**This is a re-post from Flyin' the Coop; however, a few personal notes have been added.
In apost from a previous visit to Ireland, I urged readers not to take a tour. My tune has changed. Vagabond Tours of Ireland is definitely the way to go. That is if you're looking for a stress-free time where all of the details are taken care of. You get a taste of Irish culture and history from the "Vagaguides" and plenty of time to meander around on your own and discover some off-the-beaten-path places. The small group is an added plus, and the value for the money is bar-none.
I wouldn't call myself a "seasoned traveler" at this point, but I'm learning things as I go. I'm a light packer; I wear pants a couple of times before washing and I make sure what I wear dries quickly. On this trip, I wore leggings and tunics that were made out of quick-drying material. I washed once when we were at the same hotel for 2 nights. The laundry sheets are fantastic for quick washing in the hotel sink/bathtub. Rolling the clothes in a towel to remove the excess water helps, too. And, those lovely heated towel racks helped speed the drying process along!
The Best Packing Arrangement
This was all the luggage I took with me on this trip for 2 weeks: A carry-on and a smallish (14") backpack. How did I do it?
These compression packing cubes helped organize and fit everything in my carry-on. First I purchased the set, and then I bought a couple additional cubes. They are so much easier than the initial bags I had (that were like giant ziplock bags): you put clothes in the cube, zip to compress it, and then zip the 2nd zipper to close. The set comes with a "laundry bag" so you can separate out your dirty clothes...compressing them as you close the bag.
I used these see-through bags for my medications and liquids; they fit perfectly into my backpack.
Inside the liquids bag, I had several silicone jars for things like my facial cleanser, moisturizer, etc. They were the perfect size for 2 weeks of travel.
For shampoo, lotion, and hair gel, these tubes were fantastic. Although I didn't need the shampoo (or really the lotion either), those won't be brought along for the next trip.
The Best
Best Hotel: While we stayed in some hotels that were much larger than I expected, I would have to say the nicest one we stayed in was in Derry. But the room with the best view was in Kinsale.
Best Pub: This one is tough because we went to some fantastic pubs, but I'd have to say there were 2 in Waterford that take the cake.
Off the main road, Katty Barrys was a find for Trad Music and supposedly the best Guinness in town (according to the barman).
J&K Walsh is the oldest pub in operation in Waterford (or it was when I was there). It was quite the find!
Best Town: This is another hard one because there were so many places we went that were absolutely wonderful, but if I had to pick just one, I would pick Donegal as my overall favorite. This is definitely someplace I'd like to return and spend more time. Kilkenny would have to be a close second.
Donegal
Kilkenny
Best Cliffs: Without a doubt, Slieve League is it! We're just thankful we didn't end up at the bottom because of the heavy winds!
Photo courtesy of Tomás
Best Irish Coffee: I drank a lot of Irish Coffee this trip since the weather was cold, damp, and windy. There's nothing like a good Irish Coffee to warm you up! Undoubtedly, the best one I had was at Jameson Distillery in Midleton.
Best Monument: I was able to see several monuments, but my favorite was Kindred Spirits in Midleton, County Cork. This monument was to commemorate the money the Choctaw Indians in the USA sent to Ireland during the famine. While $170 may not seem like much, in today's money (as opposed to 1847) it would be equivalent to thousands of dollars. It is a beautiful monument and definitely worth a stop.
Best Natural Phenomena: Again, this is a tough one. The bog protecting Corlea Trackway was definitely amazing, along with Giant's Causeway, Benvoy Beach, and Mahon Falls (with the Magic Road as a plus), but I'm going to have to go with the backward waterfall we experienced while at Slieve League. I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to experience that again.
Best Music: This is going to come as a surprise because it actually did to me. When I started thinking about this category, I was thinking about live trad music in the pubs. But actually, the best music was when Tomás turned on his playlist as we were driving around Northern Ireland. He shared some music from Irish bands (mostly although we also heard "The Boss" and maybe some Johnny Cash!) and was able to provide the background from the song that turned out to perfectly summarize my trip and how different it was from the last one. To top it off, the musician is a friend of his so that made it extra personal.
Marcus Magee was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer; he knew something was wrong but didn't bother going to the doctor. When a friend who had recently passed away from cancer appeared in his dream and told him to be mindful of his health problems, he not only went to the doctor but wrote this song following treatment. The chorus reminds me of what a great time we had in 2022; we were able to forget the cancer and the treatment for a couple of weeks and enjoy the Irish countryside and backroads. We met some wonderful people in pubs and campgrounds. We were definitely able to run away from the illness, even if it was for a short while. The chorus:
And we run
Yes we run
From this dream
Finding me
Best Cemetery: This may seem a little morbid, but you have to visit cemeteries to see High Crosses. Even so, while Monasterboice had the most amazing High Crosses, my favorite cemetery was at St. Columbas in Drumcliffe. Yeats' grave was so peaceful, with the beautiful Benbulben in the background.
