Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to visit Ireland. It was the top on my list for YEARS. There was even a time when I swore up and down that I would marry an Irish guitar player. Priorities change, but my love for travel has not.

When my Mom presented me with the opportunity to take a two week trip to Ireland and Norway with the family, I knew I had to say yes. At the time I had been away for over a year, which is a long time to be away from my family, who had always been close. So this opportunity presented not only travel, but good ole family bonding time!

And it came at a great time- the day after my brother Andrew got hitched. So proud of you bro!

 

 

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That following day we were in the airport & on a plane to Canada to begin our journey.

Sometimes it can be fun to mix up the way you see or do things. In this case, it was the way we traveled. With my family, it is very organized and planned. I have tended to be more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants gal as of late. So traveling with them like this was nearly nostalgic!

So we flew to Canada for a small layover, where we got dinner. And everyone ordered these big lovely meals, but being a vegetarian, I found myself limited in my options. So I ordered these vegetarian tacos, which ended up being so ity bitty that when they came out you could see everyones shocked and amused expressions. Everybody kept offering me some of their food, sure that this appetizer of a meal was not enough. While it was amusing, they were very delicious and surprisingly filling!

After dinner we all wondered around a bit, killing time before the flight. I believe it was Jordan Anne who began raving about these comfortable neck pillows that we kept seeing people with. I do not know if it was just that airport, but we saw a lot of people just walking around with them on, which was quite amusing because they kind of squish your face. So a whole bunch of people were walking around with supported necks and squished faces. Made me smile at least!

We ended up all getting one, which came in handy, not only for the flights, but for the car rides…

We finally boarded and were officially on our journey across the pond!

 

 

 

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The next morning right before we landed, the plane gave us complimentary breakfast. It was this moist bread that tastes amazing! But I could not, for the life of me, remember what it was called. So I racked my brain, and after thinking of the details:

-moist

-bread

-soft

I decided it was anti-toast. Of course, my family could not let this go! Turns out it was actually the popular breakfast food, coffee cake. -_-

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WELCOME TO DUBLIN!

I was so giddy by the time we landed. Finally, after 23 years, I made it to Ireland!

The first order of business was getting a car. Well, technically a van, since there were seven of us. I took it as a grand opportunity to show the family the type of van I would like to live out of one day. They took it as a grand opportunity to think I’m crazy.

While we were waiting, we kept seeing vans that did not have side windows. So when Mom got to the counter and asked if the van would have windows, it actually was a reasonable question. The front desk did not think as much. Crazy Americans.

We fondly named our sweet red ride, The Rambler Wagon!

After grabbing a real meal at a little spot across the street from the car rental place, we headed off on the road! Our driver was Jeff, since you have to be 30 years old to be able to drive a rental van (25 for a car) and we trusted him with our lives.

Learning to drive on the opposite side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, in a stick shift van… Big thanks to Jeff for getting us out alive.

Our first stop was Limerick! By the time we arrived we were all starving again, so we went to this pub where there was live music, good Guiness and great food.

The next morning we woke up early and began our Itinerary. King John’s Castle!
Not Kings Island (an Ohio attraction), as someone in the group referred to it…

It was a very neat place, where you walked through and learned about the history of the city and the castle. And boy, was there a lot to learn!

Here is where I learned that “undermined” came from people actually mining under a foundation to attack and collapse the foundation! The Castle was severely damaged by this, during the 1642 Siege of Limerick.

From the castle we walked down the street to St. Mary’s Cathedral, the oldest building still in use in Limerick (founded in 1168). With tombs and graves surrounding it, the building had an eerie but powerful pull. Absolutely gorgeous architecture, and an astounding amount of history!

A really neat exhibit they had was the “Pitch for Shane exhibition.” Originally it was over 20,000 ceramic figurines, and they hosted 3,000 of them as a tribute to all innocent victims of crime. The exhibit was founded because of Shane Geoghegan who died in November 2008 by gangland criminals in a case of mistaken identity. A very moving way of memorial.

After St Mary’s, we reconvened and headed to Blarney Castle, also referred to as “bologna” by someone who shall not be named here, but you know who you are haha

Blarney castle was originally built in 1210, but restructured in 1446 to be what is seen today. This is the home of the famous Blarney stone! Aka, the Stone of Eloquence. It is believed that if you kiss the stone, you are gifted with the touch of eloquence. Of course, we all kissed it!

