As the girls and I left County Mayo and drove into County Sligo and I immediately felt the surroundings to be a bit untamed and rugged, so it really wasn't any surprise when we drove down a gorgeous dirt road to the Ardtarmon House and found no one around but a lawnmower left as in mid-mow and everything eerily quiet. We figured a murder had taken place and voted for Nicky to go suss things out.
Luckily the owner had just decided to take a break and he and his wife were safely inside. The other residents were out for the day so it was just us when she showed us our rooms. There had been some misunderstanding during the booking and instead of a triple room the proprietor had made up three singles. We negotiated a bit on the price difference and then happily went to each of our private rooms. Mine was a large corner room with a separate seating area and views of the gardens. Lovely!
The guest house is 11+ miles outside of Sligo proper and on about 20 acres of property in the tiny village of Ballinfull. Having been in the same family since 1852 the property has pivoted from mainly farming to providing rooms to travelers. There wasn't much out here so when we decided to go on a short hike down to the ocean I asked Nicky why she was packing her wallet. "In case we find a pub, we're in Ireland after all!" I thought she was seriously wishful thinking as we hadn't even passed anything for miles while driving in.
Our hike down to the shore was picture-perfectly Irish. Green grass fields, cows and sheep grazing peacefully, beautiful views of Drumcliff Bay. We spend a bit of time exploring the beach and then headed back towards the manor house on the grassy trail that bordered a small forest.
We saw Charles, one of the owners, back to his mowing chore, and Nicky asked him if there was a pub nearby. He gave us two options, Ellen's which was 3 km away and Jordan's which was 2km. Jordan's it was!
We walked the narrow country road, lined with stone fences, and tried to stay out of the way of the speeding locals who were clearly bored with the speed limit. We passed herds of cattle and Carrigeens Cemetery which must be the cemetery for most of the surrounding villages as it was quite large and even had a map posted to make navigating easier.
And then we came to a curve in the road and there was our destination. Jordan's Pub sits next to a field, it's parking lot was empty and I was sure we had walked here for nothing. But when Mr. John Jordan himself responded to my question "Are you open" with "this is Ireland!" we knew we were going to be just fine!
Luckily Nicky had her wallet so we were able to sit for a few rounds. We watched various locals come in, wonder on their faces about these three girls who were obviously not from around here, and ended up chatting with a few. I mentioned that we should watch the time as we didn't want to be walking down that road in the dark.
We had a great conversation with a local oyster farmer, who drew us a map on a cocktail napkin and invited us to come visit the next day. The owner had left his daughter behind the bar while he went out for a bit, and shortly after the phone rang and his daughter said "Girls my dad is in town and wants to know if you want him to pick you up some dinner". God love Sligo!
When John returned and we mentioned we should go he said his daughter would drive us home! Now that is some real Irish hospitality right there! We finished the night in my room with some wine the girls had brought and the cheese I had purchased in Dingle. The Irish have a word for "a good time", it's craic. And let me tell you, there was some good craic at Jordan's!
The next morning we had breakfast at the guesthouse made by Charles and his wife Christa and heard all about Hurricane Lorenzo which was crossing over the northern part of Ireland. Pretty much right where we were driving that day!! We made a quick stop down at the harbour to see the views and got a taste of the wind!
Then we tried following the map to the oyster farm but got a bit lost. Luckily the woman who we stopped to ask seemed to know him and pointed the way, "go to where the road ends at the sea and where it says STOP HERE keep on going". Ok then!
We had a nice tour of the oyster farm with our new friend from the bar. He showed us around and then opened some for us to taste. More Sligo hospitality!
We didn't stay long as the storm was really kicking up and we had a couple of hours drive to our next destination. But not before stopping at the grave of Irish poet W.B.Yeats. There are many reports that the actual bones in the grave here are not his at all, but the locals don't care and actually refer to the area as Yeats County.
We drove through the hurricane, it was crazy windy which slowed us down, but we arrived safely at the beautiful Castle Leslie and were happy to have a seat in the pub and order some snacks.
