A Whirlwind Visit to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway

Is this a traditional or ideal travel post? No.  Would I recommend this specific route?  No.  Would I say we spent enough time in any particular location?  No.  Do I feel like we packed as much into the short amount of time we had?  Absolutely, yes!

It was an incredible, whirlwind trip that tested the limits of my planning skills.  In a nutshell, it was a loop from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher to Galway to Belfast and back to Dublin. This first post covers the Cliffs of Moher and Galway leg.

First Stop – Sean’s Bar

I arrived in Dublin early in the morning; rested and ready to go after a wonderful flight from the US in a Polaris lay-flat seat on United Airlines.  After a stop for coffee, it was road trip time!

The first stop after leaving Dublin was in Athlone for Sean’s Bar.  Sean’s is Ireland’s Oldest Pub (as listed in Guinness Book of World Records) so obviously must be visited!  I loved everything about this pub – the history, the atmosphere and the storytelling by the bartender.  Athlone was my first glimpse at the legendary Irish charm and I was already looking forward to more!  But one drink and done because there was so much more to see!

Up until this point, the roads had been all highway.  Except for driving on the left, it was very similar to driving on freeways in the US…well that was about to change!!  I’m not sure if google maps needed us to do a little sightseeing or if it was legitimately the most efficient route but once we took the exit, the roads narrowed and the winding, backroad journey to the next destination, Cliffs of Moher, began.

Self Side Note (ssn) – since Patti wasn’t there, I must do my own sidenote.  I had two romanticized, clichéd Ireland scenes that I hoped would play out.   First, a flock of sheep blocking the country road.  Second, happening upon an Irish wake or wedding celebration in a local pub.  Spoiler alert…neither happened.

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are known to be the top tourist attraction in Ireland.  The Cliffs are represented on almost all travel bucket lists, like “50 of the Best Views in the World”.  It was definitely top of my list, and you all know I love checking off the lists!

It was a few Euro for admission, paid to the very charming attendant as you park.  Then a short walk to the Visitor Center which also houses a row of souvenir and snack shops.  The weather (as expected) was chilly, with an ocean breeze and overcast skies.  It was a little bit of a trek up along the trail but plenty of viewpoints along the way and the views were enough to stop you in your tracks!  The 700-ft, rugged cliff walls topped with vivid green grass were just breathtaking.

As difficult as it was to tear ourselves away from this scene, we had reservations in Galway!

Galway Town

The drive from the Cliffs of Moher to Galway was one of my favorites of the trip.  Each town was cuter than the previous.  As I was annoyingly pointing out.  With each colored building, pub sign, flower box or thatched roof, I announced, “This is the CUTEST!”

ssn – I’m sure this is an American thing.  Europe is full of small, quaint towns with architectural interest so maybe it isn’t as much of a treat.  With a few exceptions, we just don’t have this in the USA.

We arrived in Galway and checked into the hotel with not much time to spare.  We stayed at The House Hotel nearer the docks but just outside the Latin Quarter.  The hotel was perfectly located near the action but not too near!  It was modern and stylish with friendly service.

Galway Whiskey Tasting Tour

I had booked a “Private Irish Whiskey and Galway Spirits Tour” with Sheena from Galway Food Tours.

The Latin Quarter is sooooo fun and lively!  It was hard to make a direct line to our first meeting place, McCambridges, without getting distracted.  We had a private tasting room and were given a selection of local meats and cheeses to go with the Irish Whiskey tastings.  Now, I have been to a good number of the Bourbon Distillers in Kentucky (and love them!) but my Irish Whiskey experience is limited to a few shots of Jameson on St. Patrick’s Day.

Whiskey Tasting Stop 1

Our first pour was Slane.  Turns out, I really like Irish Whiskey.  We also tasted the Irish version of moonshine, Poitin from Micil.  Pronounced, “puh-cheen”, this very high-proof alcohol has only been legal in Ireland since 1997.  Not going to lie, it was rough!  There was Longueville Apple Brandy that Sheena took with us for later in the tour.

Whiskey Tasting Stop 2

Moving along, we went to Ruibin down by the Docks.  Sheena’s storytelling and local knowledge were the perfect accompaniment to these wonderful whiskeys.  We tried Tullamore 12-year, Yellow Spot 12-year and Connemara Original and had some delicious snacks.

ssn – I loved both the Tullamore and the Yellow Spot.  I was not crazy about the Connemara as it was very peaty (which I have not yet acquired the taste for).

Whiskey Tasting Stop 3

The third stop was Tigh Neachtain.  Tigh Neachtain, Galway’s oldest pub is full of history and charm! We tasted Bushmills American Oak Cask Finish – I loved this one – and ate some amazing local oysters, mussels and a pork sliders.  We also broke out our apple brandy for a beautiful ending.

Off to Explore

We left the tour feeling blissfully immersed into vibrant Galway.  Sadly, we only had one night in town and I felt like I needed to explore as much of the city as possible.  Galway is made for wandering – charming streets, colorful buildings, cheerful pubs and buskers.

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The Claddagh

At Sheena’s recommendation, we walked just across the river from the Latin Quarter to The Claddagh for a more authentic, local experience.

I had my first pint of Guinness (in Ireland) at an outdoor beer garden-style tent at a local pub and was beginning to feel the tiredness from the travel day catching up with me. Back to the hotel to rest up for another destination tomorrow!