How I Changed My Mind About Ireland

I’ve been to Ireland twice before my most recent trip. And both times, I left Ireland feeling like I really never needed to go there again. But your experience visiting a place depends on so many factors, including what you do there, who you go with, the weather, and so much more. I just came back from my third trip to Ireland and actually had a wonderful time.

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Where You Should Stay

The first two times I visited, I stayed in Dublin. On one of those trips, I took a day trip with the train to Galway and a bus trip to Malahide Castle. The first time I stayed in Dublin, I stayed at the Hotel St George and the second time at the Holiday Inn Express. I liked the Hotel St George better. But I didn’t get to see much more beyond Dublin, Galway, and the castle, especially not the countryside. This time, I was determined to see something new and stay somewhere completely different.

Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel in Blarney, Cork County, graciously offered me a gifted stay in exchange for sharing my experience on social media. Blarney is a beautiful small town located very close to Cork. And the hotel is right across the street from Blarney Castle. I’m happy to say that it was a cozy and wonderful place to sleep.

My husband and I ate at the hotel’s restaurant, Christy’s Bar and Grill, and experienced an afternoon tea. Both were gifted as part of our social media collaboration. We also ate at a restaurant in town. I even had turkey for dinner. Do you know how rare it is to see turkey on a menu? I don’t know why people don’t eat it more often. Turkey is a delicious bird. I love making turkey soups, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.

What I Liked About the Blarney Woollen Mills

I really enjoyed the comfortable bed, the large couch, the various a la carte breakfast options, and the rustic hotel interior. The hotel staff also left a beautiful board filled with chocolate, sweets, and strawberries in our room. It was such a lovely touch. It really was one of those places that leaves a lasting impression on a person.

I spent some time exploring the shop right next door. Blarney Woolen Mills is the world’s largest Irish gift store. It’s located on the same terrain as the hotel. And it’s three floors! So you’ll never get bored. I ended up buying two beautiful wool sweaters; one of them is blue, and the other is green.

Blarney Castle

Apparently, it’s good luck to kiss the Blarney stone on top of Blarney Castle. But I didn’t do that, haha. But I did enjoy the castle grounds, some of the inside of the castle, and the cast gardens. Blarney Castle has so much to offer beyond the castle itself. And, of course, I bought some postcards to send to some loved ones. I love doing that.

Other Things To Do

Beyond Blarney, my husband and I explored a bit of Cork. It left me feeling quite underwhelmed. I think Irish cities are just not my jam. But we did also visit the Midleton Distillery. While I don’t care much for whiskey, my husband adores it. And the tour was actually pretty entertaining for both of us.

We also visited a town called Macroom before heading back to the airport. It was quite a lovely town. We stopped at the local bakery for a bite to eat and something to drink before heading off on a little adventure. We went to check out the weir in Macroom Park. It was so peaceful and mesmerizing.

Leaving Ireland

For the first time ever, I left Ireland feeling sad. I had such a wonderful and peaceful time. I actually ended up doing more on this trip to Ireland than I mentioned in this blog post, but I think I’ll just leave it the way it is.

Who you go with, where you go, the time of year, your mood, and much more influence how you’ll experience a place. Sometimes third time’s a charm. Am I dying to go back to Ireland? No, not really. I’m more interested in going back to Scotland. But would I be open to visiting it again, especially seeing more of the nature? Absolutely.

What place have you changed your mind about?

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