I'm sad to have left Ireland; this little island populated by soulless redheads showed me how to make the most out of dreary days. Ireland's luscious green landscape, jagged coastlines, upbeat pubs, and the hospitable locals have enthralled me to this little island. And in many ways, its an easy first visit for a first time international traveler. English is the primary language (Irish is fading as the years pass), the culture is somewhat similar to the United States, and the people are extremely friendly.
The only downsides of traveling in Ireland are the higher costs of living and the lack of public transportation. Ireland, like the U.S, is just one of those countries that can only fully be realized behind the steering wheel. If you can master driving on the left, the many wonders of the countryside will reveal their lush, greeny goodness to you. If you're like me, and fear driving on the left or can't afford a car rental, then we have to get a bit creative.
Buses will easily take you between cities and towns, but in most smaller towns, that's as much as you can reasonably expect. There are few ways to see Ireland's natural wonders without signing up for a day tour or renting a car. A lot of the time, you'll have to budget extra time to see the same sights as those with cars.
Fortunately, that's where Doolin comes in. This tiny little town is still best navigated with a car, but if you're okay with some pre-planning and walking, this town will serve as a wonderful base camp for your explorations. There are no grocery stores in Doolin, so simply bring a bag full of food from wherever you're coming from (usually Galway), and you'll be good for the few days you're there.
Before I continue, I had a conversation with my folks that made me realize how confusing the geopolitical situation inIreland is for people who didn't grow up driving on the left. So, let's have a quick 15 second crash course. If you'd prefer a more in-depth review, the best rundown I have seen is made by CGP Grey, and I highly recommend watching the video.
Ireland 101
This refers to the geographical location
This case also refers to a geographical location
When someone says they're Irish, they usually mean that they're from the Republic of Ireland. If they're from Northern Ireland, they'll generally say they're Northern Irish.
Or in layman's terms:
I map good
So what exactly happened here? Well, the Irish always regarded the British as colonial invaders for hundreds of years. It was only in 1922 did the Republic of Ireland gain independence in a bloody affair. When the Republic of Ireland became a free state, Northern Ireland preferred to stay with the United Kingdom.
Simple enough, right?
Religion! To confuse us more.
The majority of the Republic of Ireland is Catholic, whereas Northern Ireland, identified primarily as Protestant, which is more in common with the United Kingdom. It comes to being that the majority of Protestants are loyalists to the British crown, which is why Northern Ireland remained with the United Kingdom.**
Afterwards, there was a lot of in-fighting called the Irish Troubles, and a few no-so-great feelings remain. More Catholic neighborhoods in Northern Ireland will proudly display the Republic of Ireland flag, while the rest of the country displays the British Union Jack. So the majority of North Irish will identify themselves as well, Northern Irish or British. But some people who believe that Northern Ireland should have stayed with a unified Ireland will identify themselves as Irish.
History is fun right? Let's go back to the traveling aspect.
**Gross simplification for the 15 second summary
What to do once you're in Doolin?
Let's finally get to the wonderful reasons to visit this cute little town:
Enjoy the local music
Doolin is renowned for its folk music and that's actually why most people visit the village. There's four local pubs (which is a lot for the size of the town) that play fantastic music nightly. There's no better way to enjoy the local culture than grabbing some fish and chips, a pint of Guinness, and listening to the local music until the bars close.
Mmmmm, grease
Hike to the Cliffs of Moher
There's a lot more to see around Doolin than the inside of the pub like the Cliffs of Moher, which is a mere 15 minute drive away. Most visitors who don't have a car will be taking tours from Galway. These tours will bus you right up to the visitors center and give you an hour and a half to explore the cliffs; hardly enough time.
Did I mention I absolutely abhor these tours? Nature is best enjoyed at your own pace, and the Cliffs of Moher are a massively long experience. Walk along the Cliffs, soak in its enormity, and take your time. Walking along the entire cliff edge let's you do exactly that. You can walk from Doolin along the entire coastline and reach the center of the cliffs in an hour and a half. If you want to keep going, you can reach the tip of the peninsula in another hour and a half. Then you can either turn around and walk the whole way back or go back to the centrally located visitors center and catch the "Paddywagon" bus for six euro back to Doolin.
A word of caution: wear some hiking boots and expect to get dirty. The hiking trail is a long dirt trail that mixes very poorly with the intermittent Irish rains. This turns many sections of the trail turn into a muddy quagmire. Throw in the fact that adjacent lands are private property and lined with electric fences, meaning you'll have to occasionally slog through ankle deep mud. Think of it as an authentic Ireland experience.
I petted so many horses
Visit the nearby small towns
If you're still itching for things to do, you can visit one of the nearby towns. Since Doolin is a popular tourist destination, there are cheap accommodations in the town that are not otherwise available in other villages. So the intercity bus that periodically goes through Doolin will take you to nearby towns like Lisdoonarva or Ennis (where you can stock up on groceries if need be). These towns give you the opportunity to go off the beaten track and get more of the local flavor.
I did not find the love of my life unfortunately
Surf?
If you decided that hypothermia is right for you, Doolin is also a surfing destination!
I did not surf
Very Irish Anecdotes
I found these stories to be very memorable, heartwarming and very Irish.
- There once was an eccentric man who lived in Dublin in the earlier half of the 20th century. He spent his childhood in an orphanage and absolutely loved old western movies. So he carried around a church key and pretended to shoot people around Dublin city. Dubliners played along and got into shootouts and pretended to die with the man they nicknamed Bang Bang. Buses would stop, tourists would join in, and shootouts would takeover an entire city block with 20-30 people joining in. Essentially an entire city was charmed and played along with the innocence of Bang Bang.
- The pubs on Inisheer used to never close and there is no police presence on the island to enforce these curfew laws. Wives of the island would call the police in Galway and file complaints that their husbands were always at the bar. Since the island was so small and all the locals knew each other, the police couldn't just send an officer on the ferries. They had to send an officer undercover as a backpacker with his uniform stashed in his backpack to bust the pubs.
- The Matchmaking Bar in Lisdoonarva started because the bartender matched a couple who later got married. So now people come from all over hoping he can help them find their future partner. Many locals told me that the whole thing is just a sham, and the bartender simply asked the couple to tell everyone he matched them. Regardless, it seems like the six week matchmaking festival is a big excuse to drink.
Until next time.