When the results of my ancestral DNA test came back almost 10 years ago, they validated what we had learned from reading a compelling family history, Mayflower to the Moon, compiled by a family scholar and fact-checked by those named and among the living (Irish, 45%; Western Europe, 17%; Great Britain, 13%; traces of others, down to American Indian, Chickasaw, 2%).
My first relatives had emigrated from County Tyrone in the 17th century. We needed to visit. I delved into the research, stories in the leading travel media, and guides. The stories and photos were compelling.
A medieval castle reflected in a lake at sunrise. Falconers walking through misty fields with hawks perched on gloved arms. Traditional music spilling from pub doorways onto narrow streets. Dramatic cliffs plunging into the Atlantic. Sheep grazing on emerald hillsides. Ancient stone huts stand against winds that have blown across the ocean for centuries.
From that, my wife and longtime travel advisor, Laura, at Traveledge, developed a draft itinerary for our first visit. The challenge wasn’t finding reasons to visit Ireland. It was narrowing them down.
We decided to explore Southwest Ireland, focusing on a route stretching from Galway and Ashford Castle through County Kerry, Dingle, Kinsale, Kilkenny, and Dublin. This would give us many insights into a country rich in history, literature, music, hospitality, and scenery so beautiful it inspired poets and writers over the centuries.
First Impressions: Arriving in Ireland
We planned a 7:45 a.m. arrival at Dublin Airport, after some 16 hours of travel from San Diego (eight-hour difference), so we had a full day of touring ahead of us, and to adjust to the time zone. We moved quickly through immigration and met our driver, from Kerry Coaches, who handed us umbrellas for the walk to the car through bursts of rain. This leads to a few practical tips:
• Dress in layers regardless of the season.
• Carry a rain jacket whenever possible, with an umbrella at the ready.
• Consider exchanging only a small amount of cash at a bank ATM; credit cards are widely accepted.
• If driving yourself, remember traffic moves on the left side of the road.
• Build in extra time for touring the countryside and enjoying the small towns.
• Resist the urge to rush. Ireland reveals itself best at a leisurely pace.
Galway: Ireland’s Cultural Heartbeat
We had a day of driving to reach our first hotel, Ashford Castle. Our Kerry Coaches guide planned a mid-morning stop in Galway, on Ireland’s western coast, a compact, walkable, charismatic city that belongs on any Irish itinerary, however brief the visit.
The Latin Quarter is the beating heart of the old city — a tangle of medieval lanes lined with colorful shopfronts, traditional music drifting from pub doors even at midday, and an energy that feels perpetually on the verge of something festive. We ducked into the warren of independent shops on Quay Street, browsed hand-knitted Aran wool sweaters and hand-thrown pottery.
The highlight was a two-and-a-half-hour Small Group Galway Food Tour through the Latin Quarter, which we’d booked in advance and which turned out to be one of the great decisions of the trip. Our guide, a Galway native with deep local knowledge and an infectious enthusiasm for her city’s food scene, steered us through the stalls of the Saturday market, past vendors selling fresh Atlantic oysters and artisan cheeses, and into a sequence of restaurants and specialty shops. We tasted smoked salmon cured just hours earlier, brown bread still warm from the oven, and a local Connemara lamb stew that should be considered a protected cultural artifact. The tour concludes with a whiskey tasting that doubles as an informal seminar on the difference between Irish and Scotch production — a distinction our guide defends with the passionate authority of someone who has explained it many, many times and never tires of the subject.
Cong Village and Ashford Castle
Before leaving the area, we made a brief stop in Cong Village — the setting for the 1952 John Ford classic “The Quiet Man”, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. It’s a small, perfectly preserved village of stone cottages and flowering window boxes, with the ruins of a 12th-century abbey rising at its edge. The Quiet Man Museum occupies a cottage replica of the film’s set, and even for those with no particular attachment to the movie, the village’s tranquility and the warmth of the locals make it a worthy pause.
Few arrivals in Europe are as dramatic as entering the grounds of Ashford Castle. The castle dates to the 13th century and has been a hotel since 1939. The Guinness family owned it for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and their influence is woven through the property — from the soaring stone towers to the private Guinness Tower on the grounds, which guests can climb for treetop views over the lake. Today, under the ownership of the Red Carnation Hotels group, Ashford has been restored, refined, and sensitively expanded to a standard that is difficult to describe without resorting to superlatives.
The castle sits on 350 acres of rolling woodland and formal gardens on the edge of Ireland’s second-largest lake.
