I have traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Pacific, both personally and professionally, and I can truthfully say that the Irish people are the most pleasant and friendly people I have ever met. Invariably cheerful, they will bend over backward to help you in any way they can. The scenery is indescribable although, if you were to draw a line down the center of the country, we personally prefer the areas to the west to those on the east. While Dublin is a "don’t miss" with its unique sights and attractions, we prefer rural towns and villages to cities. If you are visiting some of Ireland’s major tourist attractions, we recommend arriving as early as possible before the endless onslaught of tour buses begins to make the afternoon lines (queues) rather lengthy. For example, we encountered a two-hour wait at Blarney Castle and a four-hour wait at Newgrange. We expected to see numerous American visitors, but were surprised that the vast majority of the tourists were European – particularly German, Spanish, and Italian.

Most B&Bs only serve breakfast but you can pretty much have whatever you’d like. There is usually a common buffet table of cereals, juices, fresh fruits, breads, and jams/marmalades. This is complemented either by individual orders or by the popular traditional Irish breakfast consisting of eggs (any style), Irish bacon (rashers), sausages, grilled tomatoes and "puddings." I like the white pudding most of the time (it varies from area to area) but neither of us could acquire a taste for the black pudding. Don't order pancakes if you expect them to be like the ones in America.  They are more like crepes than the pancakes we are used to in the States. 

The Irish eat dinner later than we are used to – with the prime hours being between 8 and 10 PM. Early seatings are plentiful, but reservations are recommended during the prime hours especially for the more popular dining spots. Dress is casual although a few of the fancier places require a coat and tie but those are usually the restaurants at the castles and 5-star hotels.

I make all of our lodging arrangements in advance over the Internet although that certainly isn’t necessary. There are literally thousands of B&Bs throughout Ireland at very reasonable cost. I only do it because I want to be sure our bookings are confirmed. Each town of any size has a Tourist Board office that can recommend places to stay. 

In the towns and villages, pub music is plentiful but, again, this is a nighttime event. The music normally doesn’t begin until  10 PM. After most of the tourists leave, many of the popular music bands will transition to traditional Irish music.

The transition to driving on the "wrong" side of the road was not nearly as difficult as I had been led to believe – maybe because I’m left-handed and, as I’ve frequently been told, I think the wrong way anyway.

I found the Irish roads to be pretty well marked albeit poorly surfaced except for some of the national highways. Somewhat disconcerting is the fact that the distances marked on the signs jump between miles and kilometers. Newer signs use the former and older signs use the latter. Phoebe did a great job of navigating and we were able to find our way around fairly effortlessly. Admittedly, we got lost a few times but, in every case, those brief "detours" always led to a discovery of something we enjoyed finding.  In Gaeltacht regions, it's a bit more difficult as the map is in English while the signs are in Irish.

The conditions range from divided motorways (expressways) to extremely narrow country roads – often on the same road!! As of January 2005, the speed limits in the Republic have changed. The speed limit on motorways is now 120 km/h or approximately 75 mph.   On National roads (N routes) it is 100 km/h (approx 62 mph). Once you get off the main roads the speed limit becomes (50 mph) 80 km/h on regional and local roads though, on the winding country roads, you’ll be lucky to exceed 40 mph. In the towns and cities it is generally 50 km/h (30 mph) with lower limits imposed in designated areas near schools and other cautionary areas.

On those winding roads, you never know what’s around the next bend – a wide truck, a tour bus, a tractor, or an entire herd of livestock. We encountered cattle herds three times!!

The climate in Ireland is unique and is a perennial subject of conversation. There is an old saying, "You don't go to Ireland for the weather". However, the weather in Ireland can be quite pleasant. The temperature remains relatively moderate throughout the year, never getting too hot to or too cold. Temperatures typically range between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to10 Celsius) in the winter months and 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 21 Celsius) in the summer months.

We were absolutely taken with the incredibly lovely and lively small seaport village of Kinsale on the southern coast of Co. Cork and its brightly painted buildings decorated with gorgeous baskets of flowers. Except for the main street, Kinsale’s streets are very narrow and we recommend parking in the Car Park next to The Tourist Office and walking around town. Every town in Ireland has a Tourist Office and, in this case, we were able to get easy directions to the Rivermount House B&B which is a lovely B&B about four miles outside of town located atop a hill overlooking the Bandon River with a breathtaking panoramic view of the valley.

While in Kinsale, you can dine at the restaurant in the Blue Haven Hotel.  The French cuisine there is exquisite although a bit pricey.  Considering both the quality of the food and the cost, you may prefer the more reasonably priced Hoby’s and Jim Edwards. On the opposite end of town, on the slope of a hill overlooking the harbor is Man Friday which we recommend highly.  But, in the Summer months, we recommend that you have reservations. Newman’s Market is a centrally located meeting place that is always filled with people.

