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Going away for 11 days was unthinkable when my sister first proposed a trip to Ireland. (Too much work — I can’t leave, I told myself.) I’m happy to say I returned from that magical adventure two weeks ago, and now have a lifetime of wonderful memories — from exploring castles to watching a sheepdog demonstration to enjoying Irish music and dancing.
I also have a greater appreciation for the value of truly “getting away,” thanks to a dedicated staff who was able to handle the crazy workload while I was gone. (Pro tip: It’s almost impossible to worry about news deadlines when you are eight hours ahead. That lack of time synching was a blessing in disguise.)
Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle and for a good reason. Moderate temperatures and moist air contribute to its lush landscape. Combined with the constantly changing weather — from sun to showers and back again several times daily — anyone from the Seattle area will feel right at home.
We started and ended our trip in Dublin, a busy city of 1.3 million people. As to be expected in a place with often-overcast skies, you can find good coffee everywhere, with the number of coffee shops rivaling those in Puget Sound.
Among the highlights of our stay was a student-led tour of Trinity College Dublin, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and Ireland’s oldest university.
Rich in history, Trinity College has housed the Book of Kells since 1661 and the Brian Boru harp since 1782. Our tour guide told us that Provost George Salmon, who headed the college at the turn of the 20th century, said that women would only be admitted to the college “over his dead body.” Turns out, Salmon died on Jan. 22, 1904 and just a few days later, the college’s board officially enrolled its first female students.
The harp was used as a model for the coat of arms of Ireland and for the trademark of Guinness stout. According to tour leaders, Guinness — headquartered in Dublin — had already trademarked the logo. So when the Irish Free State was founded in 1922, the country was required to “flip” the image to the left so it faces the opposite direction.
Guinness, by the way, offers ticketed tours of its seven-floor Storehouse, which tells the story of the iconic beer through displays and videos. Admission includes a tasting room experience plus a free pint on the top-floor Gravity Bar, with a view of the city.
Dublin is also home to the Pearse Lyons Distillery, a five-minute walk from the Guinness Storehouse. Housed inside an old church, the distillery offers tours that include history of the church and the neighborhood, plus Irish whiskey samples.
Highly recommended is the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, which explains how Irish emigrants built their lives abroad and influenced music, culture, sports, science, medicine and more. Across the street, you can tour The Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship, which tells the story of the Great Famine — a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852.
The ship is a replica of the original Jeanie Johnston, built in 1847 in Quebec, Canada. Originally intended to transport cargo, the ship ended up carrying desperate men, women and children fleeing the Famine, making 16 crossings between 1848 and 1855 from the Irish city of Tralee to Canada.
Our guide explained that despite the long voyage, no crew or passenger lives were ever lost on board the Jeanie Johnston, in contrast with the notorious “coffin ships” that carried many other Irish immigrants. Credit is given to the ship’s captain, James Attridge, who insisted on not overloading the ship, along with a medical doctor on board for the passengers.
From Dublin, we traveled to the vibrant city of Galway, with a stop along the way at Sean’s Bar in Athlone. Founded by Vikings in 900 AD, Sean’s is the oldest pub in Europe.
One of the most stunning stops on our tour was Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Gardens. Located in Connemara, just an hour from Galway, Kylemore Castle was built in the late 1800s by Mitchell Henry. Inspired by his wife Margaret, Henry was a wealthy businessman and politician who was a vocal advocate for the Irish people. Today, Kylemore Abbey is owned and run by the Benedictine community.
We also had amazing views of the western Irish coast at the Cliffs of Moher. Rising 700 feet above the Atlantic Coast, there’s an 11-mile cliff walk that can be quite windy, along with a visitor’s center. The vista can become crowded with tourists, so it’s best to arrive early in the day if possible.
Sheep are everywhere in Ireland, and another popular attraction for Ireland’s tourists is a sheepdog demonstration. We were able to see the dogs at work, learning from their handler that only female dogs are used — both because they stay more focused than their male counterparts and they are smaller and thus more agile on rocky and hilly terrain.
Ireland wouldn’t be Ireland, of course, without a visit to an Irish pub — and there were many to choose from throughout our trip. One highlight we enjoyed was a meal, live music and Irish dancing at Kate Kearney’s Cottage in Killarney, a 170-year-old family-run restaurant.
While in Killarney, we took a ride in a jaunting car — a traditional Irish horse-drawn carriage — through Killarney National Park to scenic Ross Castle, set on the shores of Lough Leane. We also traveled along a portion of the Ring of Kerry, featuring coastal and mountain landscapes.
In addition, we climbed to the top of the Blarney Castle, built nearly 600 years ago and home of the famous Blarney stone. (The climb is not recommended for anyone who has difficulty walking.) Many stood in line to kiss the stone, which may bring a range of benefits, according to various legends.
In the Irish city of Waterford, we toured the House of Waterford Crystal, watching skilled artisans create an amazing array of glassware and custom designs.
From there, it was on to Kilkenny, where we saw the restored Kilkenny Castle, featuring 17th century tapestries, family portraits and furniture of the Butler family who once lived there.
Ireland is very friendly to tourists, although the narrow roads clogged with tour buses can be challenging for those who decide to rent a car and explore on their own. My sister booked us on a bus tour, which was a fine option for those who want to sit back and enjoy the scenery, with many stops along the way. Edmonds-based Rick Steves Europe also offers a range of tour packages in Ireland.
For an overview of things to see and do in Ireland, visit Ireland.com
Teresa Wippel is the president and CEO of the My Neighborhood News Group. This is her first of what she hopes are many European travel adventures.
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