Just another Galway girl...

View from the Long Walk in Galway

I've been anxious to visit Ireland for as long as I can remember. My paternal grandfather is of Irish descent (apparently my maternal grandmother, too) and every time we had to make one of those little family trees I would fondly put our crest at the top hoping to see some of my heritage. As we were boarding the plane I got a teary call from my mother, my dad's mom had fallen and was in the hospital with not much longer to live. I was distraught, here I was mere hours away from landing in Dublin and I was torn between the desire to see Baba (whom I should mention has had Alzheimer's for the past 10 years and was nearing 94) and seeing the Irish countryside. In the end, my family urged us to go and enjoy the trip, which we did but in the end I think both hubs and I have mixed feelings.

If you've read any of my previous posts, you might remember I mentioned previously that hubs and I like to deviate from the norm on our trips, so rather than stay in Dublin we opted to rent a car and drive the 2.5 hours to Galway on Ireland's west coast. While I highly recommend Galway, driving in the wrong side on the car on the wrong side of the road is NOT for the faint of heart (especially after only a few hours of sleep on a plane). If you decide to visit Ireland, you should definitely do a roadtrip of some sort.  The countryside is incredibly beautiful and every now and then you'll happen on the ruins of a castle in the distance. Google maps actually has an option to download a section of maps so you can use them when you're offline, it really makes trips like this easier.

Originally I had this grand plan to head to the Cliffs of Moher and Aillwee Cave then head to check in. However, at about halfway we both looked at each other and changed the plan. We stayed in a little B&B just north of the city center, so after our nap we decided to walk through the town to the harbor until we were ready for linner (lunch/dinner).

Once we were nice and cold, we headed back toward the B&B so I could grab my hat and change into my fleece lined boots (this ATLien isn't great with cold weather). On our way, we passed Murty Rabbit's and decided it was about time for some Guiness with a side of fish and chips!

Yum!

After dinner we decided to have our own little Irish pub crawl. We headed down to the King's Head in the city center, it was a cool place, definitely larger than it looked from the outside. It was a bit drafty so we decided we would try out another place when we happened upon Quay's Pub. If ever in Galway, this is a MUST! Hands down this was our favorite pub on the trip. We intended to grab one more drink and head back since we were still a bit jet lagged but we ended up staying for the live music for a few more hours.

Kings Head

We were in the action for the live music at Quays!

The alarm definitely went off too early the next morning, but we were able to catch a beautiful sunrise before we drove to Aillwee Cave. It was fun to see more of the countryside and take the infamous corkscrew road that allows a breathtaking view of the countryside all the way to bay. When we pulled into Aillwee Cave, we were both a bit disappointed that it wasn't a self exploration deal but rather a guided tour. However, we were both pleasantly surprised. Since there were a ton of Christmas festivities, we not only were we the only tour of the day but we were the only people as well. It was fascinating to be in one of Ireland's oldest caves. It was actually formed during the ice age when some of the glaciers started to melt and it still has a beautiful waterfall at the end.

Sunrise from our B&B

Bones from a bear that used the the cave for hibernating

Stalactite called Praying Hands

Waterfall in the Cave

After our tour was over, we headed to our next stop the Cliffs of Moher. Everyone told us this was a must see and I definitely agree. The photos don't do it justice. The cliffs are around 700 ft tall and absolutely stunning! We were able to walk and get away from all the crowds, but it was muddy and windy so we weren't able to get all the way to the end.

By this point, it was close to 1pm and I was ready for the seafood chowder! As much as we wanted to take the coastal road and find something on our way, we were starving. So we ended up stopping at Gus O'Connells in Doolin. If you're simply starving and can't wait, the food here is really good but if you can hold out, take the coastal road and find something along there that isn't so touristy.  Also, if you find yourself heading back to Galway from the Cliffs, do take the coastal road - the views are stunning and it's nearly the same amount of time.

Moove off my road...

Peephole

A little blurry since we were driving but still beautiful

We made it safely back to the B&B, changed and headed down to the Christmas market for some shopping. By the time we got there, it was past sunset and we ended up deciding the crowds were too much so we headed into the square. I found a few trinkets for my family back home, I was able to find our family crest which I felt was sentimental especially with my grandmother passing earlier that day.

Since we'd both had our fill of fish and chips, we settled for a little Italian joint - Il Folletto - that was offering a two course special for 19 euro each. The food was phenomenal, if you're in the mood for Italian, I recommend. Afterwards, we set off in search of a bottle of wine which we enjoyed while watching In Bruges, one of our favorites.

Bordeaux in coffee mugs. Keepin it classy...

The next morning, we awoke to snow flurries and decided to hurry on our journey back to Dublin. We hit the road by 9:30 or so but it was too late, the roads were down to one lane. It was pretty scary, kudos to the hubs - I don't think I could have driven!

After surviving the storm, we managed to make it back to Dublin in a little over 3 hours which was pretty impressive in my mind. We had booked a room at an airport hotel since our flight was early the next morning and by the time we checked in and called an Uber it was almost 3. We still hadn't eaten lunch but we were excited to see as much as we could! Luckily, we got the most amazing Uber driver who filled us in on how to maximize our time and even some of Dublin's history before we made it to the Dublin Castle.

While I really wanted to tour the castle, I also knew we wouldn't have much time to see anything else if we did. So instead, I settled for taking a quick peek inside before we headed to find a few cathedrals and ultimately "linner" once more. We took the scenic route to St. Patrick's and then back toward the castle where we wanted to try this pub called The Bank. As you might guess, it used to be a bank but was turned into a restaurant and was actually named one of Dublin's best pubs for food in 2017! Score! I had the Full Irish and a Guiness, hubs had the venison sausage and a Galway Hooker. Second best meal of the trip!

Christ Church

In the background you can just barely see Dublin mountain

St. Patrick's

James Joyce's memorial

St. Andrew's

Christmas decor inside The Bank

It was nearly sunset after we finished our meal, so we decided to walk through the city to our next stop - Fagan's. This pub was near what used to be the home of Ireland's Prime Minister and was visited by some famous Americans including Bill Clinton. We wanted to try it out because our Uber driver recommended it and because there was an important football match between Manchester United and Manchester City. As the match ended, we decided to call it a night. We had a long journey the next day and ultimately for me - the next two days since I had to be back in Kentucky for Baba's funeral.

If you've made it this far, I want to explain something I wrote above - hubs and I do not regret going on the trip. I think it was a lovely tribute to my grandmother; she and my grandfather traveled the world constantly after he retired. I do regret all the logistics and not being there for my dad (he bears the brunt of a lot for his family and I don't think he gets enough respect for being a genuine and loyal person). Before we left, he made it clear that he wanted us to go and have fun. And so we did. For him. For Baba. For Pop. I'd like to end on this lovely quote I stumbled upon before the funeral:

"Our life is what our thoughts make it." Marcus Aurelius

Baba - I love you. I'm going to make my thoughts of this life count, for you, for Pop and for the rest of my family.

Until the next time, folks!