Hi Ms. Gilly in Wales - Well, it has taken all this time to finalize my sister and my itinerary for our month-long trip to Ireland (our first!) this coming summer. I will be sure and write a newsy note to the list and tell you all about it. My cousin decided not to join us, which made us very sad, but we will have a fun time anyway! After a glorious14-day guided Globus coach tour, which begins and ends in Limerick, we will divide our time between a nice Limerick city hotel and a highly recommended B&B in the quiet countryside outside of Limerick town, then take the train (we love trains!) across Ireland over to Dublin to stay several days in a posh Georgian hotel restored 17th c. across from the National Museum! We are looking forward to meeting two Irish friends we have gotten acquainted with via e-mails and will see all the sights and may even take one or two half-day or one-day round-trip rail tours out of Dublin (one is a mystery tour that doesn't tell you the destination that leaves at noon!). We shouldn't have any trouble getting around by walking and public transportation in Dublin city. . I will fly from WA State to spend a day or two with my sister in OR and see her new house. Then we will take a bus to the Portland area and stay overnight at a hotel nearby so we can be up and ready for our early-morning flight. We will fly to NY, have a short wait, catch another plane that flies across the Atlantic and touches down in Shannon Airport, over on the west coast of Ireland, in the Clare/Limerick area. We chose July-August time period (for the best weather) although more expensive. We took a lot at all the listers' suggestions. We discovered that once we found an interesting-sounding, recommended 4-star B&B on the Internet, if we took more than a hour or two deciding, it would be filled by the time we wrote them back!! This happened several times to us, even though we were looking for accommodations seven months before our trip! We ended up getting some help from a travel agent to find good accommodation in the heart of Dublin. Since my sis is paying my way, and I was given the task of getting the most for "our" money (since I knew more about Ireland, having studied it), I was like 'a kid in a candy store,' with so many things I wanted to see and experience. We decided that a trip that incorporated a guided coach tour (with airflight over, accommodations, sights, most meals included) was less of hassle for us and actually quite cost-effective and our luggage taken care of, for the most part. On the advice of a travel guide, we decided to spend a week longer in Ireland because it might be our one-and-only triip abroad, there was so much to see and do and we needed some relaxing down time. We didn't want to be on a bus all day, either. Because our cousin (who was to be the driver) backed out, we had to look into public transportation to get around. (I don't drive and my sister is loathe to!). We were going to take a Rick Steves' guided coach tour that sounded wonderful as travellers stayed in what sounded like homey B&Bs throughout, lots of time at the seashore, we decided that it might be more tailored for the younger, back-packing crowd. We looked into other guided tours and settled on one that seemed to be a good value (14-day Globus/Scenic Ireland) that would trace the coastline of the entire island. The tours includes stays in nice hotels in several Irish counties including one recommended by a lister, Jurys Ballbridge in Dublin. The tour includes many meals, all accommodations and fare to sites with several optional events we will take in (or stay put and relax). Some of the tour I have outlined below (but not all). We will visit Bunratty folk park, enjoy dinner and traditional irish music in a barn. Visit Cliffs of Moher, Rathbaun Farm (watch farmer shear sheep and his wife make scones for us), Connemara (Galway) marble factory and Galway town, visit Clifen, a small fishing village in the far west. We will visit Kylemore Abbey, massive castle acquired by the Benedictine nuns in a beautiful setting. We will also visit Westport, and Knock (where the Virgin Mary appeared). On the way to Bundoran we will stop at Drumcliff on Sligo Bay to visit the grave of W. B. YEATS. Our tour takes up into the wild and beautiful Donegal, and we will follow the Atlantic coast, visit Donegal town, Bundoran. We will also visit the Belleek Pottery Factory. We will go past Dunluce Castle (part of which fell from the cliff into the sea, taking the kitchen staff with it, in medieval times). The tour visits Co. Antrim's Giant's Causeway. In Derry.