Irrover
Unregistered User
(9/6/01 4:55 pm)

Back from Mayo and Dublin

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Hello Michele!
I’m back from my two plus week journey with my wife and two year old.

We flew from LAX to London Heathrow on United and then transferred to Aer Lingus to Dublin. The flight on United turned out to be great on a new 777. As we were heading to our coach seats with car seat and kid bags in tow, we were called aside and given three seats in Business Class. It made the first part of trip great. Grace was great on the flight and most people didn’t even realize she was there (except for her excited clapping on take off and her shouts of “plane – zoom zoom”). The transfer from terminal 3 to the Aer Lingus section of terminal 1 at LHR is a terribly long walk/bus ride. I will never want to do it again (especially on the return when our AL flight was delayed due to weather and we had a little over an hour to get between the two – talk about mad dashes). Grace on the AL flight was rambunctious just before takeoff but then fell asleep.

We rented our car from Budget (through NOVA car rental service) it was a Nissan Altmera which had just enough room for all our stuff. We then made the drive to Killala, Co. Mayo which took just under 4 hours with a stop in Leixlip for an ATM (Bank of Ireland, AIB and Bank of Ulster all on Visa/Cirrus/Plus network). One thing I forgot was that there is a toll bridge on the M50 (80P - which I had to pay in crown sterling). We decided to forgo any other stops and drive straight though to the house we had rented in Killala (Fergusen House on a hill overlooking Moyne Abbey, Killala Bay and Inniscrone in the distance – 4Br/4ba ensuite) with my parents and brother and sister. It was a great house about 2 miles from the center of town and about a twenty-minute drive to my family’s farm in Breaffy. We then proceeded into Killala town and had our first pints of Guinness and Smithwicks at the Tower Pub that had some live music, which was very good and funny.

My 2 yr old Grace enjoyed all the cows, sheep and horses and made everyone laugh when she demonstrated them doing their bodily functions. Over the next few days we basically did the family thing getting ready for my cousin’s wedding. Basically that was staying up late drinking at one of the houses or in Mitchell’s Pub in Moygawnagh while singing, playing instruments, and dancing to the late hours. My cousin married a Scotsman so all his family and friends came over and really showed us how to party. It was a pretty international wedding with people from Ireland, Scotland, England, Argentina, Australia etc. there. The wedding was at Kilfian parish and was conducted by my cousin Fr. Michael O’hora, (pastor in Skreem Co. Sligo). We then adjourned to the reception at the Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina. The reception lasted about twelve hours and one of the highlights were the arrival of the strawboy dancers (a old west tradition where people not invited to the wedding get all dressed up with a straw hat that cover their faces and crash the wedding and dance up a storm and act out some stories). I can not say enough about the Dolphin Hotel, the food was wonderful, and probably the best we had the whole time there including their mashed potatoes and the Irish beef that melted in your mouth.

Other places we ate and drank were Tulios (Ballina), Hiney’s Pub (Crossmolina), Golden Acres (Killala), Mary’s Cottage kitchen (Ballycastle), Mary Murphy’s Pub (Ballina) and the Merry Monk (Ballina). Someone from our group must have had a meal at the Merry Monk about every night and all the reviews were great and the cost very inexpensive.

As far as touring we did a tour starting in Killala and wrapping around through Downpatrick Head, Ballycastle, Ceide Fields, Foxford, Inniscrone, to Skreem (visit Father Michael who was a madman with the camera – taking pictures from the alter during the wedding). The next day we went to Belmullet and on to Achill Island where we overnighted in Dooagh at the Realt Na Mara B&B(Michael Lavelle is great.) We did the atlantic drive and went out to Keem Strand beach at the end just down from the last set of cliffs. We then ate at Calvey’s. I had the fish of the day, plaice stuffed with prauns and a tarragon pepper sauce on a pasta bed with fresh veggies and potatoes. It was very good but could have used a little extra spice (I like hot and spicy foods). My wife had the seafood marinara that was excellent. The desserts were also very good. That night we hit Achill Hill hotel for traditional music then Minaun Pub (named after the cliffs) for more music. It was a very republican bar, so definitely not recommended for everyone, but it was very kid friendly. The singers daughter basically babysat for us. The next day, ended up being our worst weather day where it rained all day. We drove the north shore of Achill then headed down to Newport and then Westport. We did Westport house since it was raining still and then hit Matt Malloys for a pint. We then started a trip along Lough Corrib and quiet man country. It just then got sunny for the drive along the lake. We stopped in Maam’s Cross and Cong and then had a late lunch in the pub of Ryan’s Hotel (soup of the day – vegatable of as always and a roasted chicken on a bed of ham). Grace had her dailey HB ice cream which she became addicted to (along with crunchy and flake bars).
We then visited cong abbey and Ashford castle. We then drove to my wife’s aunt’s house in Garryfrauns, Galway (between Tuam and the Mayo border) then drove back to Killala for the last wild night of partying.

