Bewley’s is a large hotel with moderate priced rooms and high speed internet in the room. They also have a huge sitting room off the lobby with plentiful easy chairs and tables which makes chatting quite pleasant. Nearby the sitting room, a café, restaurant, bar provides snack foods, meals, and drinks. Service at the restaurant was good and we tried several meals with happy results. Breakfast turned out to be free for us because of an odd incident with the power in the building going out for several hours and the management was quite embarrassed and made up for it with the free meal. We appreciated it since we were somewhat trapped in our room waiting for hot water for our showers instead of going out and about town. When the power finally came back on, the shower was quite wonderful.

Our room was quite wonderful with the usual facilities and we slept well. The best part was the ease of finding the DART, the Dublin Rapid Transit system. The main hotel desk gave us directions and soon we were on our way walking through office buildings along a sidewalk for less than a mile before coming to the easily identified station. We purchased tickets and climbed aboard to get downtown to see the main tourist sites.

View from inside the DART, Dublin, Ireland

Overall, we were quite delighted that our choice of staying in a modern hotel outside the tourist area worked perfectly well for our needs. Despite the size of the hotel, we received good service and had a very pleasant stay.

Admire the Gardens at St. Stephens Green Park, Dublin, Country Dublin, Ireland

We hadn’t planned to visit these gardens but the DART left us at the gate of St. Stephen’s Green and in the rain, the trees provided good protection and the ponds and gardens were quite pretty to see and has a statue dedicated to William Butler Yeats.

Shelter in the Rain in St. Stephen’s Green Park, Dublin

Find Dining in the Grafton Street Shopping Area, Dublin, Country Dublin, Ireland

Across the street from St. Stephens Green, Grafton Street shopping district leads off toward the National Museum. Grafton Street is very picturesque and window shopping for goods competes with window shopping for style and architecture and the quaint little shop or best dining location. We visited on the weekend so most of the shopping closed early.

Busy but Walkable Grafton Street Area, Dublin

National Museum of Ireland

The National Museum of Ireland is fine way to spend a rainy day but somewhat unimpressive outside. Inside, it contains many artifacts of Irish history well worth wandering through and the building interior is wonderful. Plan to spend two hours at least.

Entrance to the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

See the Book of Kells and Wander Through the Trinity College Campus, Dublin, Country Dublin, Ireland

Our main destination for the day was to see the exhibit of the Book of Kells at Trinity College one of Ireland’s greatest historical treasures. The Book of Kells and the other Celtic illustrated latin bibles in the exhibit were created on vellum in the year 800.  Ticket prices were reasonable and the library where the exhibit was held was almost as good as the exhibit itself. Statues, trees, architecture and students add to the appeal. I actually enjoyed this exhibit the best along with the campus.

Old Man Tree on Trinity College Campus, Dublin, Ireland

See St. Stephens Cathedral and Visit the Canals

A return loop back to the Stephens Park goes past St. Stephens Cathedral, a gothic classic. The Cathedral  is huge and well tended with lots of flowers and a small but lovely garden. St. Stephens Cathedral is within walking distance of St. Stephens Park but not in the same locale and this can be quite confusing at first. The walk past St. Stephens Park downhill toward the canals can be a fun side trip that shows some of the homes.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland

Wander Past Dublin Castle and Find A Garden Overlook

Dublin Castle built in 1210 was closed by the time we arrived but viewed from the outside, it’s an interesting collection of architecture and if you wander through, you’ll come to a garden planted in a Celtic knot work pattern that is really beautiful.

Garden at Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland

Whatever you manage to fit into your long day, visiting Dublin on foot in the rain will leave you somewhat weary but content.

Visit St. John’s Castle, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

Inner Courtyard of St. John’s Castle, Limerick, Ireland

This historic castle built from 1200-1216 has a good overview film that conveys the history of the castle. Afterward, visitors tour the grounds above and below for a good taste of castle life and industry.

