Chauffeur Vacations West of Ireland

A View from the Sky Road in Clifden Connemara

30th May 2010

The Sky road outside Clifden in Connemara is a spectacular journey which takes you on a narrow winding road along the Rugged western coastline. The road is very narrow and has a lot of dangerous blind spots, and one i would not recommend to the nervous. The whole journey is only about four miles long but one to be negotiated with care if you dare to try it. I took my party there the other day as we made our way from Clifden to Kylemore Abbey. I have now finished my tour with that group and have started a new tour with a couple from Oregon this morning. We head for the northern regions of County Mayo tomorrow morning to see if we can find any trace of their ancestors. We do not have a whole lot of information but i really enjoy this type of investigative work and who knows what we may turn up. Mayo was one of the worst hit counties during the famine and there are very few families in Mayo who do not have relatives in the USA. I will let you know how we get on.
I collected my new friends at Shannon airport this morning when they arrived there from Newark. If you are coming to the west or south-west of Ireland then Shannon is the place to fly into. Unfortunately the only flights to Shannon at present are from Newark with Continental or with Delta from JFK and Aer Lingus from JFK and Boston. The Chicago flights with Aer Lingus which used to come into Shannon now go directly to Dublin and that means finding your way back to the west if that is your destination. You could fly from Dublin back to Shannon or make your way by bus or train to wherever your destination is in the west. Using Shannon is such a bonus as it is a small compact airport and so very easy to get into and out of.
The weather here continues to be very nice eventhough we are expecting some rain over the next few days but only in the form of showers with plenty of sunshine also. I will be reporting as often as possible as i work my way through the next 12days with my latest group so keep in touch.
Questions or comments are most welcome.


Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Ashford Castle and Cong with Chauffeurdrive West of Ireland

Ashford Castle at Cong Co Mayo
Happy travelers at Kylemore Abbey Connemara

They are a happy group and we are having a great time. They are all fun to be with and we have had a lot of laughs. This photos above were taken yesterday at Ashford Castle and at Kylemore Abbey in the heart of Connemara. We took in a wide sweep of Connemara from Roundstone to Clifden and Kylemore and on to Leenane and the fjord and down through the Maam valley to Cong and Ashford Castle. This was quiet a busy day and we covered a lot of ground.
The town of Cong was the central location for the Quiet Man movie which starred John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. My friends had time for a pint at Pat Cohan's Bar in Cong which featured in the movie. They were enthralled with Connemara and who could blame them as it is known as God's Country and when you come here you9rself you will know why.
All is well here and the weather has been more than kind to us. I finish with this group tomorrow (Sat) and start afresh with my new party on Sunday. It is all go but then that is what this business is about.
Questions or comments welcome.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Touring the west of Ireland

A view from the bridge at Sneem in County Kerry

Sneem is a really beautiful and most colorful little town in Count Kerry and one of my favourites in that area. Make sure you stop there and check out the local shops. This year there is really good value available so make sure you check out the quality shops like Quills. They also have a great shop in Killarney and they really do stock the best. There is also a little newsagents/sweet shop in Sneem where you can buy local hand-made chocolate which i can never resist. The views from the bridge here are really special.
I am now in the later stages of my present tour and it is going really well. Today we were at the magnificent Cliffs of Moher and had a lovely lunch in Gus O' Connor's pub in Doolin. I had the fish and chips with a salad and it was really good. There goes the diet.
Tomorrow we head for Connemara and another special day. More about that later.
Now i had better catch up with my mail etc. Talk to you soon.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Personal Tour Ireland

