We left the last blog UK & Ireland Trip – Part 1, on our way Kinvarra on the west coast of Ireland. This is our UK & Ireland Trip – Part 2, Kinvarra to Cushendun.
We’d just stopped for an excellent lunch in Roundstone and set off for our 3 night stay in a converted stable.
Kinvarra
The converted stable accommodation at Kinvarra was very comfortable and the host family were chatty and informative. We based ourselves here for 3 nights to explore this beautiful part of the country. One of the sights the hosts recommended was the Burren and I was here for the Cliffs of Moher.
Of all the times I’d been through this part of the world I’d never had time to visit Ireland’s second most popular attraction. The Guinness Factory in Dublin being the most popular.
The Burren
The host family recommended a visit to the Poulnabrone dolmen on the Burren which dates back to between 4200 BC and 2900 BC. Probably older than Mallinmore Court Tomb featured in the last blog.
We worked out a route that would allow us to visit the dolmen first and the cliffs later on the same day.
The Burren was at one time in history covered in trees but when the humans cut them down the wind and rain eroded the soil away leaving the limestone rocks exposed.
Leaving the Poulnabrone dolmen we drove to the Cliffs of Moher.
Cliffs of Moher
As mentioned before, of all the years I have worked in and travelled around Ireland I’d never stopped or seen this famous Irish landmark. I’m afraid it was my fixation that we all visited here. As Kinvarra was so close I felt it was the best opportunity I’d have for a while to tick that box.
I thought there’d possibly be a car park and maybe a concession stand, maybe a narrow dirt path leading to a muddy lookout spot without a barrier and dangerously close to a sheer cliff face. What I didn’t expect was a massive and professional operation with a 2000 space car park for tourists with 4 entry gates and ticket booths and another enormous coach park across the road which was full to the brim with coaches from all over the country.
Beside the coach park was a row of tourist trap shops. The place was packed with tourists. It was by far the busiest place we’d seen on our trip so far.
Around top of the cliffs was a path which could take you to the small fort in the distance. We set off along the path for a walk, along with 10,000 other tourists.
The walk and scenery were most enjoyable. I’m glad we visited and experienced but not upset we were leaving.
Small factoid about the Cliffs of Moher, Jenni has spent her entire life wanting to visit Cornwall as she thought that’s where Ryan’s Daughter was filmed. Unbeknownst to all of us we had just visited the actual place.
Lunch at Lisdoonvarna
By this time of the day we were hangrey and stopped for a bite on the way back to Kinvarra in the excellently named spa town of Lisdoonvarna.
The Lisdoonvarna name comes from Lios Dúin Bhearna, meaning ‘fort of the gapped keep’
Lunch is served from 12 to 5pm. Listen and learn Athlone. That will make sense later.
We had an excellent lunch then returned to our stable for the night.
All too soon it was time to leave Kinvarra and drive to Dublin. We had scheduled 2 stops, Galway for some Aran sweater shopping and Athlone in the middle of Ireland, for lunch.
Galway
Galway was busy, not as busy as the Cliffs of Moher but still full of people. We had breakfast in a small cafe then went shopping at the Aran Sweater shop in the town centre. We got loads of excellent gear, some of which we shipped home and some we kept to wear. You’ll see me in my new duds later in this blog.
Athlone
Athlone is in the geographic centre of Ireland and it was here we stopped for lunch. Conversely to Galway the whole town looked closed.
Eventually, after a bit of a hike and explore we found a lovely little restauant near the arts district which turned out to be a most enjoyable meal.
The Leftbank Bistro was featured in the Michelin Guide and justifiably so, the food was amazing. Loved the drinks menu also, if I wasn’t driving to Dublin after this I’d have tried a few different beverages they had on offer.
Dublin was just a stopover, Cushendun was the destination but next stop it was.
Dublin
All the time we spent in Dublin made me realise how incovenient it is to have a car while visiting. Next time I’ll let the train take the strain.
We arrived on the outskirts of the city right at rush hour. Took us over an hour to travel the last 5 kms. Our hotel supposedly did not have parking available, Sandee and Brian’s supposedly did. As it turned out both of these supposed facts were wrong. Sandee and Brian dropped us off at the Clarence Hotel and drove the short distance to theirs. We arranged to meet them at a pub in a converted church after we booked in and changed.
As it turned out the “short drive” took an hour, their hotel forgot they had any parking arrangements so Sandee and Brian had to go find one themselves. This took another hour. Without internet or mobile connectivity we couldn’t coordinate any arrivals times or venue changes. So without updates Jenni and I made our way to The Church which is a pub in a converted church imaginatively called “The Church”
It was busy and bunged and had no seats available for dinner and an already long waiting list and needed another 50% more staff. We waitied for eons for someone to take our drinks order before giving up and trying to get served at the bar. I waited far too long at the bar and was totally unsuccessful in getting served there either. Giving up ever getting a table for dinner or even getting a drink in the place we departed and left Brian and Sandee a message we were going to the next place on our list, the Temple Bar, in the hope of this being better. It wasn’t.
Leaving the Temple Bar after we failed to even get into the place we found another place called The Porter House which had food, seats and that did actually serve some drinks and left another message for Brian and Sandee.
All too soon The Porter House started to fill up and get uncomfortably busy also. We eventually heard from Sandee and Brian and the hard time they had just getting checked in and parked and were wandering the streets of Dublin attempting to catch up with us in our various locations. Eventually we all gave up having a night out in Dublin together and both couples retired to their respective hotels.
We had a couple of drinks in the hotel bar and the went to the room and ordered room service Our hotel room had a a view over the Liffey and we watched the sunset and the Dublin Street lights come on while we ate dinner.
Despite this experience we liked Dublin and vowed to return but do it differently next time.
The following morning we wandered around looking for a breakfast spot. We also found the Irish Rock and Roll Wall of Fame
Also a Mulligan pub.
we hurried back to our hotel after a quick breakfast as I had a software demo to do.
Once that was done Sandee and Brian picked us up at the hotel and we set off for our special destination of Cushendun.
I was going to include all the Cushendun shennanigans in this blogs but as it’s getting too long I’ll leave all that for the next one. Meanwhile, because I promised some lambsy pics in this one here you go.
Till next time
Walligans Travels 