We were met at the entrance by a staff member who knew our names, offered umbrellas (it had begun to drizzle, naturally), and walked us through the castle’s baronial great hall and gave us a tour of the grounds, restaurants, and bars, with the friendly ease of someone who genuinely loves the place. Rooms are individually furnished with antiques and period fabrics; ours looked across the lawn to the lake. The changing light and fall shadows during the day made for striking photo opportunities (we share one in this piece).
Falcons, Fairways, and Fine Wine
The following day demonstrated why Ashford Castle consistently ranks among Europe’s premier resort destinations—morning golf, lunch, an afternoon Hawk Walk, guided wine tasting in the wine cellar, and dinner in the Dungeon (a warm and pleasant bistro).
Guests can play the estate’s picturesque nine-hole course for free (club and cart rentals are extra). The rolling fairways wend their way through wide varieties of mature trees, to compact greens, and open up on the closing holes with a view of the castle and lake.
The experience most visitors remember is the Hawk Walk at the castle’s renowned School of Falconry, the oldest falconry school in Ireland and home to the world’s largest and most diverse collection of Harris hawks. Reservations are required, many months in advance, for the summer months. We checked in 10 minutes before our scheduled walk and were greeted by our falconer, Creance, a biologist and veteran of the school. She provided background on the school and the hawks, which are trained and spend their whole lives there, flying daily to ensure their fitness and enjoying the finest care throughout their lives, which can be up to 20 years.
The species is known for its intelligence and social nature, and is easy to train, she said, and it has exceptional eyesight and agility. She introduced us to Pippin, a young male, with a perky personality. She put a leather glove on Laura’s left arm to carry the hawk. Creance led us across an open field and into a small forest, with curving paths. She let Pippin fly, and he zipped through the canopy and perched on the highest tree, looking for rodents or other prey for a typical Harris hawk meal. Creance put some food in Laura’s gloved hand and whistled. Pippin zipped down, spread his wings to slow his speed, and landed on her glove for the snack.
Pippin flew again, and it was my turn, moving further up the trail to find a good spot for a photo of his return. Creance whistled; Pippin descended through the trees and braked to a landing on my arm (“Full flaps!” might be the command in pilot training). We walked back to the school with Pippin perched on the glove. He was placed in his bright, airy cage. We saw some of its other stars, including small owls that were a 10 on the cuteness scale.
Ashford Castle has a fine wine cellar, private tastings, and several wine programs. We enjoyed the Bordeaux Varietal tasting in the wine cellar, led by a sommelier. It included Malbec, Merlot, Carmenere, and Cabernet Franc, from four different countries (the Merlot was a familiar Sonoma favorite, St. Francis). For dinner, we enjoyed The Dungeon, a casual bistro, with a specialty in grilled meats. The next night we walked across the bridge to Cullen’s Cottage, a thatched cottage by the golf course, with seasonal cuisine. Those interested in fine dining book The George V dining room, with paneled walls, classic furnishings, and Waterford crystal chandeliers.
Toward County Kerry
Leaving Ashford, and wishing we had two more nights there, we traveled south through some of Ireland’s most scenic countryside.
The route included our first stop at the legendary Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most iconic natural landmarks. Our October timing delivered precisely what we’d hoped: thin crowds, a brisk Atlantic wind, and visibility stretching all the way to the Aran Islands silhouetted offshore in the grey-green sea. The cliffs run for five miles along the County Clare coastline, rising to over 700 feet at their peak. Walk the path south from the visitor center to the Moher Tower for the best views. Bundle up, if needed, and hold onto your hat so you don’t leave an unwanted souvenir in the water below.
We stopped to shop and have a light lunch in the picturesque village of Adare, which features charming thatched cottages and flower-filled streets, often described as among the prettiest in Ireland.
Killarney: Gateway to the Southwest
We arrived at dusk in this colorful country town and settled into the Killarney Park Hotel, our home for three nights, with a warm welcome from the staff and a log fire in the lobby. We’d rank it as one of the finest small luxury hotels we’ve stayed at in Ireland. The rooms are spacious, classically furnished, and equipped with all the power connections road warriors need.
The town’s streets are lined with colorful shops, restaurants, and traditional pubs, all within easy walking distance from our hotel. The concierge made dinner reservations on two nights, and then we did our own little Killarney Pub Tour, highly recommended even if you just drink water, soda, coffee, or tea. We sipped beers and wine in Courtney’s, which has been in the same family for generations and still features impromptu traditional music sessions. O’Connor’s, a packed, low-ceilinged pub, pulsated with energy. The Laurels has a similar spirit of fun, conversation, and a sense of communal good feeling. Even weekday evenings end with live music sessions where talented musicians perform traditional tunes while visitors and locals mingle comfortably and share travel stories. These spontaneous evenings became some of our favorite memories of the entire trip.
