Wednesday 13
1:25 -6:00 DL 1907
3:48 hr Layover JFK
9:48pm-9:20 DL 44

Friday 15
Sligo
8:00-11:09
Sligo Tours
18:00-21:20

Saturday 16
Galway
9:25-11:48
Latin Quarter
Hall of the Red Earl
Spanish Arch
Watchtower and
City Museums
17:20-19:54 or
19:20-21:48

Monday 18
10:15-12:18 Waterford
Clock Tower
Reginald's Tower
Medieval Museum
Bishop's Palace
Waterford Crystal
Blackfriars Abby
Beach Tower
18:25-20:38

Tuesday 19
7:00 747 bus
11:05-1:55 DL 45
4:25 hr Layover JFK
6:20pm-10:00pm DL 2037

Wednesday, December 13: Texas

Fixed sausage biscuits for breakfast

8:45am depart

10:00am Austin FastPark & Relax Parking, tipped Driver $1.00
10:15am AUS

TSA PreCheck through security, and found our gate. I squatted to open my bag and heard my pants split.
Quick change to other pair of dark pants, and begin the waiting game.

They had donuts, and Thomas offered, so we had some :)

Grabbed some Breakfast tacos from Maudie's for lunch, $5.95

Planes started backing up, so a quick gate change, and we were the first to great Chloe.

1:25pm -6:00pm DL 1907

Sat next to a mother and little baby boy who we tried to amuse, and who amused us.

6:00pm 3:48 hr Layover JFK; we arrived at T4 Gate 20, and found out we were leaving from the same gate.
Helped mother and baby find their connection, then For dinner we had Pizza, then coffee cake for dessert.
$10.33/$11.57 at the gate, with an occasional gale wind ripping through.

While waiting to board, we laughed to ourselves at an American with red shaved hair giving trip advise to other travelers.
Issue, but we departed on time.

9:48pm-9:20am Thursday DL 44

Thursday, December 14:

9:20 Arrive Dublin DL 44, but sat on tarmac for about 10 minutes.

10:30 Passport control, and bathroom break.
We fired up our T-Mobile phones, and were greeted by "Welcome to Ireland." and we were connected.
Being able to use our phone without messing with a SIM card was a great safety net, but the wifi on the phones was spotty...
sometimes requiring a restart of the phone, but we know the hotel, trains, and bus would have wifi.

Then we walked to the 747 bus stop, and stood in the cold until a scheduled bus actually arrived.

10:45 747 Bus to Connolly Station using 24 hr Bus, Dart, LUAS Leap pass for visitors that we purchased before we got to Ireland.

11:15 Walk down the street from Connolly Station to check into Ripley Court Hotel

Emergency run back to the Airport using the 747 to retrieve my iPad left on plane; Alma retrieved it for us, then back to the hotel.

1:00pm Check into hotel, room 306.

Unpacked, then walked to Connolly Station to Check on Trekker card;
Four consecutive days of unlimited travel on all Iarnród Éireann services in the Republic of Ireland from the
date of issue on the ticket (including the electric rail system called the DART {Dublin Area Rapid Transit} )

Price €110 each.  Sold only at Irish train station ticket offices

Grabbed some Fish & Chips at Star Pizza, conveniently located between the hotel and Connolly, €12,00

No real view from our room, but we loved the view in the hallway as we headed to the lift.

4:00 walked Talbot street, went into Dunnes and got a new pair of black pants, €11,00!

Walked around Talbot street a bit more

The Millennium Spire, Talbot/Earl/Henry at O'Connell

Stopped at Dealz on the way back to the hotel and grabbed some cookies, €1,50.

We watched the ITV version of the "Chase," but instead of the Beast, it was the Governess; then a crazy dating show called "Take me Out."
Hot drinks and cookies, then we crashed.

Friday,  December 15: Sligo

7:00am-7:30 rushed Full Irish Breakfast


7:40 Walk down the street to Connolly Station

7:45 Board Train

8:00 Platform 3 Dublin Connolly to Sligo MacDiarmada Intercity train, 8:00-11:09 No changes Depart Platform 3

Sligo

11:05 Sligo Tours Modified Yeats-Benbulben taxi tour with Gerard, €100. Great guide, stopped when ever we wanted.
It was to be a 2 hour tour, turned out to be almost three. If we ever get to Donegal, it will probably be with Gerard from Sligo.

