Every day since returning from our vacation someone asks, "How was Ireland?" - and every day I'm at a loss for words to describe it!   My response usually begins with, "Amazing!", "Wonderful!" or "A dream come true".   I'll do my best to share some of the many highlights from our trip.  Below are photographs of our trip to the famous Blarney Castle.  Legend promises the "gift of gab" to those who kiss the blarney stone.  That's understandable since getting to the top and actually making contact with the stone is an adventure all its own!  This journey is not for those with claustrophobia or a fear of heights (or a fear of kissing things thousands of lips have touched before yours!).  The stone is located at the very top of the castle (pictured at right) on the little u-shaped hook you see.  Once you climb up the very narrow winding stone staircase - you walk onto a ledge and join other visitors lining up to pucker up.  Once you reach the stone you're instructed to lie down on your back, grab the iron bars over your head and lean backwards over the edge of the castle where you end up face to face with the legendary Blarney Stone!  As you'll see in the photo far right, there are bars to guard you from falling - but thankfully also a castle official lending a reassuring hand and coaching you through the process.  The climb down was just as perilous - but we descended with the satisfaction of having kissed the Blarney Stone!

The Famous Blarney Castle      A steep and narrow climb         Visitors Line up - to pucker up          Sue inheriting the "gift of gab"

I'll confess that Chris and I took nearly 900 photos during our trip - so choosing several favorites isn't easy! 

Chris calling home from          St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin    Conmacnoise, St. Ciaran's monastery                                              Dunboyne castle grounds                                                                  founded in 545. Light rain adds to the mystery!                               

Kylemore Abbey                                                                   Cliffs of Moher , County Clare                                                                                   Now home to Girls' school and Benedictine Nuns       Part of Irelan's rugged beauty - plunging 700 feet to the sea

This is the beautiful 13th Century Kilkenny Castle - even better than what I imagined from childhood fairy tales!  Photographs were not allowed inside, but it truly felt like a trip back in time.  If security wasn't so tight I would have snuck off into a wing and spent the night.  (And needless to say our tour director discouraged any behavior that could get us banned from the country!)

If I had to choose a favorite hotel - this is it! The Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkennny was a gorgeous combination of the original 17th century home with the modern comforts of more recently built lobby, restaurant and guest rooms.  This truly was the "best of both worlds"!

How can you go to bed early when you only have one night at the magical Lyrath Estate? Chris and I stayed up into the early morning hours talking with new friends Trish, Pam and Judy. Trish (left, enjoying a glass of wine by the fire) was our Irish Drive Guide - contracted by Holiday Vacations to be our local expert on tour. 

Thanks for sharing some of my wonderful memories of Ireland!  I'll post more photos in the days ahead.