Day 4: The Island of Inish Mor was beautiful, however getting there was not a treat. It was a beautiful morning and day for that matter but the waters were really rough. Lord knows the Bell Island Ferry wouldn't have sailed in waters like that but the Aran Island Ferries, they seem to sail in whatever tickles their fancy. I was incredibly nervous on the ride over, others were vomiting and then you have people like one of my Aussie friends who LOVE the water and was right at home on this heaving boat. Thankfully the ferry ride is only 45 minutes long, so really you are there before you know it.
When we arrived the first thing we did was grab our bicycles and get some lunch. Naturally I chose a mountain bike, there were other options like tandem bikes, city bikes with baskets and road bikes. There are quite a few companies on the island that offer bike rentals. Inis mor isn't that big of an island so riding it is definitely an option. If bike riding isn't your thing you have the option of horse and carriage or a tour bus.
Once lunch was finished our tour guide Connell took us on an awesome coastal ride to a colony of seals, an amazing beach and to a prehistoric fort known as Dun Aonghasa. Located at the edge of a 100 Metre cliff, it was quite the site to see. This structure is absolutely amazing, and to think that it was built by hand to deter attackers is incredible. The fort is located about 900m from the visitor’s centre which has oodles of information about the structure, the fish and wildlife and so much more. If you are so inclined you can also ride your bicycle here, leave it and get a horse and carriage ride back to the waterfront. At the bottom of the entry I will post the website & that has all the necessary visitor information you would need if you are planning on visiting Inishmor & the site of Dun Aonghasa.
When we arrived the first thing we did was grab our bicycles and get some lunch. Naturally I chose a mountain bike, there were other options like tandem bikes, city bikes with baskets and road bikes. There are quite a few companies on the island that offer bike rentals. Inis mor isn't that big of an island so riding it is definitely an option. If bike riding isn't your thing you have the option of horse and carriage or a tour bus.
Once lunch was finished our tour guide Connell took us on an awesome coastal ride to a colony of seals, an amazing beach and to a prehistoric fort known as Dun Aonghasa. Located at the edge of a 100 Metre cliff, it was quite the site to see. This structure is absolutely amazing, and to think that it was built by hand to deter attackers is incredible. The fort is located about 900m from the visitor’s centre which has oodles of information about the structure, the fish and wildlife and so much more. If you are so inclined you can also ride your bicycle here, leave it and get a horse and carriage ride back to the waterfront. At the bottom of the entry I will post the website & that has all the necessary visitor information you would need if you are planning on visiting Inishmor & the site of Dun Aonghasa.
We spent close to an hour and a half here but you could spend hours. There is a cafe, restroom and some gift shops located at the bottom near the visitor centre as well. The gift shops have really nice hats, headbands, sweaters, scarves and mitts made from Aran Wool. This is a really big tourist attraction in Ireland. I, myself bought a headband and LOVE it. On our peddle back to the harbour, a bunch of us took the high road to get a different view of the island. The rock wall structures there blow my mind. Again, it’s incredible to think that they were all built by hand so many years ago and are still used today throughout all of Ireland. Collectively once we were all back at the harbour front waiting for the boat we had a beer and some snacks. All starved & mildly hungover from the previous night’s pub crawl, on top of this we were hoping that the crossing back to Galway wasn't going to feel like our last 45 minutes on this earth. Thankfully it was sunny and the wind had died down, so the crossing was beautiful. We could get out on the deck on top of the ferry and enjoy the sun and seabirds.
This was our last night in Galway, the people doing the five day tour vs the seven were leaving us in the AM along with Connell our tour guide, we were going to get a new guide and half of a new crew of people. Within just those short five days there were some heavy hearts in Galway that night. It was a quiet evening, most people were in bed by 10:30, again so tired from the night before that the large day we'd just had. Three of the people in our little possie were leaving so we all hung out together in our rooms for one last night laughing and reminiscing about the last five days. Day 5 meant we were on to Cliffs of Moher & Ennis. Bring it!
This was our last night in Galway, the people doing the five day tour vs the seven were leaving us in the AM along with Connell our tour guide, we were going to get a new guide and half of a new crew of people. Within just those short five days there were some heavy hearts in Galway that night. It was a quiet evening, most people were in bed by 10:30, again so tired from the night before that the large day we'd just had. Three of the people in our little possie were leaving so we all hung out together in our rooms for one last night laughing and reminiscing about the last five days. Day 5 meant we were on to Cliffs of Moher & Ennis. Bring it!
