{"id":328064,"date":"2025-12-02T17:54:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T17:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/ireland-by-campervan-our-magical-2019-trip\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T17:54:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T17:54:46","slug":"ireland-by-campervan-our-magical-2019-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=328064","title":{"rendered":"Ireland by Campervan: Our magical 2019 trip"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\n<p><em>An unplanned route. A house on wheels. A country full of stories. New friends we met along the way. And two unforgettable weeks wandering Ireland\u2019s wild beauty.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In April 2019, after months of hopping between continents and juggling logistics for other parts of our journey, Ireland was almost an afterthought.<br \/>We hadn\u2019t planned a route, booked campsites, researched attractions, or even made a list of \u201cmust-sees.\u201d Worst of all, we were heading there during Easter, who knew how busy it would be?<br \/>But there was one thing we\u00a0<em>were<\/em>\u00a0sure about:<\/p>\n<p><strong>We wanted a campervan and the freedom to explore.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So that\u2019s exactly what we did.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Our campervan in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26495 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg\" alt=\"Our campervan in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-2-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>For two weeks, we followed winding coastal roads, crossed counties without even realizing it, stumbled into local celebrations, explored ancient tombs and mystical stone circles, and met people who became friends. We baked in our tiny camper kitchen, chased sunsets from campgrounds, braved storms, and squeezed through impossibly narrow Irish roads with sheep watching us as if we were the entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>This is the full story of our Irish campervan adventure, day by day, coast to coast.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Playing on a beach in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26539 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg\" alt=\"Playing on a beach in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-33-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We landed in Dublin eager to switch into road-trip mode. Our first day was simple: walking around the city, soaking in the architecture, and raising our glasses to the journey ahead.<\/p>\n<p>One of my favorite things about arriving in a new place is simply observing, discovering the tiny details that make a city unique. For example,\u00a0<strong>Dublin\u2019s name comes from the Old Irish \u201cDubh Linn,\u201d meaning \u201cblack pool,\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0referring to a dark tidal pond used by the Vikings. It\u2019s wild to think that this vibrant, modern city was once a Viking settlement.<\/p>\n<p>We didn\u2019t make big sightseeing plans; everyone was too excited about starting our campervan adventure, and coming straight from Iceland, we needed a bit of time to adjust. So we wandered, looked around, and enjoyed just being present.<\/p>\n<p>The next day, we picked up our campervan. Six months earlier, we had traveled through Australia and New Zealand the same way (check our blog post about it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/camper-van-tips-australia-nz\/\">here<\/a>), and as soon as we stepped inside our new \u201chome on wheels,\u201d that same rush of joy washed over us. Campervan life suits us, the freedom, the spontaneity, and the feeling that each morning can begin somewhere entirely new. Little did we know at the time how much this passion for van life would shape our future travels.<\/p>\n<p>This is one of the things I love about writing these posts years later: you can see the evolution of a tiny idea into a significant change.<br \/>But I\u2019m digressing\u2026 back to Dublin.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"First day in Dublin in front of a pub\" class=\"wp-image-26497 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg\" alt=\"First day in Dublin in front of a pub\" class=\"wp-image-26497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-1-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Newgrange wasn\u2019t in our original plan (because we barely had one), but a woman at the visitor center insisted we go. Thankfully, we listened.<\/p>\n<p>Newgrange is older than both the pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge, dating back to around 3200 BC. Its most astonishing feature is its perfect alignment with the rising sun on the winter solstice, a moment when sunlight floods the inner chamber, illuminating stones that have stood for thousands of years.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"green grass with sheep in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26498 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg\" alt=\"green grass with sheep in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-4-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We also got in for free because the visitor center was undergoing restoration, a lovely little surprise. It\u2019s funny how, when something is meant to happen, everything seems to fall perfectly into place.<\/p>\n<p>The kids found endless fields to run around in, reminding us once again that adventure lives just as much in their imagination as in the places themselves. I\u2019m always amazed by how differently each of us experiences the same spot. There\u2019s no better or worse way to explore, only the way that feels right to us and the way we\u2019ll remember it years later. Every age brings its own way of seeing the world, and that\u2019s part of the magic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Cosimo and Emma in front of Newgrange in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26499 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg\" alt=\"Cosimo and Emma in front of Newgrange in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26499\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-3-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Leaving Dublin, we crossed into\u00a0<strong>Northern Ireland<\/strong>, which is part of the\u00a0<strong>United Kingdom<\/strong>, something that fascinates many travelers because you change countries without even realizing it. The road signs switch, the currency changes, yet the landscapes remain just as green and dramatic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"meeting kids in Belfast\" class=\"wp-image-26501 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg\" alt=\"meeting kids in Belfast\" class=\"wp-image-26501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-9-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Driving a campervan through Belfast is\u2026 not recommended.<br \/>Parking was almost impossible, so we ended up leaving the van in a secured lot where we could also sleep and explore the city using public transportation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"the parents \" class=\"wp-image-26503 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg\" alt=\"the parents \" class=\"wp-image-26503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-11-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>That first evening, we met another family traveling around by campervan, originally from the Isle of Man. Our kids clicked instantly, and so did we. We spent hours chatting while the kids played, eventually remembering we should have dinner too. The next day, they headed home, and we set out to explore Belfast.