The Rock of Cashel
We decided to bypass Blarney Castle and visit the Rock of Cashel instead. It was on the way out of Kilkenny and on our way to Killarney. I can’t say this was off the beaten path – it was pretty crowded even at 3 in the afternoon, but there was ample parking, and we didn’t want to miss it!
The Rock of Cashel is historically significant as it’s the place where, in AD 450, St. Patrick baptized King Aengus. Throughout the years it was also a strategic stronghold before being donated to the church. The place is hauntingly beautiful, and the view from the perimeter make it obvious why the fortress was built in this location.
On to Kilarney
Exploring finished, we headed for Killarney. Unfortunately, it was close to five by the time we left, and we had a two-hour drive ahead of us. Since neither of us were hungry at the time, we hit the road. And yay, it was a four-lane divided motorway all the way! No driving stress.
It was dark by the time we arrived at our lodgings in Killarney. I have to say, we were quite disappointed with the accommodations. The pictures and description were not accurate, and I would not recommend the Wild Atlantic Apartments to anyone. The whole place was dark and felt scary.
There were no restaurants within walking distance, so we opted for Irish fast food and a grocery store. We settled in for the evening, figured out the hot water heater and washing machine, and called it a night.
We planned to take the train down to Cobh and Cork the next day, but learned on the news there was a big storm headed that way, so decided to explore Killarney instead.
Killarney is pretty, with lots of shopping, pubs, and restaurants, so the day turned out to be fine. We were excited to explore the Dingle peninsula the following day, so after a lovely dinner in town, we took a taxi back to our lodging, packed up, and got ready to do Dingle and then head to Doolin.
Change of Plans
Around 4am I was awoken by thunder. I was able to go back to sleep but was awake again by 6 because the wind was causing a tree to rub against my window. I decided to check the weather and was appalled by what I found. Storm Babet had made landfall, causing 5 feet of flooding in parts of Cork, and was moving inland with high winds and heavy rain. The Dingle peninsula, which was our destination, was expecting heavy rain and sustained winds of 45 miles per hour, with 60 mph gusts. It did not feel safe to drive on those beautiful, narrow cliff roads, so we had to change our plans.
We watched ALL the weather reports, then decided we would save Dingle for another trip, loaded up and headed for Doolin, via the Motorway and Limerick.
Fun Find
After passing through Limerick, we needed a “comfort break”, and started looking for some place to stop. Alexa saw a brown sign advertising a ruined castle. We took that exit but made a wrong turn and found Bunratty Castle instead. This place is pretty popular, but since it was pouring and mid-week, the crowds were not too thick.
Even though it’s touristy, Bunratty was pretty cool. First, it’s not a ruin. The castle has been restored and you can walk all through it (rather, CLIMB, all through it. The spiral staircases in each of the four turrets are a WORKOUT). The estate also features homes from the era, working businesses such as a blacksmith shop and tea shop, a fairy walk, lodgings if you want to stay there, and shopping.
Following a great couple of hours, we were off to Doolin. Again, we arrived late, but this time our lodgings were excellent. We had plenty of space, a nice kitchen, and a washing machine for dirty clothes.
Bonus – there was a restaurant onsite, so we were able to have a delicious meal before bed.
The next morning we got up, ate the lovely birthday breakfast Alexa made, then headed to the ferry dock to get our tickets to the Aran Islands.
Inis Oirr
Even though it was cold and rainy, the ferry to the islands was very crowded. And the water was rough! REALLY rough. It felt like we were on a bucking bull, but thankfully the trip Inis Oirr, our destination, was only a short sail.
Inis Oirr (pronounced Innis shear) is the smallest of the three Aran Islands but packs a punch with things to see. We disembarked, then made our way up the hill to the local tea shop so we could warm up, dry off, and plan our excursion.
After tea, we opted to do a tractor tour, which was a wagon pulled by a tractor driven by a local. He was a great tour guide and storyteller, sharing a lot of facts and history along with some lore. The first stop was a castle ruin perched on the highest point of the island. We slipped and slid our way to the top, where we had a fantastic view of the whole island, plus the other islands and the Cliffs of Moher in the distance.
Our next stop was a wrecked ship that has been on the island since the 1960s. The story is that the ship contained a treasure trove of items the islanders either had a hard time getting or had never had before, including tobacco, cologne, spirits, and toilets. Yes toilets. The island had no running water or electricity until the mid-1970s, so flush toilets were not really a thing there until they washed up on the beach.
Touring around the island, you can’t help but notice the place is crisscrossed with rock fences. Our guide explained that the islanders built the fences to clear the land for farming and livestock. It was also interesting to learn that no one lives on the west side of the island as the wild wind and high waves would destroy any structures.
On the way back into the village, we saw a leprechaun house (he only comes out at night), the lovely Loch Mor, and a camping area comprised of yurts you can rent. The tour ended just in time for us to hightail it to the ferry so we could see the Cliffs of Moher via boat.
The Cliffs of Moher
The rain had let up by now, but the seas seemed to be even rougher than on our trip over, so we were glad we had an inside seat. Everyone who was out on the covered decks were drenched. As we approached the Cliffs, we also entered calmer water, and the sun actually came out for a few minutes. We made our way outside so we could get a better view and hear the guide’s spiel about the Cliffs.
Seeing them from the ocean really gave us perspective about how imposing they are. It was beautiful, wild, yet peaceful, all at the same time.
When we arrived back in Doolin, we explored the beach a little, then drove to town for shopping and lunch. We found a nice little pub and had yet another delicious bowl of seafood chowder. I swear, I could eat Irish soup every day!
That evening, we rested up for our next road trip. Stay tuned for Galway!