Only a short flight away from the UK, Ireland is a beautiful destination with something for everyone. With Dublin as our gateway, we picked up a hire car and embarked on an eight-night road trip, taking in everything the Emerald Isle has to offer.
Galway
The first stop on our journey from Dublin was Galway: a 2 and a half hours' journey from the east coast to the west coast. We spent two nights in here, and the city itself is vibrant with plenty of pubs, shops and eateries to choose from, and has a far more authentic Irish feel than Dublin, with the added bonus of being directly on the coast. The Latin Quarter is the heart of the city centre, but do go out to the Claddagh quarter as well as exploring the waterways. You’ll be able to find live music every night of the week down High Street and Shop Street, as well as, of course, a delicious pint of Guinness or two. We didn’t sample any traditional pub food here, however we had a slightly more upmarket dinner to enjoy views over the city at Sophie’s restaurant, which is at the top of the Dean Hotel.
If you’re going to do Galway and the surrounding areas justice, such as Connemara or the Aran Islands, I would advise a minimum of a three-night stay - by the time we’d driven from Dublin Airport to Galway and then had to be off again to our next destination, we only had one full day to explore all the ‘islands’ of the city.
Depending on where your next destination is, if there is one, we took a detour to enjoy the Cliffs of Moher on our way down to Dingle, which also allows you to enjoy a lot of the Wild Atlantic Way while you’re at it.
Dingle
Dingle was our next stop: an emerging tourist destination, it is a small compact town on the coast in the very south-west or Ireland. Despite only having 4 main streets, you will find, amongst other boutique delights, 38 pubs - with live music to be enjoyed every night. The ultimate tourist trap is The Dingle Pub, where you’ll get nightly performances from ‘the fastest legs in Ireland’, David Leahy, however there are plenty of others to choose from for a more local feel. Dingle is beautifully located to enjoy a drive around Slea Head, which will allow for views of the sea for almost the entirety of the journey, and you will find less tourists on this route than the Ring of Kerry. It’s also a fantastic spot for those who enjoy seafood: we had dinner in The Boatyard restaurant which is right by the harbour, and the seafood platter gives you a great taster of the freshest local fish.
Kenmare
After our night in Dingle we headed towards Kenmare, where we had the privilege of staying in the lovely Sheen Falls Lodge for a night in a Superior Deluxe Twin room, which had views over the falls themselves. A quiet property in an idyllic countryside location, it affords the best of both worlds in that there is also the town of Kenmare a short drive away - and the hotel provides a shuttle service for those who wish to go into town in the afternoons and evenings, just book in with reception/ the concierge! Kenmare only has 3 main streets, but is lovely to have a potter round and enjoy the cafes, pubs and restaurants.
There is both a fine dining and brasserie restaurant on site at the hotel but we chose to have dinner in town on this occasion, where I can highly recommend the No. 35. restaurant. The hotel also has plenty of activities to enjoy for those who wish to indulge, mostly in the March - September season if they’re outdoors, including fishing, horse riding, chocolate making and paddle boarding.
Liss Ard
Leaving the idyl of Sheen Falls only to journey to yet another one, our next stop was the Liss Ard estate - located just outside Skibbereen, it’s definitively a countryside escape, and is split across the main Manor House and the Lake House. We stayed in the Lake View Suites, which are on the first floor of the Lake House and are the best rooms to stay in if you want a lake view. The whole property is beautifully done, and if you’re keen to explore the whole 200-acre plot, tours can be requested and booked in at reception. Much like Sheen Falls, there are plenty of activities that can be booked in during your stay, including paddle boarding, fishing, a gym & sauna, or spa treatments. One thing definitely not to be missed is the Irish Sky Garden art installation, where you can admire an uninterrupted view of the sky - and it’s even available at night for anyone who wishes to stargaze.
Where you are quite isolated, it is likely you will be having dinner in the hotel’s restaurant for the duration of your stay, however the menu changes daily depending on what is fresh and seasonal, with ingredients predominantly sourced in County Cork. The menu is also designed as sharing or small plates, so you get to sample the breadth of the produce (all of which was delicious) and sometimes, if you play your cards right, you’ll be offered some local whiskey to sample with the bill. The hotel’s bar is also great for enjoying a cocktail or two next to the open fire listening to soul records.
Cork
From remote countryside to Ireland’s second biggest city, we travelled to Cork to stay a night in the very slick and grand Hayfield Manor on the edge of the city centre. Considering it is right next to University College Cork, you can’t hear any noise from it at all, and is a very comfortable stay. If you wish to relax, the spa and pool facilities are great, and for exploring, the reception team are fantastic for recommendations on what to do in the city. We enjoyed exploring the city’s two food markets: the English Market and the much newer Marina Market. The latter can be found in the docks in the east of the centre, whereas the English Market is a traditional staple in the heart of the city, and is definitely not to be missed! As well as the inevitable live music found in pubs, Cork also has an opera house just by the river which hosts various concerts and performances for those who wish to add a bit of musical variety to their evenings.
Wicklow
The final destination on our trip was the Wicklow Mountains, but being a three-hour drive from Cork, we broke up the journey with a stop-off in Kilkenny: a charming little town with plenty of shops and eateries, as well as a castle. Our final stay was the Brooklodge & Macreddin Village, nestled in the southernmost point of the Wicklow Mountains, where the staff are friendly and the included spa facilities are great – a fantastic location to relax at the end of our holiday. You are however very isolated here: the nearest activities that aren’t golf (the resort neighbours the golf course) are a drive away, but if you’re happy to drive, or enquire about taxis at reception, you’re close to Avoca for a pretty village visit, or to Glendalough for those who want to enjoy a hike with some of the more impressive views of the mountains and valleys. There are lovely walks to be had directly from the hotel too if you don’t wish to drive, and you still get some impressive views in what is, on the most part, complete peace and quiet.
There are two evening dining options at the hotel - an Italian restaurant (La Taverna Armento) and the fine dining, Michelin guide, The Strawberry Tree. There is also a pub, a cafe and a cosy lounge bar on site which serve food during the day for a more casual affair.
