DAY ONE
Hello Ennis (pronounced "in-es")! We take it easy today and don't meet until 2 p.m. Thank goodness! Time for a nap... if your plane lands in time. Two of our tour members (later to be good friends) arrived a day late due to scheduling problems. If you're like me, and you've already been in town for a day (and you're hopefully starting to get adjusted to the time change), a nice stroll around the block might help orient yourself. Or, you could follow me and try and get acquainted with the Irish slang. If you don't have the time, jump into the start of the tour.
Bus and Walking Time
2
0 hours
5 hours
2-4
0 miles
8 miles
Irish Slang
Our two tour guides for the trip, Dara and Gearoid (guide in training), spoke fluent Gaelic. Lucky for us, they also had a number of Irish slang words that we could throw around throughout the duration of the trip. While some may not have been PG, my top four (PG) favorites are below. To the left, you'll meet my brother, Jake, trying to get into the Irish spirit.
"Wee"
adjective little;
Wee is a classic Irish word that most Americans find fun to say. Mostly, the tour group would add "wee" in front of almost any noun just to feel a little more Irish.
"Hape"
adjective a lot
The word hape became popular among our tour group because of its practicality. "There is a hape of people in this bar." Similar to the English word "heap," hape made it easy to describe just how many people were listening to the live music.
"Buddy Check"
While this may not be slang specific to Ireland, it was incredibly important to know for the duration of the trip. At our orientation, we chose a "buddy" of the group-- unrelated to the party we came with. This way, we were sure that everyone is with the group at all times. Mine was Kaylee, another 20 year-old girl. We're still friends on Instagram!
"Craic"
/krak/
noun enjoyable social activity; a good time
This noun became a favorite on our trip among guests because of the pronunciation (it sounds just like the English word "crack"). It was always fun to ask "What's the craic?"
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear John (dad)
Happy Birthday to you!
What a way to kick off our 2022 Ireland tour! After getting acquainted with the area around our hotel in Ennis, we loaded up on our bus and headed over to the beautiful Cliffs of Moher. My dad celebrated his 66th birthday in the most fabulous fashion by walking to the far side of the Cliffs to look out at the beautiful view. There are two paths to take-- we veered left. If we were to go right instead, we would have seen a beautiful structure overlooking the water. If you put some spring in your step, you may just be able to journey to each side. However, I suggest taking your time on one side of the Cliffs, and then heading back to the entrance for some delectable ice cream. The wind also ravaged the area, so taking shelter in the ice cream parlor was not a bad call.
GROUP DINNER
What a wonderful way to meet the people in your group! On day one, we were treated to a group dinner where my family and I would meet a couple from Park City Utah. We became quick friends, and now will always have a place to stay if we ever find ourselves in Utah. My dad and I drank two IPAs as we shared a birthday dinner with our new friends. Pro tip: if you are traveling with family, have everyone try something different. Talk about a sample platter!
MEET OUR GUIDES
One thing Rick Steves' Tours has always excelled at is the hiring of their tour guides. While each trip I've been on has not disappointed in respects to our guides, the Ireland staff really knocked it out of the park.
Primary Guide
Dara
Our awesome main tour guide made the bus rides memorable! Dara played thematic music during our time that really added to the ambiance. He also always came equipped with the best bar recommendations for live music.
Bus Driver
George
Meet our bus driver! When tasked with driving around the kissing corners, the bus was not even close! He was an awesome and kind driver who we were incredibly fortunate enough to have.
Guide in Training
Gearoid
Gearoid! What an amazing guide! He was spirited and obviously excited to be showing off his country. When we were in his hometown (Dingle) he offered us an amazing and unique experience (to be expanded in Day 3). He was a great chat at the end of the night and was a generally awesome person.