Travel

For those who may not know, Lindsey and I took a nine-day trip to Ireland and the UK at the beginning of April. We spent six days in Ireland and three days in London, and our schedule was jam-packed with things to do the entire time that we were there. 

We chose to do the Cliffs of Moher on our second day in Dublin. We knew it was going to be a full day’s trip, so we wanted to make sure that we did it at the beginning of our vacation whilst we were still bright-eyed and bushy tailed. On Monday, we woke up early, stuffed some snacks in our bag, and started our 10-minute walk from our hotel to the Molly Malone Statue on Suffolk Street. 

We arrived to find a large group of people already huddled near the statue, including a family of eight, a daughter-mother-grandmother trio, and a few scattered solo travelers. Our driver and tour guide for the day, Aiden, greeted us warmly and checked us in as we boarded the bus. We chose to do our two separate day trips with Paddywagon Tours, which offers day trips, multi-day trips, and private tours to the most popular attractions in Ireland. We did our research ahead of time, found great reviews for the Paddywagon buses and its drivers, and booked our tickets about three months before our trip.

The bus itself was comfortable and spacious, equipped with free wifi and USB charging ports above each seat, and each seat had window curtains that you could pull if the sun was in your eyes. There were no bathrooms on the buses, but for both of our trips, the drivers were sure to stop at least once an hour so that guests could use the bathrooms and stretch their legs. 

Making our way west 

After a brief introduction, we were on our way to the Cliffs shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. In total, the drive from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher would be about three and a half hours, but we were planning on making numerous stops along the way as we crossed the country. Aiden informed us that we would be driving for about 45 minutes to an hour before we would make our first stop at a rest area, where we could grab coffee, snacks, and use the restroom before we got back on the bus. 

As we drove out of Dublin City Center, we passed The Brazen Head, which dubs itself “Ireland’s oldest pub.” Aiden was quick to inform us that while The Brazen Head is quite old – it was established in 1198! – it is not, in fact, the oldest pub in Ireland. The true oldest pub in Ireland, Aiden said, is Sean’s Bar, located in his home village of Athlone in the center of the country.

The Sean’s Bar website maps out the pub’s history, stating, “Athlone marks the site of what was once a great ford across the Shannon known as the Ford of Great Antiquity. At around 900 AD, there lived a man called Luain Mac Luighdeach – Luain son of Lewy. It is known that he established an inn close to ‘Áth Mor – The Great Ford.’ This inn is today known as Sean’s Bar! Luain acted as a guide to travellers who had to venture across the rapid torrent of the Shannon. A settlement grew up around the crossing point and in time, the place came to be known by his name ‘Áth Luian’ – the Ford of Luain – which later became Athlone.”

Sean’s Bar has a detailed and documented history back to 900 AD. The pub has been researched thoroughly by the Guinness Book of Records and even holds the record for “The Oldest Pub in Ireland.” 

Throughout our drive, Aiden peppered us with truly interesting information about the parts of Ireland we were driving through. He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared information in a way that was interesting, but not overwhelming. 

After another hour or so of driving, we made another stop in Kinvarra, a small fishing village located in the southwest of County Galway. We stopped here for about a half an hour, where we were able to walk around the village. Lindsey and I, having purchased snacks at our previous rest stop, decided to walk a small loop around the village. The weather was absolutely gorgeous – partly sunny, mid-50s, and breezy, but from our experience, it’s always breezy in Ireland. We snacked and checked out some of the local shops and pubs, most of which were closed for the day (since it was a Monday, after all) or simply not open yet.

The unique landscape of the Burren 

Following our stop in Kinvarra, we hopped back on the bus to journey through the Irish countryside towards the Wild Atlantic Way, and ultimately, to the Cliffs of Moher. Now, I fully recognize that we were in a very big tour bus, but I must say that the roads were awfully narrow over here in the countryside. I was certainly grateful that I remembered to take my motion sickness medication in the morning before we left. 