Day 5: I had woke up feeling more fluish than the previous morning, at this point I knew I had not been hung over the previous day. I like to call it the Aussie Plague, 4 weeks later and we are still friends: p when you're in Ireland what do you do, well you solider on and carry on with all of the ACTIVITIES that lie ahead. We packed up, said goodbye to our friends and were on our way to Cliffs of Moher. OH, I forgot to mention, we met our new tour guide that morning as well, His name is Dave, a very fine fellow. At first we weren't sure how we felt about this new tour guide and missed Connell but within a day we loved him just as much. The tour guides really make or break a trip like this and we sure had some of the best, Feckin Fantastic!
Onward.... I had been looking forward to going to the Cliff's for months, I could not wait to feast my eyes upon all this beauty- I was excited and who better to share it with than my best friend. When we arrived we had an hour and a half approximately, we needed to make the best of it. We walked the coast for about an hour or so and took in the sights, heights and sea birds. Some areas were a little challenging for me as the trail edge was just too close to the cliffside. In cases like this, I guess a fear of heights and falling is a good thing- everything just looked so lush & green. There was also a field of cows to add to the experience. These cliffs stand approximately 702 feet at the highest point and stretch for 8 miles alone the coat of County Clare which I later learned is where some of my ancestors are from. From the Cliffs on a clear day you can see the Aran Islands & Galway Bay. There aren't any words or photos to do this beautiful place any justice. It’s one of those things that you just need to see for yourself, immediately all your worries and stresses slip away. Actually, that happens the minute you arrive in Ireland.
We didn't arrive in Galway until late evening, just in time to get ready for the pub crawl. There was everything from Shots, Pints, Beer pong, Flippy Cup, Salsa Dancing, to Accordions and Fire Places- What a night! We ended our night at the late hours dance bar where we shook our asses off until 3 am. The next morning we had an early rise as we were heading to the Aran Islands, Inish Mor.
Onward.... I had been looking forward to going to the Cliff's for months, I could not wait to feast my eyes upon all this beauty- I was excited and who better to share it with than my best friend. When we arrived we had an hour and a half approximately, we needed to make the best of it. We walked the coast for about an hour or so and took in the sights, heights and sea birds. Some areas were a little challenging for me as the trail edge was just too close to the cliffside. In cases like this, I guess a fear of heights and falling is a good thing- everything just looked so lush & green. There was also a field of cows to add to the experience. These cliffs stand approximately 702 feet at the highest point and stretch for 8 miles alone the coat of County Clare which I later learned is where some of my ancestors are from. From the Cliffs on a clear day you can see the Aran Islands & Galway Bay. There aren't any words or photos to do this beautiful place any justice. It’s one of those things that you just need to see for yourself, immediately all your worries and stresses slip away. Actually, that happens the minute you arrive in Ireland.
We didn't arrive in Galway until late evening, just in time to get ready for the pub crawl. There was everything from Shots, Pints, Beer pong, Flippy Cup, Salsa Dancing, to Accordions and Fire Places- What a night! We ended our night at the late hours dance bar where we shook our asses off until 3 am. The next morning we had an early rise as we were heading to the Aran Islands, Inish Mor.
From the Cliffs we continued on our journey to Ennis. We would be staying in Ennis for one night at Rowan Tree Hostel. This was one of the better hostel's we stayed in. The rooms were large and clean- the bathroom was humongous! Attached to the hostel was a nice little restaurant and cafe which we had supper at that evening, Almost everyone on the tour went, it was great- Thanks Dave for the recommendation! Once dinner was finished up we all relaxed for a bit before heading out to a local pub, recommended by Dave as one of the best in Ennis. I wasn't feeling up to going out but when in Ireland, you just have to. Myself, Court, our Aussie friends & our Spanish friend, Albert (Salsa Dancing Master) headed to Cruises Pub located just around the corner from the hostel ( GREAT if you wanted to drink one to many Guinness). This place is a little hole in the wall with cobblestone walls, local music and awesome beverages- highly recommend it if you just happen to ever be in the little town of Ennis. Our night in Ennis was low key- well for some of us anyway. We had a full day on the bus the next day, we were headed to Killarney with some stops on the Dingle Peninsula along the way.
