Ireland of the welcomes

What a beautiful morning it is here in sunny Ireland. St Patrick, or was it St Brendan, must have been looking down on us yesterday as the Volvo Ocean race attracted huge crowds to Galway City to view the" around the bay" section of this great race. It was a magnificent spectacle and combined with the breath-taking air-show provided by the Red Arrows and the wonderful music by many leading performers, this must have been one of Galway's proudest moments. The eyes of the world were on us and they were treated to a feast of entertainment. Money could not buy the exposure Galway has been blessed with and it has come at a time when it was needed most. I am sure that my own business will benefit as somebody out there who may want "a private driver in Ireland" or a "chauffeur in Ireland" will find me and give me a call.
As i hear so often from my clients..."I have a question". I know that many people read my Blog but whay are they so reluctant to leave a comment? I would love to hear from you and help you if you do have a query.Please do not be shy. Now I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Your friend in Ireland

Dave

P.S. I start my latest tour this evening with new friends from Philadelphia.....they must be really nice as they say "The sun always shines on the Righteous"

Private Driver

Well it has been a busy week and one in which i have had little time to update my blog. I have been touring the south-west of Ireland with two couples from the Boston area and it went very well. They departed for home again yesterday and i was sad to see them go as we had a lot of fun together. I rarely get through a tour without making another discovery. My last group from Chicago dined in a restaurant in Kinsale which i had never been to myself and i made it my business to try it out this time. It is not a very large one but it was a great find. The place is called Hobey's and the food was great. The price was also very reasonable as Kinsale is not one of the cheaper places to eat. They had a great all-in dinner price of Euro25-00 and my meal consisted of a starter course of really delicious mussels followed up by sumptous sole stuffed with spinach and cooked in a lovely creamy sauce. The potato and veg were not overcooked and there was more than enough on my plate. For my dessert i had a delicious meringue with fresh fruit and fresh cream followed up by a nice pot of coffee. There were great choices on the menu and these included steak. chicken, and vegetarian dishes. My friends also ate here and everybody gave it a top ranking. Put it on your list if you are visiting Kinsale. The weather has taken a turn for the better and the sun is shining as i write. I start with my next group on Sunday evening as they arrive in Shannon from Paris. They are from Philadelphia and are all excited about their visit to Ireland.Connemara is our destination on Monday and hopefully i will find time to Blog.
Galway city is once again crazy this weekend as the Volvo Ocean race continues with a race around the bay area today.There is so much going on around this event including a visit by the Red Arrows flying squadron today and this is always a spectacular show. Judging by the weather we have this morning this should be a great day for all.

Volvo Ocean Race

Galway has gone mad as the Volvo Ocean Race completed its leg from Boston to Galway in the early hours of this morning. The good news was that Green Dragon, the Irish-Chinese entry, finished third and therefore achieved their main ambition.....to gain a place on the podium in Galway at the end of this leg of the race. Eventhough they did not arrive until four o'clock this morning the dock area was packed to capacity with cheering spectators celebrating this prestigious event. Galway city is one city that traditionally knows how to celebrate. We have the world famous Galway Races in the middle of our Summer...seven days of the best of horse racing both on the flat and over the fences. We have the Arts Festival in June which attracts people from all over the world and we have the Oyster festival in September. Now we have the Volvo Ocean race and this is a first for us. Already the crews have been overwhelmed by the scale of the celebrations and the vast numbers who have turned out to greet them. These celebrations are to go on for the next two weeks and it is estimated that they will result in a bonanza of over 40 million for the city. This is no doubt more than welcome in these troubled times. If you want to see what is happening just Google Volvo Ocean Race and it is all there for you to see. There will also be a race around the famous Galway Bay before the boats set sail again on the next leg and that will be something to see.

