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 Click on the map for a larger version. |
Our trip took us
through the following cities/towns and areas:
For each day you will see a brief description and a few pictures below. If you are interested in seeing more detailed information and pictures for that day/area, just click on the link. |
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| Thursday
March 31st- Minneapolis to Shannon Ireland We flew from Minneapolis to JFK Airport in New York and then to Shannon Ireland. All flights were on schedule and uneventful. The flight to Shannon was an overnight flight with many movies to watch and not much sleep. Friday April 1st- Shannon to Galway - Click for more info We picked up our car from the Shannon airport - a Ford C-Max. With a quick acclamation to the "wrong" side of the car and the "wrong" side of the road, we were off. We drove directly to the Petra House B&B in Galway where we walked around the Galway center and watched a Rugby game. We had a few pints at Tis Coili pub and enjoyed musicians playing Irish music. |
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| Saturday
April 2nd - Galway to Creggs - Click for more info We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast served very formally in the beautiful Petra House dining room. Prior to going to Ireland Patti Sue had done some geneology research on her Grandmother (mother's mother) who was born in Ireland and found that she was from Creggs County Roscommon. So we drove the 1 1/2 to Creggs and spent the day with Larry Kilcommins who showed us the history center, the Kilbegnet Catholic church and the Kilbegnet & Glinsk cemetaries. Larry & his wife Ilish were kind enough to give us the whole day and we enjoyed a late lunch with them before retuning to Galway. Pints at Taaffes and Tis Coili in Galway and more live music. Then back to Petra House for the night. |
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| Sunday April
3rd - Galway through Connemara to Doolin - Click for more info After another wonderful breakfast, we went to St. Patrick's Catholic church for mass and then into the car for a LOT of driving. We wanted to see as much of the Connemara area as possible and make it down to Doolin before dark. It was VERY windy and rather cold. The was some sun at the start of the day and then rain later. We saw the ocean & cliffs; sheep & peat bogs; ruins & castles. We spent a lot of time at Kylemore Castle, Abbey & Gardens. Headed back through Galway - and saw a DOUBLE rainbow!! There are some very interesting switchbacks on the drive into Doolin to the Daly House B&B. We went to Gus O'Connor's pub for some great Irish Stew, pints of Guinness and live Irish music. |
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| Monday
April 4th - Doolin through The Burrens to Dingle - Click for more info After a great breakfast in the sun room (just rain, though - no sun!) We started with the beautiful sight of the Cliffs of Moher. They are fabulous. It was VERY windy again and cold with rain on & off. We went to The Burren Center, the Caherconnell stone fort, Poulnabrone Megalithic Tomb and walked around The Burren - which is actually just one BIG rock. Then we headed for the ferry which took us into Dingle - Alpine House B&B. |
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| Tuesday
April 5th - Dingle Pennisula, Killarney, Blarney, Cork
to Kinsale - Click for more info Another great breakfast to start out day. Rather than drive the Ring of Kerry we decided to do the smaller (less crowded and just as beautiful - we were told) Dingle Peninsula. It was cloudy and rainy so the sights might not have been what we would have seen on a clear day, but it was still beautiful. We saw the cross at Slea Head, the Smerwick Beach, Gallarus Oratory and then attempted the Conor Pass - which peaks at about 900 feet. We hit the clouds at about 400 feet. So needless to say we didn't see the beauty there either. A quick stop in Killarney for shopping and Irish stew and we were onto the Blarney castle. We knew that we would be getting there after it was closed, but wanted to see it anyway. We we took pictures and headed to Kinsale. We visited with the Nora & Bobby (the Aunt & Uncle of someone that Bill works with) at their pub The Dock and then to sleep at the Olde Bakery B&B. |
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| Wednesday
April 6th - Kinsale through Cohb, Cashel to Killkenny - Click for more info We walked around Kinsale and then drove up to Fort Charles. We headed to Cobh which is where Patti Sue's Grandmother's ship sailed from in 1908 (the city was named Queenstown back then). We visited the Cohb Cathedral and then hit to road to Cashel. We got to the Rock of Cashel (the castle) shortly before closing and had to do a quick tour. Then across to Kilkenny to Butler Court B&B. |
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| Thursday
April 7th - Killkenny to Dublin - Click for more info The Butler Court B&B provides a continental breakfast - cereal, danish, fruit & juice in the fridge in the room. So we ate and then wandered around Kilkenny. We went up into the tower at St. Canice's Cathedral and walked around the Kilkenny Castle. We had a great lunch at a cafe in Kilkenny and then got back into the car. We dropped the car at the Hertz office in Dublin and were on foot from there. We listened to an iWalk tour of the Georgian area of Dublin, dinner at Kennedy's and then slept at the Alexander O'Callahan hotel. |
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| Friday
April 8th - Dublin -
Click for more info After breakfast at the hotel we headed for the Guinness Storehouse via an iWalk tour. We went to Christchurch Cathedral and Sts. Augustine & John. We spent a good part of the day at the Guinness Storehouse and took advantage of technology to get Joe a customized bottle of Guinness. Another iWalk brough us back to our hotel. We headed to the Temple Bar area for dinner and pints & music at The Temple Bar and The Auld Dubliner. |
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| Saturday
April 9th - Dublin -
Click for more info The Book of Kells at Trinity College was our first stop. The Castles & Cathedrals iWalk took us to Dublin City Hall, Dublin Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Literary Walk. The Temple Bar & Docklands iWalk showed us Ha'penny Bridge, O'Connell Bridge & statues, Immaculate Heart of Mary church, the famine statues and the Jeanie Johnston ship. Our last evening was again spent dining & drinking in the Temple Bar area. |
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| Sunday
April 10th - Dublin to Minneapolis The Aircoach took us to Dublin airport and after 18 hours of travel (via Atlanta), we were home!!!! |
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