Our third visit to Ireland and as far as the level of hospitality is concerned, very little had changed. We landed at Shannon airport and hired a car. We weren’t following a list this time.
We based ourselves in a true ‘getaway’ home in Askeaton that sits 45 mins away from Shannon airport in the Limerick region of Ireland.
We wake up to the view of Lake Deel and have a nice long chat with the Irish couple we’re staying with, as you do.
Soon after, began an absolutely beautiful drive through country Ireland. We drove through the town of Ennis, with some specialty coffee from Suas coffee bar. Ennis was the only ‘big town’ we crossed on our trip. It’s bustling with packed pubs, the lovely Irish accent, plenty of food and colourful architecture.
We then made our way to the Cliffs of Moher as we wanted to fully utilise some of the remaining sunshine for the day. Yes, we saw sun in Ireland. For hours!
The drive to the cliffs is almost as worthwhile as the Cliffs themselves. A 6 euros entry fee later, we hiked up to the Hags Head which is one of the Cliffs. The highest cliff at the cliffs of Moher rises to approximately 214 m and the views are endless and panoramic, no matter where and how you see it!
The O’briens tower stands unassumingly against lush green grass and what is some very vast and marvellous scenery. The cliffs extend for 7-8km against the Atlantic Ocean. We only ended up hiking up a couple of cliffs as the weather suddenly turned on us and the winds were strong. There is a certain green in the greenery of Ireland that I have never seen elsewhere. Its the greenest shade of green and everything around it, the abandoned castles, the old brick homes, look doubly beautiful yet simple.
One of the most unexpected & interesting surprises of our trip was the ‘matchmaking festival’ at Lisdoonvarna. This festival has been celebrated in this part of Ireland for over two centuries and is the biggest one of its kind in Europe. The idea, essentially, is to bring together like minded people to get to know each other and the ‘matchmaking’ is managed today by Wille Dally who believes in the old fashioned way! The festival has evolved over the years to incorporate elements of modern day dating, but it is very much a tradition that has not lost its original charm. The bright orange ‘Matchmaker Pub’ on the main street is where the magic is created year on year.
Galway is a popular and young University city which has also been names as the European capital of culture for 2020. Despite how windy it was on the day, we enjoyed having a stroll around the bustling city centre. We had some delicious seafood too!
Tips:
If possible, hire a car and drive through this part of Ireland. It allows for flexibility in your itinerary. Also, the roads are comfortable to drive on, traffic is never a problem. Most importantly, the Irish are not impatient, angry, abusive people, they’ll understand if you want to park at an awkward spot on the highway to take a selfie. They get it. They’ll probably drive past you and wish you good day.
For a delicious & freshly made pub meal inside one of Ireland’s most historic pubs, Durty Nellys (Over 400 years old). It is located right next to the Bunratty Castle.
Try an Irish coffee because this is the region where it was invented in the 1940s.
Explore the countryside without a list and remember that Ireland will never disappoint!
travellerspen 