Bucket list adventure: Tour of Ireland connects World-Herald reporter with his Irish roots

When the opportunity arose for my wife, Beth, and me to accompany her brother Paul and his wife, Brigid, it was something we couldn’t pass up.

There’s Irish blood flowing in my veins, something I’ve been told can be traced to my great-grandmother. My own sainted mother certainly took that Irish heritage to heart, sending out as many St. Patrick’s Day cards as Christmas cards.

First a few strings had to be pulled for the two-week trip, most notably at work. Once my boss gave his blessing, the Emerald Isle was our next stop.

After a seven-hour, overnight flight from Chicago to Dublin, we arrived in the early morning of April 23. Sleeping on airplanes always has been problematic, so the six-hour time difference had me moving rather slowly through the airport.

My bleary eyes did notice some posters still in the terminal advertising the Nebraska-Northwestern football game played last August. Knowing how that game turned out after the ill-fated onside kick, I resisted the temptation to tear them all down.

We were met at the airport by our driver, Michael Prendergast. The incredibly jovial native of Ireland — a (county) Kerry man, as he liked to say — was waiting with a sign to welcome our arrival.

Brigid had made many of the trip arrangements, including hiring a driver with the company Finding Ireland. This proved to be the best choice of all, especially since many roads there are very narrow and those folks drive on the other side.

The itinerary had us traveling throughout the southern part of the country, starting and ending in Dublin. Though Michael assured us the previously war-torn areas of northern Ireland are safe and have their own beauty, we were more than ready for our own adventure.

Here’s a daily look at our trip:

Day 1: Still in Dublin, we visit Trinity College and see the Book of Kells. The manuscript, which takes its name from the Irish Abbey of Kells — its home for centuries — contains the four Gospels of the New Testament and was created in a monastery circa 800 A.D.

Later that night we walked the busy streets of Dublin and enjoyed our first pint of Guinness in one of the many pubs we’d visit throughout the trip.

Day 2: We’re off to the County Kildare and a stop at the National Irish Stud Farm and Gardens. It’s a beautiful place to visit and my love of horse racing only ramps up my excitement to see where many notable Irish racehorses have been bred.

An interactive race is part of the tour, and Paul isn’t shy about reminding us throughout the trip that his horse finished first (mine ran third).

We visit the beautifully restored Kilkenny Castle and dine that night at a pub called Breathnach’s, which served a wonderful Irish stew. A wave to the barmaid for our check is misconstrued and she pours us two more pints.

Day 3: We head toward the County Cork and visit Cahir Castle, one of the largest in Ireland, which was built in 1142. It sits high and the strong wind makes our early-morning visit a chilly one (but even colder for visitors we met there from San Diego).

Next was a stop at the Rock of Cashel, a castle that is reputed to be the site of a king’s conversion to Christianity by St. Patrick in the fifth century.

Day 4: The day starts with a visit to the Cobh Heritage Centre, where thousands of emigrants driven from Ireland because of the famine boarded ships bound for the United States. Near the museum, a statue of Annie Moore — the first immigrant to be processed at New York’s Ellis Island in 1892 — stands watch.

Cobh also was the Titanic’s last port of call before its fateful voyage, another interesting slice of history.

A tour of the Jameson whiskey distillery was followed by a night in Kinsale and a visit to the Tap Tavern. Michael had correctly predicted that we would see an elderly gal named Mary — pub owner Mary O’Neil — sitting by the fireplace.

Day 5: The next day was a trip to Gougane Barra, perhaps a site not on the list of many tours. The name comes from St. Finnbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on the island during the sixth century.

During a time of religious persecution 300 years ago, the remote area became a place of safety for Catholics to celebrate Mass.

We had lunch that day in a nice little place owned by a jovial man named Johnny, who is doing his best to keep his café open. Ireland has become a refuge for thousands of Ukrainian refugees, and their need to be housed in hotels is not helping the country’s tourism industry.

That night we went to a live show that included Irish dancing and singing, a nice end to our stay in the town of Killarney.

Day 6: Moving on, we make a number of stops through the Ring of Kerry — Molls Gap, Torc Waterfall, the Muckross House and Ross Castle. Those castle ruins are all over in Ireland, and Michael tells us that it’s against the law to tear down any such ancient structures without governmental permission.

