I am new to this forum so please be gentle if I unintentionally break any rules!  I don't think I will, but I've said that before  My wife, Sheryl and I live in South Central Texas.  48" of rain per year, so we're in line there!  We have a few days in the dead of winter below freezing...sometimes, not always.  HOT in the summer and HUMID.  I like it! We live on 5 acres in the woods.  100KM to the nearest city...which happens to be Houston, 4th largest in the US.  We have over 100 chickens, several guinea fowl, geese, one peahen who just showed up one day and likes the treats and we raise tilapia and vegetables in our greenhouse with a 4000 litre aquaponics system.  And for fun, we breed world class bull terriers.  Working on a mix of Hungarian lines and Javarke right now.  Pups due mid-May!  All international champions.

I am married to a beautiful, red-haired, green-eyed McMonigal lass.  LUCKY ME!!  She contacted some of her family in Co Cork MANY years ago.  Since then, she's destroyed several computers and lost their contact info.  Originally she got hold of them thru a site I think was called Bootstrapvacations.com.  I can't find that site so we're starting from scratch.

We're all booked and coming to Ireland this September.  We're staying in 3 night segments at different B&Bs as we make our way down to Cork, up to Doolin and back across to Dublin. 

We're looking for interesting things to see and do.  We like wilderness, nature, caving, beach combing, art (galleries/studios), theatre (want to do at least one castle banquet...hint, hint), which reminds me... FOOD, culture (museums, etc.), history, getting lost on back country roads...about the only thing we're not really interested in is big city shopping, clubs and parties and guided tours.  We prefer the self guided trips and small local settings.  Hidden gems if you will.  The local pub scene sounds like fun and I'm sure we'll make a friend or two there.  Sheryl is a fine artist...watercolor, oil, pottery, very passionate and talented if that helps.  She had a piece in the Smithsonian when she was younger!  Top caliber!  We will be going to Russell Studio while we're in Doolin, for example.  We love to explore ruins and Sheryl is content to spend an entire day in an old cemetary...CREEPY! We do like to walk the streets and find surprise local establishments.  It is ALWAYS a pleasure to strike up conversations with locals.

We'll be landing in Dublin around noon on Sep. 5.  Sheryl has considerable physical ailments mostly due to some rough handling...motorcar accidents, trees falling on her head, guinea fowl knocking her off ladders, etc.  SOOOO, we will be spending the first 2 nights in Dublin so she can rest up from sitting in a plane for many hours.  She's much better when she can move around.  We're not really urbanites, but we plan to do a HOHO bus tour on Sunday, Sep. 6 in Dublin.  Any MUST SEE attractions?  Any HOHO better than others?  Keep in mind we only have one day there so not expecting to see everything...duh!

After Dublin, we're spending 3 nights in the Coolanowle Country House just northwest of Carlow.

Then it's on to Blarney for 3 nights.  Hoping to have re-established communication with clan McMonigal down in that neighborhood.  ANY HELP CONTACTING McMONIGAL FAMILY GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

After Blarney, we head up to Doolin.  3 nights there in a B&B about 1000 meters from Cliffs of Moher (that's kind of funny "mujer" pronounced Moe Hair in Spanish is "woman"  I lovingly call Sheryl MoeHair as a nickname..."Get over here MoeHair")(I don't really know how the cliffs are pronounced in Ireland?)...one day will be spent heading up thru Lisdoonvarna and Balleyvaughan on the way to Russel Studio.  Thinking we might hit up a castle banquet then since there are a few advertised in the area...anybody know the BEST castle banquet?  I heard there are caves in the Burren...I'd really like to find one or two of those on my own!  We have been members of a caving club here in the US and really like exploring wild caves.  We have loads of experience there.  

Next it's up to Kilbryan in Co Boyle...right at the gates to Lough Key Forest Park.  

Then a long drive back to Dublin on the 19 to get ready for our not so early flight at 9:30am on Sunday Sep. 20.

That's it!  We're EXCITED!!!  Thanks in advance for all the great advice I know yall (that's Texan for you all) are going to share!  Vaya Con Dios!