(Mother's trip to Ireland) Odds and Ends, Ireland, July 2023

The trip was everything I had dreamed about for many years. The Irish people were so friendly and helpful. It felt strange driving on the left side of the road with the steering wheel on the right side of the car. My friend caught on quickly to the narrow roads and roundabouts. I had lived in England for 4 years so I was more comfortable driving than she. 

The lush green fields and beautiful flowers were a delight. We did not plan to go to large cities with museums and cathedrals but to enjoy the people,  their customs, their culture and their ways of life. We saw no trash or old cars parked in the yards but found the Irish are proud of their country, their homes and well-kept property. The homes were lovely, some very large, others small cottages. It was a real delight to spend a week there. We also met many other tourists in our Bed and Breakfast each day  as well as in the places we visited. 

I am so sorry my granddaughter did not get to go with me. We both applied for passport renewal back in March not knowing there was an extraordinary waiting period this summer because people all over the USA were eager to travel out of country after being cooped up with Covid restrictions. I truly hope she has another chance to visit Ireland. 

As a senior citizen with a number of health problems, I doubt I am able to make another trip overseas. I have been privileged to live in Germany in the 60s, in Italy in the 70s and England in the 80s with my military husband. Each country was an adventure. I loved it all. I think that is why my son, Teacher Carl, enjoys teaching English as 2nd language to students all over the world. He too loves to travel, learning about other cultures and people from all over the world.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 7, B n B, Folk Park and Pottery

 Day 7 It was rainy again this morning so we lingered over breakfast and took a few pics of our sweet hostess and host, Delores and Gary. We decided to go to a nearby pottery when the rain stopped (forgot to get pics, sorry) where we really had fun getting more gifts (small ones for suitcase travel). Then we went thru the Bunratty Folk Park. It is a village of buildings that are replications of some from various places around Ireland. Only a couple were originally on site (26 acres) including the Bunratty Castle. Fabulous place to visit (similar to Willamsburg). We will have tonight to enjoy one last pub meal with music, then leave for the airport very early in the morning.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 6, Kinsale, on the coast

 DAY 6 We had a lovely sunny day so we drove south to the coastal town of Kinsale. We did our best to skirt Cork (2nd largest city in Ireland) and pretty much succeeded. The fields were lush green and the sky a lovely blue with mostly fluffy white clouds. There were a couple dark clouds but not even a shower all day. The flowers in Kinsale were gorgeous. One pic is of a stacked fence, a skill the Irish have mastered, no concrete required. These lovely pics were all taken by Diane today. I drove south and we got there in time for a walk before lunch. We had a prawn salad for lunch just across the street from the port. After the walk along the pier road, I was very tired so Diane drove home. It was a very nice experience.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 5, nice drive to Tipperary

 Day 5 in Ireland. We decided today was a great day to drive to Tipperary in this beautiful sunshine, although we had a shower and some clouds at some point. Nothing special for us to see there but it was a nice drive. Then coming home we did little back roads thru small villages, seeing lush green fields, rolling hills, some cattle and old ruins and graveyards. We both love that. When we got back to Bunratty we had fish and chips and did a little shopping (well Diane did...lol). I sat at an outside table and conversed with an Irish laddie (he said he was 42) who was very hospitable. He wanted to know what  I thought of Donald Trump. He was very surprised to find out I was very surprised to see beer being sold here on Sunday. He wanted to know if it was true that alcohol could only be purchased by 21-year-olds. He was really interested in these culture differences.
Today's pics are some I took in a small village as we passed an old church. Diane drove today.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 4 Ireland, storm in Atlantic and Loophead lighthouse

 Day 4 in Ireland. Tried to see Cliffs of Moher from ferry excursion but storm in the Atlantic made havoc of the trip. Very cold, rainy and VERY CHOPPY. Could not see the cliffs at all and lots of people on the boat were making big time use of their barf bags.....we did not get sick. I did get very dizzy so sat very still, closed my eyes and let the sway of the boat put me to sleep until big bumps of waves woke me up. They should have canceled the ride and refunded our money. Nuff said!

So in the afternoon we drove on down to a lighthouse on the tip of the peninsula and had a lovely lunch on the way. We saw tranquil scenes of cows, sheep, farmland and beautiful homes. We also saw a lot of old abandoned and dilapidated rock homes with no roofs from many years ago, possibly when many Irishmen left during the potato famine.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 3 in Ireland

 Raining on Day 3...we have reservations for a cruise on River Shannon not far from here. In the meantime here are pics Diane took the first 2 days. Some are in Bunratty at local pub, downtown Galway and flowers everywhere.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) Day 2, Climate, Galway

 We have dark in Ireland in July from 10 pm until 5:15 am. The sun was out the day we arrived but yesterday as we drove to Galway, it was misty a lot, rainy some, cloudy mostly and cool. Today's weather will be more rain than sun, if any, with temperatures of a high of 62 and 50s at night. This is why the flowers are gorgeous and the hillsides are so lush and green. Eat your heart out if you are having 3 digit temps and your flowers and vegetable gardens are dry and brown.

(Mother's trip to Ireland) DAY 1, Bed & Breakfast in Bunratty, Ireland

 First night in Ireland. Nice trip across the big pond from DFW. London's Heathrow Airport was BIGGER than I remember. A big walk for an old woman with leg and feet and back problems. Was late getting into Shannon due to an electrical/mechanical problem with Air Lingus plane. But everyone in all 3 airports were so nice and helpful (with one exception). Got lost on the way to B n B because I forgot to write down directions. It is only 7 Km from airport but it took us an hour to finally get here. We were starving and finally got to a pub about 8 pm but it was worth it. Had fish and chips with great atmosphere in a building that was first built in 1827 (I think) and live music with Irish singing, pub musicians with guitar and fiddle and patrons singing too. A great first night here. 10 pm here and we are just about ready for bed. This is Bunratty Castle just a few Kms from where we stay all week. Irish country  breakfast in the morning and we will decide then where we want to go on our first day trip.