The highlight of my fall was a whirlwind educational trip to Ireland. 🍀 When given the opportunity to join a group of colleagues on a journey hosted by my favorite onsite partner in this part of the world, I jumped at the chance to go!
Just about everything I’d ever heard about Ireland and its people proved to be true. Beautiful villages and scenery, an extremely rich history, hip cosmopolitan cities, pubs everywhere, and some of the friendliest and happiest people in the world is how I’d best describe my overall impression. One never meets a stranger in Ireland!
What did surprise me (pleasantly!) about Ireland was the food. Despite common misconception, Ireland is much more than a country in love with potatoes (although I will say they’re served at most meals in some yummy form or fashion!). The Irish are truly in the middle of a major food renaissance. “Foraging, farm to table, sourced from within 50 miles of us, etc.” are phrases I heard regularly when dining. I didn’t have anything less than an outstanding meal during my entire trip. And did I mention the cheese???
With its many types of lodging (think grand country estates, castles, manor houses, traditional hotels, small inns, etc), Ireland offers the luxury traveler no shortage of options. My personal itinerary included a broad mix of hotel styles including Ballyfin https://ballyfin.com, Ashford Castle https://www.ashfordcastle.com, and The Shelbourne https://www.theshelbourne.com. Each was special in its own way and couldn’t have been more different from one another.
For as varied as the hotels are, so are the options for touring and activities. I experienced quite a few fun tours and activities with many more on my wish list for a return trip. Highlights for me were falconry at Ashford Castle, archery at Ballyfin, a sheepherding demonstration in the countryside, a yummy food tour in Galwa,y and VIP private visit to view the Book of Kells in Dublin.