Get Fascinated by the History at Limerick Museum in the Old Treasury Exchange, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

Ireland is Noted for their Lace Work, Limerick National Museum

The Limerick National Museum was created after a bridge project dug into the silt of the Shannon River. The pieces collected provide much insight into the past lives of the inhabitants of Limerick.

Be Inspired by the Artwork at Hunt Museum, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

The wood carving of Apollo—Genius of the Arts was my favorite piece in the collection and its probably the most famous. Several hours browsing through the art works passed quickly and ended in the gift store where post cards and other works featuring the collection items can be found.

Walk the Shopping District Along the Shannon River, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

Bookstore Downtown Limerick

We found the swans scenic, the small marina and locks a good destination, the bridge matching the river, many pubs and Celtic stores, useful supplies we’d forgotten at home and St. Mary’s Cathedral built in 1168 well worth the time spent. Food was tasty and reasonably priced and the outdoor tables fun even though it was a bit chilly out.

Tour Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Bunratty, County Limerick,Ireland

There’s honey mead to be had, a good joust for dinner and much more in the region near Bunratty Castle, a tower built in 1460.

Golf Adare Golf Course, Adare, County Limerick, Ireland

Traditional Cottage and Garden, Downtown Adare

Golf in picturesque downtown Adare is a challenge in more ways than one. The first challenge comes from the fact that there are two golf courses share the same area around the remnant of a caste, one quite reasonably priced the other loftier with a gate keeper. Reservations are required at both.  Downtown Adare has a few remaining traditional styled cottages and a lovely town park.

[1] The Green Guide to Ireland, Michelin

[2] Golf Guide to Ireland

Bunratty Grove is in beautiful Irish countryside complete with cows, horses, and plenty of the local birds in the trees. Bunratty Castle and the tiny tourist village has just enough facility to find a good meal, good beer, and a place to stretch your legs after about a mile walk from Bunratty Grove.

View of Bunratty Grove From Road

We arrived at Bunratty Grove before the normal 3:00pm check-in time. Our room was already prepared. The floors in Bunratty Grove are wood and shine as does the comfortable furniture. The Bunratty Grove owners greeted us, had us checked in quickly, even helping us carry in our golf clubs for storage during our stay and then showed us to our room.

Author in a Room at Bunratty Grove

The spacious bedrooms at Bunratty Grove have in room bathrooms and coffee and tea. From outside, Bunratty Grove looks like someone’s private home and only when you get inside do you find out just how large the place is, the upstairs has 5 or six private rooms and the lower level several more. Outside in the hallway you think you’re close to the neighboring guests but we never heard them. The gardens are beautifully planted and make for a nice place to sit and chat.

The owners of Bunratty Grove provided helpful hints to us and when we returned to leave the country we stayed in a different room that was every bit as nice and pleasantly decorated as the first. Another advantage of Bunratty Grove is it had plentiful parking for those who were driving. We really enjoyed our stay at this lodge and were happy that we didn’t have to be downtown or on a busy street and easily made our flight on departure at Shannon Airport.

Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. The population of Ireland is estimated to be 6.2 million. Relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain epitomize Ireland’s geography with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation and is the most deforested area in Europe. The red fox, hedgehog, and badger are common mammals, which occupy the island while the Irish hare, red deer, and pine marten are less common.

Country Information

• Geographic Facts

Here are three geographic facts about Ireland:

1.                  Ireland is occupied by two political entities. The Republic of Ireland covers 5/6th of the island and its capital is Dublin. Northern Ireland is a part of the UK that covers the remaining 1/6th and its capital is Belfast.

2.                  Ireland has an overall mild but changeable oceanic climate with few extremes. Inland areas are warmer in summer and colder in winter. Around forty days of the year are below freezing. Temperatures fall as low as 9 degrees F and up to 3 feet of snow falls in mountainous areas, while it has been up to 91 degrees for a record high.

