. The many schools of the Gaelic and Celtic languages have attracted youth from all over Ireland and also students from other countries use Galway city in their study abroad programs.

A popular place to learn the historical aspects of the Irish culture, music and language, the city is full of life even though it looms within the ancient stone walls, buildings and churches that are centuries old. It is a place busy with tourism as well, being close by to the Seashore of Galway Bay, Connemara, the Aran Islands, Partry Mountains, and the Joyce Lake Country. Yet, it does not feel like a small city, it has maintained a quaint charm and close cozy atmosphere.

Galway City Center is described as mostly part of the Quay St. and Erye Square areas, surrounded by numerous specialty shops, cafes, pubs, markets, restaurants and colorful local storefronts. Kenny's Book Store and Galleries is known for it's wonderful books on Irish history and is fascinating to visit. The City Center is easy to manage with it's cobblestone narrow streets some that are closed off, and some running along the river that flows out of Lough Corrib and into the Galway Bay.

The Spanish Arch stands proudly by the bridge and has become a well known landmark overlooking the bay. The fishing industry is busy as well and Galway City is an important port.

I did not plan on staying in Galway City as long as I did, but it was hard to pull away from it's friendliness, beauty and enjoyable surroundings. I would highly recommend spending a few days in this wonderful area. A true Irish experience.

Droichead Beag Pub, also known as the Small Bridge Pub, has to be one of the oldest and best in the wonderful lively village of Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. There was old-world charm with stone walls and dark worn wood, mellow yellow walls, and some of the best traditional Irish musicians, such as Eoin Duignan, one of the greatest uillean pipe players in all of Ireland. Nestled next to the turf fire with a Guinness in hand and listening to the haunting mystical sound of Eoins pipes had to be the best Irish moment I experienced in Ireland. Pub hopping in Dingle has to be the best, but if you have to choose one pub to visit, you must go to the Droichead Beag next to the small bridge.

John Benny's was recommended to us by our archaeological tour guide who frequents it daily. It's known especially for its great desserts and also for its wonderful ambiance as a typical charming Irish pub and restaurant. Not only is it one of the best eating places in Dingle, but it has some of the best nighttime traditional music in Dingle. Traditional music is played nightly during the season and on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday throughout the year. The food is economical, and if you find a good seat, don't move and plan on a great night of music, song, wine, and food.

You will catch Eoin Duignan, a well-known uillean pipe player, there with many other talented musicians from the village. He is known for his pub visits all through Dingle and tries to stop in and play in at as many as he can through the night.

John Benny Moriarty's also has three luxury apartments in a secluded garden setting located across from the waterfront and pier of Dingle. Tel. 353 66 91 51215 or email jbenny@eircom.net. Go to www.johnbennyspub.com to see his great website.

To visit Ireland has to include "many a time" spent in the Irish Pub which you will find just about anywhere, whether it be on a remote road in the middle of nowhere, or in the midst of an Irish city. Irish pubs, to me, represent what Ireland is all about, because it is where you can find the true Irish soul. In other words, it's people. It is not only a place for a tall glass of Guinness, but also a place to find a story, a song, a dance, and a great conversation. Pubs come in all shapes and sizes, some plain and some fancy. Some have a tiny bar and just a few places to sit or stand. It does not matter, they all have the same spirit and life. You will always get a big warm welcome, and after a short conversation you will know all about that person and what cousin or brother lives in the United States. Most of the pubs have very low tables and benches and stools, and it takes a while to learn how to eat or drink around them. But the most interesting thing about most of them is the color they are painted on the outside and their signs. I have yet to see some of the color combinations I have seen in Ireland. Not only their pubs, but the storefronts as well. I have never had a bad experience in an Irish Pub, and I look forward to finding new ones in my future travels to Ireland.

One of my favorite times was in County Donegal in a small village called Fintown. We had rented a cottage nearby, and had asked the local post mistress where to go to hear some traditional Irish music. She informed us that that very night was a special night at the Ceili House Pub, just outside of town, so we went. When we arrived it seemed very quiet and we thought it might be closed, but we wandered into the front door anyway and there, at a limegreen painted bar along one end of two small rooms, was a wonderful friendly bartender named Josie. Well, we were informed to just wait and sure enough one by one folk started to appear. In a hour or so the place was full, and the music was amazing, flutes, accordions, fiddles, and borhams were in full swing along with the dancers who were practicing for a coming up competition. In no time they had us learning the steps and I have to say I never had so much fun, laughing and enjoying these wonderful people who know how to squeeze the very best out of life.

The first time I experienced Connemara was when I had just arrived in Ireland on my first day's jaunt. It stunned me with it's barren beauty and magical spirit of mountain, fields, and lakes. I had to return, and this time it was still another unique experience in a land that cannot be believed until your own eyes bestow it.

It was a cold winter day that started out in dense fog, I prayed that the fog would lift and it did, so drastically it was unbelievable. One moment we could not even see along the roadside, and then as we came around a corner, it was a brighter white. The sun was fighting its way through and then it was a blue sky with wisps of white streaks that soon disappeard as well, turning into a glorious day to see Connemara in all it's glory, and did it ever show off.

We took route N59 from Galway city to Oughterard, and then Maam Cross to Recess, it was here the fog lifted, then a right on R334 through Connemara National Park winding through the Maumturk Mountains that were rugged and bare in parts. Lough Inagh was so blue and beautiful. Breathtaking almost. From here we continued to Kylemoore Abbey on Route N59 where it returns again.

I was so thrilled to be able to take in the beauty of this amazing area of Ireland. I longed to see it again and it did not disappoint me. Seeing it in winter gave me a whole different concept and I could not stop taking photographs of it. I wish, as I did before when I first said it, that I had more time to stay in this section of County Galway.

Do not miss Connemara if you have the chance, it is so special. The famous Connemara ponies inhabit this area, known to be small and strong. Yet, when they try to import these ponies to other countries, they lose their unique qualities. Showing that it is the environment of the Connemara area that harbors their perfect breeding area only. A very interesting observation and study.

The Ring of Kerry is probably the most popular sight that tourist flock to, and it is definitely one of the prettiest in Ireland. I have to say if one is traveling to Ireland for the first time, the Ring of Kerry should be seen. However, be ready if you are going in high season to be over run with tourist buses and people. You may even have to limit your time if you get behind a row of cars and buses.

That being said, it is very beautiful. I have gone three times off season, so I had a lovely ride. The only problem was that some of the restaurants like the "Ladies View," on Route N71, will not be open. The only time it is open is from April to October. It also has a nice gift shop attached to the restaurant.

Many people recommend doing the Ring of Kerry counter-clockwise when looking down on a map. The angle of the sun changes the views and the way you come around the corners are the best scenery if you decide to do it that way. Officially, the authentic Ring of Kerry is between Tahila near Sneem and Kells near Darby's Bridge. I have to say though my favorite part on the Peninsula is the N71 part of the trip, also known as Muckross Road. Holy Wells, Mol's Gap and Ladies View are all spectacular. If you get off of N70 at the end of the Peninsula onto R567 and 566 and 565, you will see outstanding landscapes, including the Skellig Rocks, and the Scarriff Island, also Valencia Island is fabulous. Bring lots of film and plan on it being a whole day excursion. If you do the whole thing it is a long day.