Ireland - Cork, Cobh & Kinsale

From Killarney we once again boarded a train, this time to Cork, our final destination before returning to Dublin to fly home. Cork is the second largest city in Ireland. It sits on the River Lee and has a pedestrian downtown area worth a stroll.

Cork

Like Killarney, we stayed in Cork out of convenience. There really isn’t much of interest for visitors to see or do in Cork. Area attractions are mostly outside the city, such as the Blarney Castle and Gardens and some attractive smaller towns including Cobh and Kinsale. I would recommend to those with a car to stay in the delightful town of Kinsale if traveling within County Cork.

From the train station we walked to our hotel, dropped our bags and headed out for some lunch. We were directed to a restaurant on the river called Electric. We sat outside on what was a nice, warm day and we both ordered the Roast, a sandwich stuffed with a terrific chicken pesto. A slaw accompanied the sandwich and it was also delicious. We had some nice rosé wine with our meal as well. The service was good, and the prices were very reasonable. Honestly couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant time sitting on the river’s edge on such a pretty day.

Cobh's Waterfront

After lunch we embarked on a 25-minute train trip to the town of Cobh. Cobh was the major port of Irish emigration in the 19th century and it was the last port of call for the Titanic. There is a museum called The Titanic Experience that recounts the ship’s final hours.

The Neo-Gothic St. Colman’s Cathedral stands upon a high hill. It is worth the hike up if only for the views. The best part of town is roaming around the charming streets and enjoying the waterfront. We stopped by Jacobs Ladder Bar, which is situated on the water, and enjoyed the nice view and a relaxing glass of wine on their outside deck. It was quiet compared to the activity in the town's center, and the people were very nice and accommodating.

Cobh

That night we headed off to the Market Lane for dinner. This restaurant is always busy so instead of waiting for a table we settled in at the bar for a light meal both nights we were in town.

The bartenders were friendly and extremely efficient; there is a nice ambiance about the place. Both nights we ordered wine and appetizers. The first night we had the bread with three dips, the duck and the mackerel. The second night we had the same bread, the falafel and the crab. Everything we tried was delicious and the wine was good too. Best of all the staff made us feel at home. We just loved this place.

The next day we took a bus to the town of Kinsale. Out of all the towns we visited on our trip, this was our favorite. Sitting on the bay, flanked on two sides by old star forts, full of history and charm, and loaded with quaint streets lined with inviting shops and restaurants ... Kinsale is a joy.

Kinsale Charm

We wandered the town, popping into one cute store after another. It is unusual for us to shop when on a European vacation, there are too many other things to do, but the stores here beckoned. We bought some very pretty glass items … some gifts and a couple of things for ourselves.

We then boarded the Spirit of Kinsale for a 45-minute cruise around the harbor. It was a lovely day and there was no better way to spend some time than on the water. From the small boat voyagers get a seagull’s view of the town, harbor, both Charles and James Forts, as well as marine life and waterfowl. It’s a nice, relaxing way to spend a bit of time.

Spirit of Kinsale

From the boat we had noticed a waterfront restaurant with a second-floor balcony. Didn’t know a thing about it but imagining having lunch accompanied by a nice view was very enticing. 

Once back on shore we headed toward the restaurant which turned out to be the Vista Wine Bar. As Kinsale was once an important international port for wine trade, and we both happen to love wine, it seemed appropriate. We had a nice time sitting outside on the upper deck. I had the quiche and my husband had a burger ... not at all Irish, but we enjoyed it. The service was good, and the view and reasonable prices could not be beat.

Kinsale Harbor

We hated to leave this sweet little town. It was a great way to end our road trip as the next day we were headed back to Dublin for our last night before returning to the States.

We only had nine full days in Ireland but managed to see quite a lot without feeling rushed. With two weeks, it would be pretty easy to hit all the high points of this beautiful and welcoming country.

A few tips: For first-time travelers to Europe, I would recommend visiting Ireland or the UK. People are friendly and, of course, English is spoken, removing the communication barrier that can sometimes be a problem in other European countries. Unlike the UK, Ireland is part of the European Union and uses the Euro as its currency.

Kinsale

Those willing to drive to the left on the twisting roads will have more options of places to stay and to visit while traveling in Ireland. The trains aren’t as plentiful here as they are in most of the European countries that we have visited, but buses and tour guides can fill in the void for those not wishing to rent a car.