Killarney National Park
One of Ireland’s greatest treasures lies just outside town.
Killarney National Park covers over 25,000 acres of mountain, woodland, and lake, and it is one of the great outdoor treasures of Western Europe. We spent a full day in the park. Highlights include:
• Muckross House, a magnificent Victorian mansion surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens.
• Ross Castle, a 15th-century tower house overlooking Lough Leane.
• Torc Waterfall, reached via a pleasant woodland walk.
Muckross House is the park’s elegant centerpiece — a Victorian mansion built in 1843 that retains its original furnishings and gives visitors an unusually clear picture of what prosperous Anglo-Irish life looked like before two world wars changed everything. The gardens are exceptional, particularly in October, when the rhododendrons and oak woods have turned. The Muckross Traditional Farms adjacent to the estate recreate working Irish farms from the 1930s and 1940s with an authenticity and warmth that children and adults respond to equally.
Ross Castle, at the edge of Lough Leane, is a beautifully preserved 15th-century tower house — the last stronghold in Munster to fall to Cromwellian forces in 1652, according to local legend, precisely because of a prophecy that it would never be taken by land. When Cromwell’s general floated artillery across the lake, the castle surrendered without a fight, according to our guide, a history buff whose family had lived in the area for centuries.
Dingle Peninsula: Ireland at Its Most Scenic
Many travelers consider the Dingle Peninsula the highlight of southwest Ireland. Stretching 30 miles into the Atlantic from the Kerry mainland, it combines prehistoric monuments, Ireland’s finest traditional music scene, a working fishing harbor, extraordinary seafood, and some of the most scenically violent coastline on earth. We gave it a full day, starting at 9:00 AM, and it still wasn’t enough.
Dingle town itself is a delight — a working fishing port with a main street of painted shopfronts. The shops mix the genuinely artisanal with the touristy, but the craftspeople of the peninsula are widely admired. The Master Craftsmen of the Dingle Peninsula initiative brings together potters, jewelers, glass artists, weavers, and woodcarvers whose work reflects genuine engagement with the landscape and heritage around them.
The Slea Head Drive delivers one breathtaking vista after another—windswept cliffs, offshore islands, sandy beaches, and green hills plunging into the sea. The road curves around the westernmost tip of the peninsula, past stone walls dropping to sea cliffs, the Great Blasket Island visible offshore, and ancient ring forts and oratories dotting the hillsides. In October, with the light low and the grass luminously green after recent rain, it was one of the most beautiful and meditative drives either of us had taken anywhere.
Kinsale and Cobh
Traveling eastward, we visited two of Ireland’s most engaging harbor towns.
Kinsale, a beautifully preserved harbor town in West Cork, has built a reputation as Ireland’s gourmet capital over the past two decades. The town wraps around a natural harbor with a picturesque fort at its mouth. Its streets have an appealing jumble of 17th-century architecture and contemporary restaurant design. We browsed the independent shops along Market Street and found excellent Irish linen, local pottery, and jewelry made from Connemara marble.
Cobh (pronounced “Cove”) sits on a hillside above Cork Harbour with the towering Gothic Revival spire of St. Colman’s Cathedral presiding over the town from above. The harbor is one of the great natural anchorages of the Atlantic, and the town’s connections to maritime history are profound. Over the decades, more than 2.5 million Irish emigrated from Cobh. It was the last port of call for the Titanic on April 11, 1912. The Cobh Titanic Experience, housed in the original White Star Line ticket office on the waterfront, handles this subject with genuine emotional intelligence. Visitors are assigned the identity of a Titanic passenger and follow their story through the museum, discovering their fate at the journey’s end—a creative and sensitive approach to reliving history.
Medieval Kilkenny
Our Kerry Coach guide gave us another historical treat as we motored our way toward Dublin, with a stop in Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, in the South of Ireland, a vibrant, prosperous city steeped in medieval history. The main attraction is Kilkenny Castle, the 800-year-old Norman castle looking over the ancient streets, but Kilkenny has transformed itself into a hip, cosmopolitan destination with a wonderful variety of restaurants, pubs, and shops. The city is also known for its production of arts and crafts, with many wonderful stores including the Kilkenny Design Centre, Rosemarie Durr Pottery, Chesneau Leathers, and Jerpoint Glass.
