To be honest, Kathleen and I did not have Ireland high up on our travel wishlist.  We had been debating whether or not Egypt or Turkey would be our travel destination of choice this year.  However, upon further review, we decided we wanted a trip that would be relatively easy and easily accomplished within a weeks time.  Egypt would require at least a couple weeks and Turkey felt as though it would require a bit more planning then we were willing to put in at the time of booking.  So…We ultimately settled on Ireland after a quick brain storm session which focused in on several factors.  English is the primary language…Check.  Relatively short flight…Check.  Flight logistics worked with my air mileage status…Check.  Hotel logistics worked with my status…Check.  So off to Ireland we went.

I must admit that we did very little planning for our trip.  A week prior to departure we did purchase a Rick Steves travel book for Ireland and got a high-level idea of where we wanted to go.  Dublin would be our home base and we had several day trips in mind that would enable us to soak in the Irish countryside.  We anticipated heavy rain for our trip as it is Ireland after all.  Rain coats, umbrellas, etc.  We were ready to go!  Would you believe it that it didn’t really rain the entire 7 days we were there?  Not only that, it was bright and sunny 5 of the 7 days.  It’s amazing how lucky we were.  Just to put that into perspective.  It’s rains about 270 days per year in Ireland and this past year alone they had a rain streak of 80 straight days.  Like I said, we were extremely lucky. 

Our trip was unique in the sense that the country didn’t grab hold of us immediately.  Honestly, we just didn’t love it right away.  In fact, Dublin in particular seemed unremarkable at first blush as compared to most other European cities.  However, as we immersed ourselves into the Irish culture and learned of their inspirational history, our view completely changed.  Unremarkable details suddenly became extraordinary.  For such a small country it’s quite amazing if you think of the large artistic influences it’s had on the rest of the world.  We wholeheartedly recommend Ireland to anyone considering visiting the country.

Below are some of our favorite places visited:
1.)  The Cliffs of Moher – One of the most beautiful natural wonders I’ve ever seen.  Simply breath taking.  The site is currently in the running to be one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World”.  Vote here 
2.) Guinness Storehouse – The most visited tourist destination in all of Ireland and for good reason.  It’s a 7 story building which is comprised of many unique elements.  Museum, brewery, fun & games and to top it of on the top floor is the “Gravity Bar” where you could enjoy a pint while admiring a 360 degree view of the city.  Very cool place.   
3.) Kilmainham Gaol -  Has played an important part in Irish history, as many leaders of Irish rebellions were imprisioned and some executed in the jail. The jail has also been used as a set for several films.  Kilmainham Gaol’s historic importance was assured by the men and women who were held or died here for their nationalist ideals. The Gaol’s history as a prison, the fate of the common man and women as convict, is a compelling story in its own right. Their story gives a unique insight into convict transportation and the Great Famine, two major events in the social history of modern Ireland.  It’s an incredibly sobering experience when you walk through this cold and eerie prison. 
4.) The Burren – It is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle made by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin, Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna. It is bounded by the Atlantic and Galway Bay on the west and north, respectively.  Walking the Burren lanscape was pretty awesome.  It felt like we were walking on the moon.  With vegetation of course. 
5.) Lough Tay – Small but scenic lake set in the Wicklow Mountains in County Wicklow.  The northern coastline forms part of an estate belonging to the Guinness family; it is edged with a beach of startlingly white sand, imported by the landowners; the similarity to a pint (a glass) of Guinness therefore seems somewhat intentional.  Such a beautiful site.
6.) Trinity College (Book of Kells & The Long Room) – I love visiting the college but Kathleen seemed indifferent to it.  Specifically, I love the “Long Room” in the Old Library.  Just incredible.  Apparently the room was inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s Jedi Archive in the attack of the clones.  Pretty near.  Check it out 
7.) Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough
8.) Dublin Castle – Kathleen would rate the castle much higher then I did as she loved the tour.  To be clear, it’s not a castle…It’s really a palace.  The tour was great but didn’t float my boat the way other spots did. 
9.) Grafton Street
10.) O’Connell Bridge / Street

Some of our favorite photos from the trip (June 23 – 30, 2009):

Other Notable Hotspots:
Merrion Square
St. Stephens Green Park
Doolin
St. Patricks Cathedral
Christ Church
Temple Bar
Limerick
Fitzpatricks Bar
O’Brien’s Tower
Leinster House 
Phoenix Park
ONeills Pub
Glencree
Sally Gap
Avoca