If you are like me, Ireland may hold a special place in your heart. While the Emerald Isle has a small population of 6.8 million, there are 70 million around the world who claim Irish ancestry.
If you are one of those Irish around the world, Ireland is a trip worth taking at least once in your life.
From Dublin to Dursey Island, Cork in the far south to Giants Causeway in the north, it is a land that is unique and beautiful. Vibrant cities, luscious green hills, sparking clear rivers, rugged rocky coastal areas, and long deserted beaches everywhere you go.
My passion is walking and there are many wonderful Ways here allowing you to walk from village to village enabling you to engage with the local folks who are among the friendliest anywhere in the world. And perhaps the most talkative. If you prefer bike or drive, and stop into any pub and without a doubt there will be a local willing to bend your ear.
Learning To Cut Turf (Peat) The Old Fashioned Way: A few weeks into a 3,000 kilometer pilgrimage from County Clare, Ireland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, I was in the middle of a 30K walk in Cork, from Millstreet to Bweeng, on a sunny day with scattered clouds across the deep blue sky. As the …
Learning The Art of Cutting Turf (Peat) In Ireland: Read More »
After 7 years of a home free existence traveling the globe and walking many pilgrimages, these restless feet have found a home. Why not in Muxia not far from the 0 Mile Marker of The Camino de Santiago. Our intention is to create “Global Pilgrim House” where we will adorn the walls with clusters of …
Part of Ireland Travel Planner. When I was first started traveling to Ireland in 1984, the food was pretty basic, but the quality and diversity of Irish Cuisine has improved dramatically. Everything from Full Irish Breakfasts, to Fish & Chips, to Roasts of the Day. And you are never far from the coast on the …
Photo: James Joyce Statue off O’Connell Street across from The Spire: ——- This is just a list with my personal opinion. You may or may not agree. Either way, I welcome your own recommendations and criticism. 1. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922): Considered by many as one of the top novels ever written, it chronicles …
Photo: Sean Thornton (John Wayne) and Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara) statue in Cong, County Mayo ———— This is just a list so you may or may not agree with these choices. Either way, I welcome your opinions and recommendations. ————- The Quiet Man (1952): Directed by John Ford who won his unprecedented 4th Academy …
Its A Long Way From Tipperary To Santiago. Day 94 After yesterday’s 54K walk, a much needed rest day was taken in Hospital de Orbigo. So I expected to have fresh legs today but no just the opposite. The moment I left Albergue Verde I felt sluggish and struggled the first hour to Santibáñez de …
Which Is The Best 7-10 Day Walk In Ireland? A question that has been nagging me for years. On any list of the top ten you will almost always find the 3 walks of County Kerry. For me the best of the best are the 3 Peninsula walks; The Dingle Way, The Beara Way, and …
On a sunny morning in June, I made my way down to a waiting boat at the harbor in Portmagee from Cahersiveen. Our destination on the tour was the Skellig Islands. There are two of them. The boat only stops at Skellig Michael which also happens to be famous as Luke Skywalker’s Retirement Home. Though …
Kerry Way; Side Trip to Skellig Michael (Luke Skywalker’s Retirement Home) Read More »
If you have the time a wonderful side trip on The Dingle Way is to take a boat out to the Blasket Islands. Or specifically Great Blasket Island which is most accessible and actually has a hostel/cafe open during the summer season. The island has a most interesting history being inhabited by a hardy breed …
Dingle Way; Side trip to The Great Blasket Island Read More »
Leaving Cloghane the Way followed the road for 3.5K to Fermoyle Beach, the longest one in Kerry at 14K. Followed the Beach along Brandon Bay reaching Fahamore so had a nice lunch of delicious mussels. Afterwards the trail followed through grasslands and beach to the point near Ballycurrane. —————— Then on to Castlegregory were I …
Dingle Way; Day 7 Cloghane to Castlegregory-27K, Day 8; Castlegregory to Camp-10K Read More »
Words were not necessary for this portion of the walk: ——————- ——————— ——————— —————— —————— ——————- —————— ——————— ——————–
With the 3 Irish women, we checked out some of today’s incredible views last night as the sun was setting. The morning started out cloudy but a truly gorgeous day with magnificent views all along the walk. Rare for me but I will break down today into two posts as there were so many beautiful …
First some pictures from east of Dublin Town. Saw Fungi, the local dolphin of the past 40 years or so, in the harbor hanging around a boat. Left Grapevine Hostel around 8:30 following the road and then up into the hills a bit before winding back to Ventry Beach. There was a small shop and …
Siobhan of The Grapevine Hostel told me yesterday that the Hostel in Dunquin was closed and there was a single B&B but I could not get a bed for 3 more nights. Well I am in no rush so how to turn lemons into lemonade? The weather was brilliant so I decided to hitchhike …
Today is the last day of the Kerry Camino. Though I won’t be sailing to La Coruña. Of course, my path is to continue on The Dingle Way. Early on in Anascaul I chatted briefly with 5 Americans. Then 2 Germans just past Anascaul. Another bright blue sunny day raised my spirits and made for …
With the early sun and sunrise I woke at 6. Kathleen and a delicious Full Irish Breakfast prepared right at 8. ————— The walk from Camp crossing from Tralee Bay would take me to the southern side of the Dingle Peninsula. The walking was pleasant with a moderate uphill through farmlands. The view of Dingle …
On the morning of July 2, after a simple breakfast of toast and tea, I departed the cozy, friendly Castle Hostel and walked just a block to St. John’s Church which I was told was the start of the Dingle Way. to my surprise and pleasure I found that the Church was the start of …
We were told at breakfast that most people cab to Black Water River as this would be a 40K day if we didn’t. So we took a cab to the bridge over the river and began a walk that took us down to a trail in a beautiful forest that veered at Kenmare Bay and …
The husband of the B&B owner gave us a lift back to Caherdaniel. This mornings skies are cloudy and as we walked up into the hills, a misty rain started up and continued off and on the rest of the morning. Along the trail there were some unusual but interesting monuments to the …
After 2 long difficult days, we have a relatively easy 15K to Caherdaniel. Consequently, we took our time over an excellent Breakfast featuring Irish Salmon and all the usual accompaniments. While it was cooler than previous days, the skies were blue and we had magnificent views of the sea and various islands including the …