After a rambunctious night of drinking and singing karaoke in the Paddywagon sponsored pub, we headed to bed anxious to see what the next day had in store.
In the morning we filled our bellies with another traditional Irish breakfast, and hopped on the bus ready to explore the town of Dingle and Slea Head Drive. According to Rouiri, Slea Head Drive had the best coastal views in all of Ireland, so we were eager to see them for ourselves.
Slea Head Drive loops around Dingle Bay, and it is recommended that all tourists drive clockwise when on this route. Why? Well that is the way the tour buses drive and let me tell you, you don’t want to come head to head with a massive tour bus on a narrow coastal road.
The drive is part of the Wild Atlantic Way and takes you through small Irish speaking towns and various historic sites. You can spend a half-day to a few days exploring this part of Ireland.
We made a few stops along the way to take photographs at many gorgeous sites. Our first stop was at a local farm where for just a few euros we could explore “beehive huts” which housed ancient monks throughout time. For the price of admission you could also use the restroom and hold a baby sheep! This was definitely the highlight for many people on our tour group. One friend even stated: “I want to be reincarnated as a sheep in Dingle!”
Other stops along Slea Head included a memorial for the fishermen lost at sea, Ceann Sraithe, and Inch Beach. The areas along the drive, especially at Ceann Sraithe, were a stunning demonstration again of how dramatic the Irish cliffs are when they meet the sea. And my favorite part of the scenery was seeing the patchwork farmland in the background and the coast in the foreground.
I was also blown away by Inch Beach, which spread for miles and was surrounded on both sides by mountains. The water was surprisingly warm and many people were swimming on the gorgeous September Day!
After completing our loop around the bay, we headed back into Dingle where we were able to grab some lunch and explore the quaint town. A group of us sat down at the Dingle Bay Hotel Restaurant where we all decided to order mussels for lunch. The massive plate was so delicious!
And of course, we followed up our lunch with a serving of Murphy’s ice cream. Murphy’s was actually founded in Dingle and so we went to the original parlor on Strand Street. If we had more time in the town we definitely would have hopped on a cruise of Dingle Bay, with hopes of seeing Fungie The Dolphin. Fungie the Dolphon is famous for living in Dingle Bay since the 1980’s and often comes in playful contact with boats, kayakers, and swimmers.
We departed Dingle in the early afternoon and began our journey into Killarney. This would be our last evening of our tour and we had a special night planned!
After dropping our bags off at our hostel, we met the rest of our tour group right outside of Killarney National Park. We would be getting a very special tour of the park via a horse and carriage ride! You don’t need to book these rides in advance, as there are dozens of carriages waiting just outside the park to take visitors in on a tour. Cars are not allowed in the National Park, so these rides are the best way to get a guided tour of Killarney.
Our tour took about one hour, and we got the most spectacular views of the Killarney Mountains during sunset. Our guide, Pat, was in his 70’s but knew everything there was to know about the National Park… and I mean everything! Throughout our tour he not only gave us information about the history of the park, but could easily name every species of plant and tree we passed. It was amazing!
As our tour was wrapping up we got a gorgeous view of Ross Castle, which seems to sit in the middle of a lake. I’m not sure how one gets out to the Castle, but I know there are specialized tours that can take you there. It was truly a special moment to take in these spectacular mountain views while enjoying the peacefulness of the National Park.
After our tour wrapped up, and we thanked both our driver and our horse, we grabbed dinner at a local pub. I know I was feeling a little tired of fish (I had fish almost every single day on my trip) so I indulged in some delicious tortellini for dinner. It was great craic, as the locals say, to sit around a massive table with our tour group and hear everyone’s experiences from the trip.
Our final plan for the evening was to attend an Irish Cultural Show, The Celtic Steps. This show featured everything from Irish music, singing, and step dancing. I absolutely loved listening to many traditional instruments including the Uilleann pipes and the bodhrán drum. The show was exhilarating and kept the audience clapping throughout the entire performance! Having step danced myself, it was thrilling to see how fast these dancers could move their feet! During intermission I had stepped outside with a few members of our tour and we were greeted with the most beautiful sunset over the Killarney Mountains. It was the most spectacular view to end what had been such a spectacular four days.
With one last day in Ireland, there was one thing left I had to do. I had to go smooch a stone.
According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone will provide the kisser with the “gift of gab,” also known as the skill of eloquence or being able to talk yourself out of difficult situations.
The earliest story of the origin of the Blarney Stone involves Cormac McCarthy, the builder of Blarney Castle. McCarthy was a quiet man who find himself in what seemed like a unwinnable court case. However the goddess Clíodhna appeared to him in a dream telling him to kiss the first stone he found on his way to court in the morning. McCarthy did just that, and ended up talking his way out of his court predicament. Amazed, McCarthy decided he couldn’t keep this magic stone to himself, so he built it into his castle for other to come and receive this “gift of gab.”
However, due to where the stone was built into the castle, kissing the stone is no easy task. To kiss the stone you must lie on your back, bend over a small opening, and kiss the lowest stone. Don’t worry, there are guardrails to hold on to and an attendant there to guide you to the stone. Also if you are worried about germs, ask the attendant to wipe off the stone…they have windex on hand!
You are encouraged to take your own photos kissing the stone, but there are professional photos available to purchase as well.
The stone is located at the top level of Blarney Castle, and it is recommended to visit earlier in the day. Once crowds arrive it can take up to two hours to reach the Blarney Stone. There are rooms to explore inside the castle, but be warned... the stairways are tight and may not be for those who are claustrophobic.
The gardens at Blarney Castle are stunning to tour for those who aren’t interested in making the trek to the top of the Castle. There is even a poison garden located just behind the castle…and don’t worry nothing will actually harm you (unless you consume the plants).
We made one last photo stop at Dunluce Castle before we boarded the Paddywagon to head back to Dublin. The ride home was quiet as people took in the last views of the Irish countryside and reflected on such a memorable four days.
We returned to Dublin in the late afternoon, where I spent the remainder of my evening shopping for souvenirs I definitely did not need. If you are traveling to Dublin, Carroll’s is the biggest souvenir shop there is, and you can find absolutely anything and everything there!
I met up with one of my new friends from my tour for dinner at the Gin Palace and drinking in the Temple Bar. I could not believe my time in Ireland had already come to a close, for it seems like I had only just arrived. I was grateful for the inspiring places I was able to see, and the wonderful people I was able to meet during my time in Ireland. It is truly amazing how people you may only know for a short time can have such an impact on you!
As I sat in the Temple Bar listening to live Irish music and sipping on Guinness, I was grateful for the girl who booked this ticket a year ago. Without her bold, spontaneous decision I would have missed out on this trip of a lifetime. Ireland really felt like home to me, and although I don’t see myself settling down with the sheep farmer my bus driver promised me, I knew Ireland would always have a special place in my heart.
I learned a lot about myself during my time in Ireland, and it helped me to realize that there is so much of the world out there left to explore.
And now…it’s all on my list.
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