My 15-day Ireland Grand Circle Tour was inspired by the desire to see more of Ireland – the parts we missed on our first Ireland tour in 2017.
Seven years ago, we visited beautiful gardens in Dublin including Cork House, Knockrose and Tyrellstown as well as some of the finest gardens outside of the capital such as Powerscourt and Mount Usher, Altamount and Killruddery. We also got to see Wexford and Waterford.
The idea of the Grand Circle Tour, however, was to take in places such as the Rock of Cashel, Cork, Cobh, Blarney, Garnish Island and then move up the west coast calling at Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Galway, Sligo, Donegal and on to Derry and the Giant’s Causeway, Belfast and back to Dublin.
When you put the two halves together, it makes a very attractive whole. But even on its own, the Grand Circle Tour was intended as a first-class exploration of Ireland’s west coast, the Wild Atlantic Way, and all the beauty and charm it has to offer.
How did it turn out? Well, it was an exciting, multilayer trip with a rich mix of visits to iconic sites, time spent seeing spectacular landscapes and nights filled with music and dance and time in lovely old fashioned pubs.
Ireland is a marvellous land of rainbows, triple-distilled whiskey, thoroughbred horses, unspoiled meadows, picturesque peninsulas, friendly towns, stunning beaches, cliff-top ocean views, world-class gardens and countless quaint, quiet villages.
In total, there were 24 of us on the trip. We had a terrific, experienced, knowledgeable driver in Bill Murray and excellent guide in Colette Sheehan. Bill made sure we got to all our destinations and special visits safely and on time. Colette was the epitome of professionalism and provided outstanding commentary and timed our arrivals at hotel so impeccably that we were handed our room keys the moment we stepped into the lobby and she saw that our luggage was always swiftly delivered to our rooms. The clockwork efficiency of our arrivals and departures was amazing – the best we have ever had on any tour.
In Dublin, many of us arrived a few days early and spent the time exploring and getting over jet lag.
Loraine and I had fun re-acquainting ourselves with some of our favourite pubs – Cassidy’s, The Long Hall, McDaid’s and Kehoe’s.
It was also a delight to walk again in the peaceful St. Stephen’s Green with its charming flower beds and stroll paths and to wander again along Grafton Street with its flower stalls and great shops.
With its rows of colourful and architecturally enhanced doorways and handsome, well-maintained Georgian townhouses, Dublin easily ranks as one of Europe’s most attractive cities with first-rate bars and restaurants, clean, safe streets, beautiful river, park and canal walks, and a dedicated, focused and friendly tourist service industry that easily compares to the best in Europe.
We were continually impressed by the quality of service offered throughout the city as well as the efficiency and reliability of Dublin’s public transit with its top notch fleet of sleek, modern trams and lovely yellow green buses.
From Dublin, we headed down to Cork, stopping on the way in County Tipperary at the Rock of Cashel, the Celtic ruins of a 12th century chapel/cathedral and fortification where it is said St. Patrick converted the last of the great Munster kings in the 5th century.
This was a far more engaging experience than I had expected and the setting with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside was immensely peaceful. We enjoyed an information video in the stone chapel and it was a pleasure to walk the graveyard of Celtic crosses and take in the lovely scenery including distant hills.
In Cork, we dropped into the English market where we bumped into Pat O’Connell who made Queen Elizabeth laugh when she asked him what he called an ugly fish he was selling and he said, “The mother-in-law.” He got an invite to Buckingham Palace Garden Party for his humorous quip . . . but his wife did not.
Cork – the real capital of Ireland, our guide joked – turned out to be a beautiful, lively town set on the pretty River Lee. Our hotel, the Metropole, was located in the heart of the city, right beside the river, which gave us easy access to the centre and the river walk.
From Cork we went to Cobh – pronounced Cove and sometimes called Cob-H – an extremely pretty seaside town which was the jumping off point for thousands of Irish immigrants leaving for America as well as the last port of call of the Titanic.
We walked the town with its pretty, colourful buildings, we visited a Titanic museum and climbed the steep hill to St. Colman’s Cathedral, a remarkably large and beautifully built cathedral with exquisite stone features and glorious stained glass windows and a stunning mosaic tiled floor.
