Irish Cream

“Hawarya?” Says Liam Fahey, the famous marketing guru from Babsons College in Boston. Almost as famous as his books on marketing are his thick Irish accent and deadpan Irish humour. “A week in Oireland? Dat’s aboot roy ta go arownd,” he opines. And then proceeds to mark for me on the map of Ireland, the places I should go to, the driving route, night stay options, restaurants to eat in and sights to see. He even refers to us a distant relative in Dungarvan who runs a bed-and-gourmet-breakfast.

Thus armed with local knowledge we land in Dublin on a bright and sunny day and in no time are zipping along to Dungarvan in Waterford county. Yes, the same one of the famous Waterford crystal – and shops here are full of some delectable stemware.  Brian Wickham, the aforementioned relative receives us warmly at Cairbre House and brings us to our room – it is actually a suite – with views of the Colligan River and a lovely garden. We happily review our pictures of the Rock of Cashel that we visited en route, before stepping out for a walking tour of the Dungarvan harbor.

The promised gourmet breakfast lives up to expectation. The quality of potatoes in Ireland is outstanding, and I must confess I ordered them at every opportunity. Every restaurant or bar we ate in throughout our stay in Ireland had several vegetarian options, clearly marked, yes even the ones on the harbor in coastal fishing towns such as Kinsale and Dingle that we subsequently visit.

Ireland has had a difficult history, this most people know. The hardships made a lot of Irish emigrate, with the result that almost 20% of the American population may be of Irish descent. President Kennedy, actors Harrison Ford and Gene Kelly, the intrepid explorer Neil Armstrong, industrialist Henry Ford and Margaret Mitchell, author of the famous epic Gone with the Wind all had Irish ancestry in common. More than twenty American presidents claim Irish ancestry to some degree! Here in Ireland, though, the Irish people are modest and self-effacing (boasting is extremely bad form, even when you are drunk). Talking of drunk, the Irish apparently drink more, on average, than any other nationality in Europe. Consequently, depression rates are high, and the financial meltdown of 2008 hasn’t helped. Ireland’s banking system collapsed and the country officially entered recession, the first European country to do so. The empty shell of the now-disgraced Anglo-Irish bank building stands on the banks of the river Liffey in Dublin, not far from the harp-shaped bridge, a stark reminder of the crisis.

Despite their troubles, the Irish are the friendliest of all peoples in Europe. They welcome you into their famous pubs, yes even with a seven-year old child in tow unless it is late in the evening. There is plenty of food and music and all kinds of drinks to drink, if you want to look at something other than Guinness. People will lean across and talk to you and join you at your table and order for you. If that happens, remember to place a return order for them, before their drink runs out. That’s the only decent way to drink in a friendly Irish pub, where when you first walk in you could be forgiven for thinking there is large private party going on, till you mingle and figure out it is just a lot of strangers pubbing together.

One item on my bucket list is checked off this trip – staying in an Irish castle. The one we find is in scenic Connemara – the Ballynahinch castle that was once owned by the famous cricketer Ranji, the Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. They have rooms dedicated to his memory and several pictures of him on the walls, but the real charmer is the walk around the estate along the stream, and you could even go trout fishing to the very spot that was Ranji’s favourite, if you ask nicely, of course.

The Irish are very proud of their literary tradition. The Irish language is a rich, thriving one and like most European countries that value their language as the essence of their culture, Ireland gives pride of place to the Irish Gaelic tongue. All tourist sites have descriptions in both Irish and English, so do the tourist brochures. On highways too, all names, information and instructions are signposted in both languages.  This rich linguistic heritage shows in strength in English writing as well – who hasn’t heard of James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, W B Yeats and Jonathan Swift?

Trinity College in Dublin has a stunning library – a long room of wooden arches where your jaw will drop when you enter. Very well-informed and entertaining students offer a guided tour of this historic university. The university also displays the ancient Book of Kells – a fabulously illustrated book of Gospels – that is more than 1200 years old. Not far from Trinity College is the City Hall, worth a visit, and further afoot, the very impressive St Patrick’s cathedral.

St Patrick brought the Catholic faith to Ireland, picking up a three-leaved sprig of the Shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Since then the Shamrock has been the national symbol of Ireland and St Patrick its patron saint, and no matter where in the world the Irish or their descendants may be, on March 17^th they will have a rollicking time feasting, parading and making merry for it is St Patrick ’s Day.

The scenic, natural beauty of Ireland has much to visit and admire, and travel guides have plenty of recommendations – a cruise to the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, a day trip through the Gap of Dunloe, a drive around the Ring of Kerry – and all of them are definitely worth the effort. What stays with me, though, is the view from my room at the Lake Hotel in Killarney - a small castle overlooking the Muckross lake, a moody sky and a colour of green that you’ve only seen on the Irish flag.