C0rk In Ireland

As some of you may or may not know, I spent 5-days in Ireland last week into last weekend (Feb. 26th - March 1st). I returned home on Monday, and I am anxious as hell to return. It was only a matter of time before I got to writing about my trip, and you're just the lucky bastard that found it... so rather than bore you with a forward, lets just go right to the trip... I've tried to break it down as best I can...

The Group...

The group we traveled with was comprised of 19 men, most of which were friends of my uncle. Raja, Chaz, and Me were not only the youngest of the pack, but considered newbies, as it was our first time in Ireland. My dad and his friend Bob were also part of the group, and had gone a few years prior. The trip runs once a year and attempts to hit a variety of spots throughout Ireland.

Departure...

We arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport around 6pm. We made our way through security, which I found to be surprisingly lax. The flight was scheduled to leave around 8:50pm, so once the group has assembled at the gate, we made our way to the nearest Airport bar for a final taste of American Guinness. A few short hours later we were airborne on our way across the Atlantic. I had a middle seat and was VERY uncomfortable for the entire ride, though I think I was able to sleep a few winks. After a brief stop in Dublin, we were flown to Shannon International Airport --- Finally, we arrive.

Arrival...

I need to mention that I saw 4 different advertisements for alcohol before making it to customs. Customs and all that was quick and simple. After securing our luggage, I made a point to tap-the-wall (ATM) for some Euro (European Dollars). My dad, Bob, Raja, Chaz, and I were all supposed to ride in the same vehicle. Our vehicle was a Mercedes Minivan. It was a boxy green thing that looked like a monster when compared to anything else gracing the road.

Adare Manor...

Bob was the designated driver for the trip, since he had more international travel under his belt than the remaining 4 of us combined. Adare Manor was where we were to eat Breakfast (the local time of our arrival as 10am). We approached the doors to the manor house and were greeted by an older chap wearing a tuxedo complete with tails, as well as a tall top hat. I was a bit worried considering that the manor house looked like a castle and we were all dressed in jeans and t-shirts. Initially he told us that we were mistaken, and retreated back into the manor house. It was very OZ. He emerged again, extremely apologetic for the mix up and ushered us into the dining room, where a breakfast buffet was setup.

The First Guinness...

After breakfast was done, several of us relocated to the Manor bar where we ordered up our 1st Guinness of the trip from a delightful young female barkeep. After a small toast, we took our first swig of the magical stout (for more discussion of the Guinness read this). After a few more pints, we left Adare for Dingle.

The Drive...

I had always heard that Ireland was GREEN... really GREEN. The drive from Shannon to Adare was oddly BROWN. However, the drive to Dingle in the south showed me where all the GREEN talk was coming from.

Dingle...

We arrived in Dingle in the late afternoon. Everyone was pretty tired and wanted to nap, but we knew it was simply not an option at such a late hour. Dingle is a quiet little fishing village which seems to embody the word "quaint." We had dinner at a tiny seafood place recommended by a group member who had dined in Dingle before. Because I cannot eat seafood, I was forced to order the Pork. I had my fears about Irish cooking, but this dish was superb.

After dinner we wandered around the town a bit, and took a boo in Murphy's Pub, which was surprisingly dead. Later we found another bar that featured traditional Irish music. After a few more pints and a PADDY (Irish Whiskey)... I could begin to feel the hours wearing on me... Raja, Chaz, and I escaped to the hotel bar.

We stayed at a hotel called Benner's which included spacious accommodations and a plush bar. The deal with most hotels in Ireland is that the bar must remain open as long as the residents are there. Most stand-alone bars in Ireland close between 11-1, so those wishing to drink well into the night are out of luck if they do not currently reside in a hotel. A few of the older chaps thought my friends and I (being newbies) would be prime targets for overachievement. Meaning... lets drink these young lads under the table. It was just about this time Tequila was brought into the picture. I was amazed when the 2 shots calmed my stomach and gave me a nice second wind. Slowly and steadily the ranks of the veterans were picked off with the help of a little drink I like to call the Twisted Jack. Chaz, Raja, and I ended up talking to a couple of Irish lasses from Cork until 5:45am.

The Peninsula...

