TRIP TO IRELAND (11-25 AUG.2021)

 Back to IRELAND after more than 50 years, when I was living there as a student in Dublin!

Direct flight from MRS to DUB with Ryanair

Tailored itinerary across Ireland

MY IRISH LOGBOOK

D0.- AUG.11: Flight MRS-DUB, 2h10, B737-800 [Ryanair]

D1. - AUG.12: Dublin- Killaloe- Castleisland / KILLARNEY, Cloghan Lodge [3N]

D2.- AUG.13: Ring of KERRY - Ladies View, Moll’s Gap, Kenmare Stone Circle, Sneem, Waterville, Glencar, Caragh Lake, Killorglin, Castleisland.

D3. - AUG.14: Dingle Peninsula - ‘Wild Atlantic Drive’, Dingle, Ringfort, Beehives, Dunmore Head, Oratory.

D4. - AUG.15: Ferry Tarbert-Killimer (Shannon estuary), Kilkee, Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Ballyvaughan, Black Head., Ballyvaughan Lodge [1N]

D5. - AUG.16: the Burren, Kinvarra & Dunguaire Castle, GALWAY, Rossroe Lodge [1N], Roundstone.

D6. - AUG.17: Connemara: Clifden, Cleggan, Lettertrack (Connemara Natl. Park), Kylemore Castle, Lough Inagh Valley, Oughterard, Lough Corrib, Lakeland Midsummer Lakehouse [2N]

D7. - AUG.18: Connemara: [AM] Maum, Leenaun, Killary Fjord, Aasleagh Falls, back to Lake Inagh, / [PM] Glinsce Peninsula.

D8. - AUG.19: Mayo: Lough Corrib, Cong, Castlebar / [PM] Westport, Newport, Mallaranny, Clew Bay & Spanish Point, ACHILL Island to Keem, Lough Lannagh Lodge [2N]

D9. - AUG.20: Céide Fields, Downpatrick Head, Killala, Ballina, Turlough, Castlebar.

D10.- AUG.21: Castlebar, Clonmacnoise, Roscommon-Hannon’s Hotel [1N] 

D11.- AUG.22: Roscommon, Dublin Airport / [PM] Howth, DUBLIN-Hilton Garden Inn [3N]

D12.- AUG.23: DUBLIN: O’Connell Street, Grafton Street, Stephen’s Green, Templebar, Dublin Castle & Chester Beatty Museum, meet with Agus.

D13.- AUG.24: DUBLIN: Literary track, Trinity College & Book of Kells, Merrion Square, Georgian houses, Iveagh Gardens, Natl. Museum of Archaeology, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church, Templebar.

D14.- AUG.25: Dublin [AM] / PM flight DUB-MRS, 2h05, B737-800 [Ryanair]

SPECIFIC AREAS VISITED

1. KILLARNEY & the Ring of KERRY.

Tour of the Ring of Kerry

I chose a rather secluded guesthouse near the town of Castleisland in order to drive thoroughly through this beautiful area.

Cloghan Lodge, Kerry

The second full day was planned for a visit to the Dingle Peninsula.

It was a bit rainy at times but was certainly worthwhile as this area has many ancient prehistoric and early Christian sites.

Killarney is a lovely place to visit, except that at this time of year there are humps of visitors. But the park by the Killarney Lake and National Park is absolutely superb.

2. County Clare: the CLIFFS of MOHER & the BARREN

The route from Kerry to Clare.

This portion includes a ferry across the mouth of the River Shannon, the lovely seaside port of Kilkee, the famed Cliffs of Moher (214m), and the stunning countryside of the Burren.

Ballyvaughan Lodge

The fishing village of Ballyvaughan is also a lovely place, as well as my next B & B, called Ballyvaughan Lodge, my other favorite guesthouse in this area.

As the weather was bright and sunny, I drove along the coast past Black Head.

                                                               3. CONNEMARA

From Ballyvaughan to Galway and Rossroe Lodge

Rossroe Lodge

The next destination was a lost B&B by the seaside in Connemara, not too far from Roundstone.

On the way, I made three stops: one at a lovely town called Kinvarra and at a scenic medieval castle (Dunguaire Castle), both in County Clare. Then it was GALWAY, Connemara's capital.

The view from Rossroe Lodge

I spent more time in Connemara. The next day, I visited Clifden and Kleggan, visited Kylemore Castle, drove around Killary Fjord as far as Asleagh Falls, then cut across the lake district to beautiful Lough Inagh.

At Lakeland Midsummer's

Lakeland Midsummer Lodge is located near Oughterard by the lake, another peaceful & secluded place.

As I stayed two nights there, I had another full day to explore this portion of Connemara.

- In the morning, I went north to Joyce Country, then back to the shores of Killary Fjord and driving again across the region of Lake Inagh.

- In the afternoon, I visited the peninsula south of this area.

4. From Connemara to County MAYO

 To drive from Oughterard to Castlebar, the road goes back to Joyce Country as far as Maum, and then there is a beautiful drive above Lough Corrib to the picturesque village of Cong.

This is not only a very scenic place but quite famous too because this is the place where they filmed 'The Quiet Man' with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.

Lough Lannagh Village

Castlebar is not particularly an interesting place. Nor is Lough Lannagh a truly cozy place. But it is well located by Lake Lannagh and a good starting point to explore County Mayo.

The afternoon drive west of Castlebar was a memorable one. First, because Westport is a delightful town.

If Newport has no specific interest, Mulranny is a lovely seaside resort. Most particularly, its peninsula is beautiful. The coast road offers some dramatic landscapes until you reach the Spanish Armada Viewpoint.

And then I drove as far as Achill Island, another end of the World one of the westernmost points of Europe.

Sunset over Lough Lannagh

Country roads are nice but in Ireland, they tend to be bumpy, slow and you always need to watch the upcoming traffic as there is hardly enough space for two cars!

I specifically chose to go to the northern coast of Mayo, first to see The Ceide Fields, a Neolithic settlement, and also to Downpatrick Head, a stunning cliff natural formation.

Unfortunately, this was a particularly rainy day.

Downpatrick Head

5. To Clonmacnoise & Roscommon

This last day of touring the Irish countryside was not the best except for the visit to the Monastery of Clonmacnoise.

There I met an Irish couple, who invited me on to their boat on the River Shannon for tea.

Both the visit to the Monastery and the boat party were highlights of the day. Otherwise, nor Roscommon or Hannon's Hotel were a pleasant halt.

At Clonmacnoise by the River Shannon

The River Shannon boat

  

My hosts on the boat

6. From Roscommon to Dublin Airport & Howth

The last portion of the trip across Ireland was mainly done by using motorways to return the vehicle to the car-rent company.

As my cousins came to pick me up at Terminal 2, I spent the rest of the day in Howth, a picturesque seaside resort near Dublin.

- End of the trip across Ireland -