Sept. 2:  Fly Cleveland/Chicago/ Shannon.

Sept. 3:  Arrive Shannon 8 am.  It's sunny, sunny, sunny.   
             Pick up rental car, drive to Doolin (40miles)
             Stop in Ennis to get money and SIM card at the vodaphone store.
             Stop at Lahinch Golf Course (There are golf clubs in our trunk)
             Call Darra at Sea View House (the phone works--another hooray)in 
             Doolin.  Pat's sister and her husband are waiting for us on the deck.
             They arrived on the 2nd.  "Come straight away"
             Lunch at a pub in the town of Lahinch--and another stop there.
             Great afternoon at the Cliffs of Moher--beautiful
              Afternoon music session at O'Connors
             Fabulous dinner at Cullinan's

Sept. 4  It's drizzly.  The men head for a round of golf at Lahinch.
             The girls bravely head toward Castlegregory (80 miles)My first
              driving day.
             Stop at Doolin Pottery, right up the road about a mile from the 
             Cliffs of Moher.  No one is there but we buy some pottery that 
             was sitting outside on her stone wall, leaving the money in a tin.
             On to the Killimer/ Tarbert Ferry (15euros)  The skies have cleared 
             and it's a beautiful day.
             Lunch in Listowel---really lovely town, walk along the river
             Check into The Shores Country House, Castlegregory
             Drive around the bay to a town time seemed to have forgotten.
             I think it was called Clochan.
             A surprisingly great dinner at Tomasin's, a pub down the street.
             Unfortunately Annette wasn't cooking.

Sept. 5  Waken to clouds but they clear and we have a beautiful day.
             We hate to leave the Shores but we actually are going to drive 15 
             miles--silly us--to stay in Dingle.  We were supposed to stay
             2 nights in Dingle but I was obsessed with staying at the Shores.
             We drive the Connor Pass, walk around Dingle, my husband checks 
             his e mail and then we are off to do Slea Head--loved this drive.
             Check into the Captain's House
             Dinner at Lord Bakers, ice cream at Murphy's and the search for music.
             Checked several pubs for music and ended up at Flaherty's

Sept. 6   Leave Dingle and head for 3 nights at Loch Lein Country House  
             outside of Killarney, in Fossa. (44miles)   
              It's sunny again, we stop and walk Inch Beach.
              Men play Dooks Golf Course.
              Women enjoy Killarney, Muckross House, dinner at Murphy's Pub
              and one of our wonderful happy hours.
              Back to Killarney that evening for the men to eat and continue
              our music search--much luckier in Killarney.

Sept. 7   Sunny again and in the 70s.  Drive the Ring of Kerry out to Valentia
              Island. Lunch in Portmagee, The Fisherman's Bar, outside on
              picnic tables.
              Dinner at  Loch Lein.  Then into Killarney for music.

Sept. 8  Fog over the lake clears and we decide to do the Gap of Dunloe.
             We take a jaunting cart halfway in and hike back.
             Men golf at Killarney Golf Course.
             Women eat lunch at Kate Kearney's Cottage.
             We stop at Ross Castle, the Killarney Park Hotel--one of the world's
             top hotels--must be the service.
             Shop and then another happy hour on the front yard of Loch Lein
             Dinner at Bricin.  
             I am sunburned--who'd a thought to bring sunscreen.

Sept 9  Sunny again.  We decide to take the scenic route to Kinsale (100 miles)
           The direct route is 67 miles.  We drive through Bantry, Skibbereen,
          Clonakilty,Timoleague.  Rivermount House is right before entering
          Kinsale.
           Dinner at Vintage.

Sept. 10  Fantastic walking tour of Kinsale--this was worth the drive here
            Men golf at Kinsale Golf course.
            Women have lunch at Fishy Fishy, drive to the fort, shop.
            Great dinner at Hoby's
            Great music, the Irish Weavers, at the Trident.
             It was cloudy today but still warm and no rain.

Sept. 11  Another cloudy day.  We head for our last stop Bunratty.
             Not sure of the mileage, it looks long but it is very easy driving.
             Lots of round abouts but they aren't a problem.  My husband
             prefers them to red lights.
             We make an unscheduled stop at Blarney Castle.  You practically
             drive right by it.  
             Dinner in Bunratty at the Creamery.
             We spend our last night at Bunratty Lodge, 10 minutes from the
              airport.

Sept. 12  We check in at 7:45 for our 10:00 flight--8:30 would have been
              soon enough.  Very few people at the airport.
              Arrived back in Cleveland at 5 p.m.

Next:  My reviews of our B&Bs and activities