On Saturday 29th June 2019, it was time to take our annual family holiday (my boyfriend’s family and me). This year we ventured to Ireland. We stayed in a lovely house in Lough Gowna. The plan was to do as much as we could in a week.
And boy did we.
Killeshandra
Our first full day in Ireland we walked through the woods around Killeshandra. It was beautiful and quiet. I let them all go ahead of me as I took regular stops to take photos and enjoy the peacefulness of the area.
Killykeen Forest Park
On our way back from Killeshandra, we took a quick diversion to Killykeen Forest Park. We didn’t get to see much of it as it was quiet late in the day but I loved what bit of it I did get to see.
Dublin
On our second day in Ireland, we decided to venture to Dublin. We drove to the nearest train station and travelled into the capital of Ireland. After a quick lunch, we parted ways, my boyfriend and his family went to explore the fine delicacies Ireland had to offer and I went to explore libraries and museums.
I saw many different sites as I toured the capital on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. Here’s are just a couple of them. I hope I get to go over again and explore the city further.
The Dublin Writer’s Museum
If there is a museum about writer’s, I am guaranteed to visit it. I enjoyed visiting and immersing myself in the collections of Irish literature and the lives of the writers. It presents us with the details and information about Yeats, Joyce, and Wilde and brings them to life in photographs, letters and personal items.
The Book of Kells – Trinity College Dublin
The last stop on my solo tour of Dublin was to see The Book of Kells. It is one of the greatest treasures of Europe, written in Latin and containing the four gospels of the New Testament. There are no photos of it as photography is strictly prohibited. It was amazing to see it and was definitely worth seeing while I was there.
The Long Room – Trinity College Dublin
After seeing the book, you can venture into The Long Room which is the main chamber in the Old Library and filled with over 200,000 books (my idea of heaven). It is the impressive, and beautiful libraries I have ever seen. I would live here if I could!
Marble Arch Caves
The Marble Arch Caves is an amazing attraction and well-worth a visit if you’re in the area. If the weather is kind, you can go on a guided tour of the caves. We only managed to do the tour and see the small surrounding areas near the entrance of them but I hope when we go back we can explore the Geopark and the natural landscape on the island. It was one of the first Geopark’s to be recognised by UNESCO in 2001.
Mulranny -> Achill Island
Is it really a holiday with the Bennett’s without them dragging me on a bike ride. From Mulranny to Achill Island. I’m still fairly new to the cycling game, and hiring bulky bikes to cycle for 13km (26km total) isn’t my idea of fun. My butt definitely felt it the next day.
Giant’s Causeway
Can you really say you went to Ireland if you didn’t see the beauty that is the Giant’s Causeway. This was definitely one the highlights of my trip, and well worth the 4 hours car journey to it.
Belfast
Our final day in Ireland, we ventured to Belfast. There was a lot I wanted to see but we didn’t have a huge amount of time there. Like with Dublin, we chose to drive to a nearby train station to travel into the city.
With the little time that we had in the city, I knew exactly what I wanted to see.
SS Nomadic
The little sister of the Titanic, and the last remaining White Stair vessel. You can explore the ship and see what it was like aboard the liner. It’s an immersive experience (and nice to explore while you wait your turn to enter the Titanic Museum).
The Titanic Experience
One of the biggest things I really wanted to see when I went to Ireland was the Titanic Experience. For those who know me, you know my deep fascination with the ocean liner and I wanted to see and experience this. I have previously been to the museum about the liner in Liverpool and Southampton so it’s another one to cross off my list. I loved that the museum took you on a journey from concept of the ship to the aftermath of the sinking. It was a fully immersive experience and I would recommend seeing it.
Ireland is so big, I wish I could’ve explored further.
Have you been to Ireland? What would you recommend seeing?