Shortly after leaving Kinvarra, we entered the incredible rocky landscape known as the “Burren.” Located near Galway Bay, the Burren is a unique karst landscape located in County Clare known for its rocky terrain, diverse ecosystem, and rich history. The Burren is characterized by limestone pavements, caves, and unique plant life. 

Aiden shared a lot of information with us about the Burren, including how it was formed by the combined effects of glaciers and the erosion of limestone by water, how it has a temperate oceanic climate where the soil temperature seldom drops below six degrees Celsius – and therefore has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland or Britain – and how because of its climate, the Burren is one of the only places in the world that supports both Arctic-Alpine and Mediterranean plants side by side. It was truly incredible to see and while we have lots of photos, none of them truly do the landscape justice. 

After driving through the Burren, Aiden drove us up a road affectionately known as Corkscrew Hill. I’m sure you can guess why it’s called that. While I had massive anxiety as we drove up the road – chock full of hair pin turns that zigzagged up the hill, which also lacked guardrails – the view once we got to the top certainly made the scary drive up worth it. Aiden noted that he doesn’t always stop the bus at the top of Corkscrew Hill, but the weather and visibility were so good and the pull off was free, so it worked in our favor. The lookout at the top of the hill gave us an incredible view of the Burren, County Clare, and the rugged Connemara peninsula. 

The Cliffs of Moher 

We got back on the road soon thereafter, and less than a half an hour later, we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher. Words and photos cannot do this place justice. We walked along the paved pathways up to O’Brien’s Tower, which was built in 1835 by MP Sir Cornelius O’Brien as an observation point for the English tourists who frequented the area at the time, to get a nice clear view of the cliffs and enjoy the wonderful weather (windy as it was!)

For some perspective, the Cliffs of Moher are 66% as tall as the Empire State Building and stretch for almost 14 kilometers (or 8 miles). We truly were at a loss for words. We just stood there and admired them for a very lengthy period of time. 

Lindsey and I walked along the other side of the Cliffs, but we couldn’t get too far up the trail since it was closed for renovations. Still, it was cool to see the view of O’Brien’s Tower from the opposite side of the Cliffs. We made a brief stop into the gift shop so we could scope out some fun souvenirs for our families before making our way back to the bus. 

After spending nearly two hours at the Cliffs, it was safe to say that we were very hungry. Luckily, Aiden was taking us to the village of Liscannor for lunch, which was only about a ten minute drive from the Cliffs. We had lunch at The Frantic Chef, which was a charming, two-story restaurant that we were lucky enough to have all to ourselves! The Frantic Chef had something on the menu for everyone, from wraps and sandwiches to salads and hot meals. They also had dishes that were vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free friendly. Lindsey and I ended up both choosing the chicken pesto panini, while I got a side of couscous salad and Lindsey opted for a regular salad. Everything was delicious and the service was stellar – everyone was so welcoming, friendly, and accommodating! 

After lunch, we made our way back to the bus to start our trek back to Dublin. Only the route that the Paddywagon bus takes is a loop, not a line back and forth, which meant that we were able to drive through and see even more of the beautiful Irish countryside during our trip. 

Heading back to Dublin 

We made a stop at Bunratty Castle, a large 15th-century tower house in County Clare that is famed for its medieval banquets, held twice nightly all year round. The castle was restored in 1954 and furnished with a collection of 15th and 16th century hand-carved furnishings and tapestries. The site on which Bunratty Castle is located was originally a Viking trading camp in 970, and the castle itself is the last of four castles to be built on the site. 

While we didn’t have time to tour the castle, it was very cool to see the grandiose structure from the outside and snap a few pics before we settled back on the bus for the long trip back to Dublin. 

Overall, we had a great experience touring the Cliffs of Moher. Aiden was super knowledgeable, friendly and personable, and a great driver. We learned a lot on this trip and really enjoyed being able to see more of the Irish countryside. We returned to Dublin at around 8 o’clock in the evening and promptly headed back to our hotel so that we could turn in for the night. We were tired, and after all, we had another big day ahead of us on Tuesday!