We set off from Galway in drizzle reasonably early (9.30am) as had decided to drive to Ashford Castle for breakfast.

The trip took us due north along very pretty rural roads and through the equivalent of Irelands Lake District. Ashford Castle started as a medieval castle and then was bought by the Guinness family in the 1800s who set about progressively enlarging it in Victorian and other architectural styles. More recently it’s been owned, sold, owned and renovated by various hotel chains and is now a very exclusive hotel with golf course, lake and separate Lodge where the less exclusive but still affluent can stay. The gatekeeper said we absolutely could not go into the castle but we could try the lodge. How do we get there we asked. Well through the same entrance but we had to wait for a bus coming out as it is one way. Oh and there’s a wedding today so there may not be room. Oh and absolutely don’t try to go over the bridge!  It was like a comedy. 

Once through the entrance you drive through the middle of the golf course and then veer left through some woods to get to the Lodge. The view of the castle at the intersection is quite something. One day when we are film stars, international golfers or world leaders (or American. Ouch tourists) we may be allowed over the bridge (that yes you guessed it, goes over the moat). 

The Lodge itself was rather nice and the breakfast was fantastic. It was one of those hotel menu affairs. One price and order what you want. The muesli with whiskey infused stewed apple and yoghurt was divine as was the omelette that followed. Everyone was very happy with their selection which also came with croissants and pastries and toast. 

After breakfast (a very reasonable €25 each) we drove down to the cafe  and gift shop for a closer look at the castle and had a walk around.

The nearby village of Cong (the Gaelic signs say Conga so that set us off in song) was having a food and wine festival and half of Ireland was there.
We drove through rural roads east towards Dublin aiming for Athlone where we stopped for a coke and a walk. Again it was a really attractive riverside town with a castle on one side of the bridge and a large cathedral thing on the other. 

By this time the afternoon was getting on so we switched to the motorway for the rest of the journey to Dublin. That’s funny, I thought. It’s only 85km and the speed limit is 120km/hr and it’s saying it will take nearly 2 hours. Well driving through central Dublin at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon is not for the faint hearted and it was nearly the end of me. There are about 20 or more bridges over the Liffey. Many of them are pedestrian and there are lights for pedestrians every 50-100m. And the lanes keep swapping to become bus lanes so you are forever having to cross over, avoiding buses, taxis and Ubers which all use the bus lanes. Mike navigated me to this tiny lane we had to go down to get to our hotel but there were buses on either side, it’s a single lane and looks like a driveway and I missed it. So it was another 45 minutes to get back across the river and go around again. The second time, with all 3 passengers navigating (oh and the car counting down the available kilometres of diesel left) we got down the lane and into the parking building opposite our hotel (Temple Bar Hotel). That’s when I lost it completely. You have to get this fat car up a spiral ramp with low concrete walls on either side that I couldn’t see. As I was completely stressed from the navigation debacle I just got out of the car and swapped with Steve who was thankfully much calmer!
Our hotel is right in the heart of the entertainment district. We have rooms on the 4th floor so it’s not noisy but our bed is a small double with Mike wedged up beside the wall. Steve and Fiona are getting a bigger room for tonight as the bed is really too small for his long legs. Ours will be fine though.
We found an excellent restaurant in a building that used to be a bank and is still so named. The decor and food was great as were the pre-dinner drinks while we waited for a table.

So far Dublin is pretty cool – and it’s warmer and finer!