A Week in Ireland
Hiking at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland
Ireland Road Trip
When we visited England and Scotland back in 2016 we had initially drawn up an itinerary to include Ireland. In the end, we elected to save Ireland for another time as we felt we were trying to cover too much ground in a short period.
We promised ourselves we would come back to this part of the world. A lesson learned in conquering FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), you can always come back if you want to.
Having enjoyed our time in Northern England and Scotland, we hoped Ireland would deliver along the same lines with quaint towns and stunning coastlines.
Slieve League Cliffs in Ireland
Dublin, Our Gateway to Europe
Dublin is an inexpensive gateway to Europe from Vancouver and we found one-way tickets for under $250.00. We typically use skyscanner.ca and search different dates and destinations in the vicinity until we find a match.
The key is to be flexible and keep looking until something fits. Our flight took us from Vancouver to Calgary with a short layover and then Calgary to Dublin.
One of the things we love about travel is the interactions with fellow travelers and the stories they share. At the Calgary airport, an elderly gentleman approached me at the gate for our Dublin flight.
The Emerald Isle
The Troubles
He was a heavyset man and walked with a cane. He must have been in his late seventies and you could tell he was of Irish heritage by his accent. We struck up a pleasant conversation.
He was returning to Ireland after having lived in Canada for fifty years, moving back to Cork, in the south. When we told him we were headed north, he replied with a hint of disapproval, “We don’t go north much due to the troubles”.
He eluded to tensions from the past, still felt today. Living in Denmark, the situation in Ireland and Northern Ireland was a frequent feature on the evening news growing up. We knew of the troubles but not enough. By going to Ireland, we hoped to gain more insight.
In this first post, we start with a seven-day road trip through Ireland. Make sure to also check our post from Northern Ireland, part of our total of ten days on the Emerald Isle.
Ireland Road Trip Map
Ireland, map for our road trip through Ireland and Northern Ireland. Click to view a larger map.
Day 1 - Dublin to Limerick
The flight was smooth and on schedule without any issues. Our friend Dagny was in Ireland in May and had provided clear instructions on where and how to secure a SIM card. We found it easily, to the right upon arrival at the excess baggage counter across the hall from the car rental counters in the arrivals area.
Within a minute or two we were online. We purchased 20 GB with Vodafone for €25, $28.50, valid for 30 days, free-roaming in most of Europe. We wonder how we ever managed to travel without the convenience of Google Maps and the countless apps we use for travel guidance.
Glorious sunshine greeted us as we stepped outside but the shuttle driver to the Sixt car rental assured us it would not last.
Our rental was pre-booked and the friendly agent handed us the keys to a Nissan Micra. Not terribly exciting, 5-speed manual and the steering wheel on the right-hand side.
The Sixt agent tried the usual up-sell and offered us insurance for an additional €400.00, $456.00. We have coverage through our credit card and we were prepared with a letter from the MasterCard Canadian insurance agent, Allianz specifically naming Ireland in the letter.
It is well worth the trouble of contacting Allianz to secure the letter as the car rental agents are persistent in their efforts to up-sell.
We did have to pay an extra fee of €35.00, $40.00, in order to take the car into Northern Ireland. Di had researched this, and it was not a surprise. I did my usual mental prep for driving on the left side and we got out of the Dublin area without any wrong turns.
Thomond Bridge, Bishop's Palace and King John's Caste in Limerick Ireland
Limerick
Our friend Josh Duley, studied at the University of Limerick for a number of years and had connected us with his friends Elly and Tom, who willingly and daringly agreed to host us in Limerick for a couple of nights upon arrival to Ireland.
We had a warm welcome with coffee and scones, giving us a fresh jolt of energy.
Tom and I watched the Liverpool - Manchester United game while Di, Elly, and Jake, their friendly dog, explored the university grounds.
We got to know each other better over dinner and drinks. Tom and I share a passion for music. Tom plays in a band, produces his own videos and among many talents, also teaches guitar. A very warm welcome to Ireland.
The greenest of grass, the Cliffs of Moher and views of the North Atlantic
Day 2 - Cliffs of Moher
Much to our luck, Elly was off for a couple of days and she and Jake could join us on our trip to the Cliffs of Moher. We packed a picnic lunch and were on our way.
The drive to the Cliffs of Moher is about an hour and fifteen minutes from Limerick. Traveling with a local has lots of advantages and includes tips on which lane to be in when entering and exiting the many roundabouts. See the travel tips at the bottom of this post for more details.
Elly suggested avoiding the main parking lot and knew of a couple of spots where farmers have converted their land near the cliffs into small parking lots. Our parking lot attendant was a friendly older gentleman and he charged us €5.00 per person.
