Staying at Ashford Castle during the last leg of our Ireland trip was definitely an enchanting and once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.

During October 2017, I traveled to Ireland with Crawford Concierge.

From the moment I landed in “The Emerald Isle” I was in awe. I was exposed to the greenest nature I’ve ever seen, fresh Atlantic air and there was overall happiness.

Throughout my 10 days in Ireland, I had a blast in the capital city of Dublin and meandering around the beautiful fishing villages surrounding that area; chasing rainbows in scenic Killarney, Cliffs of Moher and Galway and also experiencing a taste of royalty at Ashford Castle in the rural village of Cong.

In this blog post, experience royalty with me at Ashford Castle Ireland and read about my time at the infamous Cliffs of Moher in County Clare and the colorful city of Galway.

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Traveling to and Around Ireland:

Nowadays, there are so many great ways to find affordable flights. I love using Skyscanner to get the best for my buck!

From New York Stewart International Airport in Newburgh/New Windsor, New York, I flew directly to Dublin where I spent a few days there.

Since I traveled with a group, we took a private coach around Ireland, but other ways to get around is by renting a car or journeying with the Bus Eireann.

Day Trips from Ashford Castle Ireland

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare:

After spending a couple days in Killarney, we left early in the morning to head over to our first adventure.

Since it was going to take us close to 4 hours to get from Killarney to Ashford Castle, we made pit stops in some of the jewels of Ireland leading up Cong.

(Even though our journey to the Cliffs of Moher wasn’t an actual day trip from Ashford Castle, you could easily do a day trip there since the drive is only 2 hours.)

Limerick:

About an hour into the drive, we stopped in the city of Limerick where the famous movie Angela’s Ashes took place. I remember reading the book and seeing the movie in a high school English class, so it was awesome to be there in person.

Limerick was just charming! The cobblestoned streets, featuring stone buildings with colorful windows were definitely something to admire.

As we were strolling around Limerick, we stopped in a cute coffee shop to grab some Irish and Bailey’s coffee to fuel up for our next amazing adventure.

If you are staying in Limerick, you could do an Angela’s Ashes Walking Tour or visit the Frank McCourt Museum.

The Cliffs of Moher:

There are thousands of people who visit the Cliffs of Moher every day, but when you are there it doesn’t feel like it because of how big the cliffs are.

There are several miles of black stonewalls rising as high as 600 feet about the ocean. You can view the Cliffs of Moher in many different locations.

I wanted to see the cliffs from its famous viewing points, so we stayed in the front near O’Brien’s Tower that overlooks the sea.

It was very windy and cold, so definitely dress properly when you visit Cliffs of Moher (don’t dress how I did LOL).

According to Lonely Planet, the Cliffs of Moher are best to visit during sunset.

The Cliffs of Moher Geopark has been designated as a UNESCO site following a vote at the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation General Conference in Paris during November 2015.

Galway:

After our cherishing time at the Cliffs of Moher, we were back on the road for another hour to the harbor city of Galway.

The ride from Cliffs of Moher to Galway was stunning, just like when we were traveling through Killarney. This time, there were countless views of the ocean, making the scenery dreamier. Our bus driver also put traditional Irish folk music on to set the mood.

When we finally reached the city of Galway, we were welcomed with colorful quaint shops, traditional pubs and live Irish folk music on the cobblestoned streets. There were even winding lanes, which contained portions of medieval city walls.

This great city thrives with Irish culture and I recommend everyone to go if you are visiting the country.

As we strolled through the charming streets, we spotted live Irish step dancing.

It reminded me of those days I used to watch Riverdance with my friends who did Irish dancing as a hobby and admire the fast movement and technique that goes into step dancing.

During our time in Galway, we enjoyed lunch at a 17^th century, 3-story pub called The Kings Head, where my cousins and I enjoyed raw oysters. I also had a grilled chicken sandwich.

This pub is awesome because there are several different rooms, live music and a place for all ages to enjoy.

Claddagh Jewellers:

After we were finished with lunch, I was so excited to go to Claddagh Jewellers, where we participated in a workshop and learned about the history of this traditional Irish ring.