Grande finale

Well it is now Saturday as i write and my tour has come to an end and my guests are once again on their way back to the U.S.A. They were a lovely group and we did have a great time and once again i am left to reflect on just how lucky i am to be doing what i am doing and making so many new friends every year. Parting is always sad but when i know i have done a good job i am happy.
Friday my party relaxed and shopped in Galway city and i gave them time to stroll through this lovely and historic town. The city centre in Galway is compact but there is much to see. St Nicholas's church is the oldest building in the city and its history includes a most unwelcome visit from Cromwell. Christopher Columbus's ship also visited Galway on its way to the New World and they celebrated mass for them in this church. Little did they know the amount of Irish who would follow them over the years to the New World.
The banquet on Friday was one of the highlights of their visit and they thoroughly enjoyed it all. I find that it is always a nice way to round off a visit to Ireland.
Now i have a short break before i start off again on Monday with two more couples from Mass. I am looking forward to this tour also as we do have some information on their ancestry and indeed we will be visiting relatives of theirs on Monday. It is always nice to be a part of a new adventure and that is what i feel i am as i prepare for this new group. Life is good.

Siamsa Tire Tralee

The National Folk Theatre group based in the Siamsa Tire theatre in Tralee provide entertainment second to none. Last evening my tour group were present for the presentation of Tearmann, a portrayal of famine times in Ireland in the eighteen hundreds. They absolutely loved it and could not speak highly enough of the stage performances and production. Make sure you include Siamsa Tire in your itinerary if you get to Tralee. Last night we stayed at the Fels Point in Tralee and it is a lovely hotel. The food was excellent and the barfood is great value. I will continue to use this hotel as my clients never have any complaints and i find it most satisfactory myself.
This morning we were on our way to the burren of County Clare and the Cliffs of Moher. The ferry crossing from Tarbert to Killimer was most pleasant and the day was bright and sunny when we arrived at the cliffs after a lovely drive up along the coast. The cliffs are an awesome sight and my friends had a really enjoyable time walking the hillsides. Our drive through the Burren on our way to Kinvara was memorable and the limestone mountains, towering above Galway Bay, were something my friends will hold in their memories for a long time to come. Tonight we stay in Kinvara before we make our way to Galway city tomorrow. Tomorrow evening will be the grand finale as my group will be attending the Banquet at the Dunguaire Castle. This is a lovely banquet and not one on the same grand scale as Bunratty but a much more intimate one and one that i personally would prefer for that very reason. It is an ideal way to round off a tour of Ireland. We make our way to Shannon airport on Saturday morning after what i hope will have been another most successful tour with a lovely group of people.
Comments are welcome.

Golf in Tralee

Today was a second game of golf for the men as the ladies enjoyed exploring the lovely town of Tralee. The Ashe Memorial Hall has a wonderful museum and a visit here was high on their list. Tonight they will enjoy a performance by the National Folk Theatre group of Ireland in the Siamsa Tire theatre in Tralee. The show tonight is about the famine and i am sure that they will enjoy this. They really enjoyed the Liam O'Connor show in Killarney last evening. The music was great and the dancers were superb. If you do come to Killarney this show is a must. Liam himself obviously loves what he does and he puts everything into his performance and he really is a top class accordianist. His band are also all great musicians and most versatile and the Bodhran (hand drum) player is special. As for the game of golf, as i write the men are on the course and i have no doubt really enjoying what is a magnificent and testing links course in a heavenly setting by the sea. My party are really having a great time and are so easy to be with. I will be sorry to part with them come Saturday but i will be up and ready to go again wth my next party of four on Monday next.

The Dingle peninsula

This morning we made an early start as we were headed for the Dingle peninsula. The sun was shining, eventhough there was rain forecast later. Dingle is a special place and one of my own personal favourites. Our first stop was the beach at Inch which featured in that great movie Ryan's Daughter. Then we made our way to the top of the mountains at the Conor Pass and the views from here are magnificent. My friends wanted many photos, especially of the mountain sheep with their new-born lambs. There was no shortage of opportunities. Our next stop was the town of Dingle. Once again the lure of the shops was too much for the ladies and off they went with the men tagging along. When they were well satisfied we all met up in John Benny's bar for a great feed of fish and chips. The fish here has to be fresh as Dingle is a great fishing port. Later we made our way back to Killarney where everybody needed to rest up as we hav to go out later to attend the Liam O'Connor show, a great feast of Irish music and song and dance and one not to be missed.

