Cliffs of Moher on chauffeurdriven tour with Dave Hogan and Dovechauffeurdrive

Our first stop this morning was on the promenade in Salthill, on the outskirts of Galway city, the place where i was born and reared. Here we have, from the left, Jessie, Tia, Christel, and Jerry, enjoying a lovely cool sunny morning. In the background, to Jerry's right, you can see the diving tower where we liked to swim and play, and on the horizon, one of the three Aran islands, which are located at the mouth of the bay.

After leaving Galway, we were on our way to the Cliffs of Moher. The sun was still shining when we arrived there, but it was chilly, with a cool breeze blowing in from the Atlantic. I think you can see from this picture that it was not a day for short sleeves.

Another lovely picture of my pals at the cliffs, still smiling, and enjoying the spectacular views.

This unusual Norman round tower overlooks Doolin harbour below. There are regular sailing of the ferries from Doolin to the Aran islands and Doolin itself is a really nice place to visit.

Ballyvaughan is another nice little town, with a picturesque harbour. It was much warmer there, and more sheltered, and it was a good time to stretch our legs. 

We part company tomorrow, in Limerick, before my friends move on to Killarney on Friday to attend a wedding there, after what i hope has been an enjoyable tour for them all.

Chauffeurdriven tour with Dave Hogan and Dovechauffeurdrive on Wild Atlantic Way

 My happy group, sitting in the morning sunshine, (yes, sunshine) after their breakfast at the Lodge at Ashford. They were all ready to go again after a good night's sleep. Today we were off to God's country, the magical land of Connemara. This was the land of the O' Flaherty Clan, known by the English as the "Ferocious O'Flaherty's."  Jerry has an O'Flaherty pal back in Chicago. Knowing this, maybe Jerry will have to take this guy a little more gently from now on, when he gets back to Chicago.

 Ashford Castle, and Lodge, are right beside the town of Cong, which was really the base camp for the "Quiet Man" movie, and hence the bronze statues of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, in the center of the town. Don't they all look well and happy?

 The same picture, from a different angle, showing the ancient monastic settlement in the background. Cong was one of the very early education centers for the early church in Ireland, and dates back to just after St Patrick's time in the 5th century.

 My group, standing in one of the entrance doors to the monastery. From the left, the are
Jerry, Christel, Tia, and Jessie.

 

The group, standing in front of this ivy covered house, which featured in the Quiet Man movie.

 One of the many reasons why you need to drive carefully in Ireland. You just never know what you may meet on the roads.

 Killary harbour, pictured in the background here, is the most westerly fjord in Europe.

 Ireland is noted for its peat bogs. Peat was the main source of fuel for many Irish homes down through the centuries, and is still extremely popular with most people living in the rural areas. It is also exported as peat moss, a great additive to your garden soil. In the picture above you can see the peat bank from where the peat has been cut, and the covered mounds of peat, being protected from getting wet again after being allowed to dry out.

 We did have to stop for a coffee along the way, and our stop was in Joyce's pub and restaurant in Recess. This sign outside the entrance door caught my eye, and i think deserved an acknowledgement.

 I managed to get another pub customer to take this photo of all of us together having our break. I complimented him on the photo and told him i felt that i came out very well in his picture. He agreed, and said i actually looked better in the photo than in real life. Well maybe he did have drink taken. Maybe my tummy looks a little large, but i did have a scone.

Galway city at last, and i think that this is a nice photo of my group, posing under the famous "Lynch Window" in the city center.It was from this window that the chief city magistrate, Justice Lynch, hung his own son, after he had been found guilty of murder. The young man was so popular that nobody else would hang him, so the father did it himself. Nice Dad, Huh? They say that it was from this event that the term "Lynching" was adopted into the English language. Note the skull and crossbones on the wall.
This was a great day, and one which i really enjoyed with this lovely group, and i left them in the city to begin to explore the town on their own.
Tomorrow, off to the awesome "Cliffs of Moher. Come along, if you like the idea.

Chauffeurdriven tour in West of Ireland with Dave Hogan

 Today, Monday, i started my latest tour at Shannon airport, with Jerry and Christel Glunz, Tia and Jessie. It looks like they all arrived fully prepared to celebrate , "The Irish Way". Jerry looks a natural on that banjo, while Tia strikes a lovely pose in her dancing costume.
From the left; Jessie, Christel (in the background), and Jerry.