The town of Dingle is just 1 part of the whole Dingle Peninsula. We piled into the van around noon, and drove a good long while around the perimeter. The Irish coast was remarkable. The drive was as pleasant and scenic as one can imagine, despite a nights worth of drinking churning up ones stomach. Bob did a good job navigating the road, but I have to say I was still a bit nervous. The roads have no shoulder, and barely enough room for two cars to pass. There are even 2 way roads that have only 1 lane --- they require that one motorist survey the road ahead or behind and pull-off in some way to allow the oncoming car to pass. Quite interesting when you consider that many of the roads are dug into the sides of hills and/or lined with large stonewalls. You may want to fold in your side-view mirrors next time you're driving in Ireland.

Conor Pass...

A narrow windy road out of Dingle led us up the side of a mountain. With sheep adorning the green/rocky landscape, we grew nervous as our driver's room for error decreased rapidly. At the apex of the road was Conor Pass. It was a high point between two low areas, one being the town of Dingle. The wind at the Pass was brutal. I estimate gusts up to 100mph. Being literally blown off-course while running is something I never would have imagined.

To Killarney...

We arrived in Killarney in the late afternoon, and checked into our respective rooms at the Best Western International. Having only accrued 3 hours of sleep the night before, I snagged myself a nice 45min before venturing into the city. Killarney is considered to be quite a large town in Ireland, which would explain why I was so shocked by its miniscule size. Granted, I didn't survey every inch of the city boundary, but from what I did see, the "city" only had about 3-4 major streets. Raja, Chaz, and I spent some of the afternoon wandering around, checking out pubs and other establishments. There was even a convenience store called CORKERY's... and it had a little lounge (mini-pub) in the back. After some meandering we stopped in an Internet Cafe, where I took care of some business, and poked around for any stateside happenings. After that it was dinner at Foley's, a very fancy establishment, where I had the peppered steak. It was a fantastic meal.

The Grand...

We went to a pub called The Grand. Just inside the entrance were 3 young Irish lasses playing various instruments, filling the bar air with traditional Irish melodies. A few Guinness later, the trio stopped and another band began to play. This second band was more of a rock-Irish fusion type band. It featured 5 members playing Accordion, piccolo, guitar, bass, and drums. They treated us to some originals and some covers, and a good time was had by all. Chaz even ran into some exchange students from American University who he proceeded to dance with.

Towards the end of the night, Raja demanded that we check out the dance-club that the Grand had tucked in a rear section of the building. It was perfectly Euro-trash, and was a very "out-of-element" experience for me. The bars in the Grand stopped serving drinks around 2am... so we quickly raced back to the International where we tied a few more on with the older gents. Chaz, having taken a liking to the PADDY, and a young Irish chap, needed to be told to stop yelling "TO IRELAND" repeatedly in a very poor Irish accent. I think it was all the doubles Adam bought him during the last hour. We retired shortly after 3am.

First Travel-less day...

Being in Killarney for a full-day, many of the group decided to sleep-in. After waking up around 2pm, Raja, Chaz, and I searched out some eats. We had spent quite a bit on our previous 2 nights dinners, so we opted to sample the Chinese food in Ireland. My opinion --- pretty good. After shopping for gifts unsuccessfully, we ended up eating dinner at Mulligans. For me it was the first mediocre meal of the trip, but we did get to sample a stout besides Guinness called Beemish. I described it as tasting like American Guinness. The people around me laughed before shaking their heads in agreement.

Oh the Pubs...

We tried a few different pubs before heading back to The Grand. I think Chaz was hoping to run into his lass from the night prior. No such luck. The energy from the previous evening seemed to have been sucked from the place. I'm not sure what was different, but the crowd just seemed a little off, and the cover charge made me a little resentful. Having finished a few drinks we decided to make our way back to the International, where the bulk of our group was well on their way to a state of pure inebriation (flashes back to Family Guy episode & laughs). We drank our way till 3am again, and went to bed.

The Cliffs...

The next day each car went it own way with the assumption that we would all meet back at Adare Manor that evening. Our car made for the cliffs of Moher. It involved a large number of winding roads, and a ferry boat ride that almost did me in. The Cliffs were incredible. Nothing made me happier than being back on solid ground, and having oodles of breathtaking scenery stretched out in front of me. We walked up and down the cliffs for about an hour, and I can't say the thought of jumping didn't cross my mind a 1/2 dozen times. I got an adrenaline rush from exploring the edge where the difference between life and a wet/rocky death was literally a matter of inches. It was exhilarating and liberating all at the same time. I think the beauty of the scenery had some effect on my ability to make sound judgments. Hanging ones feet over the edge of a 900ft drop while wearing slip on shoes is a little stupid.

