Ireland
Visiting Ireland: The Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands (with kids)
I can’t believe we waited over a year to see Ireland’s #2 tourist spot, the Cliffs of Moher. The #1 tourist spot in Ireland, by the numbers, is the Guinness Storehouse. Tourists have their priorities! As much as we enjoyed the Guinness Storehouse, the Cliffs of Moher just might be my favorite spot in all of Ireland. So far. When visiting the Cliffs of Moher, most people will home base out of the city of Galway. I wrote about visiting Galway here. It’s not a big city, so you can hit all of the high points in a day, maybe a day and a half. That leaves plenty of time…
Visiting Ireland: Galway With kids
Over the past year we have spent long weekends here and there visiting different parts of Ireland. Every place we visit is new and exciting for our family – it’s a perk of moving to a new country! Our kids are 7 and 10 and they are definitely becoming seasoned travelers. Last weekend we finally made our way from Dublin over to the beautiful city of Galway. Galway has a population of approximately 80,000 people. It is also the home of National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway). Approximately 17,000 students attend university at NUI Galway each year. LOCATION Galway is located on the west coast of Ireland. The River…
Living in Ireland: Back After a Month in the U.S.
It’s flat out STRANGE to visit the United States after living in Ireland for a year. I tried to put my finger on why exactly. In part, I think it’s because I’ve changed. Evolved, shall we say? How could you not after moving to a foreign country? But when I went ‘home’ I realized how much HADN’T changed. There is something comforting in that though. I also realized that I’d gotten used to being slightly uncomfortable ALL. THE. TIME. while in Ireland. You can try to look and act local in the face of constant new experiences, but as soon as you open your mouth you see a flicker of…
A Year Without Grades
My children completed their first year in an Irish primary school. Woohoo! Next year it is on to 2nd and 5th grade. How did that happen so fast? Time is flying, people. Just flying by. When we moved to Ireland almost a year ago, my kids had been attending a terrific public school in the southern United States. Suffice it to say, this year has been a big adjustment for all of us – especially them. Side note: My kids are not in the Irish public school system. They attend a private primary school. I detailed those reasons here. If you’re an expat moving to Ireland, it’s worth the read. My kids…
Living in Ireland: As Seen On My Commute
Most of us make a daily or weekly trek somewhere. My commute has become a lot more interesting since we moved to Ireland. In the morning I walk the kids to school. It’s 3/4-mile to the train, then a 10-minute train ride and finally about another 3/4-mile walk to school. The kids ride their scooters because it goes faster that way and this is the important part: there’s LESS WHINING. In all of that back and forth during the day, I have the opportunity to see some interesting things. These are just snapshots. I don’t have the context around what I see. I don’t have the backstory. I don’t know…
Living in Ireland: A Trip to the Hardware Store
A warning for all of you organized types – the pictures in this post may be disturbing. Now, for the rest of you, let’s head to the hardware store! My little village in Ireland has a small hardware store. It shares space with the post office. I’ll let that sink in. I can buy stamps and then walk three steps over and buy caulk for my shower. I can’t buy the caulk gun though because they are out of those. And have been for MONTHS. Details, details. As a side note, it’s not unusual for post offices to share space with other businesses in Ireland. I have a friend whose…
Living in Ireland: Spring Flowers in Our Yard
Can you believe it is April already? Time sure is flying! Last April we visited Ireland for the first time. It was rainy, windy and miserable. To which we said, “Yeah! Let’s move here!” Now that I have an Irish winter under my belt, I can say spring in Ireland means the rain is…a little bit warmer. Ha! There are nice days too. More than you’d think. One thing I’ve learned is that the Irish do not squander a nice day or a nice hour. I’m a quick learner, so I try to follow their example! Sunday was super nice here (upper 50s Fahrenheit – practically summer weather), so I spent…
Travel: Belfast with Kids
When we were considering a move to Ireland last year, we took a bus tour through Northern Ireland. Our bus stopped in Belfast for approximately one hour. Long enough to grab a sandwich, but not much else. Earlier this month we took a long weekend and headed north to spend more time in Belfast. GETTING THERE FROM DUBLIN: It is approximately a 2-hour train ride from Dublin’s Connolly Station to Belfast Central Station. I recommend booking your tickets in advance if you are traveling with a group. This just saves you the headache of finding a seat all together. Plus, the kids get to see their names above their seat…
Living in Ireland: Grocery Shopping
I don’t want to brag (or do I?), but I feel like quite the pro when it comes to procuring groceries for our family sans automobile. (If you’re new here: We moved to Ireland from the USA. We haven’t tried driving here – yet. Public transportation and walking for the win!) Grocery shopping in Ireland without a vehicle requires a bit of planning. For instance, I don’t want to purchase all the heavy stuff in one trip because I have to carry it home in a backpack or reusable shopping bag. More or less, I’m purchasing what we will consume that day or the next. No bulk shopping here. A jumbo pack…
Living in Ireland: Want to See My Hot Press?
Moving to a foreign country – even one where you speak the language – is a humbling experience. My advice? Settle into the feeling that you are going to be the biggest idiot in the room. A little humor and humility go a long way toward settling in. When we were looking for house in Ireland we toured an owner-occupied home they were putting on the rental market. During the tour the owner made a passing reference to the hot press. “I’m sorry. A hot what?” In hindsight, my question probably did not inspire confidence with the homeowner. Needless to say, we did not get that house. The house we ended up moving…
