SNIPPET: A reader of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine shared her thoughts on the Emerald Isle in the Nov-Dec 2007 issue: Joanne OLSON, Idaho Falls, ID: "When I sit down and try to recall one outstanding memory from the trip my husband and I took to Ireland, I find it very difficult to think of just one. We experienced Ireland in a less traditional and more personal way. We rented a 30-foot boat and with my husband as captain and me as the deck-hand, we set out to explore the areas around Lough Derg and the River Shannon. Five years on, this week spent leisurely cruising still stays fresh and clear in my mind. With no set agenda or time schedule, we were able to enjoy each town. We chose a different marina to stay in every night. With no other transportation than the boat, we did a lot of walking and exploring each area where we moored. The afternoons and evenings were full of new and interesting things to see. The old churches and castle ruins gave us an insight into the history of the area. It was humbling to find headstones in the graveyards with dates far older than the U.S.A. The warmth and friendliness of the people we met along the way made us feel welcome. We enjoyed many hearty bowls of soup, soda bread and great conversations in local pubs. All the pictures I had seen of old churches, ruins, green fields and grazing sheep became real. They were all and more than I had dreamed about .... "