Ballinasloe and Dublin

This is our last day of touring in Ireland. It's been a great week and everyone has had a great time. We've seen many interesting sites, visited quaint villages and towns, viewed breath taking scenery, shared lots of laughter, sing songs and shopping, shopping and more shopping. What more can a gal ask for.

Today we drove from Galway to Dublin with a brief stop to stretch our legs and take a stroll in the tiny town of Ballinasloe. Our next stop was at the Jameson distilery in Dublin. The gals were excited about tasting the fine golden liquid. We enjoyed an informative guided tour which wound up in the tasting room and a few of the gals were chosen to partake in a tasting. Debbie, Marion and Carolyn tasted Scotch whisky, American whisky and fine 12 year old Jameson whisky. The vote was unanimous, Jameson was the best. The taste was sweet like honey and smooth as silk. I think the gals have found their new drink of choice.

Keith, our skilled driver maneuvered the bus through the busy streets of Dublin and dropped the ladies off at the Ha'penny Bridge. We strolled through the narrow cobbled streets of the Temple Bar area and found a wonderful pub for lunch, irish coffees and Guiness. The pub menu has a fabulous selection of irish stew, beef and guiness pie, shepherds pie, fish and chips and much more. Everyone has thoroughly enjoyed the food here in Ireland and I'm sure we are all going home a little bit heavier,and it was worth every mouthful.

This afternoon we finished up our last bit of shopping as we wandered along Grafton Street to browse in the shops and listen to the fabulous street performers. Dublin is a great city, especially on a warm sunny day. Once again our weather was perfect, no rain and unseasonably warm.

Tonight after dinner a wonderful story teller came in to tell us Irish myths and fables.

Another great day was had by all of the ladies and our story has come to and end.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about our journey through Ireland as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.

by Debbie Ross, founder of the Womens Travel Network.

Connemara, Spiddal Craft Centre and Galway

Today we drove through the rocky, wet bog area. No animals can survive here and it's main importantce over the past years is for a source of heat. They cut the earth and peat away from the top of the land and pile it into bricks to dry. Once dried the bricks are used for heat and have been for centuries.

Donna is walking carefully through the bog trying not to get a soaker, unfortunately she was unsuccessful.

Our next stop was the Spiddal Craft Centre with an array of stores and craft shops where the craft makers design, make and sell their handmade crafts. Pottery, wool, nik naks, silver and more. The craftsmen were very friendly and happy to share their wonderful creations with us.

Next stop was the Connemara marble outlet to learn about the different types of marble available in Ireland. The green, black and red marbles are beautiful. The location we visited is where they make fine jewelry pieces with marble accents. The owner gave us a tour and showed us the various pieces of marble they get from the quarry. This is a famliy run business started by his grandfather.

Our next visit is with Mary Munley to view her fine Connemara Celtic Crystal factory. She started the business in 1972 and it is known around the world. Mary constantly wins awards for her spectacular crystal designs and finely cut pieces. We were treated to a demonstration by her master craft man cutting a crystal bowl with her famous claddagh design.

After a busy morning of shopping the ladies have worked up an appetite. Keith drives us back to Galway for lunch in one of his favourite restaurants. As always the food was great. After lunch we take a short walking tour of downtown Galway then the ladies split up to enjoy free time. Some head back to the hotel to enjoy a tasty Irish coffee, others explore the shops and quaint streets of Galway.

Tonight we went to an Irish music and dance show: Trad on the Prom. It was fantastic! Some of the performers were members of the orinigal River Dance and the level of entertainment was outstanding. World class dancers, singers and musicians. A wonderful way to end our time in Galway.

This was a busy day. We travelled through Tralee and Listowel on to the town of Tarbert and boarded the ferry to cross the Shannon River. Once again the scenery is magnifcent. Rolling hills with mountains in the back ground, green pastures dotted with cattle and sheep, brightly coloured bushes of yellows, whites, purples and pinks.

The weather is slightly cooler and Heather has dressed for the occassion. Our bus driver Keith took one look at her and asked if she was expecting a tornado or something. Thus began another day of laughter.