The Claddagh Ring features a heart and crown signifying love, friendship and loyalty. These rings were kept with great pride as family heirlooms, which were passed lovingly down from mother to daughter when the girl became “of age” to get married.

If a girl or young woman was single, she would wear the Claddagh ring on her right hand with the heart facing outwards to show her heart had not been taken yet.

Once the girl found her love, she would change the Claddagh to have the heart facing inwards towards her own heart to share that she was taken.

Back in the day, once the woman got engaged or married, she would switch the Claddagh from her right hand to her left and/or would wait until her future daughter became “of age” to pass it down.

Since the Claddagh Rings originated in the village of Galway, I was encouraged to get one.

Claddagh Jewellers have thousands of rings to choose from, but I saw a pretty gold one with my birthstone that I wanted to get. The above photo is my Claddagh ring with the June pink amethyst.

Just like our adventure at the Cliffs of Moher, Galway was also a pit stop on our way to Ashford Castle. Galway is only 45 minutes from Cong, where Ashford Castle is located, making it a perfect day or half day trip!

Ashford Castle:

Located 45 minutes from Galway is the rural village of Cong where Ashford Castle is situated.

Prior to going to Ashford Castle, I didn’t really know what to expect, but when we entered the castle’s barbican, I knew I was in for one cool experience during the last part of my journey in Ireland. This five-star luxury property is recognized as one of the top 10 castle hotels you must stay in during an Ireland trip!

History of Ashford Castle Ireland:

The Anglo Norman de Burgo family following their defeat of the native O’Connors of Connaught founded Ashford Castle during the 13^th century.

While I was in Ireland, my mom found out that our family friends’ ancestors (the Browne family) took ownership of the castle in 1715.

In 1852, the castle was passed down to Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, the great man behind our favorite dark beer!

Entering Ashford Castle:

Once we entered through the gates, two castle guards greeted our bus on horses. The bus followed the two guards and a bunch of Irish Setters down the castle road and over the beautiful bridge that links the Lough Mask and Lough Corrib.

When we reached the main entry, there was an Irish pipe band with men wearing the traditional Irish kilts greeting us as we walked off the bus through the main doors.

Since it was raining outside, the staff at the castle held umbrellas over our heads so that we wouldn’t get wet. I felt like royalty because I had never experienced something like this before, nor ever stayed in a castle! I felt so grateful to experience this.

When we entered into the castle, I felt like I was in the first class section of the Titanic, even though we weren’t on a boat/ship.

The actual Titanic song “My Heart will Go On” was playing in the background; there was beautiful wooden architecture all around as well as lovely chandeliers’, fireplaces and Victorian charm throughout the entire castle.

Ashford Castle Room:

After we were given our room keys, we walked up to where we were staying.

As we were walking to our room, which was located in the oldest part of the castle, we made our way through several hallways. It was beautiful, but also eerie since the halls were narrow and filled with portrait paintings of people dating back to when the castle was founded in 1228.

When we finally got to our room, I was amazed and excited on how luxurious it was.

My cousin Alexie and I stayed in the extravagant Stateroom. This room represents traditional elegance and comfort, combining all the modern amenities.

Each Stateroom at Ashford Castle contains four-poster beds and original fireplaces with exquisite antique furniture. (I felt like a queen!)

These beautiful rooms also have gorgeous bathrooms and views of the gardens and river in the back of the castle.

Dinner at Ashford Castle:

Our first dinner at Ashford Castle was in The Dungeon. This place is exactly what its name is. Of course, the castle has updated since the 13^th century, but it was so cool to sit down next to the guard doors.

I enjoyed an amazing salmon and mushroom dinner with a delicious glass of local wine.

Lunch at Ashford Castle:

A great place to enjoy lunchtime at Ashford Castle is The Drawing Room. This lovely dining room has beautiful views of the gardens outside. It will also make you feel like you’re in Hogwarts!

I savored their delicious homemade chicken noodle soup with fresh soda bread on the side.

Breakfast at Ashford Castle:

Every morning, the castle offered an all-you-can-eat breakfast in the George V Dining Room.

