Sure Travel Journey Vol 4.1 Summer 2018 | Page 17

THE WILD IRISH WAY
R I C H A R D H O L M E S & F A M I L Y F I N D T H E P E R F E C T S E L F - D R I V E H O L I D AY I N C O A S T A L I R E L A N D
© GABRIELA/ADOBESTOCK
Above: Howth harbour, on the outskirts of Dublin. Below: The streets of Kinsale.
“
AROUND
EVERY BEND THERE’S
ANOTHER QUAINT
FISHING VILLAGE, A
VALLEY OF IDYLLIC
PASTURES OR A
STRETCH OF DRAMATIC
COASTAL SCENERY
“
“Low lie the Fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free
birds fly.”
In a charming Irish brogue the old man’s
voice rumbled against the wooden booths
of Bofey Quinn’s Bar and out into the
misty Irish night. At the bar locals nursed
their pints as the village band of fiddlers,
drummers and singers sang their famous
lament to the infamous Potato Famine.
Coming from far-flung South Africa as I did
they’d invited me to join the lads and sing
along, but I politely declined and ordered
another Guinness.
It was just another Wednesday night
in the quaint Irish village of Corofin,
County Clare, but one that will long be
remembered as a highlight of our family
journey around the coast of Ireland.
We’d started our self-drive escape on
inauspicious terms, a forgotten driver’s
licence forcing us to extend our stay
in Dublin and miss out on some of the
coast. But after some deft international
couriering we were finally on our way
south, and our plan was a simple one:
meander our way right around Ireland over
three weeks.
We had a fair few miles to cover, but
as soon as we left the motorways it was
easy to see why Ireland remains one of the
most popu lar destinations in Europe. Quite
© NEKRASSOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
Left: Carrick-A-Rede in Northern Ireland. Below: Doonagore Castle, County Clare.
simply, it’s unspeakably beautiful. Around
every bend there’s another quaint fishing
village, a valley of idyllic pastures or a
stretch of dramatic coastal scenery. From
the seaside restaurants of Kinsale to the
dramatic Cliffs of Moher we ticked off all
the main attractions, but also made sure to
venture down forgotten byways.
On quiet country lanes near Innishannon
we picked wild blackberries off the
hedgerows and discovered deserted
dolmans in the mist. To be sure, Ireland’s a
little drizzly even in the height of summer,
but those emerald-green fields don’t
come for free. We got lost on gravel roads
looking for the glacial Gap of Dunloe and
stumbled on village matchmaking festivals
beneath the bunting of Lisdoonvarna.
Further north we explained The Troubles
to our son as we walked the medieval walls
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 17