Day 6: Killarney & the Dingle Peninsula. We went to Dingle first for some lunch and then we headed out on the peninsula. Now there are two ways in which you can get out to the Dingle peninsula. There is one route that is supposed to be for tour buses only and another that is just for local traffic. The reason for this is that the tour bus route is basically a one way road. You have cliff on one side and ocean on the other. I can't paint a picture of what this would look and feel like for someone who is afraid of heights and what it is like to meet an oncoming vehicle. If you can picture a high road in a third world country or something like you’d see on national geographic, well that is what this felt and looked like for me. OF COURSE we met an oncoming car- terrifying. After we managed to get by we were on our way to a quaint little beach which is known to have good surf ( for you surfers out there) it is also a great place to swim. Unfortunately for us it was a dreary cold day and only one brave soul had the guts to jump in and jump out. The name of this beach is Com Dhimol, try pronouncing that!! Most of us just took in the view, took some photos, got our feet wet and others played around with the hurling stick & ball ( Hurling is the national game played in Ireland & it resembles Field Hockey) From here we made one more stop, headed back to Dingle & onward to Killarney. Killarney has its own National Park which is located just on the boundary of the town and was within walking distance from our Hostel. Once we arrived and got settled into our rooms (This was the best hostel we stayed in during our stay in Ireland. The name is Neptune’s Hostel- Killarney and the new building has the most beautiful & modern rooms. We got lucky, others did not and had to stay in the old part of the hostel) we headed to the park on foot. We learnt that there were deer in the park, two different species or herds and we were determined to see them. We needed to be back intake to get to Tesco before it closed at 9 pm so we were on a mission. This park, WOW. The Deer, Wow, The Mountains, WOW! That is all- Go there. Even on a dull evening, nothing could hold a torch to the beauty of this place. Gros Morne would give it a run for its money, that’s for sure.
That night we went to a pub which also had a dance bar attached to it and you could go back and forth between either. Dave swears by the music that is played here- local music that is. What a time, I have never seen guys play like that before. The atmosphere and energy was almost too much to handle and the band played every kind of music imaginable. The best part was when the band was finished their set you could go to the dance bar and dance your ass off until it closed. Their version of dance music and ours here in Canada is a little different but we had fun all the same. Next to our adventures on Inish mor and the pub crawl in Galway this was close to one of my favourite experiences of the whole trip- my awesome dance partner may or may not have contributed to that :) This was our last night to party together so naturally we made it large and danced until 3 am.
That night we went to a pub which also had a dance bar attached to it and you could go back and forth between either. Dave swears by the music that is played here- local music that is. What a time, I have never seen guys play like that before. The atmosphere and energy was almost too much to handle and the band played every kind of music imaginable. The best part was when the band was finished their set you could go to the dance bar and dance your ass off until it closed. Their version of dance music and ours here in Canada is a little different but we had fun all the same. Next to our adventures on Inish mor and the pub crawl in Galway this was close to one of my favourite experiences of the whole trip- my awesome dance partner may or may not have contributed to that :) This was our last night to party together so naturally we made it large and danced until 3 am.
Day 7: Our last day together, we were making our way back to Dublin but stopped in Cork to see the Blarney Castle! Kissing the Blarney stone is the castles claim to fame, however there are many other exciting things to see there. The grounds are gorgeous, you would need what seemed like an endless amount of time to take in everything. For us, we had two hours and waiting in the line up to kiss the blarney stone for about an hour and fifteen minutes so we were determined to make the best of our stop there. I managed to get to the top of the castle where you kiss the stone but couldn't actually kiss the stone. You have to lie down and hold on to two mental bars attached to the castle wall while someone helps you lean out over the edge to kiss the stone. The person helping you is there so you don't fall down. No Thank You! I don't regret not kissing the stone, I was happy enough that I even made it to the top of the castle ( I’ll be honest, once I was in the very narrow spiral staircase there was no way out, I had no choice) and got to see my friends kiss the stone. Some of the other attractions available are the caves or tunnel located at the base of the castle, the poison gardens, Blarney house, the stables, fern garden & waterfall, etc. There are so many things to do. There are also a few nature walks that take you all over the grounds. It is well worth the 13 Euro for an adult or 11 Euro for a student. Very easy to make it a full day trip. From here we went to Cashel to see The Rock of Cashel. There is a castle on-top of this rock, it is currently under renovation but it worth the stop to see & learn a little bit about its history.
Our tour was coming to an end a lot faster than many of us wanted to admit. The bus ride to Dublin from Cashel was full of chatter, some people napped but most of us was gabbing about the past week and planning where and when we would meet for supper later that evening. Dave informed us that he was going straight to the pub from the bus and asked us all to join him. The bus dropped us off near Trinity College which was close to most hostels and Temple Street which had most clubs and pubs on it. It was a short walk for us to get back to our hostel so we dropped off our bags and headed to the Beer Garden to meet Dave and others from the tour. We decided that evening that we’d go for dinner together as a last hurrah. We found an AWESOME burger place called the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I am generally not a red meat fan but this avocado and bacon burger was irresistible, it had to be done and boy was it worth it.
