Republic of Ireland II: Drumcliffe, Knock, Cliffs of Moher, Killarney National Park, Blarney Castle (Cork), and Dublin

After leaving Northern Ireland, we stopped to visit the grave of William Butler Yeats in Drumcliffe. (Yeats was one of my favourite poets when I was growing up. Yes, I was a kid who had favourite poets.)


He wishes for the cloths of heaven

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

We also visited Knock, a small town made famous in 1879 when apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, St Joseph and St John the Evangelist appeared before 15 people. The site has since become a major attraction (with more than 1.5 million visitors per year), and was visited by Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa. When we arrived it was pouring rain, but there were still a good number of people wandering the grounds, participating in an indoor mass, and filling massive bottles with holy water. (That was a little excessive. Seriously, peeps - a small bottle is plenty.) 

Perhaps my favourite experience in Ireland was visiting the gorgeous Cliffs of Moher. When we arrived, the Cliffs were bathed in mist from the Atlantic; as we walked around, however, the mist lifted and the sun came out, creating a truly spectacular viewing experience (which my camera simply does not do justice).

The Cliffs of Moher rise as high as 214 m above the Atlantic Ocean and stretch out over 8 km.

Before I went to Ireland, a lot of people suggested that I visit the Giant's Causeway, but few suggested the Cliffs of Moher. Having now been to both, my vote is for the Cliffs, all the way! If you find yourself in Ireland with only enough time to visit one, you will not be disappointed with this incredible experience.  

A close second to the Cliffs of Moher was exploring Killarney National Park by horse-drawn carriage. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect autumn morning - crisp and clear, with heavy dew on the grass and mist over the lakes. Because it was November 1, many of the trees were already turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red against a deep blue sky and rich emerald fields. Killarney National Park is the oldest in Ireland, and covers more than 25,000 acres. Truly fantastic.

From Killarney we took in the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula before making our way to Cork to visit Blarney Castle. (When you look at a map of Ireland, the order in which we did certain things is kind of confusing, but it was all about weather and accommodations. :) It was...POURING RAIN (can you believe it?!) when we got to Blarney Castle, but it was worth it to kiss the Blarney Stone. For those of you who are unsure of exactly what that entails - and why people do it - allow me to elaborate. The Blarney Stone is not - as most people imagine - a piece of rock you can simply walk up to and kiss. It's actually high atop the castle, outside - you have to climb up incredibly narrow staircases (which take you inside and outside the castle) in order to reach the top, and then the fun really begins. In order to kiss the stone, you have to lie down on your back with your hands over your head so they can grasp two metal bars and help you lower your head into the correct position. Thankfully, a castle attendant scoots you forward so that your head hangs down far enough for you to reach the stone with your lips. It's kind of crazy, especially when it's raining so hard you can't see, but the whole thing takes less than a minute. So, why is it so important? One of the legends surrounding the Stone is that anyone who kisses it will be bestowed with silver tongued eloquence for a period of seven years. Here's hoping!

From the Castle it was back to Dublin to finish our tour. Our final stop was at a place with is very close to my family's heart - the Guinness Storehouse. Arthur Guinness was much more than a brilliant brew master - he was also a visionary who wanted his family legacy to endure for generations to come. As such, he signed a 9,000 year lease which is actually on display in the floor of the atrium. Pretty cool. The Storehouse itself is incredibly interesting - it walks you through the brewing process, and gives great insight into how the beer is transported and advertised. The best part, however, is the free half-pint early on, and the free pint when you reach the Gravity Bar (which boasts 360 degree views of Dublin). All in all, a great experience.

I had dreamed of visiting Ireland my whole life, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to go and cover so much ground. I've heard from a lot of people who visit Ireland that they really haven't gone beyond Dublin and I think that's such a shame! Dublin is a really cool city with lots to see and do, but Ireland as a whole is so much more than that. If you ever do decide to visit, you definitely won't be disappointed if you get out of the city and really explore.