At the time of this writing, I am just over three weeks returned from a week-long trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland. This was my second trip booked through Globus Journeys, and it is not my last. Since returning from Ireland, I have already booked my next trip with them to England and Wales. While I believe I would have enjoyed this most recent trip even if I had backpacked my way through it and slept in a tent (very much not my style, by the way), having Globus Journeys as my host made it yet another dream come true.
Please note-I have specifically stated quite a few things/places I highly recommend while visiting Ireland. But any place you see a link, you are safe to assume it is a recommendation even if I did not specifically say it was. These are non-affiliate links, meaning I do not get any perks at all if you spend money by going through the links I supplied. They are simply there for your convenience.
Dublin
This trip began in Dublin, Ireland. After landing, going through customs, and retrieving my bags, I headed toward terminal two ground transportation to find my Globus guide. There she stood with a smile on her face, holding a sign that said “Globus Journeys”. I walked up to her, told her I was one of her people, and gave her my name. Her name was Debra, and she was the guide for my tour group for the duration of the trip. She was amazing from the very moment I met her.
I could go on and on about all the things about her that made that impression, but this blog is supposed to be about Ireland and Northern Ireland, so I will leave it at that. Just know that having a friendly, helpful, accommodating, knowledgeable guide with a great sense of humor takes a great trip to the next level.
From there, I loaded onto the luxury coach for the drive to the hotel. I had a little time to get settled in my room and take a short nap prior to leaving for an orientation drive around the city. Admittedly, I was pretty worn out from eighteen hours of travel, so I was not quite as alert as I would have preferred. Regardless, the drive around the city made me hate to blink because I didn’t want to miss a thing.
We also made a few stops along the drive. One was in Merrion Square where we saw the statue of Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet and playwright, lying casually on a rock looking over at his childhood home. Another was in the beautiful Phoenix Park-also where the US Embassy is located.
After returning to the hotel, I went out for a stroll to soak up my surroundings just a little bit more, and to take some photos. Our hotel was just across from Harp Bridge, which was beautiful. And we were next door to the Irish Famine Exhibition.
Galway
On day two, we left Dublin and headed to Galway. Along the way we made a few stops with the first being in Athlone, the home of Sean’s Bar-Ireland’s oldest pub, built in 900AD. While there, some enjoyed an Irish coffee while others (me included) had an amazing Bailey’s coffee. This pub blew my mind as it was hard to wrap my head around how long it had been standing, along with the fact that it is still being used. It was a place that made me feel like it would be my home away from home if I lived in Athlone-even if only to sit by the roaring fire they keep going in the fireplace. Right across the street from Sean’s Bar was Athlone Castle. Sean’s Bar is a must see, even if it requires going out of your way a bit to get there.
Another one of the stops was at Rathbaun Farm in Ardrahan, Ireland. This stop was one of my favorites out of the entire trip. At the farm we learned to make scones. While they were baking, we took a tour outside and learned about sheep herding, and I believe I am now forever in love with that animal! When the scones were done baking, we went back inside and ate them while they were still warm, along with some hot tea…perfect for a cold day!
Galway was our home for the rest of the day and night. Once we got there, we took a walking tour of the city, did some shopping, which is where I discovered Aran wool sweaters (and fell in love with them), then went out for a nice steak dinner. I only bought one sweater in Galway, but I got more before leaving Ireland (I’ll leave the number a mystery). Visit The Sweater Shop to get some for yourself-you’ll be glad you did. My only regret about my time in Galway was not making my way to the coastline. Next time, I definitely will.
Letterkenny
We left Galway early in the morning, destination Letterkenny, with a couple of fabulous stops on the way. The first stop was in Waterford for coffee and breakfast for those of us who didn’t get up early enough to grab a bite to eat at the hotel prior to our departure. Here we saw Croaic Patrick, the mountain in which St. Patrick spent forty days fasting at the summit. It was a beautiful sight, and I certainly recommend at least driving to it and pulling over to take photos if hiking to the top isn’t your style.
While in Waterford, we did a little more shopping, and took more photos before boarding the coach again for Donegal. And what a little treat that town turned out to be! While there, I learned Donegal is the hometown of one of my favorite musicians, Enya. Also, during our brief visit, it started to snow! For a girl who lives in South Georgia, USA, that was a like a personalized gift! On the way to Donegal, we passed the waters that Lord Mountbatten was blown up in by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1979.
