In March 2025, we packed our bags, loaded up the car, and headed to Dulles International Airport to begin an unforgettable 11-day trip to Ireland. We timed the journey to celebrate both St. Patrick’s Day and Daniel’s birthday—his first visit to the Emerald Isle, and my second (but my first time planning it myself!). From bustling cities to wild coastal roads, scenic hikes to historical landmarks, our trip was a blend of intentional splurges, credit card point redemptions, flight vouchers, and good old-fashioned wandering. Here’s a look back at our journey, one overnight stop at a time.
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Dublin – March 14-16
We landed in Dublin early on the morning of the 14th after an overnight direct flight from D.C. to start things off with a healthy dose of jetlag and excitement. After picking up our bags, we hopped on a bus into the heart of the city and took a chilly walk to our hotel, the Hyatt Centric in the Liberties—a modern spot perfectly located near St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we dropped off our luggage and headed out to explore in the wind and cold. We strolled up Meath Street in search of a coffee stop and after finding one, continued on our journey. We passed the Guinness Storehouse and stumbled upon St. James’s Church, which marks the start of the Camino trail. This brought up fond memories of Daniel’s time on the AT and our trip along the W in Patagonia, leaving us wistfully planning future hiking adventures.
That afternoon, we caught up on rest and then followed a VoiceMap audio tour titled Dublin’s Breweries and Back Alleys, which made us appreciate the neighborhood even more. This tour starts near Peace Park, which was built to show the Irish desire for peace during the Troubles, and showcases other points of interest like the remaining sections of the city’s medieval walls, St. Catherine’s Park and Pearse Lyons, a new whiskey distillery built with the remains of the original St. James Church with its own graveyard. For dinner, we grabbed Fusco’s Takeaway—a hole-in-the-wall that seriously delivered on its fish and chips. The next day, once the weather warmed up, we did another VoiceMap tour, Stories of Dublin, starting at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and soaking in both the historic charm and the local rhythm of the city. On the tour, we made time to explore the Chester Beatty Museum (highly recommended for book lovers and history buffs), walk the courtyards of Dublin Castle and Trinity College, visit the Molly Malone statue, and wander through St. Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square Park, where the Oscar Wilde statue resides. After a lovely stroll back to the hotel, we elected for a night in to prepare to leave Dublin early the next morning, starting our driving adventure!
Kilkenny – March 16-18
We picked up our rental car on the 16th, marking the start of an adventure that was both thrilling and mildly terrifying. Driving on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car is one thing—doing it on narrow Irish backroads at high speeds, in holiday traffic, is another. Daniel took the wheel like a champ, though we may have added a few gray hairs that day.
Our scenic, death defining drive to Powerscourt Waterfall was well worth it. Families were out enjoying the spring-like weather, and we soaked up the peaceful atmosphere before attempting to hike in the Wicklow Mountains. Unfortunately, the good weather meant every parking lot was full, so we spent some quality time in holiday traffic before finally arriving in Kilkenny.
Our Airbnb, the Loft on John Street, nestled across a local brewpub – Sullivan’s – run by the same owners, turned out to be a gem. We ate dinner at the taproom both nights and loved the relaxed, local vibe that often had live music for the holiday. The next morning, we explored the city using the Medieval Kilkenny VoiceMap tour and partaking in many of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities such as live music, viking reenactors and the famous St. Patrick’s Day parade. Highlights from the tour included Kilkenny Castle, with lovely walking trails, the Black Abbey and the Gate, which helps show how high the medieval walls of the city were at one time, and Smithwick’s Brewery. We finished up our day with an Irish Hot Chocolate at Bridie’s, a local bar and general store with delicious sweets, before making our way across the street for a well earned night of rest.
Cork – March 18-19
On Daniel’s birthday, we hit the road again, making a memorable stop at the Rock of Cashel, where centuries-old ruins sat against dramatic skies. We arrived in Cork by mid afternoon and checked into the stylish River Lee Hotel, where we splurged a little (with points) and enjoyed room service with a riverside view—a well-deserved birthday treat.
Before settling in for the night, we downloaded another VoiceMap tour, Highlights of Cork, that led us around the “Rebel City” with stories of revolution and resilience, giving the city a more personal touch. This tour walked us to Peace Park, designed to remember the soldiers that lost their lives in the Great War, the famous English Market, and by sections of the old city walls. Cork had a different energy—less touristy, more lived-in—and we loved that despite the cold and rain!
Killarney – March 19-21
Our next stop was Killarney, a nature lover’s paradise. We arrived with time for a hike near Ross Castle to Library Point, and we wandered around the Killarney House and Gardens as well as Killarney National Park visitors center to enjoy the beautiful day. We really enjoyed seeing the friendly deer and being out in nature before checking into our hotel – the Castle Lodge.
The highlight here was our Ring of Kerry bus tour with Paddywagon Tours, which let us enjoy the scenery without white-knuckling the steering wheel. From sweeping coastlines to quiet valleys, this part of the trip gave us a breather and reminded us why Ireland’s landscapes are so iconic. We also enjoyed dinner out at J.M. Reidy’s where Daniel enjoyed the Irish’s take on nachos, a local pint or two between us. After dinner we headed over to Murphy’s Ice Cream—a delightful treat that really hit the spot and had some interesting flavors for us to try like brown bread and whiskey.
Ennis Area (via Newcastle West & Bunratty) – March 21-22
The next morning we slowly made our way north, weaving in scenic stops like the Kerry Viewing Platform, Barnagh Viewpoint, Castle Desmond, and Newcastle West, where we had lunch at a The Brown Morel (a little nod to my dad’s favorite mushroom). We also spent time at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, a mix of medieval towers and old Irish life brought to life.
Our hotel outside Ennis was the perfect place to rest up for our next day’s big moment: the Cliffs of Moher as well as a place to escape the rain. We managed to reach Hotel Woodstock a few hours after check in and right before the skies opened up for a steady rain that settled in for the rest of the evening.
Galway – March 22-23
After waiting out some morning rain, we finally headed to the Cliffs of Moher, where the gusty winds made the dramatic views even more intense. The visitor center gave us context, but it was the feeling of standing on the edge of that sheer drop, staring out at the Atlantic, that really stuck with us. To warm up afterward, we drove to the town of Ballyvaughan, where we found waffles and lattes at the Larder. After finishing our treats, we continued on the Wild Atlantic Way with a stop at Dunguaire Castle. We rolled into Galway in the afternoon for our final night.
There, we capped things off with one more VoiceMap tour, Discover Galway’s City Centre, which led us through the Medieval Quarter to the River Corrib. This was our favorite tour with the author weaving history, local flare and great directions into a perfect hour. For dinner, we had one of our best meals of the trip at The Kings Head, a cozy pub with atmosphere and history dating back to the death of Oliver Cromwell.
On Sunday morning, we got up early for the long drive back to Dublin to catch our 1 p.m. flight, followed by a five-hour drive back to Raleigh from Dulles. Tired, full of memories, and still laughing at a few of our close calls on the road, we were already talking about our next adventure.
What We’d Recommend (and Do Again):
- Book hotels in walkable areas and use VoiceMap tours to explore at your own pace.
- Don’t miss Murphy’s Ice Cream or a meal at the Kings Head in Galway.
- Embrace the driving challenge if you’re up for it—but consider a bus tour for the Ring of Kerry!
- Give yourself room to wander—you never know when a castle or a waffle will become a highlight.