On this two week trip as was 3 previous trips our daughter and granddaughter went along with us. They are both lovers of Ireland because we made the mistake of taking each of them to Ireland when they were both very young. Through the years they ask "When are we going to Ireland again."

On this trip we decided to try Jet Blue to Boston/Logan and Aer Lingus to Shannon because of Jet Blue being a partner with Aer Lingus and using the same terminal in Boston. We were able to book both flights through Aer Lingus and receive boarding passes from Aer Lingus for both airlines.

Upon arrival at Shannon we were surprised to find the Dan Dooley desk back in the arrival terminal. Also, no shuttle to the rental car lot since they moved the cars back to just outside the terminal. We rented a Nissan Qashqai which is similar to a Nissan Rogue. We stopped at Bunratty for a morning scone and tea at the café above the Bunratty Woolen Mills across from the castle. Drove the 97 miles to Kilkenny for our first night. Next day we drove to Hook Head light house and stopped at the Dunbrody Emigrant ship on the way back to Kilkenny. The next day it was on to Killarney with stops at Cashel and Cahir.

Arriving in Killarney we moved into our self catering house off of Ross Road for a weeks stay. That afternoon we attended a beautiful Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. The very next day we had a gathering for 25 cousins at the rental house. I had done all the arrangements with a food catering service in Killarney via email before going to Ireland. We had a wonderful reunion with family on that day.

During the week in Killarney we did a day trip through the Gap of Dunloe with pony and trap along with a boat ride across the lakes. Another day we drove to Dingle and of course a drive over Connor Pass. One day was spent around Killarney with a guided tour of Ross Castle, a visit to Muckross Estates with a tour of the Traditional Farms. Then driving on up the N71 through the National Park as far as Ladies View and Molls Gap. Another day was spent on driving down to Kenmare and Glengarriff with hopes of doing the Beara, but only got as far as Healy Pass and decided to take that road back to Kenmare and Killarney. Our last full day in Killarney we drove to Blarney, not to kiss the stone because all of us had that experience on past trips. We had lunch at the café and did some serious shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills shop. After Blarney we drove down to Cobh, one of our favorite places to spend the afternoon. We had dinner at a cousins house that lives not far from Cobh just across the West Passage from Cobh.

Leaving Killarney on our way to Westport we made a stop in Adare. They have not rebuilt yet after the fire last winter, but are collecting funds to do the rebuilding. Also stopping at Bunratty we did the Folk Park that afternoon.

Our first full day in Westport we drove to Knock and then Cong. We had to drive around Cong a few times before we could find a parking spot. It just happened that Cong was having a festival that day and the parking was almost impossible. Finally finding a parking spot next to the abbey we enjoyed walking around the town. Driving through Connemara the next day we made stops at Clifden and down as far as Moycullen to the marble factory with a stop at Aughnanure Castle in Oughterard. We spent our last night in Ireland in Ennis at a farewell dinner with cousins that drove up from Cork to say goodbye.

We has a noon flight home out of Shannon and once again very easy check in, receiving boarding passes for both Aer Lingus and the Jet Blue connection in Boston.

We stayed in 3 hotels on this trip, Hotel Kilkenny, Hotel Westport and the Old Ground in Ennis along with our weeks rental house in Killarney. All were great accommodations. Diesel worked out to be around $4.75 per gallon for the SUV with good miles per gallon. The weather was typical Ireland, some clouds, some soft rain with outbreaks of sun. The best weather day was the day of the family gathering, not a cloud in the sky. We were very blessed.