The castle is in a beautiful 50-acre park. It was occupied by the Butler family for more than 500 years. The family left in 1935; sold it for a ceremonial £50 in 1967. With its drum towers and solid walls, the castle retains its medieval form but has undergone many alterations. Highlights of the tour include the library, the wood-paneled dining room, the Chinese bedroom, and the Long Gallery, which was rebuilt in the 1820s to house the Butler Art Collection.
Dublin: Ireland’s Capital of Stories
Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is a vibrant city known for its rich history, lively culture, and friendly atmosphere. It blends historic landmarks like Dublin Castle and Trinity College with modern attractions, bustling pubs, and a thriving arts scene. The River Liffey runs through the city, connecting its charming neighborhoods. Dublin is also famous for its literary heritage, as noted in the fast facts.
We stayed at The Merrion, on Merrion Square, a refined property ideally located for exploring the city on foot. Critics say it is Dublin’s most luxurious five-star hotel. It was created from four Georgian Townhouses with a contemporary Garden Wing. The 142 bedrooms and suites, decorated in Georgian period colors, are arranged around two 18th-century-style gardens. All rooms are fully equipped with the latest technology. Because of its heritage, the closets and bathrooms are small. The small desk was beautiful but could only accommodate one road warrior at a time.
The Garden Room serves contemporary cuisine with Irish flair while Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, with its two Michelin Stars, offers a more formal gourmet dining experience. We went for more casual dining in The Cellar Bar and the smaller cocktail bar, No 23. The hotel houses one of Ireland’s largest private collections of art and antiques.
We took a short walk across the square to the Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture, a prominent landmark in Dublin. The lifelike statue of the renowned playwright and poet is reclining on a large quartz boulder. The sculpture was unveiled in 1997 and is celebrated for its vibrant colors and intricate design. The memorial includes two pillars flanking the boulder: one is his pregnant wife, Constance Lloyd, nude; and the other is a male torso representing Dionysus, Greek god of drama and wine.
To see the town in short order, we recommend taking guided walking tours. Our three-hour tour with pub stop included:
• Trinity College Dublin
• St. Stephen’s Green
• Georgian Dublin’s elegant terraces and squares
• St Patrick’s Cathedral
• The city’s scenic canals and public parks
We walked along the River Liffey to EPIC, a Dublin experience that belongs on every visitor’s list. Housed in the historic vaults of the Custom House Quays building, EPIC tells the story of the Irish diaspora — the extraordinary scattering of millions of Irish people across the world over four centuries of poverty, famine, political upheaval, and ambition. Rather than focusing solely on artifacts, EPIC uses interactive exhibits in 20 galleries to tell the story of Irish emigration and the global influence of the Irish diaspora. Visitors discover how Irish immigrants shaped politics, business, literature, music, and culture around the world.
The statistics are staggering — some 70 million people worldwide claim Irish heritage, against a current Irish population of just over five million but it is the individual stories, told through letters, photographs, and personal artifacts, that stay with you. For Americans with Irish ancestry, including yours truly (45% according to DNA analysis), the experience can be especially meaningful.
Other worthwhile stops include the National Museum of Ireland and the National Gallery of Ireland.
As for pubs, we enjoyed the classic Temple Bar during our walking tour. In the evenings we visited a pub and wine bar recommended by our guide and the hotel concierge. The pubs look like sets out of classic Irish movies, with every seat taken, lines at the bars, and waiters and waitresses zipping around between tables with flagons of beers or other drinks, and some food. Neon and poster advertisements for local beers are all around. Some pubs have themes and almost all have a distinct character.
For our last night, we enjoyed dinner at Peploe’s, a lovely Italian restaurant in the basement of a big Georgian house on St. Stephen’s Green. It was refurbished and decorated in a bright, contemporary New York brasserie style. The rigatoni and saltimbocca dishes were excellent; service was polished and friendly.
A Fond Farewell
Arrive at least three hours before departure, especially during busy travel periods, and save time for a final cup of Irish tea or one last pint, or picking up a last-minute gift from the shops in Dublin Airport.
The skies cleared as our aircraft climbed and turned west over the regions we just visited, a tapestry of green fields and winding rivers, small towns, and the long, stormy coast on the Atlantic. We reminisced about the experiences in the small towns and villages and the friendliness of the Irish people. I also thought about what we had missed and vowed to return, to visit County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, to get a better sense of where my heritage began.
