Advertisement
Leftovers
Probably actually left from filming and not an old prisoner...
Kilmainham Gaol, DublinWoo! The official party may be over, but Dad and I have not stopped moving since we got here! It’s made it very hard to stay on top of my blogging, and I am now going to try to summarize my previous 3-page-long entry, to save everyone an information overload.
We left Dublin last Friday, via the left side of the road, to embark on a road trip around the south coast of the country. Though bad signage and bicycle-path-sized roads turned our first 100 kilometers into a 4-hour odyssey, we’ve finally gotten the hang of things and have managed to navigate ourselves along the Wicklow Way (a walking trail that runs 127km from Dublin suburbs to Conegal town in County Wicklow), through to Kinsale (a lovely port town) in County Cork and finally around the Ring of Kerry to Killarney.
We’ve discovered the joy of ending every day with pints of Bulmers Irish Cider, Guinness (in the north) and Murphy’s (in the south) in intimate little pubs with traditional jam sessions; the wild beauty of just about every area outside Dublin or Cork; delicious heartiness of Irish cooking; and the hospitality and chatty friendliness of Irish people. Everything
Dublin Sun
A rare break in the clouds in this country is fabulous aside from the high prices and a few disappointing hostels; but Dad and I have turned to self-catering as a means of cutting costs, and are becoming addicted to the comfort and cleanliness of decently priced Bed and Breakfasts (only about 20€ more than a hostel room and infinitely nicer).
The only other complaint we have is that we could use a bit more time! Our penchant for sleeping in, narrow roads and multiple photo/walking/coffee stops have all contributed to our relatively slow progress. We’ve only been able to cover about 200km per day, and these are full days of driving. But we keep telling ourselves, we need to leave something for next time; and with the great experiences we’ve been having there will definitely be a next time.
Traveler's Tips Knockree Hostel near Enniskerry, County Wicklow - Beautiful setting right on the Wicklow Way. Very clean, but caters to noisy school groups. Crabby front desk lady.
The Old Presbytery, Rathdrum, County Wicklow - Definitely old, with the only presbytery in sight about 100m through a clearing; but staff are VERY friendly.
Dempsey's Hostel, Kinsale - We walked in and
Cultured Man
Dad posing with Mr. Joyce at the James Joyce Center, Dublin turned right around again. Unless on a strict budget, give it a miss for a cleaner, more comfortable B&B.
Sea Breeze Bed and Breakfast, Kinsale - First right turn after Dempsey's Hostel. Owner Fiona is friendly and helpful. Rooms are spic and span and nicely decorated, with harbour view via some sky-lights.
An Seanachai Bar, Kinsale - Fabulous live music; lively atmosphere.
Hawthorn House, Kenmare - Spacious, shiny and new. A great welcome as soon as we knocked on the door. Facilities for self-catering.
Crowley's Bar, Kenmare - Cozy little pub with an intimate little traditional music session going on when we stopped by.
Neptune's Hostel, Killarney - Simple and clean and right in the middle of town. VERY friendly staff. Railway Hostel, near the bus station, might have nicer rooms...
Advertisement
Tot: 0.144s; Tpl: 0.02s; cc: 8; qc: 26; dbt: 0.0863s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Aunt Donna
non-member comment
Fabulous pics Em (as always!). My friend, Deb, also commented on the road conditions when she visited Ireland. Highway that turn into roads where the bushes are scratching your vehicle. She too found that it took a long time to go a relatively short distance, but loved the countryside. See you when you get back