3.                  Ireland is 84,429square kilometers as of 2008, with a ring of coastal mountains surrounding low plains at the center of the island. Precipitation falls throughout the year but is overall light and particularly in the east.

• 3 “Serious” Facts

Here are three serious facts about Ireland:

1.                  Most of Ireland was covered in ice until the end of the last ice age over 9,000 years ago. English is the language generally used, while Irish is mainly spoken among the Western area.

2.                  The original Celtic Nations are: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany (in France), and Galicia (in Spain).

3.                  Some of the best festivals happen in Ireland around Christmas and New Years. The Irish look for any excuse to have a good time and Irish Pubs are popular all throughout the world.

• 3 “Fun” Facts

Here are three fun facts about Ireland:

1.                  The longest place named in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in county Galway.

2.                  An odd Irish birthday tradition is to lift the birthday child upside down and give his head a few gentle bumps on the floor for good luck. The number of bumps should amount to the child’s age plus one.

3.                  One of the most popular radio shows in rural Ireland is still the weekly broadcast of local obituaries.

• “Potpourri” Items

Here is an unusual fact (or two or three) about Ireland:

1.               It is not custom in Ireland to wear green ties, hats or other green clothes on St. Patrick’s Day. A sprig of shamrock is the preferred display.

2.               Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument for a national symbol: the harp.

Food Information

• Recipe

Ultimate Irish Lace Cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sweet softened butter
• ¾ packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 ¼ cup old-fashioned oats

Directions:

1.      Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Leave the cookie sheets that will be used for baking in the oven while it is heating up. Cookie sheets should be sprayed with pan or lined with parchment paper.

2.      Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the flour, milk and vanilla. Fold in the oats.

3.      Place 1 teaspoonful of the dough 3 inches apart on the cookie sheets that have been preheated in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, but keeping a close eye on them so they don’t over bake.

4.      When the cookies are done, cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute and then gently remove the cookies with a spatula and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Do not remove the finished cookies from the baking sheet before they have cooled for 1 minute, or they will fall apart in your hands. This recipe makes about 40 cookies.

My Kitchen Story

Luckily, I had many friends around for trial and error tasting of this recipe. It was hard trying to find a recipe that had the available ingredients that could be found at a local grocery store. The recipe made a HUGE mess because of all the oatmeal, flour, and sugar. The ingredients looks and feels like mush at first so it was kind of funny looking before baking it.

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Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Ireland: A Recipe for Ultimate Irish Lace Cookies,” please email Jena.Tidwell@selu.edu for more information.

David C. Wyld (dwyld@selu.edu) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. 

If some of this reminds you of ancient gods and goddesses, that is no accident. Already in the first Book of Henoch (itself another apocryphal part of the Bible), these latter attributes are added to bring St. Michael on a par with his pagan counterparts like Thot, Anubis, and Horus (in Egypt) or with the Zoroastrian Immortals Rashnu and Sraosha. It is hardly surprising that he was found the right person in Europe to take over from his predecessors such as Nodens, Charon, or other door wardens in other religions.

Doorways to the Otherworld were most famous in places called Isles of Glass. A well known Isle of Glass is the Mont Saint-Michel in the Normandy region of France, the place where Arthur killed a giant. It is logical that only St. Michael could be made the patron saint of such a place, filling in at the same time as door warden for the locals and as Prince of Seraphim to hold it against unholy influences from the past.

Image source

Later, the order in charge of Mont Saint-Michel  founded a dependency in Cornwall, and not surprisingly, this place is another of those Isles of Glass, St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, or An Garrek Los y’n Cos. He place was most probably known already to the Greeks and Romans by the name of Mictis or Ictis.

Image source

A further famous Isle of Glass is the Tor in Glastonbury, on top of which only the tower of the St. Michael’s church remains these days.

Image source

And another famous Isle of Glass may be found in Skellig Michael in Ireland.