Now Jerry takes a break while Christel takes over the banjo. Quiet a talented group i have here. Jessie has donned a cap and revealed a fine head of hair.

 We made our way from Shannon airport to the beautiful Lodge at Ashford Castle in county Mayo, where there were to spend their first night in Ireland.

Here, once again, we have the full group, outside the Lodge, with the Rep of Ireland's largest lake in the background.
The group are over for a short break as they are here to attend the wedding of a friend of Christel's in Killarney later in the week. They will be touring with me for the next four days, but i am sure that we will make them enjoyable days.

Jameson's Distillery/Cove on chauffeurdriven tour with Dave Hogan/Dovechauffeurdrive

 Today was our final day together on our tour of the south west of Ireland, and we began with a visit to the fabulous, and famous Jameson Distillery in Middleton county Cork. Here we have Sheri and Mark, posing outside the old building.

Another nice picture at the front of the main building, with the old copper still displayed on the lawn

 Later we moved on the the town of Cove, the main harbour at the mouth of the river Lee in Cork. This was, and still is, the departure port for the Trans Atlantic liners, and was the last port of call for the doomed Titanic. In this picture we have Sheri and Mark, pictured with the Cove Heritage center in the background. This was the departure terminal where all of the passengers gathered prior to departure.

A lovely picture of Sheri and Mark, sitting together beneath the statues of Annie Moore and her two little brothers, who were the first people to register at Ellis Island in 1892.

Today was a really nice day for all of us, and the weather was kind, with nice spells of sunshine. Tomorrow we make our way to Dublin on the final day of what has been a really special tour with two very special people. This has also been a special time for Sheri and Mark, who tomorrow(Wednesday), celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. In this day and age, that really is something special. Well done, but it is very easy to see how you managed to do that. You were made for each other.
Thanks for everything.

Kinsale on Irish chauffeurdriven tour of Wild Atlantic Way with Dovechauffeurdrive and Dave Hogan Dave

 Sunshine at last. What a lovely day we had here today in Kinsale. Here we have Mark and Sheri on the patio at the back of our hotel, the MacDonald Kinsale Hotel on the outskirts of Kinsale. This is a lovely hotel situated in a beautiful and secluded area outside the town. They do have a shuttle service in and out from the town, so you are not isolated in any way.

 A view of Kinsale harbour from the hillside above Kinsale.

 Another lovely picture of Sheri and Mark, with the harbour in the background. The narrow entrance to this harbour can be seen in the background.

 This old building in the center of Kinsale was the location of the exchange and taxation offices.

Mark, admiring one of the many colorful streets in this historic town.

One of the many quaint cottages in Kinsale. Note the window boxes shaped like boats.
Today brought a welcome change to our weather, and after the last few days, we had time to take a  walking tour of the town. This was most enjoyable, and also very educational, as Kinsale is steeped in history, some of it tragic, as it was here that one of the worst defeats suffered occurred.
Long may the sunshine last.

Ring of Kerry on chauffeurdriven tour with dovechauffeurdrive and Dave Hogan

 Many tourists comment on just how colorful and clean our towns and villages are here in Ireland. Today we passed through the little town of Kilgarvan, not too far from Killarney. I just had to photograph this beautiful little house, The Village Grill, right in the centre of the town.

 We visited Torc Waterfall on the Ring, and here we are, pictured together, on our way up to the falls. It is quiet a short walk, but well worth the effort.
From the left, Mark, Sheri, and yours truly.

 Sheri and Mark at the Falls. What a lovely couple they make.

 Ladies View must be one of the most talked about beauty spots in Ireland. It was named after Queen Victoria had described it as the most beautiful view in the Kingdom. From here you can look down the full length of the lakes of Killarney, seen here in the background. Visibility today was poor today because of the mist.

What is normally a lovely view back towards the Gap of Dunloe was spoiled today by the heavy mist. Despite that, this was another lovely picture of Sheri and Mark.