Rosses Point

Lissadell House, where Yeats stayed. The house was the childhood home of Irish revolutionary, Constance Gore-Booth, her sister the poet and suffragist, 
Eva Gore-Booth. He made the house famous with the opening lines of his poem:

The light of evening, Lissadell,
Great windows open to the south,
Two girls in silk kimonos, both
Beautiful, one a gazelle.

Benbulbin in the distance

https://youtu.be/HnietGZHiOs Video from around Sligo: Rosses Point

Drumcliffe ( site of St. Columba’s Church, the final resting place of W B Yeats, the Cross of Columcille, the and Round Tower)

Picked up brochures, and bought a booklet on Yeats epitaph €0,50

I saw a lane down to the Drumcliff River, and sheep.

Classiebawn Castle, near Mullaghmore; the holiday home of the late Lord Mountbatten

Mullaghmore Head

https://youtu.be/OgBCWNc3tsk Video from around Sligo: Between Rosses Point , Streedagh Point, and Mullaghmore

https://youtu.be/vSnsWpswaz0 Video from around Sligo: Between Rosses Point , Streedagh Point, and Mullaghmore

https://youtu.be/W5oNYgpgNP4 Video from around Sligo: Between Rosses Point , Streedagh Point, and Mullaghmore

https://youtu.be/BKT6wNetXNQ Video from around Sligo: Between Rosses Point , Streedagh Point, and Mullaghmore

Back to Mullaghmore, Classiebawn Castle, the holiday home of the late Lord Mountbatten

https://youtu.be/12KrxUOusfk Video from around Sligo: Mullaghmore, Classiebawn Castle, the holiday home of the late Lord Mountbatten

To Horseshoe Canyon, between Benwisken and Tievebaun, with Benbulbin behind

Near Gleniff Barytes mill site

https://youtu.be/Ote1ceDzvqg Video from around Sligo: Waterfall near Gleniff Barytes mill site in the Horseshoe Canyon, Yeats Country, County Sligo

3:00 Gerard dropped us across from Sligo Catholic Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral, Church of Ireland

Indulge, Sligo

Soup, and whole wheat bread with ham and cheese for each, €19,50 charged on American Express. They took it
we used it, but we did hear them conferring on how it was done. Everything else in Ireland was cash.

Walking around Sligo

Sligo Abbey

Garavogue River walk, Sligo

Yeats Society House, Sligo

https://youtu.be/oTKTZqBfgxs Video from around Sligo: Store Window in Sligo

We stopped at a Tesco and got Stax crisps and some chocolate dots for €2,00, and marveled at the packaged Peat bundles for sale.
For centuries, peat (commonly referred to as Irish turf) has been an invaluable fuel source in Ireland. 

5:30 back to MacDiarmada Station

6:00 Sligo MacDiarmada to Dublin Connolly Intercity train, 18:00-21:20 No Changes
Note: this is the last train from Sligo to Dublin

Not too much was open in the area, so we had pizza at Star Pizza, €6,00.

Telly and cookies, watched Qi and the Last Leg

Saturday. December 16 Galway

7:30 breakfast

8:45-9:00 The plan: Connolly to Heuston on LUAS, using the Leap cards, then on to Galway... continuing to use the 4 day trekker cards.

Actually, we got to Connolly and saw that most Red Lines did not depart from this Spur station, so we walked 3inutes down to Busárus.
Service was interrupted, but we did get on a tram, that briefly went to back to Connolly (??), then on to Heuston.

Area of the Busárus LUAS stop

Heuston Station

9:25 Dublin Heuston to Galway Ceannt Intercity train, 9:25-11:48 No Changes

Galway

12:00 Walk to the Latin Quarter area, a short 10 minute walk

Hall of the Red Earl http://www.galwaycivictrust.ie/index.php/projects/27-hall-of-the-red-earl Free, Saturday 10-13
Free walk through old remains of Norman custom house, covered 13th-century archaeological site featuring 11,000+ artifacts & viewing walkways.

Latin Quarter http://thelatinquarter.ie/ and http://thisisgalway.ie/the-latin-quarter/
The Latin Quarter is defined by some of the city’s most historic landmarks and stretches from the Spanish Arch at Long Walk to
O’Brien’s Bridge to St Nicholas’ Church and back (via Buttermilk Lane) to An Taibhdhearc on Middle Street.

