This summer I was fortunate to travel to Ireland with my husband and some of his family! After a long stretch of no travel due to the pandemic, we signed up for a bus tour through Trafalgar Tours, Irish Highlights, and headed to Dublin. Our seven-day tour included famous sites and cities that are highlighted in my book, Two Mice in Ireland. We started our Ireland adventure in Dublin where we actually visited the National Museum of Leprechauns. We learned about Irish myths and legends which were the inspiration for my adventure with Azura and Afrodille for my fifth book, Two Mice in Ireland.
Our trip took us to Limerick, where we learned exactly how to write an authentic limerick. Several funny limerics are shared in my book! We traveled to the iconic Cliffs of Moher where we were unfortunately met with cloudy skies. As the morning went on, the fog lifted and we could see the beauty of the cliffs. Following the trip to the Cliffs of Moher, we traveled to Killarney. There we shopped, experienced a jaunty cart rid in the beautiful Bourn-Vincent National Park, and enjoyed a night of Celtic dance. The following day we had a scenic day on the Ring of Kerry, seeing lush green hills (yes, that's where the Emerald Isle comes from), stone villages, sheep dotting the countryside, and medieval castles.
A trip to Ireland would not be complete without a trip to Blarney to kiss the Blarney Stone.
Who wouldn't want to gain the "gift of gab" while in Ireland. Kissing the stone wasn't the easiest thing to do for this 68-year old! We had to lie on our back, hold on to two iron rails, and lean our head back to kiss the hidden stone. Be sure to visit the website activities for Ireland where you will see pictures of me kissing the stone!
Onward we traveled to Waterford where we toured the home of Waterford Crystal. The work of the artisans was simply amazing and made me appreciate my Waterford crystal goblets even more!
On our final day, we visited the home of Catherine Fulvio, famous Irish chef. Catherine's cooking school is right there on sight with her home. She greeted us and told us a little bit about Irish cooking...did you know that corned beef and cabbage is not really Irish!! Her website for Irish recipes can be found in the activities section for Two Mice in Ireland. Yes, her recipe for soda bread is just yummy!
Speaking of eating, we had the most delicious meals at Irish pubs and restaurants. The Irish breakfast consists of eggs, sausages, baked beans, tomatoes, soda bread, black pudding. The pudding is made with blood from the butchers shop...I honestly didn't try it but others said it was delicious. Irish stew was perhaps my favorite meals but we also enjoyed authentic fish and chips as well as tasting the most delicious Irish icecream.
The Irish pubs were filled with laughter and fun. We danced to Irish tunes, played instruments (even using a broom as a guitar), and had a lesson on the sport of hurling.
The trip was fantastic in part due to our tour guide, Allie, and driver, Stevie. They were knowledgeable and shared great tips on Ireland. You'll find them featured in Two Mice in Ireland.
You'll learn more about Ireland in my newest book where I incorporated food, culture, historic sites, and a magical story about a leprechaun named Fitzpatrick. I don't want to spoil it...you'll have to read the book to discover more!
Be sure to check out the activities that support the Ireland book on my website...loads of activities for children. The month of March might be the perfect time to share the book and have students participate in some of the activities, culminating with reading Two Mice in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day.
I hope someday you will travel to the beautiful country of Ireland! Perhaps, you will run into a leprechaun or two and discover a pot of gold! Happy reading, my friends!