Ireland

It has been a busy weekend getting ready for our trip. We stopped at Macy's and Kohl's for a few articles of clothing we may need, a stop at Best Buys so Bill could update his cell phone, CVS for toiletries, Boscov's for travel pillows times three, and a nice lunch outdoors on Saturday followed by a nice outdoor brunch on Sunday. We are packed. We are nearly ready and despite all the grief over the last few days, I am excited.


I am looking forward to going to St. Patrick's Cathedral and Trinity Church in Dublin. Of course we will be in the historic Templar Bar area were is it known for its pubs and shops. Trinity Church has underground crypts that go back to the middle ages. I am sure when I come home I will be writing about all the history.


Good Friday we will drive Northwest to Donegal and stay at the castle. Bill wants to drive further North then travel South along the coast where there are magnificent cliffs that meet the ocean. We will visit the town of Adara where the Gallaghers are from and Lough where the McCaffertys (McCafferys) are from.


County Mayo will be the area we explore starting on Easter Sunday with Killala and Ballina towns at the forefront. This is where the Bolands, Caffertys and Dohertys are from.  Lots of open farmland complete with thatch houses (we will stay in one) and more cliffs that meet the ocean. If we have time, we will travel further South into Galway.


The final leg of our trip will take us back to Dublin before we fly to Boston then to Philadelphia,


We do not do group tours. We are renting a car so we can travel at our pace and mix in with the locals. I am more interested in meeting family, experiencing culture, and gaining an understanding of the Irish life. I do not need to visit places that make crystal or kiss stones:)