Day 7: This fun day begins with an introduction to a colorful character named Donald, whom everyone calls “Ducks.” After greeting us with a “Welcome to the Titanic,” he takes us on a boat ride on the beautiful lakes of Killarney National Park.

“Ducks” drops us off and then we go on a “jaunting car ride” in a horse and buggy that takes us back to civilization. We finish the Saturday by attending Mass that night at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney, a church that dates to 1842.

Day 8: It’s off to the seaside town of Dingle, a resort area that provides many shopping opportunities. Michael tells us that it’s a favorite Irish stop of Hollywood celebrities such as George Clooney and Julia Roberts, though none are spotted.

Dinner that night is at a restaurant that lives up to its reputation for fresh seafood. While we’re eating, two fishermen enter and sell their recent catch that is quickly put in an aquarium-like holding tank.

Day 9: Leaving Dingle behind, it’s off to see the famous Cliffs of Moher. A must-see for tourists, we’re fortunate that the weather is mild and that visibility is not a problem.

Michael earned his salary on this day with a tremendous coup, connecting with a nearby farmer who let us park on his property just a few steps from the cliffs. Most other tourists had to make a long uphill walk from a parking lot much farther down the road.

Dinner that night was in Galway and we had pizza at a nice place near the large park in the center of town. We met some other American visitors from Wisconsin and couldn’t help but run a little Nebraska football smack.

Day 10: My favorite day of the trip begins with a visit to Ballymoe, the birthplace of Father Flanagan. Brigid is especially interested in the Boys Town founder and the ongoing quest to confirm his possible sainthood.

Then it’s off to visit the village of Knock and attend Mass at the Knock Shrine, a Catholic pilgrimage site in the County Mayo. That’s where in 1879 witnesses said they saw an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist.

That stop was followed by two of my trip requests — a visit to Cong and the site of the John Wayne movie “The Quiet Man” and a stop that night to attend the horse races in Ballinrobe. The races are especially fun, though the horses run on grass and in an opposite direction of races in the U.S.

As often happens when the alleged horse racing expert attends the races with family, someone else steals the betting spotlight. This time it’s Brigid, who hits a long shot that paid $100.

Day 11: We make a quick stop in Athlone at Sean’s Bar, recognized as the oldest pub in Ireland. We stay that night in the town of Trim and visit Trim Castle, most notable for the filming of the movie “Braveheart.”

That night we had a nice meal and one final pint of Guinness as we prepare to leave Ireland.

Day 12: We say goodbye to Michael and head back to Dublin for our flight home. It had been a great trip and not even an additional two-hour layover at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport can put a damper on these four weary travelers.

A few more random thoughts:

The country is unbelievably lush and green, just as I’d imagined. I felt as though I was seeing Ireland through the eyes of my mom, who never got a chance to visit there.

We encountered many Irish citizens during our travels and the people were incredibly friendly. I’ve heard that’s not always the case in some European countries, but it certainly was here.

The hiring of a driver was a grand touch for so many reasons, most notably convenience and safety. Michael shared several stories of Irish history along the way, and it wasn’t unusual to hear that Kerry Man break out in Irish song as he drove us to our next destination.

As it turned out, sunscreen might have been the most unnecessary item that we packed. It was cloudy and somewhat cool for much of our trip but that was just fine for these hale and hearty Nebraskans.

My apprehension about the food was unwarranted. Fast-food restaurants were not an option in most of the towns we visited and the family-owned establishments that Michael recommended were mostly awesome and reasonably priced.

Though my hope was to see the Blarney Stone, I was outvoted and that was not on our itinerary. With the thought that kissing a rock is an overrated experience, we pressed on to see other sites.

Bruce Springsteen played a series of concerts in Dublin starting on the day after we left. A friend and resident expert on “The Boss” said we should have “accidentally” missed our flight home to stay an extra day.

We made several more stops but space here is limited. Two of my favorites were the Lorge Chocolatier in Kenmare and Murphy’s Ice Cream Shop in Dingle.

If you get the opportunity to visit Ireland — or any other faraway place, for that matter — take it. It’s easy to come up with reasons why not to go, but the memories will last a lifetime.