As you travel the switchback roads through The Burren, you will marvel at the stark beauty of Europe’s largest single deposit of limestone worn barren by ancient glaciers. The weather at the Cliffs of Mohr can be a bit foggy but not so much as to detract from their beauty. Another daytrip can take you south along N21 through the towns of Adare and Tralee.  Adare is famous for its beautiful thatched-roof homes.

Spend an afternoon at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and end the day by attending a medieval banquet in the castle. This is a highly recommended fun event beginning with drinks of mead in the Great Hall where you are entertained by a troupe dressed in period costumes playing and singing songs of the time. You can finish up your evening across the street from the castle in the most famous pub in Ireland – Durty Nelly’s.  On one visit, we stayed at nearby Mary Browne's Bunratty Lodge which is beautifully decorated and furnished.

You can spend a leisurely day touring Killaloe and Ballina – two quaint towns along R483 separated by the River Shannon. If the weather is nice, take a scenic boat ride around Lough Derg and have lunch at a terrific pub/restaurant called Gooser‘s in Ballina. Or, drive along the shores of Lough Derg and soak in the incredible scenery of this large lake surrounded by lush mountains. At the northern edge of the lake, stop at Portumna Forest Park and enjoy a quiet relaxing hike through the woods.

Though still in Co. Clare, detour via R460 and R480 to visit Poulnabrone Domen (Clare Rock) – an ancient burial site located with in The Burren. From there, you can travel to Aillwee Cave and take a tour through this fascinating prehistoric cavern carved through the limestone by rushing water. Then you can take N18 and N6 to Galway.

The West is sheep country and the terrain is lined with hundreds of stone walls separating the various plots worked by the peasants in the days before the great Famine. There are wire fences along the roads but, apparently, the sheep don’t know it because you will find them everywhere grazing on the shoulders.  Check your calendar because the last week in July is Race Week in Galway (The Galway Summer festival) and the city is MOBBED.  Accommodations will be almost impossible to find unless you already have reservations.  If cost isn't a problem, stay at Cashel House in the Connemara region.  Of all the different placed we stay in Ireland, Cashel House is one our favorites though expensive!!. Mrs. Kay McEvily has operated the establishment since 1968 and the staff is extremely friendly. The food at Cashel House is nothing short of exquisite and our Garden Suite was magical.

While in Co. Galway, take N59 and R336 to Rossaveal where you can catch a passenger ferry to sparsely populated Innishmor – the largest of the Aran Islands. Innishmor reflects captivatingly simplistic lifestyle. Take a pony cart around the island where you will be enthralled by the stories of the islands related by your driver.  On another daytrip, drive N59 to Galway and take a boat ride through Lough Corrib – the largest lake in the Republic – and visit the Galway Cathedral and the Spanish Arch. Of course, a trip to Galway just wouldn’t be complete without shopping at the Galway Crystal and Royal Tara China factories. We recommend departing Galway via the area of Salt Hill and its beach drive.

You can take N15 north to Donegal through Westport and Sligo. If it is the first week in August, be sure to stop along the way at Ballyshannon which will be having its annual Folk Festival. There, you can enjoy a nice lunch at Maggie's Bar and take in the sounds of traditional Irish music.

From Co.Donegal, we recommend you take a trip to the walled city of Derry in Northern Ireland, starting at the Guild Hall.  It takes about two hours to get there from Donegal Town.  Up the street from the Guild Hall is the Bloody Sunday Centre which contains historical books and photographs of the January 30, 1972 Civil Rights demonstration where the crowd was fired upon by British troops killing 13 and wounding 15. One of the wounded died later as a result of the incident. The dead and wounded were part of a group of peaceful unarmed demonstrators protesting a 1971 decision to imprison political dissidents without trial. A British government appointed tribunal later found the soldiers Not Guilty. However, in 1998, British Prime Minister Tony Blair ordered a new inquiry into the incident by three judges…the British Law Lord, Lord Saville of Newdigate, and two Commonwealth judges - the Hon John Toohey (Australia), and Justice William Hoyt (Canada). While in Derry, you can "walk the wall" which surrounds the ancient city or take a short trip into the Bogside – the Catholic section of town outside the walls - which was the actual site of Bloody Sunday.  In the Bogside, several buildings are decorated with murals depicting the fight for independence. There are two memorials - one tells visitors that they are entering "Free Derry" and the second commemorates those who died during the Hunger Strikes while imprisoned in H Block at Longkesh prison.