Image source

But the Otherworld could be reached by other means than going to the Isle of Glass; all over Europe there were caves that were reputed to be entries to the Otherworld. One of those was in the region of Apulia in Italy, where the Normans built a St. Michaels church in a place called Monte Sant’ Angelo integrating the cave into the church. It says on the doorway that all sins are forgiven to whoever enters the cave, a clear indication that the cave is the forecourt to afterlife.

Image source

If you dig into the archaeological history of a building dedicated to St. Michael, you will often find that there were earlier occupants to a holy site, be it a temple, a shrine, or a stone circle. It is one of the many ways by which Christianity integrated the locals into the new religion coming into fashion.

Image via Wikipedia

I have to start by saying I am very lucky. I have a wonderful child (more on him later!), an adoring and adorable husband and friends all over the world. In December last year, I was lucky enough to jump on a Ryanair flight — toddler and luggage in tow — and finally, finally visit Ireland.

I often describe Ireland thus: If Europe is my home then Ireland is the cozy den where a fire burns, my favourite music is playing softly in the background, and a good book awaits. While the December trip was amazing, and Ireland was everything I’d imagined, it was also problematic for various reasons. Getting up at 4am to catch our incoming and outgoing flights does not a happy toddler make. Also my little man was already sick the day before we were due to leave, but I am a wicked mother and could not bare to cancel. Overall, I didn’t get to see half the things I wanted to see.

So along comes June and my husband suggests quite out of the blue that I should take a day out on my own to just be by myself or catch up with friends without LM about to be chased after. Grasping opportunity by the… coattails… I calmly respond that while that would be lovely, I had been hoping to get back to Dublin at some stage so that I could see more of the city and Harry Potter weekend in mid-July would be a perfect opportunity for me to head out on my own and see the sights of the city and watch the film with my Harry Potter minded friend who I may or may not have met on the Harry Potter message boards six years ago.

To cut an already-too-long story short, I got my five days in Dublin. They were amazing. I was spoiled rotten by my friend and her boyfriend, went out to eat at the Millstone, an amazing gourmet pizza restaurant on Dame Street, got tipsy at the Guinness Storehouse, was awed by some of my favourite dead people at the Dublin Writers Museum. The Dublin Castle is also a must-see, and I was very glad we invested in a Dublin Pass. The city itself is very relaxed, not rushed like most major cities, which I suppose is the Irish way.

On one of the days there, we drove down to Newbridge and checked out a Hollywood Icons exhibit at the Newbridge Silverware’s Visitors Centre. It was fascinating in that I got to see how incredible Marilyn Monroe was and how surprisingly tall the Beatles are. Their suits from A Hard Day’s Night are just as swanky as one would imagine them to be.

As always with a wonderful holiday, it was too short. I was happy to be home with my family, and it was nice to give each other time for missing. I do, however, honestly think that if someone came up to me tomorrow and said “Hey, we have a job for you in Dublin”, I’d take it in a heartbeat.

Another thing I always say about Ireland is that for all the places I have been, Ireland is the only place where I have not once felt like a foreigner. This includes my home country. The Irish expatriates are usually wont to say that that’s because there are no Irish left in Ireland. I know it’s because once you’re in Ireland, it’s assumed that you’re Irish. And when you leave, part of you really is.

It’s good to come out to the Friary not long before dusk begins to gather on a warm summer evening, to leave all that you possess on the track by the holy well and follow the path that marks the line of the highest tides, to kick among the salt-bleached bones of dead crabs and come across, from time to time, the long-naked skull of a rotted sheep. Yes it’s good. The crunch of the stones and shingle sounds good to the ears, the smell of the salt and decay taste good in the mouth. All your senses agree that this is a good place to be, and it’s even better to be there on your own and allow the leavings of past generations haunt your mind and fire your imagination, let them offend your naïve sense of justice and discolour your long-settled views of who you are, to challenge your understanding of this world’s ways.

