Europe 2022 Full Review - Ireland

Ireland, May 2022 

 

Getting Ready for the Trip

 

My daughter decided she wanted to visit Ireland so she began planning a trip for us to visit Ireland in May 2022. She did research online and I followed a Facebook group called “Ireland – Tips for Travelers,” which was very helpful. I booked our tickets using United Airlines miles and was able to book a direct flight on Aer Lingus for 30,000 miles each way. I also purchased travel insurance through Allianz as they now offer Covid protection if you have to extend your stay or interrupt your trip due to Covid. Our flight was at 8:00 p.m. and we arrived in Dublin at 2:30 p.m. I hired a driver to pick us up at Dublin airport to take us to the hotel (it was 25 euros). He met us inside the airport so it was very easy. I used Jason to drive me to and from Dublin airport but he also drives all over Ireland so if you are looking for a driver you can contact him via e-mail at Jasonryan1234@mail.com or through whats app +353 89 601-4642.  In Ireland they don’t have Uber per se. If you call an uber you will get a taxi, but it works the same way where it is charged directly to your card on account. There is also an app called Free Now which works the same as uber but is Ireland’s way of calling a taxi.   

 

Dublin

 

Our first 4 nights we stayed in Dublin at the Trinity City Hotel. The hotel is decorated beautifully and the room was very nice. It is located within walking distance of many sites in Dublin, including Temple Bar. We walked around our first day and walked by the Dublin Castle, Temple Bar, and Grafton Street.  We visited the infamous Temple Bar where everyone would sing along; it was a lively crowd. We had dinner at Tomahawk Steakhouse, an amazing steak restaurant with great service. Highly recommend.  After dinner we visited The Brazen Head, which is Ireland’s oldest pub. There were 4 men singing and playing instruments to Irish songs and the crowd was really into it. It was a lot of fun. 

 

Our first morning started out early as we had 9:45 a.m. reservations at the Kilmainham Gaol Museum.  Be sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time (they are released 28 days out). This tour was really informative. I enjoyed learning about all of the different prisoners that were held here and the crazy stories as to the reasons for their incarceration and the age range of the prisoners (even as young as 5 years old). After the guided tour you can visit the museum at your leisure.   

 

Once we finished there we grabbed a taxi to the Guinness Storehouse for our 12:30 reservation (again be sure to book your tickets in advance). This is a self-guided 60–90-minute tour. Near the end of the tour there is a place where you can do a beer tasting, and they teach you how to drink the beer. From there you can go to the Gravity Bar on the top level for views of the city and a complimentary glass of Guinness included with your ticket. 

 

We departed the Guinness Storehouse and grabbed a taxi to the Connolly Train Station and took the 30-minute Dart to Howth (cost was $5.00 each for a roundtrip ticket). We had originally planned to walk along the Cliffs of Howth but due to my daughter’s injured foot we were not able to do this, so instead we took the Howth Cliff Cruises for $20.00/person. It was a 30-minute ride on a small ferry where we saw views of Dublin Bay, the Bailey Lighthouse, and Ireland’s Eye.   

 

After our short boat ride we had a late lunch at The Pier House, which is located a short walk from the boat ride. The food was fabulous, and the service was great. Their drink menu had a variety of drink options I had not seen before. I had the mint chocolate chiptini that reminded me of mint chip ice cream. I loved it. We really enjoyed the goat cheese and Cep Powdered Mousse appetizer. My John Dory fish with the smoked potato foam (so unusual, yet so good) with the white asparagus and Dublin Bay prawn tortellini was exceptional. My daughter enjoyed her roasted monkfish in a tomato and clam broth. We finished off our meal with the vanilla & almond Cremeux in a chocolate shell with macerated strawberries. This was such an enjoyable meal and a great way to end our day. 

 

Our next morning we set up an all-day tour with Wild Rover Tours. This was a 10-hour tour that started in Dublin and took us by bus to Kilkenny City, Glendalough, Wicklow and ended at the village of Annamoe. This was one of the most well-run and organized tours. They had different locations to be picked up and the amazing thing is we left within minutes of our scheduled times at each location. The bus was very comfortable and included charging stations for our devices. The tour guides (Liam and Warren) were wonderful. Liam had a great personality and energy that continued throughout the day. Our first stop was Kilkenny City. We were able to walk around on our own in the beginning and then we had the option of meeting up with Liam for a 1-hour guided tour. He is actually from Kilkenny so he had a lot of information to share. From Kilkenny we drove through the Wicklow Mountains, which was absolutely stunning. We then visited Glendalough (Glen of two lakes) where Liam led an optional guided tour and then led us on a 1-hour hike around the lower lake. It was a very easy walk and really enjoyable. We even saw deer. After Glendalough we visited the village of Annamoe where we saw a demonstration on how they use dogs to herd the sheep. Truly amazing. We ended this wonderful day by actually getting to hold the baby lambs….so cute.   