For the lowest fares it is advisable to purchase train tickets, especially for longer trips, from home via the Internet (Irish Rail https://www.irishrail.ie/). The earlier the better for the best deals. This applies to anywhere in Europe when buying train tickets. Also, it is always a good idea to have ID, preferably a passport, and the credit card used to purchase the tickets at hand. 

Seats are assigned on most trains, but it is not unusual for someone to already be sitting in a reserved seat. There are two choices in this case: notify the person(s) that they are sitting in a reserved seat, usually the reserved person’s name will be on the tiny screen above the seat, or if the train is not full, find an unreserved seat and settle in.

If flying out of Dublin to the US, it is important to know that passengers go through US Customs and Immigration in Ireland, not in the US. This sounds convenient, but it takes a really long time, so it is necessary to get to the airport extra early, three hours is recommended.

Ireland - Killarney, Ring of Kerry & Dingle Peninsula

From Dublin we took the train to Killarney, which was to be our base for further exploring the Emerald Isle. Our main reasons for staying in Killarney were that it is on the train line and there are options available to those without a car to tour the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, which was our main reason for going to the area. Had we been traveling by car we would have stayed elsewhere, possibly Kenmare, but Killarney was the best bet for our needs.

Evening Falls Over Killarney National Park

Upon arrival we walked about 5 minutes from the train station to our hotel, the International Hotel Killarney. Staying at this hotel was a lovely experience from beginning to end. The hotel is a beautiful step back in time with many grand public rooms for guests to explore and enjoy.

Our executive room exceeded our expectations. The room was spacious with a huge bathroom. We were told it was the nicest room in the hotel, so we felt very lucky. It was nicely appointed with everything you would expect from a fine hotel. The bath had two sinks, which is rare but always nice, a large tub and a separate large shower. There was no refrigerator, but the bar was happy to provide ice and a wine cooler. We even had a little private patio with a table and two chairs.

Torc Waterfall

Breakfast in the lovely dining room was included in our rate. There was a cold buffet set up with a nice selection and a choice of hot breakfast items from a little menu. Because of our room’s location, the free WiFi did not work particularly well, but it was fine in other areas of the hotel. The location in the center of town made everything easily accessible, including walking to the Killarney National Park.

After settling in, we took off for a stroll around the pleasant, but very touristy, town. We then headed off to the National Park. There are many trails for hiking within the park, beautiful lakes, the Torc Waterfall and, sitting on the edge of the park, is the Victorian Muckross House and Farms.

Prior to our trip, I had emailed Jack Hayden of Killarney Tour and Taxi Service to see if he had availability for a Saturday and Sunday tour of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. He responded quickly, provided information on his tours and we booked, all very quick and easy.

Ring of Kerry View

On Saturday an enthusiastic Marie from Killarney Tour picked us up at our hotel. She asked what we would like to do, and we told her we wanted to explore the area but stay away from overly touristy sights. Then off we went around the Ring of Kerry. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and a good driver. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t very good, but we saw a lot, including places she had never been to herself.

The scenery, even on a dreary day, was beautiful as we traveled the wiggly roads around the ring. Every turn revealed a picture postcard view. In addition to the scenery we visited old stone structures; stopped by the Kerry Bog Village Museum to explore how the Irish lived and worked in the late 19th Century; posed for a picture with a sculpture of Charlie Chaplin in Waterville; viewed the ruins of Ballycarbery Castle, which was once one of the most impressive castles on the peninsula; and enjoyed lunch at the Moorings Guesthouse and Seafood Restaurant in the tiny town of Portmagee. Upon our return to town we stopped at the Killarney National Park to hike up the short path to the Torc Waterfall.

Ruins of Ballycarbery Castle

We toured the Dingle Peninsula on our second day with Marie. It was still overcast and dreary but pretty nonetheless. More vistas and stone structures were on our agenda including one of Ireland’s best preserved early Christian churches, the Gallarus Oratory, built about 1300 years ago, and the ruined 12th-Century Irish-Romanesque church of Kilmalkedar, which was the Norman center of worship for this part of the peninsula. For lunch we stopped at the sweet little town of Dingle.

Gallarus Oratory

Marie was not only a great tour guide, she was great company, and even though the weather wasn't the best, she made our days delightful & sunny.

We had nice meals while in Killarney, our favorite was the Cellar at the Ross. This restaurant, situated in the cellar of the Ross Hotel, was a delight. Fun decor and good food and service combined to make the evening very enjoyable.

We split an heirloom tomato salad to start. Instead of giving us one dish, they divided the salad onto two nicely presented plates. I always appreciate a restaurant doing this, they just go that extra mile and it makes a difference.

