The beauty of Ireland: Visiting Dublin and surrounds

There’s something incredibly comforting about visiting Ireland. Many of us have roots that go back hundreds of years – after all, Australia was where many Irish emigrated to in the 1800 and 1900s. Either way, it’s clear from the minute you step off the plane that you are in a special place…

I was so excited to go on a tour around Ireland as my grandfather was born on the Emerald Isle, plus I had never been to Europe before. A solo trip after many alongside my partner seemed like just the break I needed, but I was looking for something that was both flexible and hassle-free. Insight Vacations’ Luxury Gold tour around Ireland stood out for me thanks to their fantastic reputation and competitive prices. I also liked the sound of the Relaxed Starts – no waking up at 7am for a tour!

My journey started in Dublin and after my two flights over 24 hours, it was safe to say I was feeling pretty tired. Thank God for Michael (this isn’t the first time I’ll say this!), my tour director. He was around 70, had that special Irish grin, and he looked like the spitting image of Liam Neeson – he definitely didn’t mind the comparisons! He picked others and myself up from Dublin Airport and transferred us to our hotel, Doubletree by Hilton, just outside the city centre.

After settling in and putting our bags down, we were given a tour of Dublin by Sally, the best tour guide in all of Ireland, according to her cousin Michael, our T.D.! But he wasn’t just being biased; she was excellent and really welcomed our group (around 20 of us) to the capital city. We saw Oscar Wilde’s statue and home on Merrion Square, as well as the beautiful coloured doors on the old Georgian buildings. Legend has it that all the doors were black but drunken men would come home after a night out and not know which was their house, so their wives painted them bright colours so they had no excuse! Our tour concluded at Trinity College, the world-renowned university in central Dublin.

Opened in 1592, Trinity College is home to the famous Book of Kells. It’s a beautifully crafted Latin book of the New Testament, illustrated with the most elaborate and fanciful drawings I’ve ever seen. It felt very special to be able to see a book that was created around 800 AD. We were then led around the impressive Trinity College library, which holds more than 200,000 books on its teetering shelves.

Later in the evening, we took the coach to O’Connells in Donnybrook, the quaintest family-run restaurant I have ever been to. The owner Tom was very passionate about his food and got so excited talking about where each part of our meal had come from – it really was farm to fork and almost all from Ireland. For our first course, we had our pick from the Small Irish Food Producers Counter with salads, meats, buffalo mozzarella (a favourite) and the famous Irish black pudding. I had the charcoal oven roasted breast of Irish chicken as my main, and the family’s traditional sherry trifle for dessert – neither disappointed. We all went back to the hotel very full and happy!

The next day, we woke up to a buffet breakfast and didn’t have to be on the coach until 9am. I should mention the coach as well… it wasn’t like the usual coaches you can be packed into like sardines – Insight Vacations have removed rows of seats so you can stretch out and lean back. And as Michael, our TD said, if you get sick of someone, you can even pull a lever and move your seat away from them and into the aisle! The coach also has Wi-Fi, a godsend when I wanted to contact my partner back home, plus a toilet and power points to charge your devices. But the best part was Michael, the Irish tour director who would give the most hilarious and long-winded tales that had us rolling around in our seats – gotta love the Irish sense of humour. With Mike chattering away, on we went to Kilkenny to learn about hurling, the national sport of Ireland.

These guys weren’t mucking around! Hurling is a serious sport and requires a lot of patience and co-ordination, neither of which I have! It was fun nonetheless. I also had to laugh a little bit that there was an Aldi supermarket on the fringe of the hurling field – I can’t escape the bargains!

Next up was the town of Kilkenny, which was filled with life, music and Irish delights. There were so many little streets where you could just roam for hours. We were treated to a traditional Irish stew in a very Irish pub, complete with a bartender who was in the Lord of the Dance! I loved that Insight Vacations made everything optional, and gave me a lot of free time to explore. While almost all meals were included, we were encouraged to find our own little places to grab a coffee or Irish tea along the way.

On the coach again and now to the sombre Rock of Cashel, which was erected in the 12^th century as the home of the kings of Munster – it’s really no wonder it’s considered one of the most incredible collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture in Europe. A walk around the grounds shows the many graves of those who died in the area, as well as the magnificent view of the county with some of the greenest greens you’ll ever see.

The photos really speak for themselves here. After our tour of the grounds and taking it all in, it was off to Killarney for the night.

Looking forward to the next week in this beautiful country, including Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Limerick, Galway, Cliffs of Moher and the majestic Ashford Castle. Stay tuned!

Tell us, have you ever been to Ireland? Where did you go and what was your highlight?

Insight Vacations offers seven premium journeys that take in Ireland, including the eight-day Irish Elegance which visits Dublin, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Lough Corrib and more. Priced from $2875 per person, twin share, land only this itinerary includes seven nights’ accommodation in distinctive hotels in the best locations such as the historic Ashford Castle, an experienced Tour Director, Signature Experiences and priority access, business class legroom and smaller groups, free Wi-Fi and airport transfers. Departures available throughout 2016. For more information visit www.insightvacations.com or call 1800 001 777.