Connemara - The Real Emerald of Ireland?

On the western side of Ireland, you’ll find an area called Connemara.  Oscar Wilde, the Irish writer and poet, once said, “Connemara is a savage beauty.”  You can see all of the beauty that Connemara holds for nothing more than the price of food.

 

The Connemara area includes an abbey, mountains, loughs and about 16 small towns (including Leenane, which I told you about yesterday).  In fact, Leenane is a good place to start your Connemara trip, just head west.

Kylemore Abbey

About 18 minutes from Leenane, you will find Kylemore Abbey, an old castle which later became a Benedictine monestary.

 

Also on the grounds of the abbey, are six walled gardens, as well as nature trails and a Gothic church.  It costs 12.50€ to take advantage of all Kylemore has to offer.

Or, you can just take a bunch of pictures outside for free.

 

We enjoyed the architecture of the abbey as well as some of the surrounding grounds – the part we could get into without paying.  Then, we spent some time just lying in the grass, admiring the beauty of the scenery around us.

 

Then, one last look, before we were on our way.

 

Connemara National Park

Driving about 10 minutes west of Kylemore Abbey will bring you to the Connemara National Park.

 

The park is just one place where you can see the gorgeous mountains in Connemara.  You can also see bogs, grasslands, and wildlife.

 

Admission is free to get into the Connemara National Park.  If you’re smart, you’ll bring your own lunch, a very economical way to eat.

 

After filling your bellies, you’ll want to hike one of the four trails inside the park.

 

We hiked the Lower Diamond Hill Walk, but Frank says he has plans to hike the Upper Diamond Hill Walk when we travel back to Ireland later this month.

 

The trail is not very rugged and is extremely well-marked.  You’ll even find a bunch of giant rocks with which you can take a picture.

 

We spent a few hours inside the park, between eating and walking.  From there, we headed west again.

Loughs

This is a really fancy way of saying lake in Ireland.

 

You’ll find loughs several places along the side of the main road, N59, that leads you around the Connemara. 

 

About 20 minutes after leaving the Connamara National Park, you will arrive in one of the most well-known towns of the area, Clifden.

Clifden

This town is just about as small as Leenane, but the main allure for Clifden is that it is on the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Unlike Leenane, it does have more than one street, as well as more than two bars.

 

After grabbing a pint (or 12), it was time for us to continue our road trip, back to Leenane, and then soon, out of the Connemara altogether.

 

Total Cost: We paid only about 10€ for lunch, but goodness knows how much for drinks

Best Deal: Seeing Kylemore Abbey without paying a dime

Cheap Things to Do in Ireland – Kiss the Blarney Stone

I actually did not want to kiss the Blarney Stone.  It sounded gross and like a tourist trap.  But Blarney Castle, and especially the surrounding grounds, really surprised me.

It was Frank’s cousin, who lives in Ireland, who convinced us we needed to go to the Blarney Castle, about three and a half hours away from Dublin.

Luckily, we were staying in a little (and I mean little) town south of Cork on our tour of Ireland and only had to drive about a half hour.

I expected Blarney castle to be swimming with people waiting in line to kiss the Blarney Stone.  But even though it was a beautiful day, it was relatively quiet. 

The building that stands today was constructed in 1446, but Blarney Castle dates back to the tenth century.  At the bottom of the castle were the dungeons.  The dungeons were pitch black and apparently made for midgets.

Frank can barely fit through

I am kind of a midget and the close quarters in the dungeons made my skin crawl.

After Frank did his best dungeon pose…

We exited the dungeon and started making our way upstairs to the Blarney Stone.

Not all of the stairs were laid out that nicely.

But the castle was much more interested than I expected.

The "garderobe" was where people would go to the bathroom (this explains
Frank's pose).  People would stand over the grate and do their business and then
their "business" woud fall a few stories to the ground.  Kinda makes the other
bathrooms in Europe seem a lot more civilized (and sanitary).

I think my favorite part of the castle was the murder hole.

Nothing like throwing hot liquids on your guests to make sure
they never stop by unannounced again!

I was so in awe of the castle, I forgot what happens when you get to the top.  You kiss the Blarney Stone!  Only, you have to lay down and look upside down to do it, with only some crazy guy holding on to you.  Did I mention it’s about 90 feet in the air?

This is quite frightening!

After you kiss the stone, the story is you will have the “gift of gab.”  I think I already had that before, although most people wouldn’t call it a gift, but instead, annoying.  The view from the top though, when you aren’t upside down kissing a stupid rock, is breathtaking.

To me, the views, and the things around Blarney Castle, is what made the journey here so worth it.  Things like the Poison Garden…

The website for Blarney Castle says "the plants are so dangerous and toxic that they may be kept in large cage-like structures."  One of the plants is Cannabis, which is not-so-dangerous, but we also saw Wolfsbane, which contains a
deadly poison.  Awesome!