Sheri and Mark are the proud owners of a specialty food production company,
Cherchies Specialty Foods, and i personally cannot wait to get my hands on some of their products, which they have promised to send me. Lucky me.
Why not have a look at their website, where you can view their products for yourself. I especially want to try their Champagne Mustard, which was their first big hit with their customers. Sounds yummy. You can order their products online.

www.cherchies.com

They also have a Blog, another must visit. Enjoy.

Dingle peninsula on Chauffeurdriven vacation with Dovechauffeurdrive and Dave Hogan

 Today we visited the Dingle peninsula, but the weather was not very nice, as you can see in this photo above. Visability was pretty poor, and it was cold for this time of the year.

 We did get a break here and there, between showers, as you can see sunlight in this picture i took at Slea Head.

 A break at the South Pole in Lispole, was much appreciated. I had a good hot bowl of vegetable soup, while Mark had a salad and chips. Sheri, being of good Irish stock, had a big plate of Irish stew.

Tonight we dined in a great new Indian,Thai,Chinese, restaurant in Killarney called the Uptown. It is right in the heart of the town, just off High street, and close to another of my favourite restaurants, the Casita Mexicana. If you have time during your visit to Killarney, i would recommend that you try both of these restaurants. You will not be disappointed.

Gap of Dunloe on chauffeurdriven tour with Dave Hogan and Dovechauffeurdrive

We have not had the best of weather so far on this tour, but we did have some nice sunshine as we prepared  to leave Ashford Castle the other morning, as you can see in the picture above. Yes, that is Sheri on the lawn in front of the castle, all smiles as always, and having a great time.

Here she is again, in disguise this time, as she is all wrapped up against the weather in the Gap of Dunloe.The lake in the background is just one of the glacial lakes you pass along the way, through the Gap.

 Mark took this photo as they made their way down through the lakes of Killarney in the open boats, on the second leg of the great Gap tour.

 The sun may have been shining, but it was cold, but Mark is also well wrapped up against the weather.

Back on firm ground once again, and happy to be back, but they loved the trip, and there was no complaint whatsoever. Sheri and Mark are the ideal traveling companions.

Cliffs of Moher to Killarney with Dave Hogan and Dovechauffeurdriven

 Happy birthday Lauren, from Mom and Dad, all the way from Ireland. Missing you today.
 This picture of Sheri and Mark was taken at Corcomroe Abbey, in the Burren of county Clare. This ancient abbey dates back to the twelve hundreds.

 Mark and Sheri pictured inside the Abbey. Note all the gravestones. After these abbeys were destroyed by the invaders, people began to bury their dead there as it was sacred ground.

 Our next stop, after Corcomroe, was the town of Lisdoonvarna, a town famous for its matchmakers. These were men whose job it was to help you to find the ideal partner. During the month of September, the farmers would come to Lisdoonvarna, when they had the crops saved, seeking help from the matchmakers to find a wife.The women looking for a husband, would also go there, and the matchmakers would do their best to match them up.Many men came from America to find a good Irish wife, and many did.

 This practice still exists today, and during the month of September the matchmaking festival is celebrated every year. The most famous of these matchmakers is Willie Daly, who can still be found in this bar in the center of Lisdoonvarna.

 What a lovely picture to send to Lauren, for her to see her happy parents smiling for her from beautiful Ireland. There is no doubt that they were well matched.

 Then it was on to the Cliffs of Moher.

 Here we have Sheri and Mark with the awesome Cliffs in the background.

 Here we have Sheri and Mark at St Bridget's holy well near the Cliffs of Moher. Bridget was our patroness, and this is a place where many people come to pray to her for help. The well is inside the little doorway in the background, and people leave small pieces of memorabilia inside there, reminders of their loved ones.

 Our destination today was Killarney. After leaving the Cliffs, we crossed the River Shannon on the ferry into county Limerick, and on then to Killarney.

 Our ferry was the Shannon Breeze, and quiet an appropriate name, as you can see from Sheri's hair.

Yes, we did finally get to Killarney, one of my favourite Irish towns, full of life, great food, the best of pubs, providing free entertainment in the true Irish spirit, full of warm and friendly people. Here we have Mark and Sheri in the main street, with banners and bunting being displayed to welcome one and all.
This Friday we will make sure to celebrate Lauren's birthday in true Irish fashion here in Killarney.
Happy Birthday Lauren.  All our love from Killarney.