Our Ireland Adventure Day 9

Dromoland Castle Hotel in Newmarket - On - Fergus, Co. Clare, Ireland 

 

Just a half an hour away from the Old Ground Hotel was our next stay at Dromoland Castle Hotel. Well it was actually only twenty minutes away but I goofed and we took the wrong exit on the Rotary (Traffic Circle); so we utilized the “scenic route.”

The magnificent, five star Dromoland Castle http://www.dromoland.ie prove to be beyond our expectations. We savored this majestic castle and its enchanting lake, as we passed through the castle gates. It was the ancestral home of the O’Briens of Dromoland who were the Kings of Thomond and whose lineage goes back 1,000 years to Brian Boru, the only High King of Ireland. The castle is situated on four hundred and ten (410) acres of exquisiteness in the peaceful Clare countryside.

Located well outside of any cities, the hotel offers a plethora of activities: golf, dining, a pub, spa; health club with indoor swimming pool, falconry, archery, boating, clay pigeon shooting, tennis, walking and mountain biking just to name a few. 

Our room (219) is housed in the oldest part of the castle but was fully modernized. It featured a cottage-style décor which is based on 18th-century botanical drawings, complementing the sumptuous upholstery designed by the French fabric house Pierre Frey. It truly did look like the photos in the advertisements. It was huge, comfy, and beautiful. 

After thoroughly exploring our surroundings, we enjoyed a late lunch. Mrs. White’s Tea is served between the hours of two and five in the afternoon and consists of a selection of piping hot teas with a delicious selection of freshly baked pastries and breads. It was presented with a traditional flair under sparkling Waterford Crystal Chandeliers that added to the enjoyment of the feasting event. 

There was only one item remaining on my list of “Irish Must-dos;” that was to drink Guinness in a pub will listening to live Irish music. A tired Paul and I check that off this evening. Tommy entertained us in the small pub by strumming his acoustical guitar and singing Irish melodies. The perfect end to another perfect night. 

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Our Ireland Adventure Day 8

The Cliffs Of Moher and the Old Ground Hotel

 

Today we bid adieu to the Cillcearn House. Our stay here made us feel very welcome and relaxed. We will miss our host Tom and his witty advice.

We had just one event on our agenda – a one hour cruise to The Cliffs Of Moher. Although we feared that we might arrive a tad late, when we got there we discovered our boat was delayed about fifteen minutes so we arrived in plenty of time.

We met the owner of one of the cruise business and he bought us a cup of tea and a scone as he discussed his last visited to the San Diego County area. He definitely knew his way around our town. His "lady" was born and raised in "Hell A" therefore he had visited Southern California frequently.

The cruise itself presented rough waters but the view was well worth it. Paul reminded me and a fellow passenger to keep our backs off the seat to avoid illness. I listened and am glad I did. Sadly, the other lady didn’t and suffered from sea sickness.

The Cliffs Of Moher rise to a height of over 700 feet. Our cruise set out from Doolin Pier and followed the cliffs as they climb to their magnificent height. I was awed by the epic cliffs as I learned that they have Ireland’s largest mainland nesting bird colony. The Great Sea Stack (Branaunmore) also plays host to thousands of seabirds as well.

The hour went by too quickly and we were off to our next stop at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis.

Built in the early part of the 18th Century as a private dwelling and a hotel since 1895 the Old Ground Hotel has a long tradition and connection to the people of County Clare. Indeed the Old Ground has played its part in the Republics tumultuous beginnings and the now Town Hall once incorporated a jail.

I cannot say enough positive things about this establishment. The food was excellent and served quickly and always with a smile. The room was luxurious. The tile floor in the bathroom was heated!!!!! I loved it.

The hotel offered plenty of parking and is located in the middle of town right next to the Ennis Cathedral. The soft bells of the church rang sweetly on the hour.

Today is also the first day of our trip that we experienced any rain and it was a light rain at that. Paul and I have been very lucky travelers . . . . . knock on wood.

We spent the night walking down the narrow streets of Ennis. Unfortunately, it was after six and most of the shops had closed.

 

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Our Ireland Adventure Day 7

Ring of Kerry Tour

 

Although Paul and I are really not tour people, Sonja had scheduled us for a tour called the “Ring of Kerry” with the Wild Kerry Daytours. They picked us up and dropped us off directly from the Cillcearn House which was very convenient. However those vans were pretty dirty and very smoky.

The Wild Kerry Day Tour’s bus was a bit better. The Iveragh Peninsula which contains Ireland’s most spectacular mountain road – the Ring of Kerry – is situated in the south west corner of Ireland. Our driver, John, was very friendly and talked for almost the entire six-hour tour about history, geography, culture, stories and folklore. John even sang to us.

Our tour went in an counter-clockwise direction along the banks of the River Laune to Killorglin, via Glenbeigh, Kells, Caherciveen, the southern shores of Dingle Bay, Waterville, along the coast via Coomakista Pass, Derrynane, on to Sneem, up the mountain road to Molls Gap, and finished up at Ladies’View.

It filled our day and we did enjoy the tour. Unfortunately, a screaming toddler and two non-stop talking young ladies directly behind us reminded us why we are not keen on guided bus tour.

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Our Ireland Adventure Day 6

We left the Ardfield Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast around nine-ish and headed towards the Old Midleton Distillery area in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland. The Jameson Experience, Midleton,  is an Irish whiskey tourist attraction which opened in 1992. We had a great time, but the tour was not as fun as the Jameson Tour in Dublin. Nevertheless, unbelievably, I learned even more about the Irish Whiskey. 

Our GPS Coordinates took us close to our next Bed and Breakfast, Cillcearn House on Ballycasheen Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry. It was easy to figure out where it was though. Our host Tom, should be an Ireland national treasure. He could not be friendlier nor more informative. He even took the time to teach us how to use our AT&T cell phone in Ireland!!!

Our room was spacious and well-kept. Most importantly, the internet worked in our room and was very fast. Yeah I was able to catch up on my work a bit.

After setting in, we drove into town for dinner. We happened on the Family owned and run Cronins Restaurant. Again the food and service exceeded our expectations. They made Paul a hamburger minus the meat that was scrumptious. My Turkey and Ham dinner special was also very tasty. Everything was extremely reasonably priced.

We bought some groceries at Glesson's Spar and called it a day. 

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