Our lunch spot at the Cliffs or Moher in Ireland
Elly had thought the going rate was €2.00. In hindsight perhaps we should have let Elly do all of the talking as we probably paid the foreigner tourist rate after all.
A short walk along a gravel road led us to the edge of the cliffs. You are instantly awestruck at the sight of the ocean and the abrupt drop. At their highest point, the cliffs are 214 meters high, 702 feet. Amazing!
We hiked south for about two hours before breaking for lunch near an old watchtower. Then hiked the same way back, snapped a few hundred photos, and chatted along the way.
Cliffs of Moher is one of the most popular, if not the most popular tourist destination in Ireland. Despite the absolutely gorgeous weather, we did not find the trails crowded.
A stunning day at the Cliffs of Moher
Apparently, it can be quite intense and crowded in the busy summer months. The weather was so pleasant on this October day and we kept peeling off layers as we had prepped for a much colder day.
If you would like to see the cliffs from the ocean or pay a visit to the Aran Islands, ferries depart from Doolin. We were quite happy to enjoy the cliffs from the trails above. It was such a treat to have Elly and Jake tag along for this day.
Jake kept track of everyone on the trail, stopping up if I lagged too far behind in my photography pursuits. Elly was a superb company and local tour guide at the same time.
After our cliff hike, we stopped for coffee, tea, and a scone in the small beach town of Lahinch. A great way to wrap up the day.
Coffee stop in Lahinch, Ireland
Day 3 - Exploring Limerick
Jet lag kept us in bed a bit longer than anticipated on the morning of day three in Limerick. Once you hit the wee hours, your body thinks you are still on the west coast of Canada and it feels like bedtime.
Hence we had a bit of a lie-in until about 9:30 am. Tom was kind enough to show me his two Fender Stratocasters in the morning and we had a fun little jam session in the kitchen.
The afternoon called for the non-tourist tour of Limerick with Elly as our tour guide.
Our first stop was Mount St. Lawrence Cemetery established in 1849. A somber walk through the aisles of distinct headstones decorated with celtic crosses and an old script revealed the many family names.
These names had a familiar ring to us, no doubt due to the large number of Irish immigrants to Canada during the twentieth century.
Mount St. Lawrence Cemetery in Limerick
Despite the distance in kilometers and years, there was a sense of connection. Di’s recent DNA test confirmed she is of 13% Irish heritage.
We stayed on a somber track and walked the grounds of the adjacent property, a former psychiatric institution, now under renovation to be converted into a nursing school. We were able to peek in the windows and glimpse the horrors of the past.
The tiny rooms people were confined to did not inspire confidence in a quick recovery. Rather one might surmise the conditions would be a contributing factor to a further decline in one’s mental state.
Urban decay was very apparent. It was however encouraging to see the buildings were slated for restoration.
Former psychiatric institution in Limerick Ireland
This was not the rosy red sightseeing tour of Limerick as Elly continued the tour to the “Island”, home to the poverty-stuck housing estate, St. Mary’s Park, adjacent to the downtown core. There were groups of young men loitering on the street corners, checking us out as we drove by.
Several homes were abandoned and burnt down. It was an eye-opening experience as neither of us had expected to see such poverty in the middle of the city, or in Ireland in general. As we travel we become aware of all the things we do not know.
Jack Monday’s Coffee House was our next stop for our daily treat of coffee and scones. Located near King James’ Castle, and Thomond Bridge, we heard the legend of the “Bishops Lady”.
We ran our fingers along the bridge ledge to find the finger grooves from those who, according to legend, were tossed from the bridge to drown in the River Shannon.
We were surprised to see the power of the river flow. Unfortunately, there are a significant number of suicide attempts along the river and volunteer suicide prevention teams patrol the river edges and bridges every night.
Our tour of Limerick continued along the riverfront and although it was a windy overcast day and our conversation was sobering, it was also easy to imagine how inviting this area could be on a warm spring or summer day.
Urban Cowboy of Limerick, Ireland
Reality-Based Tour of Limerick
This was indeed the tough reality tour of Limerick as we continued into more housing estates and witnessed firsthand, what we shall call the urban cowboys of Limerick. We spotted several young people racing horses in the streets, the lawns, and parkways.
More homes were abandoned and set ablaze. Limerick is spread over a huge area and for the first time, we discovered the smell of peat burning. The air has a smell of smoke as the fall temperatures drop and peat is used for heating.
On to other areas of Limerick which resemble most cities in western Europe with shops, gas stations, box stores, schools, office buildings, banks, supermarkets, countless roundabouts, and also a new rugby stadium.
Elly proudly told us how she took up rugby after moving to Ireland from Holland many years ago. Her team recently played a season final at the new stadium and won.
Elly and Diana at one of the many river crossings in Limerick
While our tour was reality-based and sobering, we still had a very engaging time together. Elly was an awesome guide and we had stimulating conversations throughout the day.