We have moved in to rockier terrain where all of the fences are made of stone. Rumour has it if you put all of the walls in Ireland in a straight row it would be long enough to circle the world twice. These walls are known as famine reliefe or penny walls, built during the great famine years around 1845. The people were given food in exchange for building the walled fence lines. it is quite evident in the number of walls that many people suffered at during time.

Our driver suggested we all pitch in and buy some lottery tickets as tonights lottery is worth 3 million Euros. Vi had a lucky shamrock coin so everyone rubbed the coin for good luck and Keith purchased a ticket. Let's hope our luck continues and we all return home a little richer.

Our first stop was Joseph McHugh's pub in the town of Liscannor for a fish and chip lunch. MMMM MMM good. Have I told you about the food? It's amazing. During our time at the pub Jacqueline picked up a lovely friend and even recieved a marriage proposal.

Onward to our next stop, the magnificent Cliffs of Moher which are dramatically beautiful. Lucky for us the sky is clear so the cliffs are visible. What a sight. The sky and water are wonderful colours of blue and the cliffs are stunning. We met a small group from Aurora, ON and one of them had found some four leaf clovers. Some of the gals decided to scour the clovers to find their own lucky charm. Debbie found 5 and Anne Marie found one. Let's hope this luck will pass on to our lottery tickets.

We continue our drive through the Burren which is a very rocky area. There are walls of rock everywhere which makes for a very interesting country side. There are still some thatched roofed homes and cottages in this area and also the worlds largest thatched roof hote can be found here. We wind our way down the corkscrew road into the city of Galway. Our hotel is on Galway bay over looking the water and it is evident this is a resort town.

Tomorrow we are taking a scenic drive to Connemara. More to come......

Kenmare and Molls Gap

Today we drive through scenic Killarney National Park to the quaint town of Kenmare to enjoy some free time to browse through the shops, purchase fine irish wool products, jewelry and other various trinkets. Some of the ladies take time out to enjoy a delicious ice cream. Our journey continues along the winding roads up the mountain to Molls Gap. It's very rocky and dramatically different from the green pasture lands we've seen previously. There are many sheep along the hillsides and some even find there way on to the road. Lunch is enjoyed while overlooking the spectacular mountains and valleys. Our drive continues along the winding roads through Killarney park and we stop at the Ladies View to take in the magnificent view of the 3 lakes and the surrounding rugged terrain. Killarney National Park encompasses over 100 square miles and is home to deer, fox, rabbits, a wealth of bird life and plant species.
Our next stop is Ross Castle to view the remains of the home of the O'Donoghue clan dating back to the 15th century. The castle sits on the edge of the lake and from here we board a boat for a tour of the lake and surrounding lands. It's a warm, sunny relaxing afternoon. The temperature is still unusually high and reaches to the high 70's or low 80's. Delightful weather which is enjoyed by all.
Upon our return to the town of Killarney the ladies have some free time to roam about. Some relax, some shop and some make there way to a local pub. The bartenders are quick whitted and always willing to banter with the patrons. The barman at the Laurel Pub was keen on entertaining the ladies on this sunny Tuesday afternoon.
Dinner tonight was in the hotel and afterwards a quiet evening was spent relaxing and chatting in the lobby. We're on the move again in the morning, heading north towards Galway. Stay tuned for more.