(St. Columbs' Cathedral) and Belfast (where the 'Titanic" was built) we will be part of walking tours by local guides. We will see the Mountains of Mourne and then back into the Republic. The Boyne Valley is the scene of a bloody 17th century battle, and we will visit the Knowth passage-grave dating from the Bronze Age. In Dublin we will visit Trinity College and the Book of Kells, join in a walking tour of the city including statue-lined O'Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, St. Patrick's Cathedral. The afternoon is one of leisure and we can enjoy an optional Irish dinner and cabaret show. We will visit the Wicklow Mountains, visit Ballyknocken House, a typical Irish family-run guesthouse best known from its cooking school, where we will have a homebaking demonstration and enjoy fresh cones vrom the oven and coffee. We will spend an afternoon in the pretty county town of Kilkenny, visit the castle. There is a visit to the Waterford Crystal factory and another to Blarney woolen mill. We will call on Bantry, Cork, which is nestled bewsdie a large natural harbour, board a private boat at beautiful Glengarriff for a short (apparently calm) crossing to Garinish island, where we will stroll through a fragrant and lush tropical island garden. We will head over the mountains into Co. Kerry and experience more breathtaking scenery. At Kenmare we will join the fabled 'Ring of Kerry' and see Lakes of Killarney, visit Killarney. We can take in an optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets to the Siamsa Tire National Folk Theatre. We will visit Dingle Peninsula, the blasket island centre (dedicated to Irish language and culture), visit Dingle. We can take a optinal excursion by horse-drawn jaunting car through the national park, see Lakes of Killarney, Ross Castle. We will visit quaint Adare, renowned for its pretty thatched cottages and we have an optional (medieval?) banquet at Knappogue Castle. Some of the things we are planning on seeing during our free two weeks exploring at the end of the tour include Limerick's Hunt Museum, take the Frank McCourt walking tour ("Angela's Ashes"), eat in pubs and get some local color, take a local bus and revisit Dingle and Tralee, perhaps Ennis, Clare, Galway, visit the marvelous Muckross House (where Queen Victoria stayed), visit Kinsale, Cork (Cobh), the Rock of Cashel, stud farm and Japanese gardens in Kildare, (hopefully, Dunbrody ship at New Ross, Kenmare Lace Centers, Strokestown House). Also definitely want to see Kilmainham Goal in Dublin, National Museum, National Gallery (Art), and possibly Botanical Gardens and Guinness Storehouse. Besides a half-day rail "mystery tour," we are looking at other RailTours out of Dublin with flight to Aran Islands, to Avoca (Ballykissangel) and Avoca. I also want to see Trim and Newgrange, both highly recommended places/sites. The Trim (Meath) castle is the one in the movie "Braveheart." and is only an hour from Dublin.. If we were driving, I could think of lots more places to visit. We will be somewhat limited. I have an Irish poetess e-mail friend who has offered to take a day off, prepare lunch for us in her flat, and show us some of the Dublin sights. She was born in Co. Leitrim, where our Irish kin evidently came from. We want to treat her to dinner in the evening. An Irish gentleman, a business friend of my nephew, also plans to show us some of the Dublin sights and promises to treat us to "the best dinner in Ireland." I am going to do my best to talk my sister in visiting Liverpool (short flight) from Dublin, where our English father was born, and to visit Drumshanbo, Leitrim, where our Irish grandfather was born. As novice travelers in our 60's we may just get worn out and see half of these wonderful places before flying back home from Dublin. We may attempt to do some genealogy while in Ireland, perhaps look at the National School Records at the National Archives. I bought some wheeled luggage, had my birth certificate corrected to show the correct day, have gotten new glasses, had a foot problem and dental problem taken care of, and the new shoulder bag I bought turned out to be named "Erin"! ('Twilight Zone' music here). Jean xx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gill Smith" <gilliandavies@lineone.net> To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 3:01 AM Subject: Re: [IRELAND] Recollections, Willie WALSH -- "Colours of Childhood" (contemp.) > Hello Jean > > That was another lovely one. How's plans going for the trip? > > Gilly Gill - in Wales > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> > To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 7:07 AM > Subject: [IRELAND] Recollections, Willie WALSH -- "Colours of Childhood" > (contemp.) > > > > MEMORY LANE: In a 2002 issue of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" > > magazine, Willie WALSH recalls his Irish childhood: > > <snip> >

Hi Jean I'm just going to re- read your exciting itinery!! Well what a trip! I'm really excited for you, wow - a whole month in Ireland I'm as green as the Irish grass (and Welsh grass too!!) Get back to you soon you lucky One Isn't she the lucky one everyone?! Gilly Gillxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 8:04 PM Subject: Re: [IRELAND] Query, My Upcoming Trip to Ireland -- Recollections, Willie WALSH -- "Colours of Childhood" (contemp.) > Hi Ms. Gilly in Wales - Well, it has taken all this time to finalize my > sister and my itinerary for our month-long trip to Ireland (our first!) > this > coming summer. I will be sure and write a newsy note to the list and tell > you all about it. My cousin decided not to join us, which made us very > sad, > but we will have a fun time anyway! > > After a glorious14-day guided Globus coach tour, which begins and ends in > Limerick, we will divide our time between a nice Limerick city hotel and a > highly recommended B&B in the