Escape to the Emerald Isle - Ireland 2023 - Denise Moore Hostess Round Up

Our tour to Ireland was an absolute resounding success from beginning to end! The support, camaraderie and enthusiasm of my Irish Sisters was a delight and they embraced every single day, destination and person with pure joy. We started in Dublin where we explored this ancient Viking city in glorious sunshine and worked our way up North to Belfast via Newgrange, a megalithic passage tomb over 5200 years old! In Belfast we learned about " The Troubles" and delighted in the unity and optimism which prevails. We continued our journey via Derry where we walked on the ancient city walls and then started the magical drive along The Wild Atlantic Way which we explored on foot, by boat and by coach. The sun continued to shine and the vibe was positive ( as well as a few RAT tests!!) as we meandered our way from Donegal in the North to Kinsale in the South. Our accommodation at times was only fit for Queens, Princesses and Sisters and we revelled in the luxury and warm Irish Welcome which greeted us everywhere we went. The pubs provided hand-clapping, foot tapping music to the beat of the bodhran ( Irish drum) , fiddle, pipes and whistles! The skill and amazing athleticism of the Irish Dancers took our breaths away while the singers with their haunting and raucous ballads thrilled and entertained us. Ireland's sad and tumultuous history from the invasion of William of Orange through to the Great Famine in 1846 and more recently The Troubles was enlightening and the heroic names of Daniel O Connell and Michael Collins became familiar to us all.

We visited castles, farms, famine ships, prisons, cemeteries, distilleries, ancient monuments, pre historic settlements, churches and an of course some fantastic pubs and covered well over 1000 km's of The Wild Atlantic Way where the weather was kind and the scenery nothing short of mind-blowing.  The Sky Road in Connemara and The Ring of Kerry were outstanding while The Cliffs of Moher were wild and thrilling. 

Thankyou to my Irish Sisters for embracing my beloved Ireland with such love and openness - you were all wonderful travelling companions. Your hearts are still there and she shared her big heart with you all.  Until we meet again -  Denise Moore - Hostess