Castle Leslie, which the Leslie family has resided in since 1660, is now also a 5 star hotel. It's located in County Monaghan which sits on the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Our food in the pub was basic at best but once we started exploring the main castle we were in awe of the plush surroundings.
We had a triple room at the top floor which use to be the nursery. Fitting. The room was hysterical with the toilet and shower hidden behind doors resembling a dollhouse. There was an actual dollhouse on the fireplace mantel that was a replica of the estate. It was all very meta and we were having a great time!
Having dropped our bags we thought of exploring the grounds but the wind and the rain were lashing as they say. We opted to stay inside.
There were multiple rooms, almost semi-private, with plush furniture and cozy fireplaces. We settled into one and a bartender asked what we would like. We decided that day drinking in the safety of our castle while a hurricane battered on the doorsteps would do just fine.
Originally we had made reservations for falconry but the weather had put a stop to that. So we hung out and had a great time just lounging and chatting away. For dinner we were driven by minivan back to the pub, which was still bad. We didn't learn until later that there actually is a nice restaurant on the property. It was a big disappointment but the hotel made it up to us when Nicky emailed them a few days later by refunding some of our rate.
After dinner there seemed to be a lot more people in the castle and when we chatted with a few in the bar they told us their friend had rented the entire estate out the next night for his birthday party. Boss!
In the morning we were on the road again to Drogheda, Nicky's hometown is just north of Dublin. We arrived at her mom's house in time for lunch, her mom had gone all out making a ton of food. It was great to be in staying in her house for the last two nights of my trip.
The next day Nicky's sister Laura and her husband Mark picked us up for a tour around the area. First stop was this crazy place called Gravity Hill. At the bottom of a slight incline you can put your car in neutral and it will BY ITSELF go backwards up the hill. It's crazy and good fun!
Next was a visit to the Long Woman's Grave. It was raining really hard so we didn't spend a lot of time reading the story outside. I looked it up later and found that it's a bit of folklore about a supposedly 7-foot tall Spanish bride who dropped dead at the realization of her husband's lie about just how much land he owned!
Our next stop was the seaside town of Carlingford, which is known for its oyster farming. We settled into Laura and Mark's fav pub in the area, PJ's for some great oysters and pints. Delicious!
That evening Laura and Mark hosted a fabulous dinner party. Laura is an amazing cook, each course was so good! It was hard to believe she had spent the day showing us around and now was serving a gourmet meal for eight!
It was such a fun day and I absolutely loved meeting more of Nicky's family. They are a good bunch for sure! Great craic!
And then it was over! The three of us girls drove to Dublin airport the next morning. I dropped them off for their flight and went to return the rental car. I used my Priority Pass to enter and hang out in the lounge there. It was good, nothing special but a nice place to grab a drink and some snacks. I had time for some duty free shopping and then a proper sit down lunch.
US customs is in the Dublin airport so once you clear them you are considered flying domestic into the US. Strange but much easier. I was in Aer Lingus Economy Plus on the way home and I will say that I felt like I was a sardine! And that was even having the aisle seat.
After 3 weeks in Ireland, and driving the entire circumference of the country, I was home. Ireland was one of the most fun trips I have taken! The people, the music, the food, the history, the beer, the whiskey, etc. etc! I loved everything about it.
**As I visited all of these places before the COVID-19 pandemic, please double check on opening hours. And fingers crossed these businesses all stay in business!**
Photos from County Sligo, Castle Leslie, and Drogheda here.
There is a lot to see and do in Dublin, but there are also a lot of top-notch eating and drinking experiences. On my first full day I kicked it off properly with an over-the-top lunch at Michelin 2-star Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud which is housed in a beautiful brick townhouse between St Stephen's Green and Merrion Square.
I was welcomed inside and led into a very bright and modern sitting room. I was surprised by the decor as it was very different than many high-end restaurants. A champagne trolly arrived, which is really the best way to start anything, and I browsed the various menus for lunch.