A Rick of Irish Peat

Ireland is famous for its peat bogs and this fuel is still used widely in many rural areas. At this time of the year you can see the men and women out on the bogs cutting the peat and stacking it, or "footing" it as it is called. The just stand five or six pieces on their ends in a wigwam shape to let it dry out before they take it from the bogs to wherever they are going to store it for use in their fires and stoves, or "ranges", as they are called. Peat makes a lovely fire, not quite as hot as a coal fire, but a gentle warm fire with a lovely smell. I no longer burn peat but i can clearly remember the lovely smell in my home. This photo is of what they call a "rick " of turf , where they pile it up in a fashion that, even if it does rain, the water runs off and it remains usable. They usually cover the top with a canvas or something waterproof if they cannot store it in a shed.
I am presently on tour with a family group of seven who arrived to me from various locations in the USA, California (San Diego), Knoxville TN and Quincey Ill. Today they are on the Aran Islands so i am free for a while to catch up with many other things before i meet them on their arrival back later. I always look forward to hearing all about the great time they have had on the islands, and they always do. The Aran Islands are well worth a visit so keep that in mind for your own holiday here.
My present party are staying at Ross Castle just outside Moycullen in Connemara. This is a wonderful location and the castle and the luxury apartments are magnificent and a wonderful place to base yourself if you want peace and quiet. This old house was the family home of the Martin family, one of the fourteen families of this famous "City of the Tribes". It stands on the shores of the Corrib Lake in a wooded area beneath the hills of Connemara near the lovely towns of Moycullen and Oughterard. The gardens are magnificent and the place is superbly maintained. This is the perfect retreat for anybody just looking for a haven from the normal touristy thing, and a great place to base yourself for many wonderful surrounding touring areas such as Connemara, the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher and the south-western regions of Mayo such as Delphi and St Patrick's holy mountains Croagh Patrick and Westport. My group will cover all of these areas with me this week and are already in love with their idyllic holiday home. This is a place where the only sounds you will hear are the sounds of nature and an early morning stroll or an evening in the garden can be nothing but good for the soul. This is something i can fit into a holiday for you if it sounds like your ideal holiday. It would also be a perfect place for a honeymoon.
If my posts are a little scarce over the next little while it will only be because i am so busy but i will do my best to write whenever i find the time.
Comments are always welcome with regard to my chauffeur drive service. For the vacation of your own personal choice drop me a line. I can tailor for you what you need.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Irish chauffeurdrive vacations

A lovely beach near Ballyferriter on the Dingle peninsula

The idea of swimming in Ireland seems to come as a major surprise to many visitors from the USA. Let me assure you that having been born on the western seaboard in Galway i grew up spending my Summers swimming in the warm waters of the Atlantic. I emphasise the word warm as we are blessed to have the gulf stream, and its lovely warm water, running along our western coastline. Bring your swimming gear with you if want to try it out for yourself.
I start another tour tomorrow morning and my group of seven are flying in from Chicago for what i hope will be a great experience for them. I do not think that swimming is onb their itinerary and indeed it is still just a little early for that anyway. June will be good eventhough there are plenty of people getting in there already. I am one of those who waits for it to heat up a little more.
I will try to keep up my Blog news as i tour this week so if anybody has any queries or comments i will deal with them on and off. In the meantime ...stay well.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Irish airports all operational. (Chauffeurdrive Shannon and Galway airports)

Mares with their new-born foals

Ireland is famous for its bloodstock. I took this picture recently of these two mares with their newly arrived foals. These horses would be hunter chasers and bred to jump fences. We really do breed the best here as they have the finest of natural grass to gaze on and pure air to breathe. Horse breeding is a major industry here and we export many fine horses for both racing and show-jumping.
Our weather here continues to improve with temperatures at last beginning to return to what would be expected at this time of the year. Anybody coming here right now has nothing to worry about as all of our airports are functional and the forecast is very good. Make sure that you bring rain-wear always and a couple of warm sweaters for the evening. Smart casual wear is always fine for dining out in the evening. I try to warn people against bringing huge amounts of luggage but you will always get the odd individual who comes looking like they have left home altogether. Most Americans are experienced travelers though and are sensible with their packing and it does pay off as overweight charges are expensive. Despite all the bad reports you hear about Irish weather we do get a lot of lovely dry and warm weather with occasional showers but we have had very little rain recently. It is always advisable to have light rain-wear with you as you know what happens when you do not.
The demand for Chauffeurdrive services and the amount of people looking for a car and driver for the west of Ireland has been very high. There is no doubt that the strengthening of the dollar against the Euro has a lot to do with that. I have a lot of people coming to me this year and they must be delighted at the way things are turning around as their price now looks better by the day. I am naturally very pleased for them as once i give a price that does not change with the currency fluctuation.
Comments welcome.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

All Irish Airports Operational

Cat-Nap?

The pot is mine....but the cat is my neighbours. They call him Zebedee ....and i call him Gizmo, Gizzy for short. Despite all of this, he likes me. This pot is just underneath my sitting room window and is recently his favourite place for a nap. The soil in the pot is warm and the vegetation under him is cozy so what can i do? The plant under him is already just about ruined anyway He really has adopted us and eventhough he goes back to the neighbours house every evening he spends all day around our home. He is a rogue but then maybe that is another reason why i like him.
The good news for all of us here at the moment is that the wind has finally turned back to our own prevailing wind direction and is now coming from the south-west once again. This will keep Irish airspace free from volcanic ash and the forecast is good for a continuance of this. I have a group coming in on Saturday and i am really looking forward to looking after them. The change of wind direction have also brought about a decent rise in temperature and that is welcome as it has been unusually cold for this time of the year. I am now entering a very busy period and good weather would help to make it even more pleasant. I still have a little free time, a week in mid July and some in August. If anybody wants to check out availability for chauffeurdrive vacations / car and driver availability, then feel free to write to me or give me a call. I do have back-up so maybe i can help even if i am engaged myself. The back-up i have is first class, and has to be as i would never use anybody who could damage my own reputation.
There have been special commemoration ceremonies over the weekend for victims of the terrible famine in Ireland during the 1840's. More than a million people died and well over another million emigrated during those years, and indeed twenty years after the famine our population dropped from 8 million to 4 million. When you think about that, how can we complain about our present recession. I know that some people are suffering but most of us are still in the lap of luxury. We really do need to keep remembering those who are in need today when we remember those who died in the past. There are many wonderful organizations involved in helping people in the third world where famine is devastating vast regions and killing millions of people yearly. Maybe we can all do a little more.
Comments welcome.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Private Tours Ireland