A trip to the Midlands just isn't complete without a stop in Northern Ireland at Beleek Pottery. From there you can travel into the quaint country town of Monaghan and dine at The Squealing Pig pub. Just outside town is Castle Leslie (Castle Galslough) - one of Ireland’s five haunted castles - which dates back to 1633 . Charles Powell Leslie decided to help his brother -in-law, Lord Mornington, educate his son Arthur who later, as the Duke of Wellington, defeated Napolean at Waterloo. Sir John Leslie - the 2nd Baronet - was the only son out of five children. He married Leonie Jerome whose elder sister Jenny married Lord Randolph Churchill – father of Winston Churchill. There are many Churchill 'hand me downs' in the Castle as the Leslies were considered the poor relations.  In its prime, the estate was massive – incorporating the town and all of the land for miles around – encompassed within a 10-foot stone wall. Today, much of the estate has been sold off but the castle, its gatehouse, an ancient church, and the immediate grounds (still huge) remain.   Although peppered with antiques and priceless fine art, Castle Leslie has the look of a family that has fallen on hard times. It is occupied by 84 year old Sir John (Jack) Leslie – an odd but utterly charming fellow.

Another place we enjoyed in the Midlands was the town of Mullingar in Co. Westmeath.   We stayed at Mornington House built in 1710 and expanded in 1896. This magnificent country home - owned and operated by Anne and Warwick O’Hara - is located in Multyfarnham just a short distance from Mullingar. While in Mullingar, we had a delicious lunch at Druid’s Chair in Mullingar.  We took daytrips to tour the area visiting the Seven Wonders of Fore, Castlepollard, and Athlone. We had a great lunch at an Italian-American restaurant in Athlone called TriBeca. From there, we visited Belvedere Castle and its Jealous Wall. The wall was built by Robert Rochfort - the First Earl of Belevedere - in 1760, following an argument with his brother George, who owned Tudenham house nearby. It was built to block out any view of Tudenham House. The wall was built in the form of a sham ruin of an abbey and has been carefully stabilized and restored. Robert also imprisoned his wife, Mary Molesworth, in a house about 5 miles away for 31 years for infidelity. Tongues wag at why Robert chose to live in a home with only two bedrooms and a staff of 12 young men.

Depending on how you approach the city, we recommend a stop at Monasterboice - the site of Ireland’s most noted high crosses. Still an active cemetery, the huge stone tower and the ancient crosses were fascinating. Also in the area is Newgrange – site of a prehistoric village – but arrive early to beat the   tour buses!!

We took the N1 around Dublin to the and proceeded to elegant section of Ballsbridge. We stayed at Simmonstown House which is a lovely home built in 1900 and run by Finola and James Curry who purchased it in 1988. While in Dublin, we dined at three restaurants that we highly recommend. The first two were in Ballsbridge itself – Coopers and Kites.  Kites is a terrific Chinese restaurant with incredible food and service. The third is called Il Primo and located off Grafton Street. We found about this place through several sources that raved about it. When we arrived, we thought we’d made a mistake since the ambience was rough and cluttered. However, we soon got beyond first impressions and thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Tuscany cuisine. At Il Primo, you can order bottles of wine but you only pay for what you drink. They take back the remainder and deduct if from your bill. If you’d like, you can change wines in mid-meal. Never in our wildest dreams would I have thought that we’d be in Dublin dining at an Italian restaurant owned by a German and run by a South African and listening to songs by Elvis Presley. What a great evening!!

We strongly recommend taking the "Hop On-Hop Off" bus in front of the General Post Office (GPO) building and riding the  bus around the city centre. Stay on for a full cycle to learn where the various points of interest are located.  The bus has 16 stops at the major attractions and, for a single fee, you can ride it all day jumping off and on one whenever you want. They travel every 15 minutes and, one you know where the attractions are, you can get stop where you wish.  The major attractions in Dublin are too numerous to mention but the highlights were Trinity College, the Parliament House, Christ Church, St Patrick’s Cathedral, St Stephen’s Green, Phoenix Park, the shopping districts of O’Connell Street and Grafton Street, and the Temple Bar district.  We spent another morning touring Trinity College and its major attractions – the Book of Kells and the Long Hall.

If you are headed toward Waterford in the southeast, stop on the way to visit the famous Powerscourt and it’s spectacular gardens in Co. Wicklow.  Bought by an American in 1961, the mansion was being renovated and a stray spark from a torch started a fire that gutted the dwelling. Although the grounds are open to the public, only the Ballroom in the mansion can be visited. Nearby, was the Powerscourt waterfall. Word has it that they had built a dam above the fall to create a more spectacular show for the visiting King of England. Unfortunately, when they released the water, the resulting surge was so powerful, that it took out the bridge downstream.   From Powerscourt, you continue your drive through the Wicklow mountains to Arthurstown – on the opposite side of the river from Waterford. We stayed a a fantastic country home built in 1830 – Dunbrody House - run by Catherine and Ken Dundon. Ken is an award winning Master Chef and, needless to say, the food is incomparable. Catherine was a gracious and cheery hostess who really knows her wines.  In Waterford itself is Waterford Castle and, of course, the world famous Waterford Crystal factory.  The tour of the factory is highly recommended.