Golf in Killarney

I am a day behind in writing this as it was Monday in Killarney when the men played golf at the lovely Killeen course. The weather was favourable and they really enjoyed their game. This course is located right on the lakeshore with the mountains in the background and it is a wonderful setting for a parkland course. The ladies spent the day strolling through the town taking in the sights and investigating the many shops. There are bargains to be had this year due to the fact that the tourists are not as plentiful as other years. In many ways this makes the touring more pleasant than usual as there are not the same numbers on the roads and there is a lot more comfort all around. This evening we all went to a local Italian restaurant and had a lovely meal together. A fitting end to a great day in Killarney

Killarney here we come

This morning we said goodbye to Kinsale as we made our way down the south coast of Cork. The weather was not too bad when we set out but the rain was on the way and once we reached the mountains bsetween Skibbereen and Kenmare we had many heavy showers. The stops were few and we finally arrived in Killarney shortly after lunch. The Plaza is one of the ODonoghue hotels in Killarney and i love their hotels. My guests were anxious to get out and view the town so i left them to their own devices and will meet them again in the morning for all their latest news. The men hope to play golf if the weather allows and the Killarney Killeen course is a really nice course in a beautiful setting along the lake shore. I hope to get into the gap of Dunlo at some stage. This is a magical place with roads barely wide enough to accomodate a car. Not for the timid. It should be an interesting day if the weather is kind.

Touring Ireland with Dave

The weather today was a bit of a disappointment but it still did not prevent us from having another great day. Travelling with people who are determined to enjoy their holiday makes things so much easier and my party from Chicago could not be better. This morning we visited the famous Blarney castle in County Cork and we were blessed with good weather for the duration of our visit there. This castle is quiet spectacular and the climb to the top is not for the faint-hearted. The kissing of the stone is special to most visitors and it is a shame that some bad-minded people spread rumours which make some people shy away from kissing the stone. Take it from me that it is quiet safe to kiss.The rumours concerning its hygeine are nothing more than idle gossip. We had great fun there and our visit was more than worth while.
Next we moved on to the Blarney Woolen mills superstore and this is a must for anybody with shopping in mind. The variety of goods available here is second to none and if you want value and quality then this is the place to go.Here you will find everything from your woolen sweaters to ladies fashion, mens hats and caps and jackets, linen and crystal and jewellery and souvenir items and all kinds of everything which will make your shoppin a lot easier for you.This is a great place to have a drink or a nice lunch or snack at the right price. By the time we got back to Kinsale everybody was more than satisfied with another day well spent. Tomorrow we move on again as we journey down along the south coast of Cork on our way to Killarney. A final meal in this town famous for its restaurants will surely top off a wonderful visit to Kinsale.

Comments are welcome.

Kinsale

It was overcast and gloomy as I collected my party at Cork airport on Friday . It was easy to see how excited and relieved they were to be here at last. Our destination today was Kinsale and as we made our way west the sky started to clear and the sun appeared in all it's glory. By the time we reached Kinsale we had a completely blue sky and it was like we had moved into a new season. Our hotel, the Kinsale Carlton, is located in a beautiful setting overlooking Oysterhaven bay and my guestes were justifiably impressed. After checking in we had a nice snack in the bar as we made our plan for the rest of the day. The seafood chowder was delicious and would keep me going for awhile. All of our rooms had magnificent views of the bay. My guests were also delighted to find that they had baths in their en-suites as a soak in a bath seemed like a great idea after all their travelling. After a brief break we headed for the town down the winding narrow roads by the old fort overlooking Kinsale harbour. This is a magnificent fort and tomorrow we will spend time exploring it. The views of Kinsale as we made our way down from the hills was special and the town itself with its narrow streets has retained a lot of its historic character. You have to spend time just walking through the narrow streets here to appreciate this and i left them to spend some time exploring the town for themselves. I was to come back for them later when they had finsihed their evening meal. It was late in hevening when i finally collected them and they were thrilled with my choice of restaurant as they had enjoyed a really nice meal in Jim Edwards pub. When we arrived back at the hotel they were ready to settle down for the night after what had been a lovely first day together.