Just like in every other European country, you normally do not eat a typical American breakfast of pancakes, sunny side up eggs, etc. There was a plethora of pastries and croissants, smoked salmon, prosciutto, salami, cheese and fruits.

You could also order a crafted breakfast as well.

The Castle Gardens:

During my time at Ashford Castle in Ireland, I truly enjoyed wandering around the castle grounds and getting lost.

The gardens outside of the castle had that beautiful sparkling green color to it like the rest of the places we have seen during our journey in Ireland. The river featured gorgeous small islands with trees showing the fall foliage.

As we walked around, we met up with a guard who gave us a mini tour of the gardens and history of the castle. It was awesome!

I felt like I was in the movie The Secret Garden because each garden led to another nature-thriving area. I loved all the fall colors!

Ireland’s School of Falconry:

One of the most memorable adventures we did during our time in Ireland was the hawk and owl walk at the Falconry on the castle grounds. At Ireland’s School of Falconry, you can learn how to fly hawks – an ancient tradition.

Our guide educated us about the different types of hawks. After we were given our lesson, we headed into a room where we were introduced to the hawk that we would walk with.

We were given a special glove and were told to position our arm a certain way so that the hawks wouldn’t fly away when they weren’t supposed to and to also not climb up our arms.

When we entered into the woods, we gave them a little nudge and they flew off into the trees.

After a few minutes, our guide gave us raw chicken legs to have them come back. We were amazed when our birds knew to fly back to us when we had the chicken legs in our hands.

It was so cool and a lot of fun! Plus the woods that we were walking in made us feel like we were in a Disney movie.

Once we were finished flying our hawks, they were taken back to be fed. We then headed into a bigger room where we were introduced to the owl, Dingle. He was so cute and my absolute favorite!

At one point, the instructor had him fly over to us. Dingle was much heavier than the hawk, so I felt like I got a little more of a workout having him on my arm, but I loved him so much that I didn’t mind it. We had so much fun!

Dinner on the Castle Grounds:

Along the castle grounds are so many restaurants, shops and activities, so my cousins and I enjoyed a nice seafood dinner at Cullen’s at the Cottage – located up the hill.

This traditional thatched Irish cottage offers a warm and welcoming vibe as you sit down and enjoy international and local dishes. I enjoyed a creamy seafood risotto and my cousins got the lobster. We all shared our meals and everything was amazing!

Evenings in the Billiards Room:

Since Cong is a very small town with not much in it (besides the castle), we spent our evenings enjoying drinks in the castle’s Billiards Room.

In this room, there is a full bar, an indoor and outdoor lounge area, pool tables and more!

Bike Ride Around the Castle and Rural Cong:

During one of our mornings at Ashford Castle, Alexie and I rented a bike and rode around the castle and into the countryside of Cong. The weather wasn’t great, but the views were stunning!

We saw several cows, rolling hills, beautiful forests, stoned walls and cute little cottages.

Afternoon Tea:

After our bike ride, we were pretty drenched from the rain, so an afternoon tea hit the spot.

The tearoom at Ashford Castle offers a wide selection of different teas, Champagne, finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and other pastries. It was pretty cool!

Horseback Ride Around Ashford Castle:

On one of our afternoons, we went over to the Ashford Equestrian Centre where we took a horseback ride around the castle.

After we were given our gear, we met our horse. My horse’s name was Willow and he was a beautiful gray horse with a glossy black tail. He was super friendly!

Before we went out into the woods, we practiced in a small arena. When we were ready, we headed into the ancient forest that consisted of beautiful woodland paths and amazing views of the castle, lake and village of Cong.

The area couldn’t have been more magical for horseback riding. It was also the perfect activity to end our time in Ireland.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my experience at Ashford Castle Ireland, Cliffs of Moher and Galway with Crawford Concierge.

If you have any questions about my trip or Ireland in general, please feel free to email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.

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Basic Facts of Ireland:

Currency: Euro, Capital: Dublin, Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time

Looking for the best agency to book your next bespoke travel experience? Contact Crawford Concierge!

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