Travel: Dream Vaction to Ireland Continues

Last month we informed our readers about the great new non-stop flights offered by Ireland’s national airline, Aer Lingus between SFO and Dublin. Our experience on Aer Lingus was delightful and we once again encourage folks to check out their web site for exceptional vacation package values. www.aerlingus.com Since we covered our experiences in Dublin last month this column will concentrate on our 5 day guided tour that headed south to Cork on an inland route and back to Dublin along the coast.

Our tour guide was full of great trivia, historical facts and humorous Irish blarney. The days were filled with a lot of sightseeing and numerous visits to major attractions. Highlights of our tour included stops at: Rock of Cashel-- This 4^th century cathedral ruins is one of Ireland’s most spectacular landmarks; Waterford Crystal Factory—probably the most famous crystal manufacture in the universe and a shoppers utopia; Powerscourt House and Gardens—one of the finest examples of an aristocratic estate and gardens in all of Europe; and the Heritage Center in Cobh - the last port for the Titanic before it’s catastrophic sinking. There were countless other wonderful memories but our space for this article is as limited as the time we spent visiting magical Erin.

The limited days were our only disappointment. Our overwhelming inclination is to return to Ireland as soon as our schedule permits. There are so many more cities, counties and attractions we’d like to tour. Donegal, Galway, Limerick, Killarney and Shannon await. And now that a much more peaceful atmosphere and attitude exists between Ireland and Northern Ireland, we would really love to visit Belfast, Londonderry and other Northern Ireland regions. Bottom line: We really would have liked to stay for three weeks and not eight days. This short trip only whetted our appetite for much more. And now that our dream to visit Ireland has been fulfilled, we’ll just have to conjure up a new dream that will have us return to our new favorite European destination.

In addition to the great 4 and 5 star hotels we found in Dublin, numerous dazzling new golf and spa resorts have opened on the Emerald Isle in recent years. One of the most awesome resorts we visited was the luxurious new Ritz Carlton at Powerscourt a few miles south of Dublin. This is the first Ritz Carlton in Ireland and is a wonderful illustration why this U.S. based hotel company is recognized as one of the world’s finest operators of ultimate lodging facilities. As you’d expect from a Ritz, the service was impeccable, the ambience striking and the setting was awe-inspiring. But what really got our attention was the fun filled down to earth Irish pub they included within the resort. We understand certain staff members went around Ireland to pick out their favorite local pub and went about duplicating as much as possible. A stroke of leprechaun genius! Maybe more Ritz Carlton’s should do the same by providing a ‘local flavor’ bar or dining room that is less formal. To us that would be a nice option to the sophisticated dining and cocktail room choices that are Ritz Carlton hallmarks. www.ritzcarlton.com

One other great new resort we experienced was Capella Castlemartyr in County Cork and located on land once owned by Sir Walter Raleigh. This beautifully restored manor house was once the residence of the 3^rd Earl of Cork and was previously owned by the Knights Templar of Da Vinci Code fame. Adjacent to the ruins of a thousand year old castle, it has now been expanded to include 109 crème de la crème suites and rooms, a new state of the art spa and championship golf links. Although only opened for a few months, the resort is on the way towards world class status. For complete details on this resort go to: www.capellacastlemartyr.com or for info on all Capella resorts/hotels check out: www.capellahotels.com Another wonderful and less expensive lodging option is Ballymaloe House, a modernized part of a 14^th century Geraldine Castle located on the owners 400 acre farm. Their restaurant is considered one of Ireland’s best. And why not! Darina Allen, one of Ireland’s most famous chefs and owner of the nearby Ballymaloe Cookery School oversees the restaurant. For more info on the inn: www.ballymaloehouse.ie or on their cooking school that attracts many students from the U.S. and around the world: www.cookingisfun.ie

As a reminder, we encourage readers to check out the official web site of the country’s national tourism office, Tourism Ireland for complete information on vacations, lodging options, tours, events, activities, attractions, and much more: www.discoverireland.com Safe Journeys, everyone!

Jax and Shannon are a married couple residing in Silicon Valley and have been writing travel columns for nearly 25 years. In the coming months we will be featuring columns on their forthcoming trips to Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Wine Region; San Diego area-Coronado and Mission Bay,