Back to Adare...

After the cliffs, we headed back to Adare Manor, where we spent the last night of our trip. While some members of the group opted to dine in the Manor House (100 euro a head), a slightly more money conscious group of us opted to dine in the club house which served MANY fine dishes. I ordered a burger which was pretty sub-par but was easily forgiven considering the quality of the other dishes and appetizers. Following dinner, the two groups united for one last drink at the Manor house bar, where it had all began not 4 days earlier. With an early flight to catch, and plenty of drinking under our belts, nobody drank to any level of excess, but in a fashion that allowed us to best savor the experience, and the flavor of Ireland. Bed time was early, though I did stay up a bit to watch the Oscars which were shown at 2am (Ireland Time). The next morning, after breakfast in the Manor House, we split for Shannon Airport.

Duty Free...

The International Terminal in Shannon Airport had an expansive duty free shop. I was glad I hadn't plunked down too much on souvenirs before this point. Paddy, Cork's Gin, and Bushmills were the items on my list. Raja and Chaz followed suit picking up their own supply of Paddy and assorted spirits (most not available state-side). I also purchased a few shot glasses, a "Guinness for Strength" poster, a Rugby Jersey, and a few other assorted items. We each snagged our final little trinkets from Ireland and boarded the plane, back to America.

Farewell Friends...Hello Guinness

Arriving back in Newark, we said our goodbyes to the crew and headed back down the Turnpike. Bob was still driving my dad, Raja, Chaz and I, and we were all surprised when upon exiting the Turnpike (exit 4 btw) he made a hard right into the Bennigans parking lot. He insisted that he buy us a round of Guinness so that we could again taste the difference. You must keep in mind that I was still wearing the pajama pants I has worn on the plane. Entering Bennigans at 2:10 in the afternoon on a Monday was on odd feeling. We pulled up to the bar, and Bob ordered up 5 Guinness from the 23 years old female bartender who grew nervous when Bob specified that he ONLY wanted them if they were poured properly. I was little embarrassed by his insistence. She had obviously never been taught how to properly pour Guinness, but seems amiable as Bob coached her through the process. After receiving our beer, we all took a big swig and commented on the difference. It was at this point that Bob asked to see the manager. I cannot accurately explain to you how bad I felt for this poor girl. Having seen enough, I grabbed Bob and demanded that he be NOTHING BUT NICE to these people. We knew the Guinness wasn't going to be the same, and we can't go breaking skulls over it. Bob explained to the manager how the Guinness was too cold and was not the same as the Guinness in Ireland. The manager (having probably been questioned along these lines before), explained that the Guinness was kept at the same temperature as all the other draft beers because it was more attuned to the American palette when served colder. Having been to Ireland himself, the manager agreed with Bob, that they were two completely different drinks, and thanked him for his input. We stopped at 1.

More Guinness...

When we pulled into Bennigans, my father and I had insisted that Bob go to the Main Street Pub instead, because they were sure to serve a better pint there. Un-phased Bob bought us the round at Bennigans ANYWAY. We were shocked again when Bob neglected to turn into my neighborhood, and proceeded in the direction of The Pub, exclaiming, "we just have to try it there too". I was not about to be seen in The Pub (my regular watering hole) in PJ's so I threw on my rugby jersey so I appeared more eccentric than slovenly. Pulling up to the bar, my father ordered the round. Bob kept his mouth shut as the bartended tapped 5 Guinness all "single-step'ed". Taking a grand gulp of our improperly poured pints, the five of us all realized that The Pub served the superior pint. It was no Irish Guinness mind you, but the mild temperature and lack of bite was closer to the real thing than Bennigans. We complimented the bartender on the quality of the Guinness. She told us that the Guinness was kept in a separate cooler, and kept at a different temperature. I knew there was a reason I named this, MY "bar-of-choice".

Take Me Home...

After enjoying our pint at the Pub, Bob finally dropped us at home. The trip was over, and an experience I had waited half my life for was over. However, I didn’t leave without declaring my intentions to return the following year. I have already begun to save in anticipation of next year. I could go on to thank many people for making this trip such a success, but most of you reading this don’t know them, and they already know how appreciative I am of their contributions. We spent a little more money than we meant to, but Raja, Chaz and I all agree, the time had, was worth every penny… or euro.

Next year… I want to see CORK!