quiet countryside outside of Limerick town, > then take the train (we love trains!) across Ireland over to Dublin to > stay > several days in a posh Georgian hotel restored 17th c. across from the > National Museum! We are looking forward to meeting two Irish friends we > have gotten acquainted with via e-mails and will see all the sights and > may > even take one or two half-day or one-day round-trip rail tours out of > Dublin > (one is a mystery tour that doesn't tell you the destination that leaves > at > noon!). We shouldn't have any trouble getting around by walking and > public > transportation in Dublin city. . > > I will fly from WA State to spend a day or two with my sister in OR and > see > her new house. Then we will take a bus to the Portland area and stay > overnight at a hotel nearby so we can be up and ready for our > early-morning > flight. We will fly to NY, have a short wait, catch another plane that > flies across the Atlantic and touches down in Shannon Airport, over on the > west coast of Ireland, in the Clare/Limerick area. > > We chose July-August time period (for the best weather) although more > expensive. We took a lot at all the listers' suggestions. We discovered > that once we found an interesting-sounding, recommended 4-star B&B on the > Internet, if we took more than a hour or two deciding, it would be filled > by > the time we wrote them back!! This happened several times to us, even > though we were looking for accommodations seven months before our trip! > We > ended up getting some help from a travel agent to find good accommodation > in > the heart of Dublin. > > Since my sis is paying my way, and I was given the task of getting the > most > for "our" money (since I knew more about Ireland, having studied it), I > was > like 'a kid in a candy store,' with so many things I wanted to see and > experience. We decided that a trip that incorporated a guided coach tour > (with airflight over, accommodations, sights, most meals included) was > less > of hassle for us and actually quite cost-effective and our luggage taken > care of, for the most part. > > On the advice of a travel guide, we decided to spend a week longer in > Ireland because it might be our one-and-only triip abroad, there was so > much > to see and do and we needed some relaxing down time. We didn't want to be > on a bus all day, either. Because our cousin (who was to be the driver) > backed out, we had to look into public transportation to get around. (I > don't drive and my sister is loathe to!). We were going to take a Rick > Steves' guided coach tour that sounded wonderful as travellers stayed in > what sounded like homey B&Bs throughout, lots of time at the seashore, we > decided that it might be more tailored for the younger, back-packing > crowd. > We looked into other guided tours and settled on one that seemed to be a > good value (14-day Globus/Scenic Ireland) that would trace the coastline > of > the entire island. The tours includes stays in nice hotels in several > Irish > counties including one recommended by a lister, Jurys Ballbridge in > Dublin. > > The tour includes many meals, all accommodations and fare to sites with > several optional events we will take in (or stay put and relax). Some of > the tour I have outlined below (but not all). We will visit Bunratty folk > park, enjoy dinner and traditional irish music in a barn. Visit Cliffs of > Moher, Rathbaun Farm (watch farmer shear sheep and his wife make scones > for > us), Connemara (Galway) marble factory and Galway town, visit Clifen, a > small fishing village in the far west. We will visit Kylemore Abbey, > massive castle acquired by the Benedictine nuns in a beautiful setting. > We > will also visit Westport, and Knock (where the Virgin Mary appeared). On > the way to Bundoran we will stop at Drumcliff on Sligo Bay to visit the > grave of W. B. YEATS. Our tour takes up into the wild and beautiful > Donegal, and we will follow the Atlantic coast, visit Donegal town, > Bundoran. We will also visit the Belleek Pottery Factory. > > We will go past Dunluce Castle (part of which fell from the cliff into the > sea, taking the kitchen staff with it, in medieval times). The tour > visits > Co. Antrim's Giant's Causeway. In Derry.(St. Columbs' Cathedral) and > Belfast (where the 'Titanic" was built) we will be part of walking tours > by > local guides. > > We will see the Mountains of Mourne and then back into the Republic. The > Boyne Valley is the scene of a bloody 17th century battle, and we will > visit > the Knowth passage-grave dating from the Bronze Age. > > In Dublin we will visit Trinity College and the Book of Kells, join in a > walking tour of the city including statue-lined O'Connell Street, elegant > Georgian squares, St. Patrick's Cathedral. The afternoon is one of > leisure > and we can enjoy an optional Irish dinner and cabaret show. > > We will visit the Wicklow Mountains, visit Ballyknocken House, a typical > Irish family-run guesthouse best known from its cooking school, where we > will have a homebaking demonstration and enjoy fresh cones vrom the oven > and > coffee. We will spend an afternoon in the pretty county town of Kilkenny, > visit the castle. There is a visit to the Waterford Crystal factory