A Birthday Trip in Search of Irish Roots

Ireland | Sep 6 - Sep 16, 2026

Locally owned and run hotel that has clearly had a lot of care and attention. Very good facilities, conveniently located, and attractive dining and imbibing options. It looks as though a significant portion of the hotel's business comes from tour buses overnighting in Waterford. That was the aspect of the hotel that was less appealing to us. In the bar and restaurant we heard more American accents than Irish. The staff we came in contact with were almost all from countries other than Ireland. Make no mistake, they did a fine job, and were very accommodating. We simply prefer more local flavor.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Butler Townhouse in Kilkenny. Our lower level room was spacious and beautifully appointed. We had our own private access to the property's beautiful gardens, which in turn provided a shortcut to Kilkenny Castle. The staff was very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. The breakfast there was provided in a gracious dining room, was made to order, and a touch we especially liked, was our own two tiered tray of breads and pastries. It was wonderfully indulgent.

Really lovely, gracious hotel. The room was elegant, and the breakfast area was equally nicely appointed. We were on the second floor (3rd to Americans), and the absence of a lift made getting our luggage upstairs a bit of a challenge, but that was the only thing that was less than ideal.

This was a fun day. When we got to Tramore, where we met Neil, our guide, it was raining, very blustery, and quite chilly. Before our tour was done that rain has stopped, the wind had died down, and the sun was coming out. Neil was a great teacher, very interesting, and clearly passionate about helping guests learn about the ways the Irish traditionally and today, get sustenance from the plants and sea life that show up with the tides. He is a very well educated and read person, with a keen interest in helping retain this traditional knowledge. It was a great tour.

This was an interesting day. We headed out onto the Mizen Peninsula from our B&B in Union Hall. Instead of going directly toward Mizen Head, on the advice of our host Carol, we went first to Three Castle Head just a few kilometers away but along some of the twistiest and narrow roads we encountered driving. It was occasionally nerve-wracking. Unfortunately the day was extremely foggy so although the nearby cliffs were dramatic, we couldn't see much of them or the sea below. We had a longish (but not really difficult) walk through lush green farm fields (well supplied with sheep droppings, and occasionally the sheep themselves). Initially we thought the fog might burn off and give us some great views, but instead it intensified, and soon we couldn't see more that a few yards ahead of us. We sort of felt our way over fields, up and down hills, over muddy and at times slippery paths, never being able to see the ancient watchtowers of the old fortress. After about 30 minutes though, some stone shapes started to emerge from the gloom, and there they were - three towers still standing (more or less) since the 13th century. For us, the lack of visibility actually heightened the sense of awe and mystery of the place. It was also completely silent, except for the wind and some vague ocean sounds, but no traffic, no hordes of people, no Visitors Centers, or souvenir stands - just a silent monument to another time. It was spellbinding. From there we went over to Mizen Head, hoping that we would get to see the dramatic sea vistas it is noted for. Alas it was not to be that day. The fog persisted and perhaps even intensified, so that when we arrived we not only couldn't see the cliffs said to rival the Cliffs of Moher, we couldn't even see the waves crashing onto the shore. We chose not to pay the entry fee to get access to the bridge and the walk. I guess that spectacle will have to wait for another trip. From there we went over to Crookhaven to get lunch and wound up at O'Sullivan's Bar right on the water in the harbor. It wasn't a fancy place, but just what we like - a place filled with Irish folk where we were the ones with accents. They endeared themselves to me because they had Beamish on tap, my favorite stout, which is not always readily available. We had great pub great lunch and enjoyed the friendly neighborhood vibe. The mood was enhanced even more by the golden retriever who wandered through the pub like he owned it. Maybe he did, because as we left we observed that he a commandeered a picnic table outside and was on top of it sound asleep. It was a memorable sight.

