Accommodation:  "The Townhouse" B&B.  Two townhouses formerly owned by two Irish playwrights.  Quite posh.  Nice decor.  Hardwood floors, velvet curtains, emerald carpets, portraits, fresh flowers.  Full Irish breakfasts (sausage, eggs, hash browns, beans, boiled tomatoes, soda bread, tea, coffee, toast, croissants, 2 cereals, fruit salad, 4 juices)

Counties visited:  Wicklow, Dublin, Louth, Meath, Galway.

Tours: 

#1 Glendalough and Wicklow Panorama. (text from brochures)

"An unforgettable tour which takes you along the south coast of Dublin, passing through Killiney Bay...and on to Wicklow 'Garden of Ireland'...onwards through the picturesque countryside of Roundwood and Laragh, towards the highlight of our tour- Glendalough.

This is one of Ireland's first and foremost important monastic settlements.  Founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, Glendalough is situated in an idyllic valley with an upper and lower lake and its monuments include high crosses, churches and a famous round tower...The tour returns to Dublin through the renowned Wicklow Mountains and the rugged beauty of the Wicklow Gap."

#2 The Connemara Tour

"From Moycullen the road rises and falls towards the lovely village of Oughterard on the shores of Lough Corrib...the gateway to Connemara opens and the breathtaking colours of this unspoilt countryside are revealed in their all natural splendour...From Maam Cross our tour heads to Leeane, Kylemore Abbey and Letterfrack, in the shadow of purple mountains rolling down to blue, green rocky valleys and pools shining like little pieces of broken mirror, reflecting the rich and varied colours of Connemara...heads homeward to Galway City now, along the shores of Galway Bay, through the Gaeltracht villages of Inervin ans Spiddal and looking across the blue water of the Atlantic at the unique limestone of the Burren and hills of Clare..."

#3 Newgrange & Boyne Valley

"Newgrange is undoubtedly the highlight of all Boyne valley tours.  This impressive Neolithic passage grave is over 4,000 years old (built before the pyramids of Egypt).  As a magnificent prehistoric monument, Newgrange is unique in the world and it stands as irrefutable evidence of an ancient society with a knowledge  of astronomy and architecture unaided by modern technology. ..Drogheda, Monasterboice and Mellifont Abbey...lunch in Slane..."

Notes

Killiney Bay is beautiful.  It seems to be somewhat of an artist's colony and football (soccer) player's haven.  Expensive properties.  As a Canadian taxpayer, I was interested to discover that the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland lives directly across from Bono of U2 in a 30 room house with a private golf course.  

Dalkey and Sandypoint are of interest to James Joyce fans.  Every June v\brings Bloomsday and Dubliners dress in period costumes (1904) to follow the path of fictional character Leopold Bloom from "Ulysses".

Bray, Howth and Dun Lagohaire and easy to reach by DART.  Malahide is an easy city transit trip from Dublin.

My friend, Emmy, came from London to Ireland for 2 days.  We did the U2 pilgrimage tour.  We ended our excursion with tea at the Clarence Hotel.  One pot of tea and 4 scones was IR9.50 = $20.30 CDN before tip!

Tosca (owned by Bono's brother, Norman) serves the world's best Minestrone!  Accompanied by a gorgeous basket of fresh rolls.  Emmy and I had this before a huge delicious meal.  I had a lovely pasta lunch there one day as I watched Dublin life go by.

Yummy pizza can be had at The Bad Ass cafe in Temple Bar

Of course, you must have a pint or two of Guiness.  I had mine 2 pints a week apart with a water chaser!

Great Irish music and dance can be appreciated at Fitzsimmons Pub in Temple Bar. This contrasted with our visit to the Kitchen (located on the lower floor of The Clarence Hotel) where young Irish drink Budweiser.

On Grafton street I listened to very young buskers playing tin whistles and other traditional instruments for money as well as an elderly couple playing bittersweet tunes on the clarinet and accordion

I enjoyed counting the requisite number of pretty Connemara ponies for good luck.

The best mushroom soup and soda bread is to be had at Avoca Weaver's, along with a deadly little shortbread, chocolate and caramel square.

One evening before a play at the Abbey Theatre my new New Yorker  friends and I watched the Liffey slowly go by one warm evening.

I spent a lovely day at  the Powerscourt Gardens in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow.  

Kylemore Abbey is in a lovely setting and, at the risk of mentioning food, those Benedictine nuns can cook.

Sad notes

Seeing a mass grave of famine victims buried beneath a single Celtic cross.

I will end the journal here.  I saw far too many things to write about.  I hope you enjoyed the few tidbits I have written.

LDM