Elly is a blast to hang out with - she could make a second career as a tour guide. Perhaps an Airbnb experience in the making?
We enjoyed a home-cooked evening meal and had planned to go to a local pub for a Guinness but everyone was spent and we opted for having an early night instead.
Day 4 - Galway
It was time to say our goodbyes to Elly and Tom. It was incredibly kind of them to host us. It was an amazing experience for us to meet such kind and open-minded souls in Limerick and one of the true joys of travel. I am sure we shall meet again sometime down the line. Our door is always open.
Galway street, Ireland
We had a hard time deciding how much of Ireland to cover in ten days. Destinations in southern Ireland, such as Cork and the Dingle Peninsula came highly recommended. In the end, we decided to concentrate on the north.
The first stop was the city of Galway. We parked in a parkade in the center of town, €7.50, $8.50, for 3 hours. It was a blustery rainy day and armed with rain gear and an umbrella we headed out to explore this quaint town on the west coast of Ireland.
Spirits were good but it did not take long for the rain and wind to suck the energy out of us. We dropped by the Galway Cathedral, walked along River Corrib, and had lunch at Finnegan's. Lunch was okay but just okay.
We found the center of Galway a bit over the top touristy but also agreed if we had arrived on a wonderful summer day our impression may have been different.
A rainy day in Galway
Airbnb in Clonbur
We had booked an Airbnb about an hour north of Galway in Clonbur so we decided to cut our visit short and hit the road.
We picked up a few items for dinner at the supermarket before heading out of Galway. Irish yogurt, Irish scones, Irish milk, Irish tomatoes, and a few other things.
The drive was quick and we arrived before dark. We had booked a budget Airbnb for one night as a place to sleep and move on. Coincidentally, it turned out our host was actually visiting Vancouver so his family was looking after his place.
Dinner, served in a wine glass, was a salad with cold-cut turkey, tomatoes, and yogurt as the dressing. We travel with two sporks for moments like this. One of our secrets for stretching our travel dollars.
We were aiming for an early start the next day. Di did not sleep well, I did. Breakfast was served using the same wine glasses, Muesli with yogurt for Di, and with oat milk for me. Not a bad start to the day.
The incredible Slieve League Cliff Views, Ireland
Day 5 - Carrick and Slieve League Cliff View
We had another decision to make due to our time constraints in Ireland. Should we explore the section north of Galway along the coastline through Westport and Newport or push further north and spend more time north of Donegal?
The weather forecast played a part in our decision to push for a long drive where our goal was to catch Slieve League Cliff View near Carrick in the sun the same afternoon. We are always drawn to the sea views.
We had a cozy lunch stop at McGranny’s in Donegal and as we arrived before noon, we could still order a classic Irish breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, white and black pudding, toast, jam, and an americano. We agreed this meal would give us more than enough energy for our afternoon hike.
Slieve League Cliff View
The weather cooperated and the sun came out to play. We arrived at the first parking lot for the Slieve League Cliff View, one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 596 meters, 1,955 feet. We started an uphill jaunt along a paved path.
The Irish coastline at Slieve League Cliff Views
The rolling hills are wonderfully scenic from the get-go but nothing beats the view when you glimpse the ocean for the first time.
And then, the awestruck moment, when you actually arrive at the cliff view. The hike into the cliffs is approx. 20-30 minutes from the first parking lot.
There is actually a second parking lot if you have limited mobility or limited time. At the cliffs, you follow the paved stone path up along the cliffs to a viewing platform.
From there you can go higher and the view gets better and better with each step. The hike to the top will give you amazing views but we did the 50+ version and stopped at the first plateau as Di is not crazy about heights.
There are warning signs advising the upper path should only be undertaken by experienced hikers with the right boots, equipment, and a strong head for heights.
I am sure my knees would also have been wobbly had we ventured further. The drop to the ocean here is truly stunning and we loved the photos we got with shifting light and shadows.
Slieve League Cliff Views. Di is not crazy about heights and perhaps contemplating the best route down.
Lios Na Síog B&B in Carrick
We had booked another Airbnb for the night at Lios Na Síog B&B in Carrick. Our host, Padraig, was very hospitable and welcomed us with tea, coffee, and a snack, and helped to plan our route for the following day.
He suggested Kelly’s Kitchen for dinner and I believe his daughter served us there. We decided to treat ourselves with an open-face salmon and shrimp sandwich followed by the fish of the day, haddock.
Another travel tip is to share dinners family-style. We usually order one appetizer, and one main course as the servings are usually more than ample.
If you need more food you can always add dessert. We enjoyed our meal by the crackling fire and left Kelly’s quite happy with Padraig’s recommendation.