 

We arrived back in Dublin around 6:15 in time for our dinner reservation at Il Vicoletto. This is a small restaurant with incredible food and great service. Everyone there was so friendly, including the other customers. We had a great time there and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. 

 

The following morning we took the train from Connelly station in Dublin to Belfast (35 euro each). It was a little over 2 hours. We scheduled a tour with Belfast Taxi Tour. We made arrangements to meet at a hotel a block away from the train station. Mark was our guide and he was very knowledgeable as he grew up there and had stories of his own to tell. He drove us around Belfast and we would stop at the different mural locations as he told us the stories behind them. After our 90-minute tour we walked around the city center and stopped at the little market by the train station before heading back to Dublin. 

 

Killarney

 

The next morning we departed Dublin to stay in Killarney a few days. We took the train from Heuston Station Dublin to Killarney with one transfer (35 euro). It was around 3 hours total and very comfortable. Once we arrived we walked to our Airbnb called #5 Central Killarney Apartment in the center of town. It was a very comfortable 2-bedroom with amazing hosts. We then walked to the Ross Castle as we were taking a water bus tour in the Killarney Lake with Killarney Lake Tours ($12/ person). Surprisingly it was a beautiful warm and sunny day so cruising along the lake couldn’t have been more perfect. There is seating inside along open windows, and there is an outdoor seating in the back. There is a moderator explaining what you are seeing as you cruise along the lake. Since I was sitting outside I was not able to hear him very well, so if you want to listen to the narration, you should sit inside. Afterward we walked around the Ross Castle. There is a guided tour you can take that cost $5.00/person, but you have to reserve in advance (although you may get lucky). We got tickets for that day for after the water cruise but then decided against going due to the number of spiral steps you need to go up and down and my daughter’s bad foot. We tried to get a taxi back to our Airbnb after the castle but the wait was too long as there was a big soccer event going. Luckily, I found a horse-drawn carriage to give us a ride back to the city. Killarney is a cute little town with a lot of shops and restaurants. 

 

The next morning we had an all-day Ring of Kerry Tour set up with Killarney Executive Tour Company. This day could not have been more perfect. The pick-up spot was a 5-minute walk from our Airbnb. It was a smaller 20-seat bus that was very comfortable. The driver, Dennis, was very informative and gave details about everything throughout the entire trip. We had a number of stops, including Kerry Bog Village (be sure to get your Irish Coffee next door at the Red Fox Inn­–I had a Baileys and hot chocolate) and Caherciveen, Waterville (where Dennis made lunch reservations for us ahead of time). You order at the counter and get the food there, or they will bring the items out to you depending on what you ordered. It was quick and good. We then visited Coomakishta Pass, Sneem, and Ladies View. Every stop was so beautiful. The towns were so quaint. This was such an enjoyable day and quite affordable (adult tickets were 35 Euro). Everything ran on schedule, the other passengers were all so nice, and Dennis did a great job of running everything. I would highly recommend doing this day trip tour. 

 

That night after dinner we went to Danny Mann Pub in Killarney for drinks and music. The following morning we had breakfast at The Shire, which is a tribute to the Lord of the Rings. The breakfast was good and reasonably priced. Be sure to walk into the bar area adjacent to it to see the Lord of the Rings tribute.  

 

After breakfast we didn’t have anything scheduled for the day so we decided to take the Big Red Bus, a hop-on/hop-off shuttle bus for Killarney & National Park. An all-day pass cost $15.00 per adult. It picked us up in the city center and made stops at Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House, and Muckross Abbey. We got off the bus at the Muckross House location. We walked through the gardens, and they were absolutely beautiful. After the gardens we walked to the Muckross Traditional Farms. We walked along the path to the three separate working farms that were recreated. These homes showed how the homes were set up and where the family slept with actual items that were used in these homes. They also had women in the homes baking bread and making butter (which we were allowed to sample). There were animals as well. If you have trouble walking, they do offer a shuttle that will drop you off and pick you up at each location along the trail. After the farmhouses we continued our walk to the Muckross Abbey. Once we finished there we walked out to the main road and took the Red Bus back to the City Center.   

