It’s the peat. Ireland just has this certain something that makes the country feel incredibly unique; a something that I couldn’t quite identify for the first three weeks I spent in the country.
I’ve concluded that if Leprechauns, fairies and the such exist, then surely they all congregate in Ireland’s “Wild West.” From Galway City I drove through hours of brown-speckled hills weakly lit with the few and tiny bits of sunshine able to wrestle from behind gray rain clouds and drove into the heart Connemara.
And just for the record, …

Affectionately referred to as “Irish mothers’ milk” by some and “the pint that drinks like a meal” by others, Guinness is a cultural right of passage on a visit to Ireland…and as a fiercely Irish yank (although to be clear, I’m not actually a yank…but in Ireland, if you’re American, they call you a yank no matter where in the states you call home) the Guinness Factory Tour was tops on my “must-see” list.
And before you wrinkle your nose and proclaim “I don’t drink Guinness,” I loved the Factory …

The heart and sole of Ireland lives in the country’s pubs – and I don’t mean because of the Guinness, although let me assure you that plays a role. But it’s the country’s music and warm enthusiasm that keeps the yanks like myself enthralled with Ireland’s  rich history and amazing music.
I have to admit, my fondest memories from Ireland include a cold pint of Bulmers Irish cider and the bundled warmth of crowded bodies packed around the live Irish music filling the small space while a friendly local started the …

Oscar Wilde described the Connemara region as a “savage beauty” – he was surely referring to the rough landscape that is largely covered with peat bogs, rocky hills, and interlocking chains of lakes. I’ve got to say, if ever there was a lonely landscape, it would have to be this region of Ireland.
To really and truly appreciate Connemara you have to get some height – as in go climb a mountain or a hill. Although the Twelve Bens mountain range is right in the area too, I couldn’t resist the …

You know it’s about to be really good when a local tells you it’s his favorite drive in all of Ireland. I was cozied up to the bar at a little pub in Connemara, map spread awkwardly all over the bar top, attempting to plan a route from Galway to Clifden that would take quite a bit of time since getting there was really my only task for the day.
The bartender placed my steaming cup of soup in front of me, turned my map around to face him, and asked …

I walked into the small room of Kilronan’s town hall and was surprised to see that half of the town’s residents had already materialized around the dance floor while three weathered old men jammed out on their instruments. The men were stationed on the raised stage while the rest of the town chatted animatedly around the room; the smattering of tourists, like myself, filed in to the chairs lining the room and awkwardly waited for “it” to happen.
So, what is this mysterious “it” you might ask? The dancing of …

There are two ways to set out on any adventure:

The way the Lonely Planet tells you
The secret map hand-drawn for you by a local.

I mean really, is there even a choice?!
Laura and I were ready to tackle the famed Cliffs of Moher and Carl, the owner of the fantastically accommodating and friendly Aillie River Hostel in Doolin, Ireland, let us in on a little secret – as long as you don’t park your car on the main road leading to …

In addition to Ireland’s most scenic coastline and sights: Slea Head Drive, and Fungie the Dolphin in Dingle town’s harbor, there are two other parts of the Dingle Peninsula that I really loved.
Forging Dingle’s Connor Pass:
My photos from Connor Pass don’t even look real, and I swear to you they are unaltered. I was emphatically warned about attempting the Connor pass since I wasn’t particularly skilled behind the wheel on the left side of the road (so sue me, I’m an American, we don’t drive on that side!)…and I …