Our day ended in Letterkenny. We had a fabulous night spent at Nora’s Bar with a traditional Irish band, drinks, and a great time had by all! Aside from that, Letterkenny just did not do anything for me. I’m pretty sure we didn’t miss a thing in that town, and I was not sad about leaving there the next morning.
Belfast
This day was by far my favorite of the entire trip. And not just because we were leaving Letterkenny-the land of nothingness. We were headed into Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, with an end destination of Belfast where we would stay for two nights. On the way to Belfast, our first stop was in Derry. What a beautiful and interesting place this was. We did a walking tour and learned so much about Derry’s history, particularly surrounding the Northern Ireland Conflict that lasted from 1968 to 1998.
Should you find yourself in the neighborhood, I highly recommend a tour, and specifically, a tour with Ronan of McNamara Tours. He is superb, and has one of the kindest, most authentic souls I’ve come across in ages! He gives a splendid tour as well, AYE!!!
After our stop in Derry, we headed for Giant’s Causeway with a brief stop just south of it to Portrush and Dunluce Castle. I have no words to accurately describe this peace evoking, salty air smelling, crystal blue waves crashing onto rocks and cliffs as if the ocean were inhaling and exhaling, truly breathtaking coastline. I have seen some gorgeous coastlines, but this tops them all. And seeing Dunluce Castle right there was also a huge highlight for me as I am a true Throney. Laying my eyes on House of Greyjoy made my heart skip a beat!
We left that coast and headed to Belfast. I enjoyed this city a great deal. The fact that we got a lot of snow while we were there added to the joy I experienced. We had a delightful driving tour of the city with a couple of stops-one at Queen’s University, and another at the Peace Wall, where people from all over the world sign their name in support of peace in the region. I added my name to the wall.
The next day, we went to the Titanic Museum which is in the shipyard where the Titanic was built. While the museum was emotional, I enjoyed it very much and recommend a visit if you are in Belfast.
That same afternoon, we toured Hillsborough Castle, the official Royal Residence when they are in Northern Ireland. Not only am I a Throney as in Game of Thrones, I am also a Throney as in obsessed with the Royal Family, so this was another real treat to me. Sadly, I had only snapped a few photos before they told us photography was not allowed.
That same evening, we were still getting snow, and me, my aunt and my cousin got a taxi and headed out for some shopping in Belfast. We didn’t have much success in that department, but we did find a cozy pub to warm up and enjoy a nice, hot meal in.
Dublin
The next morning, we boarded our luxury coach and made our way back to Dublin, having come full circle. We stopped in a town called Carlingford, where I enjoyed the jaw dropping, snow covered landscape along the way. Carlingford boasts a set of medieval gates still in operation. While there, we had coffee and breakfast at a precious tea house called Ruby Ellen’s Tea Rooms. I also recommend a stop here if you are anywhere close by. You can walk around this tiny town quickly, all while looking at castle ruins and other remains of medieval times scattered about.
We made it back to Dublin in the early afternoon. This afforded the opportunity to walk into the city center to shop and sightsee. This is where I ended up purchasing several more sweaters from The Sweater Shop. The quality of these wool sweaters is top notch, the prices are reasonable, and they offer free shipping, so you don’t have to worry about stuffing them into your suitcase.
My last night in Ireland went out with a bang! We went to Taylor’s Three Rock and had a fantastic time. We were served a three-course dinner and were entertained by a traditional Irish band along with traditional Irish dancers. It was a fun filled night with great company, great food, drinks, and truly enjoyable entertainment! If you find yourself in Dublin, please do yourself a favor and book Taylors Irish Night at Taylor’s Three Rock. I promise you won’t be disappointed. I don’t think we could have picked a better way to spend our last night in Ireland.
I have been home now for three weeks, and I cannot stop thinking about this trip. I want to go back. I want to see the lower half of Ireland, and revisit Northern Ireland. But, until then, I will look at my photos often and reminisce. Hopefully you will find these suggestions helpful if you are planning an Irish getaway yourself!