The Rock Close…

The brochure says the Rock Close is a "mystical place on the
stie of an ancient druidic settlement."  I just thought it was
really cool!

And the beautiful lake… where Frank’s cousin, Conor, didn’t realize the fence was electric and touched it.

Moments after the incident.  I didn't catch Conor in action
because I was laughing too hysterically!

You can visit the Blarney Castle and the surrounding grounds all year long (except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – the Irish are very particular about Christmas), but the times vary depending on the seasons.

Total Cost: 12€/person (about $16)

Best Deal: Eating a Twister popsicle outside of the castle

These things are ah-maz-ing and to my knowledge, not sold in the States!

Cheap Things to Do in Ireland - Powerscourt Gardens

If you’re in Dublin for more than a day, I suggest branching out to some local attractions nearby.  Hill of Tara is a good bet if you want to travel about a half hour northwest, or you can visit the beautiful grounds at Powerscourt Gardens about a half hour south in Enniskerry.

Powerscourt dates back to the 13^th century, but has undergone plenty of renovations since then.  Today, people visit to see the gorgeous greenery…

 

And to literally stop, and smell the roses.

 

It’s only 6.50€ to enter the gardens, which I think is an incredible steal, considering all of the beautiful scenery inside.

 

The gardens at Powerscourt are divided into several different areas, as shown on the map below.  You can take a one hour route or a 40-minute route.

I actually saved this map of Powerscourt Gardens from two years ago, but I threatened to throw away Frank's baby shoes because they took up too much space

 

We started at Tower Valley with Pepperpot Tower.

The brochure says this tower was modeled after the pepperpot
on Lord Powerscourt's dining room table.  Not sure how to
define "pepperpot?"  I had to look it up, it's a pot where you
keep black pepper.  Obviously.

 

You can climb the tower and take a photo shoot at the top like I did.

 

Next, we strolled over to the Japanese Gardens. 

 

This garden was laid out way back in 1908 and is probably one of the most serene places at Powerscourt.

 

Unlike the Pet Cemetery, which is a little strange to have on display in a beautiful garden environment.

We are very sad for all the animals that have passed

 

But we did enjoy reading about the pets kept by families who lived at Powerscourt, including two cows.

Poor Eugenie the Jersey Cow!

 

In the following picture, you'll see the Dolphin Pond behind Frank.

The brochure says the dolphin fountain "was
purchased by the 7th Viscount in Paris."  Not sure
what a Viscount is?  I wasn't either.  Apparently I
learned a lot at Powerscourt.  A viscount is royalty
ranked just below an earl or count.

Then you’ll find the Walled Gardens.  This was one of my favorite parts of Powerscourt because of all the beautiful flowers found inside.

 

The Bamberg Gate leads you out of the Walled Gardens, almost to the exit of Powerscourt.

The Bamberg Gate is 240 years old.  That's
about as old as our entire nation.  The Irish
have a gate as old as America.

 

On our way to walk out, we smiled one last time before continuing our journey around Ireland.

Total Cost: 6.50€/person (about $8)

Best Deal: If you don’t feel like spending the money to get into Powerscourt, or the $1,000 for a plane ticket to Ireland, take a virtual tour, which I found through the Powerscourt website.

24 Hours in… Dublin

I like to think of Dublin as a necessary evil.  I apologize for those who like Dublin, but to me, it didn’t have the charm of the other cities in Ireland.  However, since most flights come into Ireland through Dublin (including mine in December), it’s something you have to do and see at least once.  I recommend 24 hours there, starting with…

8am – Breakfast at Queen of Tarts

 

The opening hours vary for this delicious bakery, but if you’re visiting Dublin on a Monday through Friday, you’ll be safe coming at 8am.  If you’re coming on a Saturday or Sunday, click here for times.

The list of menu items are mouthwatering, from homemade scones, to Queen of Chocolate Fudge Cake.  Grab something for breakfast (a scone will cost about 3€) and then plan your day with my handy map.

9am – Trinity College

This college, founded in 1592, is one of the oldest in Western Europe.  The campus is quite beautiful and you can walk around enjoying the architecture for free.

 

Many people in Dublin want to see the Book of Kells, which is housed at Trinity College. 

Long line to get inside - Frank was not about to wait in that!

 

The Book of Kells is the four Gospels of the New Testament.  The official website says the Book of Kells has been on display at Trinity College since the 1800s.  The official website also says it cost 9€ to see the Book of Kells, which explains a lot about why I took a picture of the sign and didn’t go inside.

10am – St. Stephen’s Green

This park is wonderful any time of day you visit.

 

If you’re arriving to Dublin after an overnight flight from the States, you might want to take a nap in St. Stephen’s Green, kinda like we did.

Sleeping in a park, kinda like homeless people, but we were tired!