On the day of our drive to Dublin we did Clonmacnois and Bog Country. We drove along Lough Ree to Athlone and then visited Clonmacnois. A very interesting and informative visit to the ruins of St. Ciarans monastic settlement. We then headed to the Clonmacnois and West Offaly railroad. My daughter loves trains so we just had to do this and it was a quite enjoyable way to relax and get information about the bog and how they use it to supply 5 percent of Irelands electric power. I had previously cut turf at my grandparents and uncles farms but this was a whole new prospectus. We then headed towards Dublin stopping in Leixlip again to wait out Friday evening rush hour and have a meal (Ards Vale pub on the west end of town– not recommended). We then drove into Dublin entering from the N4 along the north liffey quays crossing Grattan Bridge and down dame street and back and around Trinity and St. Stephens Green to the Conrad. A beautiful business hotel located on the SE corner of the Green. They gave us a huge family room with all the comforts. That night we tried to go to a pub with two nurse friends, who we knew from when they lived in California, but most didn’t let us in with our 2yr old (after 6pm) so we just went to their local, the bleeding horse on Camden St for a quick one before returning to their house for a night cap. The next day we hit bewleys for breakfast and saw the sights around Grafton and Temple Bar. We also watched the Ireland – Holland world cup qualifier which they won while even being a man down. The town was just rocking and continued the next day with the football semifinal for the all-Ireland between Kerry and Meath in which Meath just crushed the defending champions. So I’ll be rooting for Galway against Meath in the final (since no green and red)!!!

We had dinner a Kid Kapoodle’s a decent kid friendly italian restaurant on Merrions Row. We then went and saw Martin McDonough‘s Lonesome West at the Gaeity Theatre. A very funny but sad and disturbing play that is the final one in the three play series that started with the award winning Beauty Queen of Leenane and then again hit the Bleeding Horse to meet our friends. Sunday we did the hop on/off bus tour and saw many sights including Guinness Storehouse and Ceol which both could have taken all day. Grace just loved the double decker bus and the Irish music and dancing. That night we had Bescoffs fish and chips and then hit O-donohughs for traditional music and some pints.

The next morning we got our shopping done and then had lunch upstairs at the sitdown restaurant at Bewleys (great stew and brie panini). We then drove to Malahide for our last night. We did the castle with a nice tour and the Fry train museum. We loved walking around the waterfront and had a wonderful thai meal near there. We then had dessert and some pints at Smyths Pub and Restaurant (the restaurant is an american TGI Fridays style place) and listened to some more music. My daughter was agin not allowed in the pub but you could sit in the restaurant and hear the music. We stayed at the Evergreen B&B and must say that Olive Hopkins was the most gracious host we have ever had in all my trips. I will definitely stay there again.

Then the early flight the next morning and here I am know with my fond memories and the urge to just get back on a plane again!!!!

Thanks for all your help!

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 251
(9/22/01 1:01 pm)

Welcome Home

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Hello Michael,

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and let us know about your trip to Ireland. Glad to hear that your trip went well and you enjoyed the wedding and being with your family. It sounds like a great time. Sorry I didn't comment sooner but I was in Ireland myself and just returned on 9-20. I was happy to have been able to help out a little with your planning.

I know all about getting between terminals at Heathrow since I usually do it at least four times a year. It's really the pits after a seven hour flight when you have to trot with all your luggage through the tunnels under the complex. You would think they could come up with something better like an underground train. I heard lots of people grumbling about it especially since our flight didn't even get a jetway and had to exit the plane at a remote area on stairs in the rain, then get a bus and then hit the tunnels running! Heathrow is definitely not a "user friendly" airport.

I'm afraid our trip was overshadowed by the terrorism tragedy that happened about five days into it. But the Irish people were wonderfully sympathetic. On Friday Sept. 14 all of Ireland shut down (even the pubs and petrol stations) to mourn the loss of so many people, which included Irish citizens too. My husband and I saw many people exiting the churches crying. The first people we met after the tragedy were from Dublin and were on holiday themselves in Donegal. They had been driving and heard about it on the radio. Their first reaction was to stop at the nearest church and say prayers.

I think that travel and a lot of other things will be drastically changed by what has happened. I saw many changes between the trip to Ireland and my return.

But I'm delighted to hear about your trip and how much you, your wife and your two-year-old enjoyed yourselves. I'm glad that United (where my husband works) treated you so well. Please keep in touch and I hope you start planning another trip to Ireland soon.

Michele

DarrenA
Registered User
Posts: 6
(9/22/01 7:20 pm)

Re: Welcome Home

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Michael,

I would hope you didn't pay the toll on the M50 in Sterling.

irrover
Unregistered User
(9/23/01 10:42 am)
Re
M50 toll

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Darren,

Yes I did. Obviously the exchange rate wasn't great but it was only 80p anyway so wasn't bad. I was just glad I happened to have that on me.

wojazz3
Registered User
Posts: 1
(10/26/01 9:16 am)

Re: M50 toll

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I made the same mistake. I had forgotten all about the toll and fortunately had a five pound British sterling note. I did get a funny response from the toll booth attendant, but it included a few vulgarities so I won't repeat it here.

Bill