Best revisited place: I had a difficult time deciding between the Hook Peninsula or Glendalough. I have emotional ties to both places from my last visit. Tintern Abbey on the Hook Peninsula was Robert's favorite place, and the memories of walking around Glendalough unhurried are huge. But...I'm going to have to say it's actually a car park! Denise just happened to stop at the same car park where Robert & I spent our last night with the campervan in the Wicklow Mountains. The views are beautiful and I was able to take a few minutes to think about him and our trip together.
Best Historical City: The visited city with the most fascinating history to me was Waterford. This is another place that I would love to go back to and spend more time. Plus, there is a museum that wasn't open the day we were there that I want to see. Strongbow & Aoife's marriage was so instrumental in the history of Ireland. Denise did a wonderful job telling us their story and how they shaped Ireland.
Best Castle: I hesitated to use this category because I chose not to go into some of the castles. But, this one was incredible: Dunluce. Right on the edge of a cliff, the ruins show off just how massive it was. It just takes a little bit of imagination to see how glorious it was in its heyday.
So there you have it. My "best of" for the Great Southern Tour and the Northern Island Tour by Vagabond. I have nothing bad to say about this tour group. I didn't feel like there was any wasted time. I know with many tour groups you "hurry up and wait", but not with Vagabond. As long as everyone is respectful of the other passengers' time, it's not a problem. We were all on the bus at the given time, ready to go. We weren't rushed when we went to points of interest; we had just the right amount of time at each place. I've already booked another tour with them so stay tuned for a recap.
The tours I chose were a perfect blend of old and new: old memories in the Great Southern Tour and new ones in the Northern Island Tour. A way to pay homage to the trip CH & I took 2 years before and to look forward to the traveling he wants me to do. That was why Mac Dee is so meaningful to me.
Here it is: The last day. I woke up feeling a little sad because it was my last day in Ireland, but then I pushed it aside and tried not to think about it. Besides, we had another full slate of activities.
I was looking forward to seeing Down Cathedral since it is the burial place of St. Patrick. And it just so happens that Sts. Columba and Brigid are also said to be buried here, fulfilling a prophecy by St. Columba that all 3 of the Patron Saints of Ireland would be buried together. And they were, but then the cemetery was desecrated with bones being strewn all over the cemetery. So, with that interesting tidbit, there is a stone to commemorate their burial in the graveyard...somewhere.
The baptismal font was the base of a cross from the 10th or 11th century
St. Patrick Window
Tile mosaics in the floor were designed after the Book of Kells
18th Century Organ
Close up of the stained glass behind the altar
We were treated to a presentation; I wish I had taken notes!
A replica of the Town Cross. The original is in the museum in Down.
The stone commemorating the burial place of Saints Patrick, Brigid, and Columba
Down Cathedral is now in the hands of the Church of Ireland.
A replica of St. Patrick's Cross
The plan after Down Cathedral was to take a ferry across Carlingford Lough, except when we got there we discovered the ferry wasn't running. So, Tomás went to Plan B. He said it added a little bit of time, but it ended up being quite a find. Warrenpoint was a really charming town where we had lunch and then some time to wander around town.
This is a great name for an inn right on the water. It's pronounced "Lock and Key"
Monument to the people who travelled from this point to New Brunswick, Canada during the famine.
We met a couple more friends! This little one's owner was Australian; she was living in Warrenpoint.
We found a church! This is a St. Peter's Catholic Church. It was stunning.
I always like to look at the Stations of the Cross on the wall. Every Catholic Church has them.
Beautiful Celtic Cross in the floor.
The side of the altar was stunning.
A side altar
Looking back to the choir loft. I've never seen a ceiling in a church like this one.
The stained glass in the door was gorgeous.
St. Peter took 6 years to build; it was finished in 1840.
Our next stop was a detour. Tomás said this was a place he always wanted to go to so it was quite a treat to be able to walk up the hill at Flagstaff Point and reflect on this trip while taking in the beautiful Irish scenery for the last time.
The whole group
M, Tomás, and me with Warrenpoint in the background
A view of Warrenpoint
Slieve Foy
A view of sheep in a field as I looked through a hole in the stone fence
Our last stop was Monasterboice which was a monastery named for St. Buite. He died in 521 AD but the buildings that were there when he was alive are no longer here. The round tower is said to be the oldest building as well as the high crosses, dating back to the 10th century.
First View
Muiredach's Cross: the finest High Cross in Ireland
The attention to detail is incredible
View of the Round Tower
I believe this is the West Cross, the tallest High Cross
The North Cross is the oldest and plainest of the 3 High Crosses. Part of the shaft was replaced but the original is inside the gate along with a sundial.
We thought that was a perfect way to end our time in Ireland. Tomás dropped us off at our hotel where we said our goodbyes and I tried not to cry. (I hate goodbyes!) Our plan was to share the shuttle to the airport since our flights were supposed to leave around the same time. But, M's flight ended up leaving a couple of hours later than the original time, so I navigated the airport and customs by myself. I love that when you leave Dublin, you clear customs before you get on the plane so when you land in the USA, it's like it's a domestic flight. It was sad to say goodbye to Ireland once again.