Today we visited Gougane Barra, a park about 60 kilometers or a bit more than an hours drive form our B&B in Union Hall. Unfortunately the weather was not with us this day either, because it rained steadily for much of the day. The drive is very rural and very scenic, and we enjoyed it. The park itself is stunningly beautiful. It was lushly green, heavily mossed, and there were little streams and small waterfalls all over. There are many kilometers of walking or hiking trails that we would have loved to explore, but the few people we saw out walking looked half drowned so we opted for the less adventurous but dryer view from inside our car. It was still spectacular and would be a must-do on a clear day. Our advisor Claire had recommended that we wind up our day in Castletownshend for dinner at Mary Ann's Bar. It is all the way back from Gougane Barra and past it to the tiny, tiny village of Castletownshend. At first we wondered about going past Skibbereen with all its restaurants, and on past Union Hall with a number of nice places as well. She was spot on though. It doesn't look like much of anything from the street (it is uphill from the eponymous castle). It didn't look like a lot from the inside either. It's a small pub with a small drinking area and an equally small dining area. It is run by an affable older gentleman who has a keen interest in mid-20th century American politics. He is avid fan of Harry Truman, and once he found out we were from the States he peppered us with questions about the 40s, 50s, and 60s in the U.S, He kept up a running dialogue for most of the time were were in his establishment. Oh, and his kitchen served up a 5-star restaurant quality confit and breast of duck for me, and a classic fish and chips for my wife. The food was amazing! This place is in middle of absolute nowhere, and they turned out just an amazing dinner.

Brian was a very personable and extremely knowledgeable guide for our walking tour in Dublin. As much of a capital city as it is, it is very walkable in the center and we got a very good sense of how the old city had been constructed, what some of the major areas are today, and he told us about some of the key historical events and personalities that helped shape Dublin. He even recommended some good places for lunch and dinner, which we followed, quite happily I might add. We very much enjoyed our tour with Brian and would gladly recommend his services to others.

Our guide was really engaging and a natural storyteller. In a conversational way he painted a vivid word picture of the history of Waterford and some of the figures who played prominent roles in its early history. It was a short but very enjoyable tour of the Triangle area.

This was one of the highlights of our trip. The EPIC genealogist, Julie, was a thoroughly professional and very skilled researcher. She helped us establish and document the identities of several family members about whom we had no prior information. She was also able to use obituaries, birth records, and census data to confirm identities and relationships. Our tree is now on a much more solid foundation, based on the records she was able to source, and she provided us with a document that contained all of her findings. It was so impressive to watch someone work who very clearly is very good at what she does. It was a privilege to observe her at work.

Our time with Pat was very informative and enjoyable. He is low key in manner and soft spoken, but he was and endless font of information about Kilkenny, its geography and history. We walked through much of the town and by the time were finished, we felt we had a short course history lesson that was better than anything we had ever taken back in school. Pat was a real gentleman, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him.

We had a very enjoyable meal at Kyteler's Inn. It was a crowded night but somehow we were seated at a corner booth recessed from but right next to the musicians performing trad songs. Dinner was classic pub fare that we enjoyed a lot, and of course there were a few rounds of adult beverages. I was introduced to and enjoyed Kilkenny Draught as well as there own stout which has a distinctive flavor markedly different from the customary Guinness or Murphy's. I liked that too. My wife is more of a Harp person, but we both enjoyed our beverages while listening to a couple of groups of local musicians. It was probably the most festive evening of our trip.

Dublin is a fun city. We only scratched the surface but we feel we saw quite a lot. Our first activity was the Book of Kels Experience, and as interesting as that was, it was equally fascinating to be in the Old Library, and to walk the grounds of Trinity College. St. Stephen's Green was a wonderful place to walk and just take in the people out enjoying the setting. One memorable incident was encountering a group of people walking 8-10 giant Irish Wolf Hounds. The dogs were just enormous, but well behaved on leash, and they made quite the spectacle. We made sure to visit the Guinness Storehouse. It was the ultimate in touristy things to do but it was also a little like making a pilgrimage. We prefer the smaller towns and villages over the bigger cities, but Dublin was the smallest feeling big city that we have encountered.

We made it to O'Neill's for dinner and music on our first evening. It was where I was introduced to Beamish (I really liked it), and experienced our first trad music performance. Ironically, we had seen the same solo musician on the street performing by the Molly Malone statue earlier in the day. We enjoyed his performance each time.