Karen | Ireland | May, 2024

May 27, 2024
Cliffs of Moher, Donegal, Galway, Ireland, Killarney
Planned by: Ann O'Brien

Name

Karen

How would you rate your trip?

Who was your travel expert?

Ann

How were your accommodations?

Great!

What did you love?

The Trident Hotel in Kinsale because of the views of the water, its proximity to town, its very helpful staff, and its very good food, both for breakfast and in its restaurant. This was my favorite place we stayed other than the airBNB we had in Donegal. Our least favorite would be the Lake House Hotel in Killarney. Although the property was beautiful, the rooms were hot at night and it was far enough from the center of town which made going to dinner in there difficult. (I realize we asked our travel expert to trim our budget and this place was a change after that request- so I realize this is likely the reason why this hotel was selected.) Suggestion- The Lake Hotel should offer a shuttle service to & from town for their guests. In Galway, the staff at the Park House hotel was notably friendly, kind, and warm – and this location was great for getting around.

Did everything go smoothly with your transportation?

Yes. Our driver Paudy was a pleasure to be around. He was engaging and helpful and full of fun interesting facts- but gave us time to relax too. He was always accommodating with any requests- invited us to decide on the time we wanted for stops and meals, and suggested places to stop for breaks or lunch during the drives. We always felt safe. He was careful on all the twisty, narrow roads. The van we were driven in was comfortable with enough room for luggage. Our flight was delayed when we were initially leaving Newark but was a non-stop, so no consequences.

What tours, attractions, or activities did you particularly enjoy?

I’d say touring the General Post Office and seeing the Book of Kells were the highlights for us in Dublin. We loved just driving and seeing the amazing Irish countryside on the way at Cork. We enjoyed the Powerscourt estate and Kilkenny and the castle there. We really enjoyed walking around Kinsale later and our trip to the Cobh Heritage Center the next day.

We enjoyed Killarney (but it did have awful traffic problems in town), the Carriage ride in Killarney National Park was a favorite for us all & Paudee took us to a beautiful waterfall nearby too. Dingle Bay and the entire pennisula was beautiful. We were very happy we saw it & wished we had more time there. We later drove through the Burren to the amazing Cliffs of Moher. We never went to the sheepdog demonstration in Kerry.

Paudy did not seem to know about this (but later we went to one in Donegal when we were up there and really enjoyed it.) We enjoyed Galway- my kids in particular liked the music & vibrancy there. Our arranged transportation to Shannon to pick up the car went very smoothly and the same for my son’s separate ride to the airport- so thanks!

What was your favorite part of the trip?

I have to say that although we enjoyed all of our time prior to when we picked up the car in Shannon and drove to Donegal and we found Ireland so very beautiful- our favorite part of the trip was our stay up in Donegal in the cottage which had once been my grandfather’s childhood home. My sister and I were not expecting the beauty, the remoteness, or the emotions we felt exploring the area where he was from. Many parts seemed not very different from what it must have been when he left 110 years ago and people nearby all remembered our family. I think we’ll always remember it.

Would you travel with us again?

Yes!

How can we improve for next time?

You were great, so that is a tough question, but I think the only thing I can think of is if we had been aware of the distance between the Lake House and the town of Killarney (because of the traffic) we probably would have said we’d rather spend a bit more to be in town. But, as I said earlier, we know that is on us.

Any other questions or comments?

Ann was a great expert to work with. She was knowledgable, a great listener, flexible, always prompt and responsive to our reaching out, and sensitive to our budget. We will gladly recommend our friends to her and Crystal Travel and consult you again if we are planning a trip.