So many locals insisted we go here. They felt the wonderful weather begged a visit. We weren’t totally sure what there was to do, but when we got here, we saw the charm. It reminded me of a coastal town in California, like San Luis Obispo in the old days. Lots of cute shops, and…
After our vow renewal, we changed clothes in the car and headed off to our next adventure! We went to the coast to walk along some epic cliffs! Before you get anywhere near the ocean at Downpatrick Head, there are huge signs warning of peril and instability of the land you are walking on. That…
While we did go on a few scenic day trips, we also spent several days just doing everyday stuff, like going to a Gaelic football game. Compared to an American sporting event, one might describe this experience as “all business.” You arrive at the pitch, pay your way in (no tickets), and go to the…
Our day of the Wild Atlantic ended there in Cong. Not only is the town quaint and cheery, the forest vast and adventurous, but it is the location of Ashford Castle. Having survived yet another two-hour walk together (our kids may never walk with us again), this was a perfect way to cap off the…
They don’t call it the Wild Atlantic for nothing. There is so much beauty it is almost overwhelming, and the wind, terrain, and extreme colors make it almost seem dangerous. It’s kinda unbelievable how much we did in one day. It seemed fine at the time, but looking back, whoa! That seemed like several days.…
While on Achill Island, we visited the Deserted Village. Though the nearby tombs date to the Neolithic Period, the settlements were inhabited in Medieval times, by a booleying community (nomadic cattle grazers). It is always awesome to stand in an ancient home and image life there. What was more awe-inspiring was the incredible location these…
When planning our trip to Ireland, I knew our kids would want to explore and delve into nature. What better place to do that than a beach? I researched the beaches and chose the one considered the most beautiful in Ireland. On our third day in Ireland, when we drove to County Mayo, we were…
Our second day in Ireland was a bit delayed by symptoms of jet lag (looking back I see how lucky we were we didn’t have more problems with jet lag between the five of us), but we were soon up and running for an adventurous day in Dublin. We bought our train tickets and played…
It was like one of my many dreams I’ve had, of going back to Maynooth. Getting to see the things, once again, that I saw on a daily basis while I lived there: the churches, the castle, the sidewalks, the moss. The friends I made while living there. Getting to share all this with those…
A little over ten years ago, we were young, in love, and planning our wedding. I might have to say that was the best time of our lives. We loved traveling and adventure, and wanted to get married in Ireland. When that didn’t work out, we vowed we would renew our vows in Ireland on…