For a small town, this was an unexpected and remarkable find for us.
We also enjoyed the sweeping views of Cobh harbour and the estuary and beyond.
The town, we discovered, was once visited by Queen Victoria and the name changed to Queenstown, but fortunately changed back – good decision – to Cobh, thanks to pressure from residents.
Out of Cobh, we skipped over to Blarney for lunch and a chance to shop at a great woollen store and for a chance to see the famous castle and climb its tower . . . to kiss the Blarney Stone.
I did not want to do it but Loraine insisted. She sprang up the narrow, spiral tower steps with ease and speed – much to my chagrin – and we both ended up at the stone and were unceremoniously tipped upside down and dangled precariously over the edge of the castle wall in order to kiss the rock which is said to give you great eloquence.
I rose from the task and immediatly began to spout: “Amo amat amass; Amonk amink, a minibus, Amarmylaidie Moon, Amikky mendip multiplus, Amighty midget spoon.” (Channelling John Lennon).
We had a party in Cork and the next day we left for Glengariff and took the little ferry to the Garnish Island.
Here, we visited a classy rhododendron garden with more than 300 species but the garden also had a quirky, distinct Italianate twist with sunken garden, Mediterranean belvedere (a la Terrace of Infinity, Ravello) and beautiful flower borders full of shrubs, perennials and tender exotics such as astellia, phormium and myrtle. The nearness of the Gulf Stream is the reason for the mild climate enjoyed by the garden.
Our time in Garnish was relaxing and the mist on the water as we came and went gave the place a magical, ethereal feel.
From there, we moved up to Kerry and Killarney and the beautiful Muckross House with its superb lake scenery. With old fashioned horse-and-traps jigging down the lanes, it was a flash back to a slower, quieter age of gentle, gracious living.
We sank deep into this idyll and breathed deep the clean, fresh Irish air and enjoyed the silence and stillness of the tranquil countryside.
In Killarney, we attended a special night of traditional Irish dance and music called Celtic Steps, featuring some of the countries award-winning dancers. It was a lively, fun filled night of entertainment with the dancers exhibiting amazing tapping and high kicking with arms held straight and motionless by their side.
Killarney, being the heart of Kerry, is a town full of great pubs and restaurants and more bars playing traditional music . . . as well as the occasional and fun exploration of pop tunes like Sweet Caroline, which, of course, everyone enjoyed singing like a boisterous football crowd.
Out of Killarney, we set off to explore the Ring of Kerry, a 179-km scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula with visits to some of the small towns and villages.
One of the best stops was at the Red Fox Inn where we were treated to what I now rate as the best Irish coffee in Ireland. From this moment, I began comparing all Irish coffees to the one served at the Red Fox Inn . . . and nothing has yet managed to compete. It was the thickness of the cream topping, the generous portion of whiskey and the subtle sweetness of the brown sugar that made it a world class winner.
At this stage of our adventure, we also got to taste some traditional Irish stew, but the most impressive part of the Ring of Kerry is the superb scenery – very quiet, unspoiled, timeless in its purity and charm. You can hear the haunting music of the penny whistle and the gentle bodhran drumbeat as you stand and watch the waters rushing down the hillsides to fill the serene loughs and lakes..
As if anything could top the Ring of Kerry, the next day we set off to Dingle and its superb peninsula where we stopped at the mesmerizingly beautiful and vast Inch Beach where we saw surfers playing.
From here, we went to Dingle, a lovely, seaside town with rows of colourful houses and bobbing fishing boats in the harbour.
There was a lively food festival in progress when we arrived and we wandered the streets, enjoying tasty treats and free music.
After lunch we continued our exploration of the Dingle Peninsula and took the Slea Head Drive, stopping to see the cluster of Fahan stone beehive huts on the remote clifftop, and seeing sensational ocean views. One member of our group was so overwhelmed by this part of our journey, he said, “That’s it! This is the best place. We should just stay here.”
The people of Kerry are famous for their work ethic and their love of their own county. So much so that they are well known for not taking holidays elsewhere – they feel they have paradise in their own back yard and I think there is something to that.
