I’ve got a special place in my heart for Ireland. Maybe it’s because I spent some time a few years back all by myself, wandering around, meeting the locals, hitting the pubs and going anyplace I wanted to go. Maybe it could be that somewhere back in history I got a little Irish blood added to mine. Or possibly, I really fell in love with it when I took my band to Dublin a few year back to march in the St. Patty’s Day Parade. The picture here is of me and an old Irish woman on the streets of Dublin. She was out early on St. Patty’s Day yelling, “Shamrocks.” I bought a bunch and pinned them to my jacket.
Ireland is so comfortable and stress-free. Everyone speaks English, it is a short flight from the USA, and if you can sleep on the flight there’s usually no jetlag. But what I really like is the scenery, the people, the music and the pubs.
So, it’s no wonder I’ve choosen my favorite little cranny of Ireland as our first destination on the “Thirsty Traveler’s” tour. You’ve got to be going to Dingle to get to Dingle. Located in the extreme southwest corner of the island, Dingle is a picture-perfect little fishing village situated among rolling hills of “40 shades of green.”
We’ll spend two days here in Dingle exploring the town, listening to “Trad” music in the pubs, having a pint or three, eating some amazing seafood, and learning about the rough and rugged Dingle peninsula.
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JUNE 13: Arrive in Shannon, Ireland where you’ll be met by David McGuffin and your driver/guide. Soon you’ll be on your way to the extreme southwest of Ireland in County Kerry. Ater a breathtaking drive through the coastal mountains, we’ll arrive in Dingle, my favorite Irish fishing village. You’ll have two days here to experience the wild and scenic countryside that we Americans have come to know as Ireland. Our guesthouse is just a block from both the harbor and town center.
Enjoy the afternoon with a brief orientation walking tour followed by some free time to do a little exploring on your own. Later we’ll meet together for our first real Irish dinner.
JUNE 14: Dingle Peninsula - Experience some of Ireland’s wildest natural beauty and most ancient Christian sights. We’ll travel the Slea Head Drive through endless fields of “40 shades of green”, ocean waves crashing on rocks, and all the sheep you’ll ever want to count. Visiting the Blasket Islands Heritage Centre, you will get a close look at a traditional Irish community.
Tonight you’re back in Dingle to enjoy dinner on your own. Along about 8:00 p.m. we’ll need to start grabbing chairs and stools at O’Flaherty’s, my favorite pub for traditional music in all of Ireland. The “trad” session begins sometime around 9:30 or whenever the musicians get ready. It’s all over and done by 11:00.
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**I’ve got several entries about Ireland here on my blog. You can type in “Ireland” in the search box at the right and find them straight away.
**I have two Podcasts I recorded in an Irish pub a few years back. You can take a listen by subscribing to my podcasts at: http://www.davidmcguffin.com/podcast/Podcasthome.htm
**Click here to see the “revealed” tour route on a map.
**Visit my website for additional details, how to sign up, and a handy brochure.
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Sláinte, David
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I really look forward to Dingle. On my last trip the road to this village was closed, so we went to Cobh instead.
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