We followed that with the chicken and the fish specials as well as some nice wine. My fish was very good, and my husband said his chicken was the best meal he had in Ireland ... he loved the mix of flavors. We felt the price was reasonable for the quality and overall experience.

Town of Dingle

We also enjoyed a great evening at Bricin. Warm hospitality greets you the minute you arrive at this family-owned restaurant above the family's gift shop. After climbing the stairs the gentile owner warmly welcomes his guests then guides them to a table in one of the restaurant's cozy little nooks.

A Hazy Dingle Peninsula

We had a hard time making our selections from the menu, but settled on the pork and the duck. Both meals were delicious and generous in portions. We also had a nice bottle of wine from Montepuluciano. This is a charming restaurant; you can feel the owner's love for the place.

Treyvaud's was the third restaurant where we enjoyed dinner. This town center establishment is very busy. The night we were there they had a number of large groups, but neither our service nor our food suffered. We had excellent attention and the food was great.

I had the beef and Guinness stew and my husband had the brill. We shared a nice bottle of wine, again from Montepuluciano. I would have liked to have tried many menu items, but we were both happy with our choices. The restaurant was lively with a pleasant interior and good staff. We were lucky to have found three such nice restaurants for dinner during our Killarney visit.

We only touched a small part of what this area has to offer, there is much else to see and do, including islands to explore. A car provides more freedom, but if you don’t have one, you can still find ways to enjoy everything, like we did.

Our next and final base will be the city of Cork. From there we will visit both Cohb and Kinsale.

Barbecue Chicken Sliders

Easy and tasty, these sliders are a healthier alternative to beef or pork sliders. They can be assembled in a snap, especially if you purchase an already roasted chicken, which are a bargain at most warehouse or grocery stores.

Barbecue Chicken Sliders

(Serves 4, 1 slider each.)

• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken

• 1/4 cup homemade or favorite store-bought barbecue sauce
• 4 slider buns or small rolls
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or ranch dressing

• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

• 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce

Barbecue Chicken Sliders

Combine chicken and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Toss to coat evenly.

Slice each bun in half. Spread the mayonnaise or ranch dressing on the top half of each bun.

Top the bottom half of the buns with the chicken mixture. Top with carrots and lettuce.

Ireland - Dublin, Galway & Kilkenny

It took a while, but we finally made it to Ireland. Being half Irish, it had long been on my bucket list, but for some reason we always flew over on our way to the continent rather than landing on the Emerald Isle.

Colorful Dublin

We started and ended our journey in Dublin with several side trips and stops in between. Upon our arrival we took the Airlink Express bus from the Dublin Airport to the Heuston Rail Station, then headed to our hotel, via the tram, to stow our bags. Once free of luggage, we set off to enjoy some lunch while waiting for our room to be readied.

We ended up at a beautiful restaurant called The Church. As the name implies, the restaurant is housed in a wonderfully renovated church, pipe organ and all. I had fish and chips and my husband had a hot chicken wrap, not very Irish. The ambiance and the wait staff were good. We enjoyed our meal but, although the food was good, we had better in most places we went throughout our stay, and for less money. Still it was a pleasant experience.

Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture

After officially checking into the hotel, we wandered through the Temple Bar area, listened to music and grabbed a drink. We spent the rest of that afternoon and the following day exploring the gems of the city.

We were staying across the river from Temple Bar in an active but quieter part of town. That evening we had dinner at a nearby pub called Lotts Café Bar. The atmosphere was nicer than many of the bars we later visited, and the staff was very friendly. I tried the Coddle, kind of a potato and sausage stew … which was a new experience for me, and my husband had Pork Chops with Apple Cider Gravy. We both enjoyed our meals, the prices were very reasonable, and it was the perfect cozy way to end our very long day of travel.

Trinity Library

For lovers of books, particularly illuminated manuscripts, a visit to the Book of Kells and the old library at Trinity College is a must. The displayed pages of the book are beautiful as are the additional books on display. The tall shelves of rare books in the library are also quite impressive. We booked tickets online and fast-tracked into the library ... for a few Euros more, we felt it was well worth it to skip the lines.

After our library visit, we headed off to St. Stephen’s Green. The Green is a lovely park and provides an opportunity for people to get away from the crowds and enjoy a stroll or a picnic. After roaming the park, we then stopped by the nearby Shelbourne hotel to enjoy lunch amid a bit of old-time luxury. The Shelbourne is a true Grande Dame of a hotel. There are a few bars for casual eating, a fine dining restaurant, and the Lord Mayor’s Lounge which boasts a fancy afternoon tea.