The Leprechaun Crossing at Ladies View

This is a favourite spot on the Ring of Kerry for a photo shoot, and the views of the lakes of Killarney in the valley below are stunning here.
Today the sun is shining in Ireland and all is well. The forecast for the coming week is more of the same so anybody coming here in the near future looks set for good weather. We should be over the worst of the cold now and when it gets nice in Ireland it gets very nice. I personally love this time of the year as the days are longer and it is never either too hot or too cold.
The dollar continues to improve and it looks set to stay that way as the Euro continues to come under pressure due to the concern over the state of certain economies. Is the European dream becoming a nightmare? I suppose we are in it now and there seems to be nothing we can do about it at the moment. I always felt that we should have teamed up with the USA as we have so many people of Irish descent there. We would have a lot more in common with them than with mainland Europe. I would like to think that they would have welcomed us in.
If anybody needs any help with regard to an Irish holiday just drop me a line. More later.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Chauffeur Drive Vacation West of Ireland

Furze bushes with the McGillicuddy Reeks in the background.

These furze bushes grow freely all over Ireland, especially along the western seaboard. They are very colourful and are a real haven for wildlife as they have a very prickly thorn and the birds find sanctuary in them from their predators. They can be a problem for farmers though as they spread like wildfire and take over land needed for grazing. The farmers set fire to them and this can be another problem as the fire spreads and everything in its path is in danger of being consumed. It is illegal to start these fires but at this time of the year it happens regularly and the fire services are put under enormous pressure.
Despite the fact that we have had little rain and a lot of sunshine in Ireland recently it has been colder than normal for this time of the year. The good news is that from next week it is supposed to get a lot warmer and this will be welcome news especially to the farmers who are suffering from a lack of feed for livestock as there has been no real growth. My touring has not suffered at all as the weather has been really pleasant and the sunshine and long bright days have been really nice. Too much heat while traveling in a car is not the best anyway but thankfully my vehicles are all airconditioned.
The really good news for those traveling from the USA is that the dollar is really improving and that continues to make a holiday in Ireland really attractive. That plus the value in the lower prices here this year are a real bonus to the tourist. I honestly feel that this is a real opportunity for anybody with an ambition to visit Ireland but do consider doing it as soon as possible as these prices will not be this low forever.
I still have some availability during the season so if you want to make an enquiry then please do so as soon as possible. If i cannot look after you myself i do have backup so feel free to drop me a line.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

An Irish vacation with car and driver

Noooooo....i'm not their mother.

And some people say that you should not tour the Ring of Kerry? This photo was taken on my recent tour up near Moll's Gap on the Ring of Kerry. Sheep and lambs are quiet common roadside dwellers and, as you can see ...the occasional deer also. Just be careful not to frighten them as you approach. You can get quiet close to them but try not to frighten them off by moving too quickly. They will not allow you to pet them or anything like that as they are wild sheep. The Ring of Kerry continues to be one of my favourite routes and i always recommend it. Do not believe any of that misinformation circulating about delays as you travel around due to traffic congestion. The roads on the Ring are much improved and it is a lovely relaxing circuit now. Just make sure that you journey in an anti-clockwise direction.By doing that you will not meet any buses or large trucks as they all travel in an anti-clockwise direction.
The weather continues to be nice here right now with blue skies all day today...but it is quiet cold for this time of the year. Our winds are not our usual south-westerlies and are more from the North and the North-East and this accounts for the threat of Volcanic ash, eventhough we are not troubled by it at the moment. These unusual winds will not last and we will be back to our reliable winds shortly., thank God. Our normal winds will keep our air-space clear.
I continue to be busy and i am looking at a very busy period through May and June-July. The news on the financial front was good today and the markets have rebounded favorably. That is also good news for us here. The dollar continues to be strong against the Euro and that is good news for anybody coming here from the USA. I think our season will be a good one.
Chauffeurdrive/car and driver is still the way to go so if you need help just contact me anytime.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Private Irish Vacation with Car and Driver