 

The following morning we set up for a driver to take us to Dingle Town and the Sleh Head Drive. Unfortunately our driver was not the most communicative so rather than it being a “tour,” it was more like a driver who stopped off at different places with no explanations. It was pretty frustrating but there was nothing we could do, so we tried to make the most of the situation and learned to speak out when we wanted to stop somewhere such as the Fairy Fort, where we paid $2.50 a person to get food for the animals and were able to pet and feed sheep, horses, donkeys, and lambs. We stopped at several different locations along Sleh Head Drive that were just stunning. We visited Dunbeag Fort where we paid $3.50 to see a 12-minute video and then crossed the street to see the 500 BC Dunbeag Fort. Another place we stopped at for the view was across the street from the Cashel Murphy, which is a historical landmark. We didn’t visit it due to my daughter’s injured foot, but I would suggest it if you have the time. Dunquin Pier was a steep walk down, but well worth it for the view. After we finished the Sleh Head Drive we visited the town of Dingle. There were cute shops and restaurants. We had a quick breakfast at The Diner and then a crepe at McCarthy’s Crepe later on. On our way back to Killarney we stopped at the Inch Strand Beach for a quick view. The entire trip took us 6½ hours.  

 

Galway

 

The next morning we hired a private driver to take us from Killarney to Galway with a stop at the Cliffs of Moher. We were lucky enough to get Jack with Killarney Tour and Taxi Services, and he couldn’t have been more perfect. He was very personable, knowledgeable, and just an all-around great guy. He knew interesting facts and answered all of our many questions. He took us on a 20-minute ferry ride with Shannon Ferry to Clare County. Once there we had such a beautiful drive with many stops along the way. We stopped at St. Bridget's Well, the Cliffs of Moher (parked at Guerin’s Path), The Burren, Lahinch, Dunguaire Castle, and finally Galway. The Cliffs of Moher were spectacular. It was a very clear and sunny day. We spent 2 hours walking from one end to the other. We stopped for lunch at The Pier Head Bar and Restaurant in Kinvarra, which had beautiful views and excellent food. It truly was a fantastic day and one of the highlights of our trip to Ireland. 

 

The next day we spent the day in Galway. We took a 90-minute river cruise with Corrib Princess. It departed from Galway City Centre. It was a guided tour, and they played lovely Irish music on the return. There is an outdoor upper deck and an enclosed lower deck. It was very relaxing. After the cruise we explored Galway, stopping in different storefronts, listening to musicians play on the streets, and visiting the Spanish Arch. Later that evening we had a great dinner at Saugus, a tapas restaurant, and then a nice evening walk along the canals. 

 

Our last day in Galway turned out to be one of our favorites. We took the Aran Island Ferries to Inis Mor. The cost was 88 euro for two of us. It included a cruise along the Cliffs of Moher on the return. The day could not have been more perfect. Once we arrived on Inis Mor there were taxis and horse-drawn carriages waiting to take us on a tour of the island. You can just walk up to any one of them. They want to fill their car first before starting the tour. The cars charge $20/person. We were so lucky to have found Patrick. There was another group of 6 so we all went together as the car held 8 people. He takes you around the island and told us such interesting information. The island has a population of only 800 people. The bank is only open 2 days a week. There is one post office and one grocery store. You can only own a house on the island if you are from the island or marry into a family that is from the island. Our first stop was at the Dun Aonghasa Fort, which is over 3000 years old.  t was a bit of a tough climb with the rocky pathway but once you reached the top, it was pure beauty looking over the cliffs. Once we walked back, we had a wonderful lunch at Teach Nan Phaidi Café–highly recommend; very affordable and so good. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Patrick came back to pick us up and continued driving us around the island, making stops along the way to take pictures. It was truly a magical day. We then took the ferry back to Galway. The ferry goes along the Cliffs of Moher so it was nice to see it from a different perspective. We got an added bonus as the Irish coast guard helicopter did a training session with the ferry and we got to witness them lowering someone onto the boat and then retrieving them back. It was amazing to watch. When we returned to Galway we had a wonderful dinner at Ruibin, which was located close to the ferry. We ordered a number of small dishes from their bar menu. This was one of our favorite days. 

