Friday, May 15, 2026
We awoke early at the Arch House B&B and headed down for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Jane and I both ordered the vegetarian Irish breakfast, and what arrived was enormous: eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, and thick slices of toast. I somehow managed to clean my plate, while Jane wisely surrendered long before the finish line.
Soon afterward, we loaded up the car and began the drive back to Dublin Airport (Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath). Much of the route followed the modern M6 and M4 motorways, wide and fast roads that made for an easy journey across the Irish countryside. We left Athlone shortly before 9:00 and arrived at the airport before 10:30 a.m.
At Terminal 2, we said our goodbyes to Nancy and John, whose flight departed several hours before ours. After safe-travel wishes and promises to keep in touch, Jane and I continued on to the Enterprise rental car facility to return our faithful Volkswagen Tiguan. Aside from one mistaken turn that required an O-turn through a roundabout, the drop-off process went smoothly, and before long we were aboard the shuttle back to Terminal 2.
Once inside the airport, we checked our bags, passed through security, and emerged into the sprawling departures area—a bustling carnival of shops, pubs, cafés, and travelers hauling carry-ons in every direction. Seeking a quieter corner, we settled at a table in the Fallow Kitchen & Bar with a window view overlooking the taxiways. Jane ordered an elderflower lemonade while I sipped a latte. The unexpected entertainment came from a pair of robotic “cat” servers gliding mostly silently, except for occasional beeps, through the restaurant delivering food orders, their cartoon faces blinking cheerfully as they navigated around tables, passengers, and luggage.
After a short rest, we wandered the terminal one final time, stocking up on Butler’s and Skelligs chocolates to bring home before proceeding through the U.S. preclearance customs checkpoint. By the time we reached our gate, Nancy and John’s plane was already pushing back from the terminal. We found seats settled in for the long wait before boarding.
—— Dublin Airport —–
The flight itself was smooth and uneventful. We both watched movies, enjoyed the vegetarian meals accompanied by wine, and tried not to sleep. Before departure, the pilot had mentioned the possibility of arriving ahead of schedule, but we were still pleasantly surprised when the plane touched down at Raleigh-Durham International Airport a full 45 minutes early.
—— Good-bye Emerald Isle —–
Because we had already cleared U.S. customs in Dublin, our arrival process was refreshingly simple. After disembarking, we headed directly to baggage claim and retrieved our luggage with only a brief wait. An Uber ride soon carried us home, quietly and abruptly ending our Irish adventure.
Still slightly disoriented from travel and time zones, we nevertheless slipped immediately back into ordinary life: resetting the thermostat, turning the water back on, watering the garden, unpacking suitcases, and starting laundry. Just like that, the castles, coastal roads, pubs, and green hills of Ireland gave way to the familiar routines of home life.
—— Final Thoughts ——
From our arrival in Ireland, our travels unfolded as a wide-ranging journey across much of the country, gradually tracing a loop through cities, coastal peninsulas, and inland towns rich with history and character. We began in Dublin before heading south and west, visiting landmarks such as the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle, where we joined the steady flow of visitors to the famous stone, and continuing onward through the scenic southwest to Kinsale and Kenmare, where harbor views and colorful streets set the tone for the road ahead. From there we explored some of Ireland’s most dramatic coastal scenery, including the Ring of Kerry, the Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula and the Cliffs of Moher, where Atlantic winds and towering sea cliffs created some of the most memorable landscapes of the trip.
As the journey continued north and then east, we made our way through Galway and into County Mayo, with time in Westport and the surrounding Clew Bay area, including visits to Westport House, Croagh Patrick, and local heritage sites. Inland, we followed the River Shannon corridor through Athlone.
Throughout the trip we balanced well-known highlights with quieter discoveries—castle grounds, abbey ruins, coastal walks, and village streets—alongside evenings in traditional pubs filled with music and conversation. A few of the most distinctive experiences came unexpectedly, including a spontaneous excursion to the Blasket Islands prompted by favorable conditions and an unplanned visit to a banjo maker’s shop that emerged through conversations along the way.
Beyond the scenery and attractions, the trip offered a deeper perspective on Ireland as a country shaped by resilience, memory, music, emigration, and community. Again and again we encountered reminders of hardship—the famine memorial at Murrisk, abandoned island settlements, stories of emigration, and artifacts of ordinary rural struggle preserved in heritage museums. Yet these existed alongside warmth, humor, hospitality, and pride in local traditions. Whether talking with museum owners, pub patrons, shopkeepers, or musicians, we came away with a stronger appreciation for the importance of storytelling in Irish culture and for the enduring connection between landscape and identity. By the end of the trip, Ireland felt less like a collection of tourist sites and more like a living tapestry of history, resilience, and everyday human connection.
—— Our Trusty Route-tracking Map —–