Up in the clouds on the Conor Pass

I took this photo from the mountain top at the Conor Pass on the Dingle peninsula during my recent tour with Karen and Marcie. We were virtually in the clouds as the day was overcast but the views were so different, and eventhough we could see little around us the scene below was perfectly clear. If you do travel to the Conor Pass just remember that the roads are extremely narrow as you approach or descend from the Tralee side. You are at a couple of thousand feet here so those lakes in this photo are a lot larger than they look.
On a point of information i would like to warn travelers from the USA to be careful about bringing $100-00 bills with them. This particular note is extremely hard to exchange as it is now the most popular counterfeit note being passed off here. In general the banks refuse to take them so make sure that you bring smaller denominations if you are bringing cash. The counterfeit notes are so good that the scanning machines are not even picking them up. You will not have trouble with credit cards as just about all of the reputable businesses will accept them. American Express can be a problem as many places will not accept them.
Comments please.

Dave

Irish Chauffeurdrive Vacation

The Ladies at Corcomroe Abbey County Clare

This Cistercian Abbey is situated at the foot of the Clare hills near my own town of Kinvara. It dates back to the 12th century and is well worth a visit. The ladies have now returned to the USA after what was a really lovely tour. I know that they had a great time and i must add that i enjoyed their company very much.
I have been busy over the last couple of days and have not had time to Blog but i will try to find more time over the weekend. If your have any questions or comments i will get around to them then.

Dave

http://www.chauffeurdriveholidays.com

Irish vacation with private car and driver

Inch Beach with the Ring of Kerry in the background.

This photo of the ladies was taken overlooking the famous Inch beach on the Dingle peninsula. This beach featured in the movie "Ryan's Daughter" which starred Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles. If you have not seen it then get it from your Video Library. It was a little chilly the other morning when we were there but it warmed up as the day went on.
Yesterday we were in Connemara visiting places like Kylemore Abbey and Ashford Castle, and once again everybody had a wonderful time. Today (Tuesday) they were supposed to be on their way home but Volcanic dust once again hit our air-space and flights were cancelled and now they do not leave until Thursday. They say that "It is an ill wind that does not blow someone some good", and that was never more true as the ladies are only delighted to have a couple of extra days here. I will keep you updated. The problem with the dust is not that the Volcano has increased its activity but that the wind has changed direction and is blowing the dust straight down on top of us here in Ireland. What is happening to our world with Volcano's, earthquakes, floods and famine and of course that dreadful oil spillage in the Gulf? God protect us all.

Talk to you later again.

Dave

The Aran Islands with Dave Hogan

Ladies view in Killarney with the lakes in the background.

Today the ladies were off to the Aran islands at the mouth of Galway Bay. What a lovely day it was for a visit to this very special place. I always felt that it was like a journey back in time as the islands remain unspoiled. There is a special feeling about being on an island. Life is different there and much slower and relaxed. There is much to see there....ancient ruined churches and forts, with the main fort being Dun Aengus which stands at the top of the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic. It is hard to even put a date on this fort as it goes back thousands of years and people can only guess as to who built and inhabited it. Yesterday the ladies spent in my favourite city...Galway. This is a great town for shopping and they had a great time and found many bargains. Needless to say i gave them space to do their shopping...what woman wants, or needs, a man when she is shopping. As i write the ladies are still on the island and it will be this evening before i get the up to date report on their day. I just know that once again it will be positive as they have loved every minute of their holiday so far. Tomorrow we head for Connemara...that land made famous in that great old movie, "The Quiet Man".
More to follow later.
All questions or comments welcome.

Dave

Irish Vacation with Private Driver

The Mighty Cliffs of Moher

Yesterday was a long but wonderful day as we left Kinsale in the morning and made our way to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. The weather forecast was not good but amazingly the day turned out to be really lovely and the sun shone for us as we reached the Cliffs. This was the crowning moment of the tour for the ladies as they had looked forward to this long before they ever reached Ireland. They were not to be disappointed and the Cliffs captivated them from the word go. We followed the pathways to the top of the Cliffs and the magnificent views on all sides were captivating. The Aran Islands were stretched out to the North-West with the Connemara mountains and the Twelve Pins to the North and Galway Bay below us and stretching away to the North-East. I have been here many times and have seen it all before but once again it just left me feeling grateful to be alive and in good health and in a job that takes me to many wonderful places in this lovely island of ours. The photos were many and i will be posting them and many others from this special tour in the days ahead. On leaving the Cliffs we drove though the Burren, a land 0f Limestone Mountains, ancient castles and Abbeys and views that leave you wanting more. Galway city was thronged with visitors for this bank-holiday weekend and the ladies have much to look forward to over the next few nights in this City of the Tribes.