I was then ushered into the main dining room which couldn't have looked more different. The entire room was done in shades of beige and white. The tables were set with gorgeous porcelain and heavy silver. In the center of the ceiling was a large mobile that resembled a Calder. Each table was far enough away from the rest so that diners had privacy. It was beautiful and relaxing.
Ravioli of Blue Lobster, Lobster Coconut Cream, Toasted Almond, Split Curry Dressing
I decided on the 3-course lunch menu. I asked the somm to feel free to pair wines which he thought would go best with the dishes as I wasn't privy to the courses being served.
As with most Michelin starred meals, on top of the number of courses that I ordered I was also presented with an amuse, a palate cleanser, and petit fours. So really it was 7-courses. And every dish was lovely.
Butter Roast Veal Sweetbreads, Coffee, Parsnip, Mimolette and Girolles
I thought it very sweet of one of my servers, to bring me the coffee table book about the restaurant to page through during my lunch. I also was a bit tickled when Mr Guilbaud himself stopped by my table to inquire about my lunch. And I enjoyed moving outside to their covered patio to enjoy my petit fours with a cup of coffee.
My lunch was €65 + wine + champagne, extremely reasonable, some might say a steal for this level of meal. I'd absolutely recommend dining at Patrick Guilbaud, reservations are essentional!
That evening I did a little cocktail crawl before having a late dinner. I started at Bow Lane Social Club which isn't a club at all (thankfully!) but there is popular music and dancing later. The bar feels a little divey, but the cocktails are interesting. I did notice that all of them, when I was there, were on the rocks. The bartender was super friendly and went out of his way to find me a charger when I realized I'd left mine at the hotel. He also gave me a few other bar recommendations. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but if you are in the area, they are open early and my drink was solid.
My next stop was just two blocks away. The Lucky Duck is a traditional pub on the ground floor while the next two floors play host to separate cozy cocktail spaces. My drink in The Digges Room was delicious and the surroundings were super cute. They have a nice menu of small plates here too. Highly recommend.
I had about a 15 minute walk to my dinner destination. Bastible is a tad out of the way but that should not deter you from making a reservation here. And since the restaurant is on the small side reservations are recommended.
I had requested to sit at the counter which gave me a full view of the kitchen (and the handsome chef Cúán Greene!) But he's not just a pretty face, the food is absolutely delicious! And fun!
I was still feeling a bit full from my decadent lunch so I ordered the 2-course option for €40. The kitchen then sent out 2 amuse bouches, a gorgeous salad, and bread with butter before my braised lamb dish which came with flatbread and various condiments!
I chose cheese in place of dessert and had 3 lovely Irish cheeses to finish. Then they sent out a little sweet also. This is such an excellent casual restaurant, I'd tell everyone to go here!
Lunch the next day was pretty much the exact opposite atmosphere of my Michelin-star restaurant from the day before. Klaw is a tiny hole in the wall near Temple Bar with barely 3 tables. They only serve sustainable fresh seafood from reliable fisherman around Ireland.
I was excited to try a few of the Irish oysters, so I got 2 each of the Waterford and the Flaggy Shore. Delicious. I also had a lobster roll that came with homemade yuzu mayo, chervil, chive, and a "secret ingredient". Everything was really flavorful and I'd absolutely go back!
My last night in Dublin I started with a martini at the historic No.27 Shelbourne Bar at the hotel of the same name. The space was busy with locals and out of towners enjoying drinks and conversation; I was lucky to get a seat at the bar. This was a lovely stop if you (like me) enjoy a great hotel bar.
It was a quick walk to The Greenhouse for my 8pm dinner reservation. The decor is very simple and modern, spotlighting the absolutely beautiful food.
I chose 4 courses for €110 and added wine pairings (there was also an option for 6). This was a great choice for me as dinner started with four separate amuse bites before the main menu set in.
Everything was absolutely delicious, and the service could not have been better. My main of Roast Yorkshire Grouse, Beetroot & Blackberry, Coffee, and Sauce Grand Veneur was truly spectacular. Even with beets in the sauce!