1:00 Just around the corner from the hall of the Red Earl was Quay street, just south of Middle street;
we stopped at Riordan's at No. 7 for Shepard's Pie and Bangers & Mash €19,20

We shared the brussel sprouts, turnips, carrots, and small roasted potatoes

Tipped the buskers €1,00

The Fisheries Watchtower Museum http://www.galwaycivictrust.ie/index.php/projects/33-fishery-watchtower-museum Saturday 11-15
Restored 1853 Victorian watchtower on the River Corrib

We then walked back toward Quay street...

...then headed to the Spanish Arch; built in 1584, stands on the left bank of the River Corrib, where Galway's river meets the sea.
The arch is the remainder of a 16th century bastion, added to the town's walls to protect merchant ships from looting. At this time, it was known as Ceann an Bhalla (Head of the Wall)
It was originally an extension of the famous city walls, designed to protect the quays. Its current title Spanish Arch dates from the last century -
a reference to the former merchant trade with Spain, whose galleons often docked under its protection.

Today The Spanish Arch is home to the Galway City Museum.

Galway City Museum http://www.galwaycitymuseum.ie/ Free, Saturday: 10-17
Three floors of exhibitions on the archaeology, history and sea science of Galway.

After visiting the museum, we wandered up to the Christmas Market Eyre Square, boasting over 50 stalls. 10am - 10pm

Eyre Square Free, and open 24 hours. Eyre Square, featuring grassy areas, trees, sculptures & a playground is also known as John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.
The plot of land that became Eyre Square was officially presented to the city in 1710 by Mayor Edward Eyre, from whom it took its name.

There is also Eyre Square Center, that includes part of the old City Walls within.

Back out to Eyre Square and the Christmas Market, including a helter-skelter.

We wandered back and forth, going up and down St. Augustine street,
Middle street, and Merchants road.

4:00 Back near the Red Earl's court, we had a carrot cake and hot drinks at the Lane Cafe. €9,30

We then headed back toward Eyre Square, and bought some cards, ~€1,00
Then on to the Christmas market, and the train station.

4:45-5:00 Galway Ceannt Station, snacked on crackers we brought from the US. (We got tired of those crackers and cookies...)

5:20 Galway Ceannt to Dublin Heuston Intercity train, 17:20-19:54 No Changes
Note: there is one more direct train 19:20-21:48, but it is the last train out

Heuston

8:00 -8:15 LUAS to Connolly

Near the hotel, we tried a Supermac, €10,20.

Sunday, December 17 Limerick

7:30 breakfast

9:30-9:45 Connolly to Heuston on LUAS

10:00 Dublin Heuston toward Cork (Kent) to Limerick Junction 10:00-11:33;
Limerick Junction toward Galway to Limerick Colbert, 11:37-12:05

Train delayed, we got off as we were worried about making our connection and though we should wait for the next train.
We were told they hold the connection train, but we saw everyone else get off the train... we all got on a different train, which put us
30 minutes late into Colbert.

Limerick

12:35-1:00 Walk to King John's Castle, passing St. Mary's Cathedral

Some Irish cats

Approaching King John's Castle

King John's Castle https://www.shannonheritage.com/KingJohnsCastle/ October- December: 9.30am - 5.00pm €10.50 Online
a 13th-century castle located next to the River Shannon. Although the site dates back to 922 when the Vikings lived on the Island,
the castle itself was built on the orders of King John in 1200.
It is one of the best preserved Norman castles in Europe, as the walls, towers and fortifications remain today.

The River Shannon, by King John's Castle

First we visited the exhibits in the new building, then dropped down to the casements to see original walls

Then, out into the courtyard.

