Rebecca Ramdeholl

This was a familiarisation trip with the Irish Tourist Board in Toronto. It was meant to teach and promote Northern Ireland as a new leisure destination for travellers. I've always wanted to go to Ireland, so I took this as a great opportunity to learn about one of my dream destinations. We started out in Belfast, and ended our journey in Dublin.

I'll never forget the pouring rain that greeted us when we arrived in Belfast. Rain, rain, rain. And cold! But nothing could dampen our enthusiasm! The tour started right away when we got on our tour bus. We checked into our hotel, and started a great tour. Derry is just waking up and being reborn after the political strife it's endured for a long time. This was evident as new restaurants and hotels started opening up in the area. The history was abundant with the ancient walls and leftovers of the rough times they’ve experienced. We capped off the tour with a trip to the local pub and had some authentic Irish drinks – I must say, the Irish whiskey was fabulous on a cold day like that – and I’m not a whiskey drinker.

We then made our way to visit the grave of W.B. Yeats, the famous Irish poet. There was a quaint little church, with the door handles of a crow very pronounced. Crows were everywhere! But it lent an atmosphere of mystique and history to it.

We spent a few nights in Harvey’s Point. This property was absolutely beautiful! Set out in the country, surrounded by trees, hills and lakes, it just radiated relaxation and peace. Our rooms were spacious and comfortable, and very well decorated. It catered towards the older, more well-to-do crowd, so the service and accommodations were impeccable. The food was absolutely out of this world delicious!

After a blissful sleep in their luxurious beds, I awoke and made my way to the breakfast room, only to be greeted by the rising sun reflected in the diamond lake. The trees and hills were so much more green, as the fresh winds gently grazed the leaves. As I sat to have another delicious meal, I saw a funny sight! The lake had a bunch of geese and ducks lounging in the water, and on the dock by the lake. Some have even walked up towards the kitchen door of the building! They were waiting for their morning meal, distributed by a staff member of the property. I wasn’t ready to leave the property, and will definitely return there when I go back.

Bunratty Castle was another top spot on our agenda. This property had a whole village, reconstructed to reflect the medieval times. There were ancient shops and abodes and schools, and farms with farms animals appropriate to the time. One could spend hours exploring this place! There was a little woollen shop where one could purchase hand-made sweaters made of Irish wool. Bunratty Castle itself is worth the visit, with medieval musicians dressed in full garb, entertaining visitors with beautiful classical music. That night, we had a Medieval dinner complete with musical entertainment and acting. The food was simple and faithful to the era, which meant we had to eat with our hands!

After some driving around amongst the green, green hills of the faire isle, dotted with tons of sheep, we came to our last destination. The famous Adare Manor, with its gorgeous sprawling grounds, the building itself absolutely breath-taking and rich with history. While some of the rooms were small, little things like stained glass windows, or the room being situated right by the rushing river water, makes up for it. Our last night in Ireland was topped off by a banquet held at the Manor, which included members of the Irish travel trade and, local politicians. The large banquet hall, with its old wood panelled walls, beautifully carved, was the locale for the many Irish dances performed by professionals, music and presentations held for us. Needless to say, there were tears in my eyes when everything was done.

The warmth and sweetness of the Irish people more than made up for the odd rainy day . If you are considering a journey to the Emerald Isle, please give me a call - I would be happy to share more of my Irish stories with you and find an Irish itinerary perfect for you!