Our family has a history with the beautiful country of Ireland. I ran my first (and best) marathon there in college while traveling abroad. Matt’s paternal side of the family has very deep roots there. And for over 10 years, Matt worked for an Irish company and even spent 18 months working in Dublin before we had children. We have visited Ireland quote a few times, and even took Claire there while I was pregnant with Aveline. Since Aveline has never traveled there, we decided it was time for her to experience the magic that is the land of the leprechauns and fairies. Earlier this month we spent just over a week there. Here is what we did during our Ireland trip:
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Day 1, 8/9
Our overnight flight from Chicago arrived in Dublin around noon. We got checked in to our hotel. Since we were pretty tired, we just walked around Dublin a bit and got a late lunch at Zaytoon’s. It’s a Persian restaurant Matt and I love. Then it was off to bed.
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Day 2, 8/10
We planned a Kilkenny and Wicklow Mountains day tour. Since renting a car can be very pricey in Ireland and stressful (hello left hand side of the road), we thought a few day trips would be perfect. It’s nice because we could take little naps on the bus and there was funny commentary by the tour guide.
Kilkenny was a new town for all of us. Matt found a pub with his name, we climbed a round tower and enjoyed walking around seeing the cathedral and other churches. It’s such a beautiful town!
After lunch, we headed to the Wicklow Mountains. The scenery is spectacular. We stopped at Glendalough to see St. Kevin’s Monastery. It’s a lovely cemetery and there are some nice, easy walking trails if you have the time.
On the way back to Dublin, we stopped by a farm that raises lambs. It was so fun to see a demonstration of how a sheep dog rounds up sheep. The girls were able to feed a lamb, too. That night we ate at Gogarty’s in the Temple Bar area. The food is ok, but we like the live music there.
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Day 3, 8/11
Ever since Claire went to Ireland years ago, she has been talking up Butler’s Chocolate Factory. Both Claire and Aveline really wanted to go. I will admit, the chocolate is delicious. And it is fun to see how they make chocolate. We were able to taste their chocolate and hot chocolate. We also decorated a chocolate elephant to take home.
Instead of lunch, we walked to The Cake Cafe for a high tea. It was such a quaint shop and we had the tea in their garden. The servers were all so sweet and the food was amazing! We left with so much cake afterwards. Yum!
On the walk back to our hotel, we saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That night we had dinner at the Brazen Head Pub which is reputed to be the oldest pub in Ireland.
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Day 4, 8/12
On Saturday we had a day trip planned to the Cliffs of Moher. In the morning we caught a train to Bunratty Castle & Folk Park. Many of the historic buildings have been moved to the park. We had fun seeing the castle and the buildings around. The girls enjoyed seeing where they would have slept if we lived in similar house. Maybe that will make them appreciate their separate rooms more?
Afterwards we traveled to the west coast of Ireland. We stopped for lunch at a pub then went on to the cliffs. Although it was somewhat chilly and windy, it was pretty good for visibility. Matt and I saw the cliffs a year after we were married and we could barely make them out so it was an improvement!
We also stopped by the Burren for some photos. The Burren is an area on the western coast of Ireland known for its rocky landscape, unusual combination of flora, thousands of archaeological sites and unique farming traditions. After a bit of time in Galway, we got a bite to eat and took the train back to Dublin.
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Day 5, 8/13
Day 5 was another day trip. Although we were worried about doing them back-to-back, the kids did pretty well. And it was nice to see different parts of Ireland. This day we headed up to Northern Ireland to see Dunluce Castle, Giant’s Causeway, and the Dark Hedges.
Matt and I have never seen Dunluce Castle up close. It’s the ruins of a castle perched atop a cliff and very picturesque. We got a lot of good photos there.
After lunch it was off to Giant’s Causeway. Giant’s Causeway is a geological formation where the rocks have formed into octogonal columns. We could have easily spent more time there. The girls loved looking in all the tidal pools and climbing all over the rocks. It’s fascinating to explore and get some great photos there.
We had a short stop at the Dark Hedges made famous by the GoT franchise. It’s incredible and I hope they work to preserve it as we heard the increased traffic in the area poses a threat to the trees. After that, we headed back to Dublin and had a quick dinner before going to bed early.
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Day 6, 8/14
Today we slept in a bit, which was amazing! Then we took a train to Kilmainham Gaol. This historical jail held many prominent political figures throughout the Irish history for independence from Britain and its civil war. It’s a very informative tour. That afternoon we went shopping at a few stores. Afterwards, Claire went to a few thrift stores with me and Avie and Matt rested. That night we made arrangements to attend an Irish hooley. A what?? It’s a night with traditional music and dancing. There is a pub outside of Dublin called Jonny Foxes and they host one each night. The meal was delicious, especially considering how many they are serving. We had a few different choices of traditional Irish food. I had beef stew and loved it.
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Day 7, 8/15
The last day in Ireland we took the DART to Howth. It’s about a 20-30 minute ride and well worth it. Matt and I love Howth! It’s a seaside village and you can often spot seals in the harbor. There are many colorful sailboats and a long pier you can walk out on. The views are fantastic! And the seafood is second to none. We like to eat at a restaurant called The Bloody Stream. Without a doubt, it has the best fish and chips I’ve ever eaten. So if you are ever in Dublin, I’d recommend going!
Many people wonder about the weather in Ireland. Rain is very typical given the location. The weather was mostly in the 60s while we were there so we had on light jackets or sweatshirts most days. Although there were some short rain showers throughout our trip, it was pretty good weather. I’ve visited other times when the rain has been far worse. You just have to expect wet weather and understand it is part of the experience.
What I packed:
I definitely overpacked. Here are most of the outfits I wore. I also had a denim skirt, black jumpsuit and another pair of pants I didn’t wear. The black boots and white sneakers worked well for all of the walking. They aren’t waterproof, but are water resistant which was fine for the weather we had.
If you are interested in traveling to Ireland and have any questions, please feel free to ask. I’m always happy to help!