How you do so: go to the top of the castle. Lay in an old mans lap. Lean back over a steep drop, holding on to handle bars and the man holds you, and kiss a stone so you are granted with the gift of gab.

One of my favorite things about the Blarney castle was the architecture. I mean, that thing is still standing! And plus, there was a little cave like ordeal you could check out under it. Kristin and I were the only two that wanted to do it. It was pretty neat.

Another interesting part about the Blarney castle are the gardens surrounding it. They actually have a “Poison Garden.”

There were some very dangerous plants present there, but something spoke very loud to me. The cannabis plant was caged, while the opium plant was clear and free…

Just some food for thought.

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RING OF HELL

It was close to 6pm by the time we wrapped things up with Blarney. But after discussion, we decided to try for the Ring of Kerry. We had heard it was beautiful and worth the drive, and were not going to miss out on it!

We also did not realize what we were getting ourselves into…

The Ring of Kerry is a 179 kilometer long circular tourist route in the County Kerry, in southwest Ireland. For the rest of our trip, this was referred to as the Ring of Hell.

Starting around 6pm, we did not get back to our hotel until midnight. Yes, there were absolutely stunning sights; rolling green hills, the ocean, rivers, rock fences (which are seriously impressive), and castle remains like you would not believe! I came to relate it as such: castle remains to them are like old school barn remains to Ohioans. I would recommend the Ring of Kerry to those who visit Ireland, but only to those with an accurate understanding of time.

Also realize this important factoid: Irelands roads are very small. There were times our van was brushing against the forestry on one side while riding the middle line, if there even was a middle line. Quite the adventure!

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As per our itinerary, the next morning we were up and at ‘em, heading to our next destination: Bunratty Castle! Another neat place with a lot of history, surround by a medieval set up of houses and shops. Inside there was a reenactment lesson where the informants were dressed up and told you stories of the castle and answered all types of questions.

Fun facts:

The tower stairs are often mis-matched in height to throw off attackers. It confuses the brain and slows them down, or trips them.

Women were not allowed to be a part of the festivities or meals very often, so they could only view them for this little window.

Here is what was believed to be a fertility stone. The myth goes that whoever touches it becomes pregnant. I will say this about it: Jordan Anne touched it and then almost exactly 9 months later I have a nephew.

Alas, my favorite stop came after the castle. The Cliffs of Moher.

What a stunning area this is. If/when I ever go back to Ireland, I plan to spend a full day there! A few hours is merely not enough. Wander from one point to the other, enjoy the view. Take it in! And be prepared for the wind!

There is usually a wall or fence separating you from the edge, but there is a point in the path that has diverged and you can get to the edge of the cliff. Us kids took that path when we were separated from Jeff and Mom, and this is where we discovered who was afraid of heights and who was not. I’ll give you a hint: Rob and I may have freaked everyone else out.

Earlier in the day Jordan Anne had put dandelions in my hair. As I was on the edge, one of my dandelions flew away. Rob was taking a picture of me so he saw it and immediately warned me not to chase the dandelion.

 

 

Poulnabrone dolmen is a portal tomb in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland, dating back to the Neolithic period, probably between 4200 BC and 2900 BC.

From the cliffs we headed to an ancient tomb. The area surrounding it was also fascinating, a rocky terrain like I have never seen!

And, taking advantage of such an experience, Rob, Kristin and I practiced our balancing.

That night we arrived in Galway, the home of the Claddagh Ring.

Small dose of history, via Claddagh History:

“On the west bank of the River Corrib as it enters the sea is the ancient neighbourhood of The Claddagh. For centuries it was an Irish-speaking enclave outside the city walls. The Claddagh Ring is believed to have originated in the fishing village situated near the “shore” or “Claddagh” of Galway Bay.

The ring shows two hands holding a heart which wears a crown. This motif is explained in the phrase: “Let Love and Friendship reign”, and ideal poesy for a wedding ring used by a small community for over four hundred years.

This distinctive design is associated with one of the Tribes of Galway, the Joyce family…

Richard Joyce, en route to the West Indies, was captured by Algerian corsairs and sold as a slave to a Moorish goldsmith who trained him. Released from slavery in 1689, at the demand of William III of England, Joyce, in spite of substantial inducement to stay, returned to Galway and set up as a goldsmith. His work marked with an anchor signifying Hope and initials R.I. still exists. The Claddagh Ring motif is attributed to him.

