Jack n Karen's Travel Blog: More fun in Ireland

We did lots of touring of ancient ruins and historical sites as we really like learning and exploring history, but we also had lots of fun in Ireland!

Pubs are as natural to Ireland as shamrocks and we found our share.

Actually most days when we were in the smaller villages this was our spot for lunch or dinner. Pub food was good and actually it was hard to distinguish from what we would call restaurant food. We tried a different beer in every pub and one of the things that surprised us was that the beer is cold, unlike in the UK.

Near the end of our three weeks we found the second oldest pub in Ireland. It can hold about 20 people and it was packed with local men just getting off work. We chatted up a couple of men who talked us into going behind the bar to pose for a photo. This was the highlight! Later they taught us the authentic way to make and drink Irish coffees.

After the men consumed at least 4 pints they were ready to head home for dinner!! Apparently the local joke is, "don't drive after five"

It said that there are more sheep than people in Ireland and we believe it. Sheep we're everywhere-on the narrowest of roads, balencing on the cliffs, running in the fields and of course crossing the highway. Each each farmer has a unique marking of paint on the sheep so that when they round up the sheep after summer they can find their own. Kind of wooly branding.

Sheep on the cliffs

Sheep in the field

Sheep in the roadway

Finally the music was wonderful and we were always on the lookout for a small pub with local musicians playing and we found several.

Irish pipes

We got caught up in some filming for the All Ireland Music Festival coming in August

Filming

We listened to guitar, fiddle, bodhran drum, uilleann pipes, flute, penny whistle, button accordian, concertina, banjo, mandolin, and harp. We were in several other towns that were known for their "trad music" but often it didn't start until 10 o'clock at night-too late for us to be out driving!

Best of all was the gal who step on to a small piece of wood on the floor and started dancing. Little did we know that one of the first pubs we were in would be the best for local music.