Our first destination is Ireland – the country we know the least about! Shane and I both have Irish roots via our paternal grandfathers so we both had dreams of visiting the Emerald Isle, but still know very little about what to do, where to go, etc.

We are starting in Dublin when we first arrive. As I mentioned in the previous post, we are staying in Dun Laoghaire (Dun Leery), a suburb of Dublin, because Rick Steves recommended it as a home base – and it’s cheaper than staying in the city. There is a light rail system (the DART) that will take us right into the city, and a bus (Air Coach) that will take us right to our hotel from the Dublin Airport. Winner Winner!

Our Dublin-area stay will be four days, then another half day at the end of the trip. We’ve read that the city doesn’t take much time, so now we’ll have time to branch out. So far we’re thinking…

Malahide – according to the community website, it is “is a modern village with a traditional feel, a picturesque countryside coastal town in North County Dublin, yet only half an hour from Dublin City…” It’s on the DART line so we don’t need additional transportation, and as you can see below, it looks like a great place to spend a day!

Glendalough – Glendalough is both natural and historical – home of a 6th century monastic settlement, and one of the most visited national parks in Ireland. It’s really popular so there’s tour buses that will take you from Dublin to the area, but we are seriously considering renting a car and experiencing the left side of the road. Honestly, that will be what determines whether or not we go or not. Of course, looking at these pictures below makes me say “clear the road lads and lassies, here come the Brennens!”

I mean seriously? This place is for real? Amazing.

We’ve also considered side trips to Newgrange, Howth, Kilkenny, or Cork (pictures in order below).

So Ireland is a work in progress. We’re sure we’ll be there for 4.5 days…we’re not sure exactly what we’ll do when we’re there. To be continued!