The Claddagh Ring became popular outside the Claddagh about the middle of the last century, especially as it was the only ring made in Ireland worn by Queen Victoria and later by Queen Alexandra and King Edward VII.

These rings were made and supplied by Dillon of Galway to whom the Royal Patent was granted. This tradition has been carried on to this day.

Many firms make different versions of the Claddagh Ring. Dillon of Galway is the only firm still in existence since 1750 making the Original Ring at 1, William Street, Galway.

The tradition of how to wear this ring is very distinctive. If the owner of the ring wears it with the crown pointing towards the finger nail, he or she is said to be in love or married. To wear the ring with heart pointing to the finger nail, he or she is said to be unattached to anyone.”

I ended up going to T. Dillon and Son and finding a ring for myself, which replaced the one I had worn since high school that I had ordered offline. Sometimes it is fun to splurge for yourself, especially when it is something that means so much to you.

Thanks for that reminder, Mom!

I will say this about their jewelry, I love all the symbology behind it. I also found a celtic tree of life necklace, which astounded me the more I looked at it. The more you look, the more you see.

The morning after arriving in Glaway, Mom, Jeff, K-bug and myself all went to Kylemore Abbey as the rest of the crew hung out in town. It was a wet morning, but a beautiful place. Once again, full of history.

A wealthy doctor from London built this home for his wife (her family crest is above the door). It took one hundred men and four years to complete the construction of the castle, which began in 1867.

In 1875, on a trip in Egypt, his wife died. He brought he remains back and had a small, yet extremely elegant and intricate cathedral built in her honor, as well as a mausoleum where she was laid to rest, and where he eventually joined her.

In 1909 the estate was sold to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, but after only a few years they were forced to sell it due to the Dukes gambling bets. He actually lost it to a guy from Cincinnati, OH! What are the chances?!  In 1920 the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the castle and turned it into an Abbey where they also began an international boarding school.

Also on the property are the Victorian Walled Gardens. If you ever get the chance to see something of the sort, do it! It was fascinating the way the used the landscape and the technology of the day. So intricate, it blew my mind! They actually used the landscape itself to separate the food plants from the aesthetic plants, as the guests and ladies were not supposed to see the food they would be eating, but only the plants for entertainment and beauty. This garden in particular had 23 greenhouses at its high point! It was a spectacular sight to behold, regardless of what has changed.

I had originally planned going off on my own for a hike on the Connemara Way, while they viewed the Abbey. While I am sure I would have appreciated the natural beauty and the walk, it was truly awesome to learn about the history behind the Abbey and the gardens.

Our last night in Galway was spent at a great little restaurant that had opened up not too long ago, getting gelato, and then going to a pub, where “it’s a small world” came into view! As we sat down in these corner seats, there were some guys who sat beside us. And one of them recognized my brother in law, Seth. They knew each other from Ohio!
We spent the night chatting away with them and some other neat people we met, but realized that most of the people we encountered in pubs were hardly ever Irish folk.

We ended up in Dublin the next day, as our final stop in Ireland. We still had plenty to see!

We went to the Jameson Distillery and got a tour of the facility, which was really neat! And tastey! They put into perspective the different types of whiskey, and I have to say, I enjoyed it.

We let Jordan Anne pick our food that night, and ended up with our best meal of the whole trip- sushi!

Now, the next stop on the itinerary was a must. And that goes for everyone- if you ever get to Dublin, you have to check out the Guinness factory! What a rich and tasty history they have.

I never expected a building focused around beer to be so well organized. Even if you do not like Guinness here in the states, it is NOT the same there. Give it a try.

That night was spent in the Temple Bar district, where we lost Rob for a bit. But he came back to us. And discovered the band Moxie, or really just Ted from the band. But boy can they jam!
We got a bit more classy the next day and went to the Trinity College and Library. We stumbled into a tour there and it was absolutely worth listening to! By far the best way to learn and understand where you are, therefor appreciating where you are. And do not miss out on learning about the Book of Kells, which is permanently held in the Trinity Library.

So, there ya go! A week in Ireland! What an experience that was! Full of history and good ole family bonding! Ha would not trade it for the world.

 Next stop- Norway.