 

Our last day in Galway we had a lovely morning breakfast at Mr. Waffle and then walked around and visited Galway University. Such a beautiful building. We then took the GoBus ($28 for 2 people) back to Dublin, which was 3½ hours but very comfortable and easy. It dropped us off in the city center. We had our last dinner at Tomahawk Steakhouse, which was where we also had our first dinner 2 weeks earlier. It is still my favorite restaurant. We also took our Covid test while at our hotel using the BinaxNOW tests that I ordered when I was in the U.S., and we did the video monitoring through emed.com. We were both negative; yay!!! I was able to set up everything on the Verifly app. 

 

Our last morning we arrived at Dublin airport very early due to the delays the airport had been having in getting customers through security on time. You actually go through both TSA and U.S. Customs in Dublin, so be sure to allow yourself extra time. Due to my daughter’s injured foot, we had set up for special services ahead of time. They provide a wheelchair and walk you through security. OCS is the company in Dublin Airport for wheelchairs. You can call them on 00353 1 814 5902 or e-mail them at prm@ocsireland.com

I was provided complimentary or discounted services to help facilitate my review from the following:  Wild Rover Tours, Ni Black Taxi Tour, Killarney Lake Tour, Corrib Princess Cruise

Itinerary with costs

 

Here is the schedule of my trip and cost in U.S. dollars for 2 people (i.e., 2 tickets, etc.):

 

May 23 – fly to Dublin, arrive May 24: 30,000 United miles (per person) each way on Aer Lingus. 

 

May 24 – Arranged for driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel – Trinity City Hotel for 4 nights ($808); dinner at Tomahawk Steakhouse in Dublin – my favorite restaurant.

 

May 25 – walked around Dublin, did the Kilmainham Gaol ($17) (purchased 9:30 a.m. tickets 28 days in advance). Then did the Guinness Storehouse tour ($45). After walking around Dublin a bit more we took a 30-minute Dart train ($10) to Howth. Took a ferry cruise ($40) and had a great lunch at The Pier House Restaurant before taking the Dart train back to Dublin; walked around Dublin when we returned. 

 

May 26 – Day trip from Dublin to Kilkenny, Wicklow Mountains, and Glendalough with Wild Rover Tours ($68), 8:10 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. Large bus but tour group ran very efficiently. Did a walking tour with guide in Kilkenny. Left within 3 minutes of scheduled time at each location, so be sure to be on time.

 

May 27 – Day trip on our own from Dublin to Belfast. Train ($67) (7:35 a.m.–9:45 a.m.). Took a Ni Black Taxi Tour ($40) of the murals. Walked around Belfast and then took train back to Dublin. 

 

May 28 – Train from Dublin to Killarney ($72) – 9:00 a.m.–12:19 p.m. Checked into Airbnb in the city center. ($532 for 4 nights). Took the Killarney Water Bus tour (pick up at Ross Castle) ($24). 

 

May 29 – Day trip from Killarney to Ring of Kerry booked with Killarney Executive Tour Company ($76) 9:15 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (smaller bus with 20 people). Great tour. 

 

May 30 – rest day in Killarney – we took the Killarney Executive Tour hop-on/hop-off bus ($30) through Killarney National Park and visited the Muckross House and Garden, Muckross Traditional Farms, and the Muckross Abbey. 

 

May 31 – hired a private driver to take us on a day tour from Killarney to Dingle and Sleh Head and return back to Killarney. 9:00 a.m.–­4:00 p.m.

 

June 1 – hired a private driver to take us one-way from Killarney to Galway to our Airbnb (Galway Airbnb, 3 nights for $482) with stops at the Cliffs of Moher and other stops along the way ($475, but I understand the price has gone up since then). 

 

June 2 – took the Corrib Princess Cruise ($35) in Galway and then walked around Galway…relaxing day. 

 

June 3 – Day trip to Aran Islands Inis Mor. Took the Ferry ($91); departed at 9:30 a.m. and returned at 6:00 p.m. Hired one of the taxi drivers to take us on a tour of the island, including a stop at the fort to visit and eat lunch and then continued driving tour. $20/person. Highlight of trip. 

 

June 4 – Took the GoBus ($28) from Galway to Dublin (2½ hour bus ride) for our last night in Ireland. Stayed at the Aloft hotel in Dublin.

 

June 5 – Hired a driver to take us to Dublin airport. 

  

Linda Perry

Linda@Peachhead.net

May-June 2022