The rolling rocky hills by the Slieve League Cliff Views
The room at Lios Na Siog was cold and I do believe Padraig had some issues trying to fix it. I pulled out my hat and we found some extra blankets as we crawled into bed and had a great sleep.
Breakfast the following morning was a standard continental B&B with the added touch of fresh-made french press coffee and warm hearty porridge.
Day 6 - Carrick to Londonderry
Our sixth day was in large a day behind the wheel following a route plotted the day before with the help of Padraig from our Airbnb. The first stop was at Silver Strand in Malin Beg. It was an overcast morning and we had the beach to ourselves.
Glencolumbkille Folk Village was next. Again we were the only customers that morning which is one of the benefits of traveling off-season.
Di checked out the lovely wool sweaters and scarfs and although tempted to buy them, the lack of space in our packs made the decision to pass fairly easy.
Glencolumbkille Folk Village, Ireland
On the Road to Port
The roads to the abandoned village of Port were surprisingly narrow and remote with plenty of sheep wherever you looked.
It was an exhilarating drive resembling what we had experienced on the Isle of Skye, only this area seemed even more remote. Sections of the roads were very steep and the roads only fit one car.
If another car approaches, whoever is closest to a pull-out will yield to the oncoming car. It works quite well and when the process has been completed a gesture to the other driver in the form of a friendly wave is a pleasing courtesy that is so often forgotten in our daily commute.
The road to Port in Ireland
Had we done more research we would not have been surprised there was not much to be found in Port, not even the tiniest glass. However, had we known we probably would not have taken the journey and that would have been a shame.
It is basically a dead-end road with a single monument commemorating “The Sydney”, a shipwreck from October 16th, 1870.
It also has a rugged view of the coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. Backtracking was equally as exciting, with steep uphills and more sheep. Same sheep, new angle.
The coastline at Port in Ireland
Driving in Ireland
It was pedal to the metal for a while after we left the tiny roads near Port behind us. When it comes to driving in Ireland, we were quite amazed at the speed limits in small towns and on narrow roads with many curves and hills.
It is not uncommon to see speed limits of 80 or 100 kilometers per hour on such roads when we found 60 to be more appropriate for us. It may be due to the fact local people are used to the roads or the fact there is not much traffic.
The next point of interest on our route was Glenveagh National Park and we had planned to drive by Glenveagh Castle and take a look from a distance. It was a beautiful area but a 4-kilometer walk into the castle.
With more time on our hands, this looked to be a worthwhile effort but we had booked a B&B in Londonderry and wanted to get there before dark to explore the historic city walls.
The road to Port
We made one more stop in Ireland in the small coastal town of Dunfanaghy. This destination was suggested to us by a store clerk in Vancouver.
Upon learning we were traveling to Ireland, Megan recommended a small coffee shop/pottery store called Muck N Muffins in the town where her grandparents live.
The coffee, sandwich, and pastries were just what we needed. Di found a small ceramic cup we are lugging around with us. I must admit, the cup has come in handy several times when I was in need of a quick coffee.
This would be the day we would enter Northern Ireland, country number 35 in our quest to visit 50 countries in 50 months after turning 50. We rolled into Londonderry around 4 pm. Just in time for a tour of the city walls.
Lough Akibbon, Irland
Day 7 - Malahide
After almost a week in Ireland and three whirlwind days in the excellent company of Janine and Will in Saintfield near Belfast, we had to make our way back to Dublin for our flight to Malta.
We had contemplated a quick visit to Dublin but by the time we reached our B&B in Malahide, the tank was completely empty.
Ireland and Northern Ireland had offered us so many impressions and enriching experiences, we were just not ready to add another. We will have to explore Dublin when we return to explore the south coast of Ireland.
We booked the Evergreen B&B in Malahide as it is fairly close to Dublin airport. When we messaged our friend Dagny in Canada we found out she had stayed in the exact same B&B in May, earlier this year.
Dagny sent us photos and a warm greeting to Olive our host in Malahide. What a coincidence! Dagny suggested Al Fresco, an Italian restaurant worthy of our wrap-up dinner in Ireland.
Please see our post from: Northern Island also.
A small field with sheep near Lough Akibbon
Travel Tips
We rented a small Nissan Micra Hatchback, which was fine for the roads we traveled.
Driving on the left side has its challenges for us Canucks/Danes, especially when it comes to roundabouts.
According to Elly, this is how it is done. If you are turning left in the roundabout, stay in the left lane and signal to the left. If you are headed straight enter the roundabout from the second lane from the left and signal before exiting. If you are turning right enter in the second from the left lane and signal to the right, then signal to the left when exiting. Good luck.Make sure to have room on your credit card as car rental companies will hold a hefty pre-authorized deposit amount on your credit card.
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Photos in this article are captured using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I used Fujifilm’s film simulations for some of the photos in this article.