Excavation of the Great Hall

We then walked to the Mint, the tower beyond the chapel in upper left hand side of the excavation (see arrow above) for a great view back at the dig, and the Shannon

On to the main battlements, over the Gatehouse, to the 13th Century Armoury

Looking back past the Chapel, the Great Hall dig site... toward the Mason's tower, and the Shannon


Going up to the top of the Armoury,

View from the top of the Armoury tower

Back to the yard, and into the Visitor's center

The rain started, just as we got in the visitor center

A model of the castle and area in better years

The current area

Lunch! The kind lady on staff was delighted at our compliments, and told us she made it all with her own two hands,
and the secret ingredient in the bread was honey. We added a huge Bunratty Kitchen cookie, €15,40

Shopping break, €21,60

https://youtu.be/LTWpF5iO6Qo Video from King John's Castle

Then we headed to the Hunt Museum, but stopping for pictures along the way... first looking North toward the Bishop's Palace,
and Michael Hogan, the Bard of Thomond

the Bishop's Palace, and Michael Hogan, the Bard of Thomond

On the south side of the Castle was the Windows Alms house

We walked to the River to get on last exterior shot of the castle

We like that they were trying to salvage old buildings, at least what they could.

Next to St. Mary's was the Exchange Wall

Just before the Potato Market, there was a community garden

The Potato Market

3:00, walk to Hunt Museum

Hunt Museum http://www.huntmuseum.com/ Sunday 2pm - 5pm EVERY Sunday FREE!

As antique dealers and advisors to collectors, John and Gertrude Hunt built a thriving business and also began to acquire
pieces that reflected their own interests and curiosity rather than for commercial purposes.
During the latter stages of John's life, they became increasingly aware of the scale of their collection and wished that it would remain intact.
They began to search for a permanent home for their collection. Fortunately they met Professor Patrick Doran of the
National Institute of Higher Education (now University of Limerick) and Dr Edward Walsh, the Institute's President,
who agreed to house a substantial part of the collection on a temporary basis.
Its present location is in the Georgian Custom House, situated on Rutland Street on the banks of the River Shannon
at its confluence with the Abbey River. Among the museums collection are works by notable artists and designers such as
Pablo Picasso, Jack B. Yeats, and Sybil Connolly as well as distinctive historical items such as the O' Dea Mitre and Crozier.

No pictures allowed inside the Museum. One odd item, to maximize space, they have a lot of items in drawers... like a Picasso.

4:45 walk to Limerick Colbert Station; some parts were nicely lit. We had hoped to stop at the Milk Market, but the fair closed at 4:00.
We did stop at the Shops in Arthur Quay, and got cards, €1,00

5:15, arrive at the station, and saw a train to Dublin was about to leave, so we scrapped our 18:20-20:31 (No changes) plan,
knowing that we would have no trouble with changing trains at Limerick Junction.

5:45 Limerick Colbert to Dublin Heuston train, 5:50-19:53, (1 change)

8:45-9:00 LUAS to Abbye stop, and we grabbed chocolate buttons at SuperValu, €4,40
We tried several pubs for dinner, but they had all stopped serving, so Star Pizza near Connolly, €6,00.

Monday, December 18: Waterford

7:30 breakfast

9:30-9:45 Connolly to Heuston on LUAS

10:15 Dublin Heuston to Waterford (Plunkett) train 10:15-12:18 (No changes)

Train Stop in Kildare. The Wifi was not great, so I fired up the Skyroam hot spot, and we checked in for our flight back.
Typically the train wifi was great, and the trains had lots of power outlets, but of course when we needed it, the phones and train let us down.

Stop in Kilkenny, with Kilkenny Castle on the hill

We passed so many old ruins, but also beautiful green countryside... and this is December.

Waterford

The train station was just over the County Line between Kilkenny and Waterford, with some rocky hills behind.

We then crossed the River Suir to Waterford, and began walking toward the Clock Tower.

Plunkett to Clock Tower (11 minute walk)
Gothic Revival clock tower & fountain still retains most of its original fittings & mechanisms.

We then walked down Merchant's Quay toward Reginald's Tower, passing some interesting sculpture in the Roundabouts.

We bought some cards €1,00

Reginald's Tower part of the Waterford Museum of Treasures http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/ €5.00/each Daily - 9.30 - 17.30
The tower has been in usage for different purposes for many centuries and is an important landmark in Waterford and an important remnant of its medieval urban defense system. It is the oldest civic building in Ireland and it is the only urban monument in Ireland to retain a Norse or Viking name, Røgnvaldr, perhaps one of the many Viking rulers of the town that bore the name.

Reginald's Tower was built by the Anglo-Normans upon the site of a Viking fort. The original tower may date to 1003 A.D. In 1185 Prince John of England landed in Waterford and organized the rebuilding of the city's defenses. The present tower may have been constructed between 1253 and 1280.