 

11am – Medieval Cathedrals

It’s less than a mile walk to Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Christ Church Cathedral has been around since 1028 A.D.  The architecture on the outside is amazing.

 

You can also go inside and see a crypt, which contains a mummified rat and cat.  It’s 6€ to get in, however.  I, personally, found it a little unusual to pay to enter a Catholic Church (you don’t even have to pay to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, which is one of the most famous churches in the world!), so I just took some pictures from the outside.

 

I did the same thing at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, right next door, as it is 5.50€ to get inside there. 

 

Kinda looks like Christ Church Cathedral, doesn't it?

 

This church does not have a cool mummified cat and rat, but has many other things to see.  Plus, it is a tribute to the man who brought Christianity to Ireland and a man who I celebrate every March 17 by drinking a case of beer or so.

12pm – Bar Stop

Speaking of St. Patrick, by now, you’re well overdue for a drink, as this is Ireland, and most people are at the bar at 9am.  I went in more bars than I could possibly name, but if you see one of these, do stop and have a pint.  You’ll probably want to grab food too.

 

1pm – Guinness Storehouse

It will cost you a pretty penny to go inside the Guinness Storehouse for a tour.  About 16.50€ to be exact.  At the end, you get to drink Guinness beer from the Gravity Bar at the top of the Storehouse, with 360° views of the city.

I opted to save my 16.50€ and just take pictures outside.

 

Then, I went into a nearby pub and got a Guinness.

2pm – Bar Stop

Though we didn't go inside the Guinness Storehouse, we did
drink Guinness elsewhere... and probably for much less

 

3pm - Old Jameson Distillery

Keeping in the groove of drinking Irish-made alcohol, walk on over to the Old Jameson Distillery, about a mile and a half from the Guinness Storehouse (WARNING: You may have to stop at more than one bar while making the journey, it’s kind of a long walk).  Once you arrive, you can take a tour for 11.70€, or you can be economical, and just take pictures for free.

4pm – Bar Stop

This is Ireland, you have to stop at as many bars as possible.  You’ll especially want to stop for a pint if you see a pub with your name on the outside.

 

5pm – General Post Office

If you follow my schedule, you’ll be at here about an hour before the General Post Office closes at 6pm. 

 

This isn’t just any post office – you’ll find bullet holes around the columns outside – as this was the home base for insurgents of the Easter Rising in which Ireland tried to claim independence from Britain back in 1916 (as I am an ancient history teacher and not Ireland history teacher, you’ll have to click here for more information).

 

It’s right outside the General Post Office where you’ll see the Spire of Dublin, the 24^th most photographed place in the world, according to Budget Travel.

 

 

6pm – Bar Stop

I think the best thing about Europe is the little differences.  For instance, my favorite drink in the U.S. is Magners, which is from Ireland.  But there, they call it Bulmers.

And they come in flavors in Ireland!  Regular, pear, and berry!

 

7pm – Temple Bar

This is considered a more touristy area of Ireland, but it’s also a great place to eat.  And go to more bars. 

You can stay here for hours, just popping into and out of bars, enjoying the Irish music, Irish scene, and Irish sayings.

I love the Gaelic saying "Two shorten the road."  It's so true.

 

11pm – Back to the Hotel (or, you know, whatever time you’re ready to retire)

We stayed at a few hotels in Dublin, but I think the best was Trinity Capital Hotel.  Mainly because there was a block of rooms named Tara.

Refer to this post if you need to know more
about things named Tara

 

This hotel is very centrally located, just a few blocks from Trinity College.  The inside is funky and eclectic.

 

The rooms are pretty big by European standards.

 

Even the bathroom had space to move around.

 

Perhaps the most important feature at the Trinity Capital Hotel was the baggage storage.  Since we arrived in the morning from America, we stored our bags at the front desk.

And in one of those bags was my engagement ring.  Frank
planned on proposing the next day!

 

Here’s a review I did for Trip Advisor right after staying there.

We also stayed at Arlington Hotel, which is in the Temple Bar area.

 

But the rooms there are smaller, and the prices are more expensive (about $205 per night)

Breakfast: About 3€ (about $3.72)
Books of Kells: 9€ (about $11.17)
Cathedrals: 11.50€ ($14.27)
Guinness Storehouse: 16.50€ ($20.48)
Old Jameson Distillery: 11.70€ ($14.52)
Lunch: 10€ ($12.41)
Dinner: 20€ ($24.82)
Bar Stops: Approximately 4€ x ∞ (okay, maybe times about 4) = 16€ (almost $20)
Trinity Capital Hotel: About $179/night

Total Cost: About $421 for two people

Best Deal: Take my all alcohol and food, no tourism approach for about $300 for 24 hours (saving $121!)

 

Have you been to Dublin?  What's your favorite part?