A Dominican Friary off a forgotten Irish beach with only ghosts for company; a place for sitting among sunken graves and the scattered remnants of an ancient hearth. A place that speaks of a once well-practiced love put to the sword and the torch, yet even in the remembering of cruelty and hardship long passed into history and covered by centuries of new grass, a quietness of spirit can be found. Here the repugnant dates and names belonging to the past pile up and gather around to form a refuge where the searching soul can rest, no longer striving for answers and meaning and revenge, but listening for the soft echo of the love and labour that once graced this obscure and now man-forsaken place.

I have always been attacked to oddities, funny animals, strange stories, etc. I have collected eight of the weirdest place names in Ireland for you. I am even living in one of them. See the photo above. Ireland has its place names both in  the Irish and in the English language. However, the English translation doesn’t always make much sense. Below you will find the English translations only.

• Claudy in county Kerry – It is often cloudy in Ireland

• Leggs in County Donegal -  People here have nice legs.

• Cheekpoint in County Waterford – Not to mixed up with checkpoint.

• Halfway in County Cork  - So we’re halfway now.

• Burnfoot in the Counties Cork, Donegal and Derry – It is very pain full to burn your foot.

• Knock in the Counties Clare, Mayo and Tipperary – You have to knock to get in.

• Knocktopher In County Kilkenny – In this drive through village you have to be care full not to be knocked over by a car. 

• Kill in the Counties Kildare and Waterford -  Here you are in great danger of losing your life.

Trinity College

This univeristy was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1. It is the oldest and most prestigious university in Ireland and is one of the seven ancient univeristies still in operation in the modern world. There are only a few public entrances with the main buildings looking inward on the campus. The library of the college is the largest in the country with the Book of Kells being located in the Old Library. There are also other famous ancient texts that tourists want to see when they visit this attraction.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest church in Ireland and was foundedin 1191. After its elevation to the status of cathedral, a whole complex of buildings were erected on the site, but very little of the original building remains today. It has been at the heart of Irish life since it was built and has played an important part in the development of culture in Ireland.

Explore the natural features of Galway and Kerry Counties:

The Ring of Kerry

This is one of the most scenic drives on the west coast of Ireland. The road winds its way through Killarney National Park, picturesque towns and villages, through the mountains and around the Inveragh Peninsula. The drive is not long, about 110 miles, but most visitors take two days so that they can stop in several places and explore the area.

The Cliffs of Mohr

The Cliffs of Moher are a fascinating site rising to a height of over 700 feet over the sea. This area is known as one of the most spectacular views in all of Ireland from which the Arran Islands and Galway can be seen on a clear day.

The Burren

The Burren is one of the largest Karst landscapes in Europe and is encircled by many picturesque villages. Part of the area is enclosed in the Burren National Park, only one of six such parks in the country. It is however, the smallest of the six.

Connemara

Connemara National Park takes in more than 10,000 hectares of land and is the site of the Twelve Bens, which is a mountain range on the west coast of Ireland. There are many smaller villages in this area of Galway and Ballynahinch Castle has been the focus of life for centuries.  

Visit Dunquaire Castle and take part in a medieval feast:

 This is a tower house that dates back to the 16th century. The defensive wall and the tower, which is 75 feet high, have been restored and are open to visitors during the summer months. It is the most photographed castle in Ireland.

Visit the Aran Islands:

The Aran Islands are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay. Irish is spoken on all three and the names of the various villages are all from the ancient language of the country. There are Iron Age forts for visitors to explore, O’Brien’s Castle, Teampull Bhenain, which is the smallesty chucrch in the world, and many other attractions.

Kiss the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle:

Kissing the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle is said to “give you the gift of gab.” In order to do this you do have to hang upside down out over the peak of the castle. There are rails and assistants to help you accomplish this feat.

Tour the Waterford Crystal Factory, which is the largest producer of crystal in the world. Buy some of the famous crystal to take back home with you.

Waterford Crystal has been in business since the late 1700’s, but the factory is now a tourist centre since the business closed in 2009.