Do you know how when you are anticipating a trip, you get a certain image in your head, that you fixate on a bit?

Well for me, it was the Cliffs of Moher.  In fact, I pretty much planned my entire packing job around what I would require to enjoy the cliffs to their maximum.  I went out and bought sturdy, water-proof walking shoes and a wind and water-proof jacket with a hood and toggles to tighten the sleeves and waist band.

We also eyed the weather and made the decision as to which would be the most opportune day to make the trip.  I was glad that we had done all these things because as breathtaking as the cliffs were, it was mighty chilly with a breeze off the Atlantic ocean at 700 feet high, in early April.

The good news was that by going when we did, there was a minimum of traffic on the tricky, stone-walled roads and a only a smattering of camera wielding tourists to share the experience with; knowing that the Cliffs are Ireland’s most visited natural attraction with up to 1,000,000 visitors per year.  So I was more than content to cope with the exhilarating chill.

D and PK climbed  O’Briens Tower (built in 1835) for an even more spectacular view. We didn’t know at that time, that we were gazing over Galway Bay, recalling the Bing Crosby song that DK & PK knew by heart. Had the ferries run more frequently, we would have made the trip to the Aran Islands but that will have to keep until a return trip. Once J1 finds out that there are surfing waves to the north of the cliffs, he may want to join us.

The cliffs have been made very accessible to persons with mobility issues; a point that makes a tremendous difference in our family.  I would say that we spent an hour there, all tolled, and now the sight is permanently etched in my brain.  Now I want to rewatch The Princess bride, one of my favourite movies, so that I can recognize the cliffs.  This being one of many movies shot here.

We drove back into Doolin (the closest town to the cliffs) to scope out some lunch.  We had seen a restaurant sign that morning boasting hand cut fries and fish.  We had only had frozen fries since our arrival and had been perplexed by this.  Unfortunately, this and many of the Doolin shops were not yet open for the season.  So we jumped back into the car and headed towards Ennistymon, but that main street looked pretty inactive too.

A local came to the rescue with a suggestion that we try the dining room at the Falls Hotel.  We were surprized to come across such a quaint spot with a distinctly rural feeling, even though we were moments away from Main St.  There were even donkeys grazing in the pasture there.

Dining took place in a huge sun room with windows all around and a view of the falls.

A carvery menu was being served and we chose the Roast Stuffed Loin and a Duo of Salmon and Cod topped with mixed herbs, leek & vermouth sauce as well as Toasted Sandwiches made with just carved baked ham and a sharp cheddar.

The hit of lunch were the garlicky, scalloped potatoes and right out of the oven dinner rolls (we love our carbs!).

Wonderfully satiated, we headed back to Adare to rest up for our evening.

Kath’s quote:  “Seating themselves on the greensward, they eat while the corks fly and there is talk, laughter and merriment, and perfect freedom, for the universe is their drawing room and the sun their lamp. Besides, they have appetite, Nature’s special gift, which lends to such a meal a vivacity unknown indoors, however beautiful the surroundings.”-Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

We started our evening just as the sun was setting over the village.  First stop was a visit to Bill Chawkes Lounge Bar on Rathkeale Rd. which was the furthest pub from the Adare Manor gate where we parked.  You might say that it was all down hill from there.

We enjoyed a lovely Merlot and wondered what their patio would be like in the warmer weather.

Just around the corner on Main St. was Pat Collins Bar where we decided to have some supper.  D choose their homemade soup and brown bread.

DK and/or PK ordered the Bacon & Abbey Blue Brie Panini which was served with apple chutney, tossed salad & fries.   I was wondering if DK would order Bacon & Cabbage again because even though he had eaten it for lunch, it was also featured on Pat Collins menu.

I was craving a feed of veggies and selected a salad which was topped with chicken and lots of toasted almonds for even more crunch.

We enjoyed Pat Collin’s hospitality on a subsequent night and had some fun with our interpretation of the Irish sport of Hurling.  It was pretty obvious that we were uncouth Canadians.

