Ireland

Like most people with Irish roots, my Dad was incredibly proud of his, making the trek to Ireland feel like a tribute to him. I brought my Mom along with me. She was the only person in our family who had not yet visited Ireland and I knew the trip would be a special getaway for her and me. 

The joy is in the laughter

I feel pretty confident in saying that no country has a better sense of humor about life than Ireland. They have some of the worst weather possible, yet the moment you walk out of the rain and into a pub you are met with laughter, jolly music and draft beer. The Irish just know how to roll with the punches, take it on the chin, and still have a big, red-cheeked smile. And have you ever noticed that every Irish person is funny? They just know how to laugh at themselves and also make plenty of jokes at your expense. 

We found joy in every person we met. The friendly old man on the side of the road who helped us when we were lost. The bartenders at every pub. The musicians who entertained us with storytelling between songs. The strangers who shared a quick joke as they walked by. Joy and laughter seem to come in abundance in this beautiful country. 

The details

Our trip was the week that spanned over the end of May and start of June. This is a shoulder season, which could be risky for rainy weather, but we had the luck of the Irish and experienced mostly sunny days. We mapped out a road trip that took us from Doolin to Dingle to Galway, with a few spots in between. 

I scored inexpensive tickets using Hopper, and mom and I flew direct Boston to Galway on a red eye. The flight is not quite long enough to qualify as a full night of sleep, but I forced myself to keep my eyes closed and rest because mom had already notified me that I would be doing all of the driving. I’ll tell you, there’s nothing that will wake you up quite like driving on the opposite side of the road and having your mom constantly yell at you “left, stay left. Left!” (we had some good laughs about it though, right mom? especially when I stayed so left I smashed the curb!)

Doolin

If you find yourself on the road from the airport to Doolin you should stop in Ennis. We stopped at the Old Grounds Hotel for a cute Irish breakfast. A perfect introduction to the country. We strolled the shops, bought our first wool products and off we went. 

The cliffs or Mohr are on the way so we made sure to stop there for one of Ireland’s biggest attractions. Despite drawing a large crowd, it’s a really simple process to park your car and make your way across the road to the cliffs. The nice thing about the cliffs is you can spend as much or as little time there as you want. Some people ambitiously hike from nearby towns along the coast. Mom and I opted to just stroll the pathway from the welcome center up to the viewing castle. The castle is appealing, but I didn’t see a big enough draw to pay the 1 or 2 euro charge to go up a single level for a “new view.” 

Doolin is small village that is known as the center of traditional Irish music. It’s basically one long road with a pub on one end, a pub in the middle, and another pub on the other end. Our time was spent strolling the street and popping into each of the pubs. There’s some great hiking and surfing in the area, but we decided to take it easy on all things athletic for this trip. The best part of coming this time of year was that the sun sets at about 10 PM, making our stroll to the pub more enjoyable as we passed by the cows.

We stayed at the Hotel Doolin which is conveniently located in the middle of the town. The hotel is reasonably priced, has an adorable courtyard, has a pub downstairs, and is a short walk to the two other main pubs in town. You will want to dedicate your night to listening to the live music at each location. The stroll through town will take you to:

• Gus O’Connor’s
• Fitzpatricks Bar (attached to Hotel Doolin) 
• McGann’s Irish pub (best spot!) 

Dingle

The next morning we were off to Dingle with a pitstop in Adare.

Adare is described as one of Ireland’s prettiest villages, and that is 100% accurate. Driving down the center of the town you see thatched roof homes, beautiful churches, and pretty green space. It’s really adorable. We stopped for lunch at Pat Collins Bar. The best part was that we asked a local woman on the street for a restaurant recommendation and she happened to know my friend in Boston who grew up in Adare. Is there anything better than having a connection to someone when you are in a foreign country? I think not!

Dingle is on a peninsula and the roads to get there are some of the most narrow two-way traffic roads I’ve ever seen. I thought mom was going to have a heart attack. The most infamous road in this area is Conor pass. Don’t be scared, go for for the drive. 

In Dingle, we rented an adorable apartment off of air bnb. We were in the center of the town, with a cafe, Bean in Dingle (I told you the Irish are funny!) on one side and a Chinese restaurant on the other side. Dingle is a summer destination for the Irish, and it reminded me of Cape Cod Massachusetts. We were there before the peak of summer season, but you could see how this town would be booming in another month. 

We slowly meandered through the roads, stopping into tiny shops and cafes. Mom was drawn to the Dingle Crystal shop. We ended up talking with the owner’s daughter for quite some time. Most people know about Waterford Crystal. My parents seemingly own every single waterford drinking glass you can imagine. Waterford Crystal was purchased by a larger company, and the word on the street is that the products are produced outside of Ireland. We loved that the Dingle Crystal was made and etched right there in Dingle. Mom bought me, my sister, and her matching vases with an angel etched on the front. This fits perfectly into my rules about souvenirs. 

Other places to note in Dingle

Geaney’s- A perfect spot for dinner and live music. The food wasn’t too memorable, but the local brew was great and the music was even better. Mom and I had a few here and then walked over to Dick Macks. 

Dick Macks is a pub that has been around since 1899. My Great Aunt Dot insisted I swing through, as she said “That place is a scream!” Aunt Dot was right- you have to pop in to drink among history. 

Slea Head Drive- The beauty can’t be beat as you drive along this coastal road. This famous root takes you past the beehive houses, beautiful beaches, breathtaking cliff views, livestock and a few cool spots for food. We ate at Paidi O Se’s Pub  (Paddy O’Shea’s)

Out of the Blue- A nice departure from the traditional Irish food you’ll be eating every day. A unique building with great seafood. Reservations are a must!

Galway

The drive from Dingle to Galway is about 3.5 hours. Our hotel, Radisson Blue, is a good option in a convenient location. It has parking but you can walk to everything from here. Galway is a great city that has lots of college students, international travelers, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. All of the main pubs are basically shoulder to shoulder standing room only. It’s definitely a party scene. Maybe not the best place to bring your mom. 

Galway is a special city for me because everyone in my family has been to this town and visited O’Connell’s Pub (obv). My sister studied abroad in Galway and my Dad flew over with her to get her settled. My brothers went on a month-long road trip in Ireland and of course stopped into this bar. And now, mom and I were completing the tradition by stopping in for a Guinness. The thing about sharing the same name as the bar is that you feel super special and like it’s a big deal, but let me tell you, the people at the pub don’t care. It’s kind of like when you tell anyone in Ireland that you are Irish, they aren’t impressed. Unless you are JFK, then they are super excited about that.  I’ve never seen more pictures of JFK until I visited Ireland. 

Other places to note

Shop Street and Quay Street- The bustling pedestrian-only roads of Galway full of the pubs, stores and street performers. 

Richardsons- Pub on Eyre Square. Just getting off of Shop Street meant the pub was less crowded. We were able to listen to great music and have a seat. 

O’Connells Pub- Pub on Eyre Square with a great open air patio off the back. And of course, best name!