Blarney Castle, Muckross House and Killarney

Today we are on the move again travelling through County Cork from Kinsale to Killarney. We have a day filled with adventure. Our first stop is at the Blarney Castle. The castle dates back centuries and it has a spectacular view of the brilliant green countryside. There are acres of sprawling lawns, forest,a lake and gardens. The Blarney Castle is famous for the blarney stone. We climb the narrow spiral stone stairway up to the top of the castle. It's quite a way up to the top and once there we take in magnificent view. Some of us are a little queezy with the height and the narrow walkway around the edge of the building. Each of us takes at turn at kissing the famos stone. You would think this is simple however they fail to tell you that you must lay down, lean back as far as you can and kiss the stone while upside down. This is quite a challenge and can only be done with the assistance of someone holding you. Even then it feels as though you are going to slip through the opening and crash down to the ground. We all kissed the stone and lived to tell the story. Rumour has it, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab. As if these women needed that, they already have the gift.
After visiting the castle we had free time to wander through the woolen mills, take a stroll through the grounds and some of us toured Blarney House. This is a magnificent home built in 1874 and is still inhabitated by Sir Charles and Lady Elizabeth Colthurst. The home is a small museum housing wonderful antiques, elegant furnishings and paintings depicting the family history.
After lunch we continue our journey on to Killarney. As we drive north the scenery changes from green rolling hills to a rockier topography with 3 famous lakes and great mountain ranges. The bus drops us at our next mode of transportation, a horse and wagon which is better known as a Jaunting Car. One of our drivers has taken a a shine to Helen and has proposed marriage. He slows along the way to pick a bouquet of flowers for her and the whole scenario has the ladies in fits of laughter.
Helen is a great sport and with her beau she entertains us all with an impromptu wedding, giving us all an afternoon experience to remember.
Our next visit is of the Muckross House,, a palatial estate dating back to 1839 and set in Killarney National Park alongside Muckross Lake. Queen Victoria stayed here in 1861. The Herbert family took 6 years and spent a fortune preparing for her visit which was to be cut short due to her husbands illness. Unfortunately to the dismay of the Herberts she only stayed 2 nights. The house is very elegant and has beautiful views of the grounds, gardens and lake.
After our tour we continue on to check into our hotel , the Killarney Towers. It's a lovely hotel in the heart of Killarney. The streets are lined with lovely shops and plenty of pubs.
This evening we take a winding drive through the country roads to Kate Kearneys Cottage to enjoy a typical pub dinner and live Irish entertainment. The trio educate us on the various instruments used to play typical Irish music and they entertain us with songs.. After our return some of us head out to Shannahans pub for a nightcap. It's Monday night and the pub is filled with patrons enjoying the live music and chatting with friends. Another great day was had by all.

Sun. May 23rd, - Kinsale

I've taken so many photos my battery died. Pictures to be posted soon!
Today we drove from Dublin to Kinsale. Along the way we stopped in New Ross to take a tour of the Dunbrody, a replica of the famine ship. On our tour we learned about the life and conditions our ancestors endured while trying to find a better life during the famine. These small ships held up to 200 passengers in the cargo hold and each family slept in a small bunk. Their food rations were bread and oats and they were only allowed up on deck for 1/2 an hour each day. If the famine didn't get you the journey across the Atlantic might. Disease, starvation and unimaginable living conditions were to be endured. The Dunbrody was the ship taken by John F Kennedy's great grandfather. The replica was commissioned by the Kennedy's in memory of all who suffered the great famine.

We stopped for a quick lunch at a roadside pub. During lunch we were treated to more Irish song by a wonderful entertainer. The Irish love their song and beer.

Onward to the town of Kinsale. The drive through the countryside was magnificent. The green rolling hills are covered with bushes of bright yellow, white queen annes lace and many cattle and sheep. The town of Kinsale is located in a quaint bay jutting in from the Atlantic ocean. The harbour is filled with sailboats and the streets are lined with brightly coloured shops. Dinner this evening is in a restaurant overlooking the harbour and once again the Irish have prepared a fabulous dinner for us. Tasty goas cheese salad, fresh cod and an array of delicious desserts. After dinner we met our guides for a Ghost Walk. They entertain us with their tales of history and slapstick comedy. Their humour and surprise gags have us screaming and laughing. This was a wonderful way to stroll through the colorful town while learning about the history. Our tour ends at a local pub for a night cap. Tomorrow we are off to kiss the Blarney stone. Keep tuned in for more tales from Ireland.

Merry Plough Boys Pub

This evening we went to the Merry Plough Boys Pub for dinner and a show. The ambiance was warm and inviting and the food amazing, everyone enjoyed their . The show was a talented trio who sang a meddley of Irish ballads and they had everyone clapping and singing along. They played a little game during one song and the last person to clap after the song stopped had to go up on stage. Our dear Marion was the lucky gal and for this she received a t shirt and a kiss.
We ended the evening off with an Irish Coffee. MMMM MMMM Good. A fun time was had by all.
Our driver |Keith continued to entertain us on the drive back to our seaside hotel. He serenaded with songs and told us stories and jokes. His rendition of Danny boy was one of the best I have ever heard. Tomorrow we are on the move heading to the town of Kinsale.