St. Stephen’s Green

We passed by the Gaiety Theatre numerous times where Riverdance was on stage. We thought what better place was there to see it than in Dublin, so we checked with the box office and were delighted to get tickets. It was a wonderful show, we thoroughly enjoyed it and felt so lucky to see it in Ireland.

There is something for everyone in Dublin. There are whisky tours and, of course, the Guinness visitor center for those wishing to sample some of Ireland’s most famous drinks. Museums abound including the Irish Emigration Museum and the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology and Dublin Castle. Amusing statues can be spotted all around the city and there is a botanical garden and a zoo as well.

In addition to pubs, there are good seafood places to dine. We stopped by the Fish Shack Café for lunch one day, nothing fancy but we found it to be very enjoyable. The service was friendly, and our fish and chips were light and flavorful. The price was reasonable for the nice sized portions.

Dublin Castle

For those tired of Irish fare, we discovered two nice Italian restaurants. Il Vicoletto is a lovely Italian restaurant conveniently located in the city center, yet a little away from all the hustle and bustle. The restaurant is small and quaint, reservations would be advised. We enjoyed our dinner, starting with the Caprese di Bufala salad. The Seafood Pasta and the Veal Scaloppine were both excellent. The wine selection was good as was the service.

We came upon Ciao Bella Roma by chance and were so glad we did. We were given a table downstairs where it was nice and quiet. We ordered two appetizers and split a pizza. We also ordered a bottle of wine from their nice selection. The Caprese Salad and Seafood Salad were both very fresh and good, and the pizza was delicious. The staff were busy, but it didn't prevent them from providing excellent service at this reasonable restaurant. We enjoyed our evening so much that on our return to Dublin for our last night, we dined there again.

Children as Foodies

Our grandkids are getting older now, it's hard to believe that the two oldest will head off to college this fall. They all live out of state and we don't get to see them as much as we would like, especially now with a raging pandemic. 

It's fun to look back on visits and remember the good times we had, especially cooking up meals together. The first year we discovered what little foodies the three Boston kids were was when the girls, Emma then age 7 and Abby then 9, along with their little brother who was not quite 3, came to visit. The girls loved to cook and enjoyed watching food programs. I found it quite amazing that kids their ages were so interested in the preparation and sampling of food.

Chef Abby, Stirring Things Up

From the moment they walked in, both girls were very interested in what was going on in the kitchen. They wanted to pitch in and help make all the food. Over tired from not feeling well, a busy week and little sleep, I was messing up everywhere ... burning my mustard sauce for the salmon, almost pouring custard into the ice cream maker without having inserted the freezer bowl, etc. ...  I threw in the towel, but the girls were right on their game ... very willing to finish the ice cream for me (hmm, I wonder why).

Through the week we picked herbs and chopped them, made pizza dough and pizza sauce, cooked ribs and homemade barbecue sauce, wrapped up fajitas and egg rolls, made pasta, and shrimp Provençal … you name it, we did it, and we had a lot of fun in the process.

 Chef Emma, Doing Double Duty

I don’t think Emma and Abby were typical for their ages. I’ve seen a lot of fussy kids that have about three items in their “what they will eat” repertoire. These girls enjoyed the usual kid menu items ... chicken fingers, noodles, etc. (of course, don't we all like that stuff?) ... but they were taught to at least try a wide variety of food. They didn’t like every single thing we made, but they did taste it all.

And it wasn't just the girls. Their younger brother Gavin, twice had mussels for lunch ... yucky looking mussels! Thinking back to when I was young, although we ate a lot of seafood, I can't imagine that I would have eaten mussels ... I don't think I tried a mussel until I was well into adulthood.

Gavin, Champion Mussel Eater

It was nice to see young kids so interested in a wide range of foods ... happily munching on things like mussels, calamari and brie cheese (what kid prefers brie cheese over American??). At that age they had already developed palates more sophisticated than many adults.

Although I hate to endorse TV watching, the food programs the kids watched might have had a positive influence on them. They learned about different ingredients and culinary terms that they might not otherwise have been exposed to.

But, of course, the majority of the credit for raising good eaters goes to their parents. Their mom and dad are both excellent cooks that appreciate good food. They taught their children to do the same and to be adventurous ... and that, I think, is a great thing ... because good food should truly be appreciated and enjoyed, no matter one's age.