That is the one question I got when I told people I was going to Ireland for my 40th wedding anniversary. Was there a family connection? Don't know. I haven't done the Ancestry DNA test. I know my paternal grandparents immigrated from Quebec, Canada. But other than that, no distant relatives that were Irish. So why Ireland?
Why does anyone decide to go to a place that they've never been to before? Why do people go to the Caribbean (beside getting away from cold weather in the winter)? Why to people go to Paris...or Rome...or Hawaii? Because. Everyone has their reason for deciding to spend what will be definitely more money than a typical vacation. So I will list my reasons.
The music. I've been a fan of Irish and Celtic music for a long time. There's a mystique to the ballad style of songs. The instruments are in my wheelhouse...well...at least the guitar. The fiddle...the tin whistle...the Irish flute...the Bouzouki (sort of a Mandolin)...the Uilleann pipes (smaller version of bagpipes) all bring a bright and inwardly joyful note to the soul. I defy you not to tap a foot, a finger, or smile while listening to traditional Irish music.
The Cliffs. This is just as much of a reason to visit Ireland as the music. There are two places I had on my "bucket list": either the White Cliffs of Dover or the Cliffs of Moher. So I got to check the box on the Cliffs of Moher. They are quite famous among film directors and producers. A couple of the more famous movies would be "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and....wait for it..."The Princess Bride" (The Cliffs of Insanity!). "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" closing scene with Luke Skywalker was filmed at the Skellig Michael Island in county Kerry which is on my list on the next trip back to Ireland.
The people. You can't tell me that listening to someone from Ireland doesn't captivate you with that accent and lilt to their voice. There's almost a melodic quality when they speak. Not to mention that I've never met a rude person from Ireland. And there are some actors that hale from that part of the world like Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan along with Richard Harrison and Fiona Shaw of Harry Potter fame. I'll elaborate on more about the people in future posts.
The Landscape. Oh. Different Landscape. Really different landscape! There's lush rolling land with grazing sheep, the "Burren" in County Clare where it looks like moonscape with mountains that look like they came straight out of southern California. The shorelines vary from rocky to sandy--to calm and serene to some of the top surfing sites in the world (Bundoran Beach, County Donegal, Ireland)!
The Pubs. Tell me it's hard to beat a good roasted lamb shank with a pint of Guinness in your hand while listening to some good traditional Irish music? It doesn't get better than that! I will say that having been in pubs in Dublin and Ballintoy (N. Ireland), Doolin is THE best...so far. I think I'll have to go back and check out the southern county pubs.
The Castles. My goodness! Ireland must have more castles per capita than any other place in Europe. But then again, there are castles everywhere over there. You will find them in every condition imaginable from barely recognizable ruins to fully preserved. If you like things that are old...and I mean really old...and the history behind these marvels of engineering and construction, then you'll have plenty of opportunity to see them.
Well, these are some of the reasons and I'm sure I'll come up with more as my posts unfold. I apologize for a lack of photos, but this post is more of an introduction to those of you who are thinking and planning a trip to this magical country.
On the next post, I'll give you some tips for your planning including accommodations, transportation (both air and ground), and things to take with you. I will tell you that if you're hoping that this will tell you what tour group to book your trip through, you will be sorely disappointed. My wife and I prefer to do our own planning and travel where we want to go on our schedule. We don't like an agenda that tells us where we're going and for how long, not to mention being around 3 dozen other people in close quarters at hotels and tour buses. Does it take more effort? Definitely. Does it require more up-front planning. Oh yeah. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
So be patient as I unfold the 7 days spent in Ireland revealing the some of the wonderful aspects of this island country that is definitely a "must see" if you can.
Until the next time...
Why does anyone decide to go to a place that they've never been to before? Why do people go to the Caribbean (beside getting away from cold weather in the winter)? Why to people go to Paris...or Rome...or Hawaii? Because. Everyone has their reason for deciding to spend what will be definitely more money than a typical vacation. So I will list my reasons.
The music. I've been a fan of Irish and Celtic music for a long time. There's a mystique to the ballad style of songs. The instruments are in my wheelhouse...well...at least the guitar. The fiddle...the tin whistle...the Irish flute...the Bouzouki (sort of a Mandolin)...the Uilleann pipes (smaller version of bagpipes) all bring a bright and inwardly joyful note to the soul. I defy you not to tap a foot, a finger, or smile while listening to traditional Irish music.
The Cliffs. This is just as much of a reason to visit Ireland as the music. There are two places I had on my "bucket list": either the White Cliffs of Dover or the Cliffs of Moher. So I got to check the box on the Cliffs of Moher. They are quite famous among film directors and producers. A couple of the more famous movies would be "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and....wait for it..."The Princess Bride" (The Cliffs of Insanity!). "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" closing scene with Luke Skywalker was filmed at the Skellig Michael Island in county Kerry which is on my list on the next trip back to Ireland.
The people. You can't tell me that listening to someone from Ireland doesn't captivate you with that accent and lilt to their voice. There's almost a melodic quality when they speak. Not to mention that I've never met a rude person from Ireland. And there are some actors that hale from that part of the world like Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan along with Richard Harrison and Fiona Shaw of Harry Potter fame. I'll elaborate on more about the people in future posts.
The Landscape. Oh. Different Landscape. Really different landscape! There's lush rolling land with grazing sheep, the "Burren" in County Clare where it looks like moonscape with mountains that look like they came straight out of southern California. The shorelines vary from rocky to sandy--to calm and serene to some of the top surfing sites in the world (Bundoran Beach, County Donegal, Ireland)!
The Pubs. Tell me it's hard to beat a good roasted lamb shank with a pint of Guinness in your hand while listening to some good traditional Irish music? It doesn't get better than that! I will say that having been in pubs in Dublin and Ballintoy (N. Ireland), Doolin is THE best...so far. I think I'll have to go back and check out the southern county pubs.
The Castles. My goodness! Ireland must have more castles per capita than any other place in Europe. But then again, there are castles everywhere over there. You will find them in every condition imaginable from barely recognizable ruins to fully preserved. If you like things that are old...and I mean really old...and the history behind these marvels of engineering and construction, then you'll have plenty of opportunity to see them.
Well, these are some of the reasons and I'm sure I'll come up with more as my posts unfold. I apologize for a lack of photos, but this post is more of an introduction to those of you who are thinking and planning a trip to this magical country.
On the next post, I'll give you some tips for your planning including accommodations, transportation (both air and ground), and things to take with you. I will tell you that if you're hoping that this will tell you what tour group to book your trip through, you will be sorely disappointed. My wife and I prefer to do our own planning and travel where we want to go on our schedule. We don't like an agenda that tells us where we're going and for how long, not to mention being around 3 dozen other people in close quarters at hotels and tour buses. Does it take more effort? Definitely. Does it require more up-front planning. Oh yeah. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
So be patient as I unfold the 7 days spent in Ireland revealing the some of the wonderful aspects of this island country that is definitely a "must see" if you can.
Until the next time...