Touring Ireland

I start another new tour tomorrow when i travel to Cork airport to meet new friends from Chicago. This group consists of two couples and i am looking forward very much to spending the next nine days with them. Our first stop-off point will be Kinsale where we will be spending two nights. Kinsale is known as the gourmet capital of Ireland and i am sure that i will find that once again my appetite gets the better of me. Saturday we will be traveling to the Waterford area and i have yet to find out if the Crystal factory visitors centre will be open that day. If not there will still be plenty to see as we travel through many lovely and interesting places such as Lismore and Cappoquin, where there is an ancestral connection for one of my party. We will be returning to Kinsale in the evening and i will try to keep my blog updated as i go. If you want to stay in touch with my tour just please do so. I can assure you that there will be many exciting experiences as we go. Please comment at any time yourself.

Dave

Sunshine in Ireland

Well today the sun is shining and Ireland looks at her best. What a difference it makes. I live in a rural area and i had to walk across a number of fields and down country lanes this morning to find a neighbour i needed to see. Everything was so green and the grass was lush and rich and damp with dew. I stopped in the middle of a large open field surround on three sides by bushes and on the other by a lovely little Lochaun (a tiny lake).There were a couple of beautiful white swans sitting on the limestone rocks at the waters edge. Beyond the lake was Kinvara bay shimmering with ripples from the sun and gentle breeze. Everything was silent and even when i called my friend's name there was no response from man nor beast nor bird. It was as though i was all alone in the world and it was a wonderful feeling of peace. Then i saw him emerging from behind some bushes in the distance with a bucket in his hand and following along behind him some young cattle eager to be fed. After the cold and wild and wet weather we have had lately the heat was so pleasant and i could have just stayed there all day. I called him and he waved and within minutes my world was not my own any more as we sat and talked on an old stone wall. Company is nice but there is no substitute for being at peace in your own company. What a lovely world this can be, and could be, if we just left it alone.

Ireland of the Welcomes

Sorry for the long absence but i just have been very busy lately. I have to juggle my life a little at this time of the year as i have to deal with many enquiries with regard to my Irish Tours. There will always be people who want a car and driver and it does take time to put plans together to suit their needs. Chauffeur touring is special and i always try to make sure that i get all the information from my clients to ensure that we have a plan that covers as many of their ideas as possible. It is my job to try to fit in as much of these ideas as possible into a workable plan. People have no idea just how difficult it is to negotiate our country roads. They think that they can get around a lot quicker than they actually can. Journeys that do not look a lot on the map can take a lot longer to cover than they think and trying to do the impossible can end up with disastrous results. A tired driver is a dangerous one and driving in Ireland can be very tiring as you have to very alert at all times on the narrow and winding country roads. There will always be stops that you have not allowed for and when you add all of this up you can find that you arrive at your final destination each day a lot later than you planned. When this happens a few days in a row then it becomes extremenly tiring. Also your passengers get irritable as they tire and that makes it even more stressful for the driver. Taking wrong turns and getting lost is common and this leads to more frustration and arguments and of course that does not happen when you have your own private driver. I can cover so much more ground in a day than someone who is new to Ireland and therefore your holiday is so much more rewarding as you get to see many places that you would never find yourself. I love to take people into the remote areas which you never find in the guide books. A lot of these areas are serviced by roads that tour buses cannot navigate and long may they remain like this as it helps them to maintain their character. My next group are a very special group who are coming to me from Chicago. There are four of them, two couples, i know that they are all excitied and i am looking forward to giving them a very special time. After they leave i start with another group of four with only one days break. They come from Wis. and then, with just one days break, i have two people, a mother and her daughter, and this will bring me right into June. I am looking forward to meeting all these new friends and i will have tales to tell as i travel. Of course there will be nothing personal ain my stories but i hope you find them interesting. If you like you can travel along with me as i update my blog. Talk to you again soon.