That second night there was local entertainment and the Irish are so welcoming that they included DK as he resurrected his drumming passion.

Meanwhile we enjoyed their homemade dessert selection including  a delicious mixed fruit tart and apple pie.

The last stop that evening was across Main St. at Aunty Lenas.  Lena is also a Chawke and so it was fitting that we started and ended the evening enjoying Chawke hospitality.  The stout and beer taps at Aunty Lena’s were a sight to behold.

There are a beautiful complement to the gorgeous bar.

And so we strolled (no we didnt crawl) back to the Manor gate having spent a wonderful evening enjoying Irish hospitality.

Kaths quote: The pie should be eaten “while it is yet florescent, white or creamy yellow, with the merest drip of candied juice along the edges, (as if the flavor were so good to itself that its own lips watered!) of a mild and modest warmth, the sugar suggesting jelly, yet not jellied, the morsels of apple neither dissolved nor yet in original substance, but hanging as it were in a trance between the spirit and the flesh of applehood…then, O blessed man, favored by all the divinities! eat, give thanks, and go forth, ‘in apple-pie order!'”-Rev. Henry Ward Beecher

On our first full day in Ireland we were on the road by 9:30 and headed south for about 1.5 hours to Killarney where we started The Ring of Kerry.

Our first stop was at the Gap of Dunloe which is widely recognized as the most picturesque, glaciated valleys in Europe.  At then end of our trip, we almost unanimously decided that this was the prettiest spot that we visited in Ireland all week.

Back in the car, we were off to Killorglin and then Glenbeigh.

We walked the Rossbeigh beach where the stones are a surprizing and gorgeous, purple, fuchsia and turquoise. The sun was shining but it was very breezy and we worked up a raging appetite.

Upon recommendation of a local, we found The Olde Glenbeigh Hotel.  This quaint spot was built in 1792 and established in 1840 which makes it one of Ireland’s oldest hotels.  This means that this hospitable old house has welcomed visitors for the past 150 years.

We shared sips of seafood chowder filled with cockles and mussels and a variety of local fish-excellent!

DK ordered Bacon & Cabbage and the entire rest of the week, he tried to find bacon which was as tasty.  D and I both chose the Whiting and PK the Plaice (both local fish).

The fish was wonderful and even though the accompaniments were less than stellar, we were very glad that we had chosen the old pub.

I couldn’t help but capture DK’s reaction after his first sip of Guinness that day.

The ambiance was authentic right down to the distinguished old, hearing impaired gentleman who just kept smiling and repeating “I’m very hungry” no matter what question was asked of him.

More time was spent on the narrow stone-walled road passing through Kells, Cahersiveen, Waterville and Caherdaniel, when we made another stop at the gorgeous beach at Derrynane.

Our last leg took us through Sneem, Parknassilla, Templenoe and finally Kenmare.  We connected once again to Killarney and headed north back to our base in Adare.  The Ring of Kerry is a must do tour if you ever travel to the Emerald Isle.

Kath’s quote: “Cabbage as a food has problems. It is easy to grow, a useful source of greenery for much of the year. Yet as a vegetable it has original sin, and needs improvement. It can smell foul in the pot, linger through the house with pertinacity, and ruin a meal with its wet flab. Cabbage also has a nasty history of being good for you.”-Jane Grigson

When it was time to move downstairs we were hesitant- the majesty of the room had captured us or perhaps it was because we noticed that there was still poured mead that needed to be drunk.  But we eventually did head back down the ancient staircase to the Main Guard. 

This is a vaulted hall with a Minstrel’s Gallery that had been the main living room of the common soldiers and the Earl’s retainers.  A small gate leads to a dungeon and part of the evening’s entertainment is deciding who of the assembly, should spend his time down there.

The gorgeous room was appointed with long wooden banquet tables and benches and we were the last to be sat. 

