The peaceful little village of Cong

Day Seven:
We bid our driver, Barry, farewell as he continues north with some of the tour group, while the rest of us head out with a new driver, but not before many hugs and a group photo.

The west coast of the Atlantic is the home of Connemara, our first stop of the day. We’re intrigued by its rough coastline, mountains, lakes, tiny coves and fishing villages. Next, it’s on to the charming little village of Cong, made famous by John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in the film “The Quiet Man”. Though the film was made there back in 1952, the townsfolk speak of it as if it were yesterday and the small museum, statue and walking tour serve as daily reminders.

We stroll down the road to have a peek over the wall of the Ashford Castle, originally owned by the Guinness family and now a five-star hotel on a golf course, before heading back to Dublin.

As soon as we enter Hotel 7, we know we’ve made a good choice. The historic building, restored into a boutique hotel is elegant and stylish. We’re a bit soggy from the drizzle and eager to check in, but the manager apologizes and asks if he might first check in a group that has arrived at the same time as us. He offers us a complimentary cocktail of our choice, leads us to the bar and we’re immediately soothed by the crème color décor and the Ella Fitzgerald song playing softly in the background.

We dine at The Church, a deconsecrated 18^th century church, and are lucky to get a front row seat. The Gothic architecture and large stained glass panels are a lovely back drop for the lively musicians and Irish step dancers. My feet are dancing under the table as I clap in time to the music and once in a while, remember to actually enjoy my meal.

Day Eight
I’ve been waiting to see the bog people this entire trip and am so excited that the day is finally here. We arrive at The National Museum of Archeology (free!) and head right to the “Kingship and Sacrifice” exhibit. The dramatic presentation houses each corpse laid out in its own darkened area. The men were killed and tossed into peat bogs almost four thousand years ago, yet they remain preserved due to the combination of the cold weather and oxygen. It is fascinating to observe the detail; skin, nails on their hands and feet and even their curly hair is still intact. Renowned experts were able to analyze their bodies and piece together details about their individual lives and their civilization.

After a cocktail at The Green Hen and a lively discussion about Dublin with the owner, we take our leave. The Celt Pub is an authentic Irish bar filled with its share of curmudgeons, but it is not here that we will be dining. We are told to walk through it, look for a door, then enter its sister establishment Le Bon Crubeen. The startling difference gives us an even better reception to the lovely brasserie that serves Irish fare with a French twist. We are not shy to try an appetizer portion of crubeen and actually enjoy the pigs feet that are boiled, battered and fried.

Day Nine
What better way to spend a rainy day than at an art museum. The National Gallery of Ireland, (also free) is an impressive building housing a vast collection of European art. We are able to point out places we’ve been by the scenery in the paintings. I am particularly taken with two paintings that share some intimate moments; one of a young man writing a letter and the next of a young woman reading his letter.

As we enter, the painted staircase stops us in our tracks

“Downton Abbey” has just opened in theaters and we decide it would be a perfect afternoon to take in a movie. We meet two ladies who have arrived with champagne and scones and chat with them about the characters. Spontaneous applause erupts at the movie’s end and we excitedly discuss the movie under our umbrellas all the way down the street.

We’re early for our dinner reservation at Dolce Sicily, but they welcome us in out of the rain. Our table is in an upstairs room that overlooks the street. The Pinot Noir rids us of our chill, as we watch people outside skip over puddles and dodge oncoming umbrellas. We dine slowly, sharing our plates of Fritto Misto, chicken marsala and risotto with wild mushrooms. When we bring an error in our bill to our waiter’s attention, he thanks us with a complimentary Limoncello; just what we need to toast our last night together in Ireland.

What better way to end my Irish adventure than with a limerick:

After visiting bonny Ireland this year
I returned home with a yen for Guinness Beer

Tis the rainy weather they say
That leads you to the pub each day

A lasting souvenir of good cheer

Sláinte!

*Who’s who? See “Cast of Characters” on the “About” page.

Author’s Note:
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