Should You Go To Ireland?

It depends! Would you love being embraced by dynamic, rich, lush, verdant landscapes? Would you enjoy charming, quaint towns, peppered with ancient castles? Do you love dramatic cliffs, like the Cliffs of Moher? You could see the actual Cliffs of Moher here, as we did. Do you have Irish heritage?

31.5 million USA citizens claim Irish roots.  Alex Haley said “In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage- to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.”  

Although roads are often narrow, you drive on the left-hand side of the road, and Dublin has the pros and cons you would expect in big cities…there are so many things you might love about Ireland.

We were recently there, with one of our dear daughters. We made forever memories and researched genealogical lines. Here are some of the things we loved:

The people. Those who tell you about the friendliness of the Irish people are not wrong. In general, the Irish are so friendly! The “gift of gab” is omnipresent. We stopped in a few graveyards to look for ancestors and met people who laughed with us and poured out their hearts. Often these things happen in the same few minutes!

Anthony, shown above and below with my husband Tom, spent time helping us enormously with our search for ancestors. He also gave us a tour of the Franciscan Friary in Askeaton.

Sometimes the people are so helpful, you are gobsmacked. For example, when we were in Askeaton, looking for ancestors, I made an appointment with the local tourist office. (Thank you cousin Paul, for this helpful tip about engaging local tourist offices!). The appointment was set for the next morning. I assumed it would be a simple meeting and we would pay one assistant for the time. But this tourist office had grander things in mind (“grand” is an oft-used word in Ireland). We were escorted into a room with a large table. Four genealogical helpers surrounded it, ready to dive into our work.  Computers fired up, and halfway through our nearly two-hour session, tea and cookies were served. In the end, we offered to pay for the excellent help.

“Oh no, we couldn’t accept payment! What would we rather be doin’ here on a Saturday morning than helping you?” they said, with smiling eyes. I had read that in Celtic times, hospitality was written into the Irish Brehon laws. People here are still obedient! :D Now we have contact connections with our Askeaton genealogy friends. We will be friends forever!

Below: another manifestation of the generosity of the Irish: in the Dublin airport, you see these globes filled with cash. They collect money for ill children and their families. 

The Irish coast harbors it’s own wild beauty, with sheep often grazing nearby.

There are castles, or remnants of castles, everywhere. You might be turning left into a modern store parking lot, and on your immediate right, there might be a partial castle. It’s a wild “time machine” ride!

Staying at a castle, or a manor house for a night or two is a splurge, but an unforgettable experience. One of my favorite memories of the trip was looking out our castle bedroom window, as people watched a performance of “Little Women” on the castle grounds. The combination of music, a respectful, fun audience, and immaculate, sweeping, garden-seasoned grounds, felt like heaven.

Markree Castle above, Carton House below

Husband Tom and daughter Theresa playing chess at Markree Castle, above

Traditional Irish Porridge, below 

Ireland is the home of Kerry gold butter and a land of lots of happy sheep! Misty coastal towns offer delicious seafood. In Dingle, we loved the Greenmount House and the restaurant Solas. Dinner was delectable!

Dublin offers museums, not a few, and the Book of Kells experience is especially worth it. The history of the Book of Kells is more than compelling. Trinity College is architecturally fascinating.

Dublin in general, is a bit noisy and crowded. Alcohol, no surprise, is a problem. Fresh science (see also: https://newsroom.uw.edu/news-releases/no-safe-level-alcohol-scientific-study-concludes) will hopefully stimulate a sea change one day.

I was excited to return to the forever rolling green countryside of places like Roscommon, Askeaton, Elphin, Maynooth, etc. (we highly recommend the Carton House for lodging, in Maynooth) Next time, Cork!

Book of Kells experience, above

The famine museum is critically important.  I am glad we went. That famine is a heart-wrenching, cautionary tale.

We are so glad we went. Although we are part French, German, and British, with a sprinkle of Scandinavian, we have an awfully lot of Irish in our genetics. It was so delightful to “go home” in a sense, to the land of ancestors. There was a soft whispery feeling of welcome in the air.

Should you go? If you do, please send me a message and let me know about your trip. I would love to hear about it!