Dining at The Greenhouse was one of my favorite meals in Ireland. The restaurant had 1-Michelin star when I visited and it is no surprise to me that they have been awarded their second now.
Obviously there were a few other cocktail bar visits, as well as a nightly night cap in my hotel bar.
Ireland isn't all chippy's and pubs (not that I wasn't excited to hit those up too!). I was very impressed with the fine dining and top-notch cocktails in Dublin!
**As I visited all of these places before the COVID-19 pandemic, please double check on opening hours. And fingers crossed these businesses all stay in business!**
I had two full days in Dublin to explore and had a lot on my itinerary. The Westbury Hotel's continental breakfast was served in the beautiful WILDE restaurant and was a quick, easy and delicious way to start my morning.
It was a super sunny fall day for my short walk to Trinity College. I had purchased a timed ticket for the Book of Kells online and was a little early so I strolled around the campus. It's a very picturesque campus, with a mix of medieval stone buildings, statues, and modern art.
The exhibit is amazing! It starts with the history of the Book of Kells and then leads you to blown up recreations of different pages so that you can see the intricate illustrations that went into writing each page of the gospel manuscript. A single letter could contain an entire picture with animals, flowers, people, etc.
The rooms of recreated and magnified pages give you a better understanding of the book as a whole. The illustrations and Celtic symbols are absolutely stunning.
After this you enter a darkened room containing the actual book. It's kept under glass and photos aren't allowed. A variety of pages are on display, incredibly having survived since being written in 800 AD! If you want to read more, there is a very complete history of the Book of Kells here.
As you leave the Book of Kells exhibit you enter the Long Room in the college library, a truly wondrous site. Light streams onto 200,000 of the oldest and rarest books in the college's collection. It takes about an hour to go through the entirety and even though there wasn't a line when I entered, the rooms were fairly busy. What a great introduction to Ireland, highly recommend making this one of your first stops!
Next up was the Museum of Archaeology and their super interesting collection! I browsed through gold relics and jewelry, artifacts and icons, and even bog bodies! The stories of those bodies and the treasure they find in bogs was worth the ticket alone!
That afternoon I took a taxi to Kilmainham Gaol for a tour of the prison. Tickets are purchased in advance online for timed entrance and as it is quite a popular destination I had only a few choices of tour availability.
It's a very interesting tour, with lots of historical information on the residents of the jail. Originally opened in 1796; men, women, and children were held here for being a part of revolutions, rebellions, and movements against the government as well as those who did actual crimes.
Many of the arrested were imprisoned here and then transferred on a long journey to Australia! And of course there are countless Irish songs that tell the stories of the incarcerated and executed of Kilmainham Gaol.
On a much lighter note, the next day I took a bus to the Guinness Storehouse. This self-guided tour is housed in the original brewery location which was opened in 1759. There's a lot of history behind the 250 year old brand and the visit is equal parts education, advertisement, and touristy fun.
There was a really interesting mini exhibit about their coopering practices (barrel making). And also a whole floor dedicated to the different characters and themes used in their advertisements. There was also a fun interactive aroma and tasting experience. And at the end of your tour you had a ticket to use at the top-floor Gravity Bar for a pint of the star of the show.
The views of Dublin and the surrounding areas, especially on this sunny fall day, were fantastic. Even if you are not a huge beer person I thought this was a great way to spend a couple of hours.
The rest of the afternoon I spent wandering around the Temple Bar area to Christ Church. The Cathedral is beautiful and has a lot of interesting relics in its crypt. There's also a case containing a mummified cat and rat which were found in an organ. The Irish love their preserved bodies!
It had been a long two days of seeing Dublin's sights, so I was headed back to the Westbury to have a little lay-down and I ended up walking past Dublin Castle on the way.
I didn't go inside but the large square is very impressive. It is still a government building and is smack in the center of town.
Dublin is absolutely fantastic for walking around. Lots to see and do, I couldn't get to it all but I feel like I did a pretty good job!
**As I visited all of these places before the COVID-19 pandemic, please double check on opening hours. And fingers crossed these businesses all stay in business!**