The tower is 54 feet high; its horizontal cross section is circular. It is 42½ feet in diameter and is surmounted by a conical roof. A spiral staircase ascends within the thick walls - these are 10 feet wide at the base, tapering down to 7 feet at the top.

The tower currently houses the Waterford Viking Museum.

Our luck, free admission to the Tower, due to WinterVal festivities.

Pretty obvious why they call this the Viking Triangle.

It's not a trip to Europe unless we climb impossibly narrow and steep stairs in a tower...

Tower Cutaway model

Now on to the other museums of the "Waterford Treasures"

Medieval Museum part of the Waterford Museum of Treasures http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/
Combined Admission - Medieval Museum and Bishop's Palace Adult €10/each Monday-Friday 9:15-17:00

Entry is through part of an old tower, in the gift shop

The Medieval Museum includes two medieval chambers, the 13th century Choristers’ Hall...

...and the 15th century Mayor’s Wine Vault.

It also contains the only surviving piece of clothing worn by Henry VIII, a cap of maintenance awarded to the Mayor of Waterford,
along with a bearing sword, in 1536

We then walked around the corner to the Bishop's Palace, but wisely started in the cafe.

Sambos, chips, and salad, €23,00

Bishop's Palace part of the Waterford Museum of Treasures http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/
Combined Admission - Medieval Museum and Bishop's Palace Adult €10/each Monday-Friday 9:15-17:00

The Bishop's Palace Museum is a 250-year-old Georgian structure and contains artifacts dating from 17th century Waterford to the present day.
The Anglo-German architect Richard Castles designed the Bishop's Palace in 1741. The Museum was originally the residence of the
Church of Ireland Bishop of Waterford, now tells the story of Waterford from 1700 to the 1970s and contains the only surviving
Bonaparte 'mourning cross', which was one of 12 produced upon Napoleon Bonaparte's death in 1821. .

The oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal, a Penrose decanter which dates back to 1789

The top floor of the building is dedicated to stories specific to Waterford's history, such as Ballybricken’s pig markets, Waterford’s Home Rule story, the Waterford during the First World War, the War of Independence in Waterford, childhood and household living in Waterford.

House of Waterford Crystal https://www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com/ €12.15/each Mon - Fri: 9.30am to 3.15pm

Christ Church Cathedral, and some of the Winterval Christmas fair stall, and the Viking Statues

Greyfriars/French Church http://waterfordvikingtriangle.com/attractions/churches/greyfriars/
former Franciscan Friary and also known as Greyfriars Abbey it was built in 1241 on what is now Greyfriars and Baileys New Street. At the entrance to the ancient church stands a monument to Luke Wadding, the famous 17th century Waterford born priest. This friary was one of the first to be built in Ireland, being founded by the Anglo-Norman Knight Sir Hugh Purcell.

Blackfriars Abbey Ruins https://www.waterfordcivictrust.ie/blackfriars

Christmas Market, Cathedral Square, Bishop's Palace, Arundel Square Winterval pdf

Winterval Christmas Market, in City Square

We bough some gifts, € 10,00

We grabbed more cards, €4,00.

We stopped at O'Brien's for Christmas Pudding (LOTS of raisins) and hot drinks, and grabbed some toasties for the train. €7,00/10,50.

Time to head back to the train station

https://youtu.be/RyJn7fy4I78 Video of Waterford at night

6:00 to Waterford (Plunkett)

6:25 Train Waterford (Plunkett) to Dublin Heuston train 18:25-20:38 (No changes)
Note: this is the last train

8:45-9:00 LUAS to Connolly

9:00 Grabbed some donuts at SuperValu for €2,50 for breakfast, and packed.

Tuesday, December 19:

7:40 Cab to the Airport was a bit late, €35,00
but we got our boarding passes quickly and got through Irish security.

A fitting last picture of this trip

Then it was American Security, but we used our Global Entry to get through fairly quickly, then waited to board

1:55pm arrived JFK

Took the Jitney to Terminal 2 for our long layover.

4:25 Hour Layover JFK

Had some chai and latte from World Bean, $9.80

Later, we split a Monte Cristo at Croque Madam, then grabbed some M&Ms. $16/8.03

6:20-10:00 DL 2037

Grabbed the shuttle to the parking lot, $2.00 tip, and $73.50 for Parking

11:02, arrived home