Walking back towards our hostels we bumped into Albert and got invited out for one last beer. Courtney & I were leaving the following day as well as one of our Aussie Fans so we felt it was necessary to spend as much time together as possible, who knew when or if we would ever see one another again ( A trip to Australia may or may not have been talked about several times). Together we left in search of this pub that is known to have the best Guinness in Dublin. It must have the best of something because it was busting at the seams with people, there were also people drinking in the streets. This is completely acceptable in Ireland, and hey the more the merrier. We found a little table in the corner or the pub on the second floor, met some others who were travelling and some locals and chatted the evening away. It was getting close to midnight, I had an ungodly early rise & was not feeling the best so we finished up and headed out. We said our goodbyes, got teary eyed, exchanged emails and Facebook accounts and trotted back to our hostel. All we wanted to do at this point was sleep, it was getting late and 5 am comes fast.
I slept through my alarm and almost missed my bus to the airport. Thankfully I woke up just in time to shove everything into my bag and run down. I hadn't slept for most of the night, I had a fever, there was a club a few doors down that was pumping and there was an alarm going off for most of the night. All that was on my mind at this point was getting home, how I managed to miss my wakeup call was beyond me. Even though the last few days had been tough, I can't say enough good things about my experience In Ireland. The tour was everything I thought it would be and more, the people there were so friendly and accommodating. They love to see tourists coming and they sure know how to show you a good time. You picture rolling hills, sheep and beautiful scenery, but you really can't imagine what it is like until you have experienced this island for yourself. I could write for days on end about our adventures there and never get enough. If you are looking for somewhere to travel, go to Ireland, look up Shamrocker Adventures and I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
Our tour was coming to an end a lot faster than many of us wanted to admit. The bus ride to Dublin from Cashel was full of chatter, some people napped but most of us was gabbing about the past week and planning where and when we would meet for supper later that evening. Dave informed us that he was going straight to the pub from the bus and asked us all to join him. The bus dropped us off near Trinity College which was close to most hostels and Temple Street which had most clubs and pubs on it. It was a short walk for us to get back to our hostel so we dropped off our bags and headed to the Beer Garden to meet Dave and others from the tour. We decided that evening that we’d go for dinner together as a last hurrah. We found an AWESOME burger place called the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I am generally not a red meat fan but this avocado and bacon burger was irresistible, it had to be done and boy was it worth it.
Walking back towards our hostels we bumped into Albert and got invited out for one last beer. Courtney & I were leaving the following day as well as one of our Aussie Fans so we felt it was necessary to spend as much time together as possible, who knew when or if we would ever see one another again ( A trip to Australia may or may not have been talked about several times). Together we left in search of this pub that is known to have the best Guinness in Dublin. It must have the best of something because it was busting at the seams with people, there were also people drinking in the streets. This is completely acceptable in Ireland, and hey the more the merrier. We found a little table in the corner or the pub on the second floor, met some others who were travelling and some locals and chatted the evening away. It was getting close to midnight, I had an ungodly early rise & was not feeling the best so we finished up and headed out. We said our goodbyes, got teary eyed, exchanged emails and Facebook accounts and trotted back to our hostel. All we wanted to do at this point was sleep, it was getting late and 5 am comes fast.
I slept through my alarm and almost missed my bus to the airport. Thankfully I woke up just in time to shove everything into my bag and run down. I hadn't slept for most of the night, I had a fever, there was a club a few doors down that was pumping and there was an alarm going off for most of the night. All that was on my mind at this point was getting home, how I managed to miss my wakeup call was beyond me. Even though the last few days had been tough, I can't say enough good things about my experience In Ireland. The tour was everything I thought it would be and more, the people there were so friendly and accommodating. They love to see tourists coming and they sure know how to show you a good time. You picture rolling hills, sheep and beautiful scenery, but you really can't imagine what it is like until you have experienced this island for yourself. I could write for days on end about our adventures there and never get enough. If you are looking for somewhere to travel, go to Ireland, look up Shamrocker Adventures and I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/west/dunaonghasa/
http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie
http://www.blarneycastle.ie
http://www.shamrockeradventures.com
Hello- Dia duit
Im Hungover- Ta Poit orm ( taw poe-eet urrum)
You're Beautiful- Ta tu an-dathuil ( taw too on-doh-hool)
Kiss me- Pog Me (Poegue may)
Safe Travels- Go detach tu slan (guh dat too slawn)
You're talking shite- Nil ansan ach cacamas ( neel unsun ock cockamuss)
How are you- Cnas at a tu
Until Next Time!
-E
Hello- Dia duit
Im Hungover- Ta Poit orm ( taw poe-eet urrum)
You're Beautiful- Ta tu an-dathuil ( taw too on-doh-hool)
Kiss me- Pog Me (Poegue may)
Safe Travels- Go detach tu slan (guh dat too slawn)
You're talking shite- Nil ansan ach cacamas ( neel unsun ock cockamuss)
How are you- Cnas at a tu
Until Next Time!
-E