Mizen Head-Finding Ireland’s Southernmost Point

With so many things to see and do in West Cork, it might be hard to decide. But you won’t go wrong if you choose to make the trek out the Mizen Head Peninsula to Mizen Head, the most southwesterly point in Ireland. Traditionally Mizen Head was the last point of land visible to ocean-going […]

Mizen Head

Carey’s Castle -An Enchanting Find

Tucked into the foot of the Comeragh Mountains are the ruins of Carey’s Castle. The castle is diminutive in scale (as castles go) and charming; almost like a fairy castle. Just a short distance from Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, it is a short, easy, looped walk from the carpark. I had read about it, and so […]

Nollag na mBan – Celebrating Women in Ireland

The circles of women around us weave invisible nets of love that carry us when we are weak and sing with us when we are strong~Sark Today, January 6, is the Twelfth Day of Christmas. The last day of Christmas for another year. The Feast of the Three Wise Men, the Epiphany, Little Christmas, it […]

Labbacallee Wedge Tomb – The Witch’s Bed

Located just a short drive from Fermoy, Co. Cork, is Labbacallee, The Witch’s Bed – the largest wedge tomb in Ireland. You come across it unexpectedly, just on the side of a narrow country road, with only enough room for 2 cars to pull in. But it is an amazing find. I am fascinated by […]

Review The Quay House

Next week I’m really excited to be returning to one of my very favourite Boutique Hotels in Ireland: The Quay House (pronounced: The Key House for North Americans).The Quay House, located on Beach Road, right on the harbor in Clifden, Co. Galway is over 200 years old. While it was originally built as the Harbourmaster’s […]

Remembering The Master Michael J. Quinlan

Death approaches. Be dignified. It was August, but an unseasonably chilly wind nipped at the ankles. Dark, threatening clouds darted across the sky and before it was all over, cold raindrops splashed down on the crowd gathered around the grave. I first met Michael J. Quinlan at Shannon Airport in Co. Clare, Ireland. My group […]

Hidden Jewels: Loch Gur, Co. Limerick, Ireland

Although I’d heard of Loch Gur and known about it for some time, I had never visited it. However, prompted by Michael Quinlan, a local author and historian who happened to be the guide on our recent trip, I knew I couldn’t leave Ireland without experiencing this magical place. Tucked into a valley between two […]

Gougane Barra

As I approached the access to the tiny island, the only sound was the soft crunch of my footsteps on the loose gravel. The day was sunny and warm; the crystal azure sky turned the glacial lake a deep, almost ocean blue. Beyond the lake, the red sandstone mountains soared above the basin enhancing the […]

Flying Boats & Irish Coffee, no, we weren’t drinking it!

When flying to Ireland from the East Coast of the US, you touch down in Shannon before the bars have closed in New York or Boston! The night is yet young, as they say…but finding a hotel to accommodate you before breakfast – that can be a bit of a challenge. Such was the case […]

Céad Mille Fáilte – One Hundred Thousands Welcomes

Landing in Shannon Airport, Ireland is a joy. It is a world class, modern facility with the longest runway in Ireland – and the only one capable of landing the new Airbus A380. But rather than the hectic, frenetic pace normally associated with air travel, arrival in Shannon is calm, quiet and peaceful. I first […]