and > another to Blarney woolen mill. > > We will call on Bantry, Cork, which is nestled bewsdie a large natural > harbour, board a private boat at beautiful Glengarriff for a short > (apparently calm) crossing to Garinish island, where we will stroll > through > a fragrant and lush tropical island garden. We will head over the > mountains > into Co. Kerry and experience more breathtaking scenery. At Kenmare we > will > join the fabled 'Ring of Kerry' and see Lakes of Killarney, visit > Killarney. > We can take in an optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets to > the > Siamsa Tire National Folk Theatre. > > We will visit Dingle Peninsula, the blasket island centre (dedicated to > Irish language and culture), visit Dingle. We can take a optinal > excursion > by horse-drawn jaunting car through the national park, see Lakes of > Killarney, Ross Castle. We will visit quaint Adare, renowned for its > pretty > thatched cottages and we have an optional (medieval?) banquet at Knappogue > Castle. > > Some of the things we are planning on seeing during our free two weeks > exploring at the end of the tour include Limerick's Hunt Museum, take the > Frank McCourt walking tour ("Angela's Ashes"), eat in pubs and get some > local color, take a local bus and revisit Dingle and Tralee, perhaps > Ennis, > Clare, Galway, visit the marvelous Muckross House (where Queen Victoria > stayed), visit Kinsale, Cork (Cobh), the Rock of Cashel, stud farm and > Japanese gardens in Kildare, (hopefully, Dunbrody ship at New Ross, > Kenmare > Lace Centers, Strokestown House). Also definitely want to see Kilmainham > Goal in Dublin, National Museum, National Gallery (Art), and possibly > Botanical Gardens and Guinness Storehouse. Besides a half-day rail > "mystery > tour," we are looking at other RailTours out of Dublin with flight to Aran > Islands, to Avoca (Ballykissangel) and Avoca. I also want to see Trim and > Newgrange, both highly recommended places/sites. The Trim (Meath) castle > is > the one in the movie "Braveheart." and is only an hour from Dublin.. > > If we were driving, I could think of lots more places to visit. We will > be > somewhat limited. > > I have an Irish poetess e-mail friend who has offered to take a day off, > prepare lunch for us in her flat, and show us some of the Dublin sights. > She was born in Co. Leitrim, where our Irish kin evidently came from. We > want to treat her to dinner in the evening. An Irish gentleman, a > business > friend of my nephew, also plans to show us some of the Dublin sights and > promises to treat us to "the best dinner in Ireland." > > I am going to do my best to talk my sister in visiting Liverpool (short > flight) from Dublin, where our English father was born, and to visit > Drumshanbo, Leitrim, where our Irish grandfather was born. As novice > travelers in our 60's we may just get worn out and see half of these > wonderful places before flying back home from Dublin. We may attempt to > do > some genealogy while in Ireland, perhaps look at the National School > Records > at the National Archives. > > I bought some wheeled luggage, had my birth certificate corrected to show > the correct day, have gotten new glasses, had a foot problem and dental > problem taken care of, and the new shoulder bag I bought turned out to be > named "Erin"! ('Twilight Zone' music here). > > Jean xx > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Gill Smith" <gilliandavies@lineone.net> > To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 3:01 AM > Subject: Re: [IRELAND] Recollections, Willie WALSH -- "Colours of > Childhood" > (contemp.) > > >> Hello Jean >> >> That was another lovely one. How's plans going for the trip? >> >> Gilly Gill - in Wales >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> >> To: <IRELAND-L@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 7:07 AM >> Subject: [IRELAND] Recollections, Willie WALSH -- "Colours of Childhood" >> (contemp.) >> >> >> > MEMORY LANE: In a 2002 issue of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" >> > magazine, Willie WALSH recalls his Irish childhood: >> > <snip> >> > > > ==== IRELAND Mailing List ==== > Ireland Mailing List website..surname registry, links, lookup > volunteers,unsubscribe, change your subscription from L to D or D to L > http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/IrelandList/ > >

Jean sounds wonderful. Caution, watch your baggage allowance, if you book a short flight between Dublin and the U.K. with Ryanair., while you are in the middle of your trip. ONLY, take what you need. Check out the Ryanair site to see what they allow now. I got VERY badly caught out, with excess baggage weight two years ago. Flying from Canada with ZOOM air. (great airline) to Glasgow, then to Shannon with Ryanair I made several trips between Shannon and Scotland within a two week period., to visit in laws., a wedding, Same bag, same weight, but it was only on the final return trip taking Ryanair to Glasgow to catch my flight home to Canada, that they told me at Shannon, I was WAY overweight and had to pay.(lots) flight was cheap, baggage was ten times the ticket price. Had I know, I would have left all my clothes for my sisters., in Tralee *gr* All the best KerryKate