Leaving Killarney, we headed first to the village of Adare and its famous thatched cottages and manor and golf course where I believe the Ryder Cup in 2026 will be held. The house and gardens were impressive as well as the five star lunch we enjoyed in the golf course’s Carriage House restaurant.
There was a dress code here – why not – so no sportswear, baseball caps and flip flops allowed.
From Adare, we skipped up to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the iconic cliff landscapes on the west coast, and then we zipped along into Galway in time to explore the town and enjoyed some of the pub culture.
The next day, we took the ferry from Rossaveel over to the Aran Islands and stopped at Inis Oirr where we toured the island, seeing the beautiful stone walls and famous shipwreck, sunken church and O’Brien’s Castle. In the pub, we again got to taste Irish coffee. Still the Red Fox Inn version came up tops.
By the way, the people I spoke to on Inis Oirr all hated the movie, The Banshees of Inisherin, which they felt made them look like idiots.
I was no a fan of the movie either although there is no doubting the immense talent of Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell.
From Galway, we moved on to Kylemore House, a picture-postcard-perfect house set by a lake and boasting a first class Victorian walled garden.
And then, it was onwards and upwards into Sligo and Donegal and the wonderful hotel of Lough Eske Castle where we all enjoyed a Downton Abbey welcome from the staff as they stood outside to greet us with a friendly wave on our arrival.
The space and opulence of the rooms at this castle hotel made us all feel special and the long, lavish corridors and darkly furnished lounge and restaurant area made us all feel like we were enjoying a stay at a mansion. This hotel also has a wonderful pool and spa and delightful garden and woodland walks.
From Donegal, we visited the Slieve League Cliffs, where we were treated to a virtually seamless display of rainbows over the mottled heather cliffs where sheep seemed to be grazing without fear.
It was here where gifted singer and owner of the tourist centre Eunan McIntyre spontaneously serenaded us with lovey Irish songs, including The Olde Triangle and Carrickfergus, two of my most favourite Irish songs. It brought a tear to my eye hearing Eunan sing them. It was a wish come true to hear them somewhere along the way.
From Donegal, we went to taste whiskey at the Croithli Distillery and then skipped through Glenveagh National Park, seeing some of the spectacular hills along the way.
Out of Donegal, we moved on to Londonderry where we stopped in Bogside, the centre of the sectarian violence in the 60s and 70s, and visited the Free Derry Museum which told the complete story of The Troubles.
It was a dark and disturbing side of Irish history but we were better for knowing this side of the story and seeing photos and details of the conflicts that are still a source of tension and anxiety today.
From Derry we went to the Giant’s Causeway which was much scarier to clamber over than we had imagined, even on a beautiful, clear, sunshiny day. Still, we got the experience and the photos as proof of our visit and everyone came away happy to have seen such an iconic geological spectacle.
Belfast was the penultimate stop on our tour. We began our visit with time at the enormous and ultra-modern Titanic Museum which contained Disneyland-like features inside with a ride that takes you through the story of the ship’s building and ultimate disaster.
In Belfast, we also visited the Shankill and Falls Roads, sites of clashes between Protestants and Catholics during The Troubles of the late 60s and 70s.
Surprisingly, we managed to visit and hear all these stories of tragedy – Titanic, Bogside and Shankill – and still come away thinking positively and enjoying Belfast which has clearly moved on and is ready to embrace its new and bright future with energy and optimism. We spent time in the lovely St. George’s Market but our group especially liked the famous hotel, The Europa, where we stayed and the delightful pubs directly across the street, The Crown Bar with its cosy snugs and Robinson’s with its lively clientele.
From Belfast, we drove down past the Mountains of Mourne into Dublin where we finished our tour with a fun night at Taylor Three Rock pub where we were treated to a lively show of Irish music and dance . . . and Irish coffees all round. (Sorry, still not as good as the Red Fox Inn).
Our last day in Dublin was spent shopping on Grafton Street and enjoyed the ambience in Kehoe’s Pub on Anne Street.
Others visited Trinity College and saw the Book of Kell’s or found a pleasant, sunny window seat in Cassidy’s. It was all a thrill from start to finish.
CONTACT ME AT: swhysall@hotmail.com
SOME EXTRA SNAPS SHOTS FROM THE TOUR
