Getaway Guide To The Emerald Isle
At the end of another St. Patrick's Day, after we've filled ourselves with favorite bits of the Emerald Isle - pints of Guinness, Irish stew, corned beef, soda bread and Jamisons, let's do one more thing. Plan now for a spring or summer visit to Ireland, the most American friendly land I've ever found. After all, everyone there has a relative here. There are as many places to visit it seems, as there are Irish in America. So, I'll just trace our last Irish fling and suggest you improvise according to whim and desire. Since you will want to linger among friendly people, keep it simple. We took a week and split it between Dublin and Cork. Off we go.
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FLIGHT
My first view of Ireland in 1959 was from the deck of an ocean liner. It then took 5 days to New York. A recent visit from Philly covered the same distance in about 6 hours going the other way. Best bet for a May flight to Dublin right now appears to be Aer Lingus from New York's JFK. Basic round-trip fare for a non-stop flight is under $800.
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DUBLIN
www.academyplazahotel.ie/
The most dynamic place to hang out in Dublin is Temple Bar with its pubs, nightlife, eateries and central location. We were forewarned that staying in this hub of happy can be a noisy experience when it's time to pull down the shades. But staying just north of the Liffy River that borders Temple Bar provides a pillow talk atmosphere within a walkable distance. We picked the Best Western Academy Plaza. Reasonable rates, comfortable rooms, central location and excellent public transportation.
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PLACES TO VISIT
www.dublinsightseeing.ie/
The best way to get oriented is with a hop-on, hop-off tour bus. We used Dublin Bus Tours on our first day to figure out where we wanted to go and how to get there via public transit. The office was a couple of blocks from the hotel. If you see something interesting, get off, stroll around and catch a later bus to continue. Some stops to make include the Guinness Storehouse, a veritable museum dedicated to the iconic Irish Brew and a penthouse pub to sample a pint. Then the statue of Molly Malone, known as the "Tart with the Cart." If you have someone of college age, you might want to visit the campus of Holy Trinity, and for Irish history, the National Museum of Ireland and it's Collins Barracks. After your 1 or 2 day tour bus tickets expires, use local buses for a return to favorite spots.
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TRAIN TO CORK
www.irishrail.ie/
Time to head south for a visit to the city of Cork through the green farmland and countryside of eastern Ireland. You can rent a car. But we chose the train. Irish Rail runs comfy trains on a nearly hourly basis between the two cities. You can sit back, relax, have a chicken and stuffing sandwich with a beer and just enjoy the scenery. The trip takes about 3-1/2 hours.
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CORK
www.jamesonwhiskey.com/us/visit-us
County Cork offers splendid country estates, an Irish Whiskey distillery, a famed seaport, a restaurant Mecca and a walkable city as the hub for enviable public transportation to cover urban and country attractions. I was told that the fabled Blarney Castle and its iconic stone is just too touristy. Maybe that's because it's a place worth visiting. The pristine and ancient grounds are beautiful, the castle is a piece of history and kissing the stone may not be hygienic, but it is fun. If you enjoy a taste of Jamison, visit the Cork distillery where it was born. It's at Midleton on the way to Cobh, the seaport where the Titanic took on its last passengers. See the Titanic Museum here for the full impact. Don't forget to make a stop in the exquisite little village of Kinsale where you'll find a range of traditional and eclectic restaurants.
Enjoy!