This meant that we were directly underneath the said Minstrel’s balcony and as a result, when the host of the evening was outlining the festivities, we had a direct look right up his nose.

The first thing that we noticed about the beautiful table were that there were knives set at every place and that was the only utensil.  This was going to prove interesting.

First up was a creamy potato and leek soup poured from jugs into our bowls.  Since there was no spoon, we lifted the bowls to our mouths and drank the soup as you would the sweet milk left in your cereal bowl after a good feed of honey nut cheerios.  This was opportune as the soup was so delicious, we didn’t have to take the time to spoon each taste into our eager mouths.

Next out were huge platters of ribs accompanied by enormous wooden bowls to throw our bones into.  These were so tender and tasty that we could have concluded supper right then, but there was still much more to come.

Capons arrived topped with white herb gravy, and surrounded by turnip, carrot and roasted baby potatoes.  Broccoli was also served and I thought this strange because I thought that it was a rather “modern” vegetable.  There were still no utensils and so we mastered the art of spearing each morsel with our knives.

Dessert was a light custard sitting atop a thin sponge cake and topped with a raspberry glaze and mint leaves.  There were jugs a plenty of both red and white wine and we were content to stay put for another round of entertainment.

The harmonies of the minstrels easily took us back to a time when events like this were common place.  They were accompanied by an Irish harp and an extremely skilled violinist.  His eyes were so enormous that we commented that he looked just like a character out of a Dickens novel.

When the evening was over and we were making our way out we happened to hear him speaking to other travelers in the courtyard.  He said “Yes, I’ve spent some time in America.  I went to a music school called Julliard.  Do you know it?’  No wonder the entertainment was so impressive!

Kath’s quote: “If music be the food of love, play on…”-William Shakespeare

I distinctly remember two things, from the time when I was little.  I would wear a full length slip on my head so that I could imagine what it felt like to have a full, thick head of long, luxurious hair falling down upon my shoulders and my back.  We lived in a bungalow, but I dreamed about moving to a home with a staircase, preferably a winding one, so that my imagined long skirt would spill down the stairs behind me as I descended.  I never wanted to be a princess but I did imagine myself living in a castle as the respected female head of the household, who waited patiently for their menfolk to return from battle, so that she could provide hospitality to every brave warrior and plan enormous feats to celebrate the victories.

Therefore finding myself, after much time has past, in the ancient Bunratty Castle was literally a dream come true.  The present castle is the last of a series on the same site built around 1425.  It is said to be the most “complete” castle in all of Ireland.  During the 16th and 17th century it was the important stronghold of the O’Briens-kings and later earls of Thomond or North Munster.  It is furnished in the style of the great Earl who was renowned for his hospitality.  The castle is entered by a drawbridge to the Main Guard.

Upon arrival, there is an upwards climb to The Great Hall.  This was the original banquet hall and audience chamber of the Earls where they gave their judgments while sitting on their Chair of the Estate.  The walls are hung with French, Belgian and Flemish tapestries.

I was enthralled by the wooden ceiling and the angels that adorned the walls.

I had a peak into the Chapel which boasts a finely decorated 16th century stucco ceiling and precious artifacts including a 15th century Swabian altar piece.

The chaplain’s bedchamber is immediately overhead and his robing room directly across the hall.

In this room we were served goblets of honey mead to begin the evening of merriment, music and song.  The ensemble of singers and musicians, who later also turned out to be our serving butlers and wenches, were obviously passionate about their history as they played the parts in perfect character.  Their talents were so excellent and their sincerity so true, that this was a rich sharing of a beautiful culture.

OMGoodness, my time and space is up and we haven’t even moved downstairs to the Minstrels’ Gallery which was set for our Medieval banquet!

Kath’s quote: “It is to a dinner what a portico or a peristyle is to a building; that is to say, it is not only the first part of it, but it must be devised in such a manner as to set the tone of the whole banquet, in the same way as the overture of an opera announces the subject of the work.”-Grimod de la Reynière