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"visiting Titanic Belfast in the UK\" class=\"wp-image-26500 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg\" alt=\"visiting Titanic Belfast in the UK\" class=\"wp-image-26500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-7-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Our main stop was\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.titanicbelfast.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Titanic Belfast<\/a><\/strong>, built right on the site where the Titanic itself was constructed. The museum is extraordinary, emotional, immersive, and deeply connected to the city\u2019s shipbuilding heritage.<br \/>A fun detail: the two massive yellow cranes at the shipyard,\u00a0<strong>Samson and Goliath<\/strong>, are now among Belfast\u2019s most iconic landmarks.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"visiting Titanic Belfast in the UK\" class=\"wp-image-26502 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg\" alt=\"visiting Titanic Belfast in the UK\" class=\"wp-image-26502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-8-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We also stepped aboard the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.titanicbelfast.com\/explore\/ss-nomadic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SS Nomadic<\/a><\/strong>, known as the \u201cmini Titanic\u201d because it was designed by the same architect and once ferried first-class passengers to the Titanic on its final voyage.<\/p>\n<p>Even though we didn\u2019t walk much of the city itself, Belfast left a strong impression, modern, resilient, and full of stories.<\/p>\n<p>Leaving Belfast, we joined the stunning\u00a0<strong>Causeway Coastal Route<\/strong>, following the shoreline toward Northern Ireland\u2019s northern tip. This drive is famous for good reason: rugged cliffs, rolling green hills, tiny villages, and one unforgettable view after another.<br \/><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0this route passes close to the Giant\u2019s Causeway, formed by 40,000 interlocking basalt columns; legend says Irish giant Finn McCool built them to walk to Scotland.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Emma at the entrance of Dunluce Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26506 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg\" alt=\"Emma at the entrance of Dunluce Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-12-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We passed several castles along the way, but\u00a0<strong>Dunluce Castle<\/strong>\u00a0was the one that stopped us in our tracks. Perched dramatically on sheer cliffs, it looks like something straight out of a fantasy novel. Standing there, trying to imagine how anyone could have built a fortress in such a precarious spot, was awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n<p>The only downside to this gorgeous route? Many scenic parking areas were closed to campervans, a recurring theme throughout Northern Ireland. Sometimes we had to admire the views from a distance, but even then, the landscape was breathtaking.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Dunluce Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26507 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg\" alt=\"Dunluce Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-13-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We ended the day in Portsalon, home to one of the world\u2019s most beautiful beaches (as named by\u00a0<em>The Observer<\/em>). Even the cows seemed to have front-row seats to the perfect sunset.<\/p>\n<p>This was the moment our spontaneity finally had a name: the\u00a0<strong>Wild Atlantic Way<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Stretching along Ireland\u2019s entire western coast and part of the south, this route became the backbone of our trip.<br \/><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0At over\u00a0<strong>2,500 km (1,550 miles)<\/strong>, the Wild Atlantic Way is one of the\u00a0<strong>longest defined coastal routes in the world<\/strong>, no wonder it felt endless in the best possible way.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"views on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26508 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg\" alt=\"views on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26508\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-14-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We didn\u2019t plan stops. We didn\u2019t choose destinations. We simply drove, sometimes slowly, sometimes nervously, along narrow roads framed by ancient stone walls, sheep and cows wandering freely, and sweeping ocean cliffs that made us gasp.<\/p>\n<p>Green fields rolled endlessly toward the horizon. The ocean danced beside us. And every so often, an old stone bridge or crumbling tower appeared out of nowhere, like a small reminder of Ireland\u2019s layered, centuries-old history.<\/p>\n<p>We spent the night in Portnoo, ending the day with sunshine and sandy feet.<br \/>The water was freezing, of course, but that didn\u2019t stop the kids from running straight into it.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Running on a dune in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26509 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg\" alt=\"Running on a dune in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-17-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>One thing we\u2019ve learned through our travels is that \u201cdriving days\u201d are rarely dull. Sometimes the magic lies in simply watching the world pass by, seeing landscapes shift, light change, and realizing you\u2019re somewhere completely new. Even without a destination, the journey itself becomes the experience.<\/p>\n<p>Donegal gifted us one of the sweetest, most serendipitous moments of the entire trip.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Easter egg hunt in Donegal Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26510 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg\" alt=\"Easter egg hunt in Donegal Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-20-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We had stopped for groceries, and while walking through town, a woman approached us and asked if the kids wanted to join the\u00a0<strong>community Easter Egg Hunt<\/strong>\u00a0happening in the nearby forest. We had absolutely no idea it was even happening.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Easter egg hunt in Donegal Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26511 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg\" alt=\"Easter egg hunt in Donegal Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-19-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>She personally walked us there.<\/p>\n<p>The forest was dotted with tiny fairy doors, which felt perfectly fitting since\u00a0<strong>Donegal is part of one of Ireland\u2019s largest Gaeltacht regions<\/strong>, where Irish folklore, fairies, and traditional stories are still very much part of daily life. The kids ran freely between the trees, and I kept expecting an actual fairy to pop out\u2026 honestly, it wouldn\u2019t have surprised me. It was a truly magical Easter surprise.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Classiebawn Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26512 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg\" alt=\"Classiebawn Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-22-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Later, we passed\u00a0<strong>Classiebawn Castle<\/strong>\u00a0in Mullaghmore, a dramatic, fairy-tale-like castle perched above the sea. It sits on a privately owned estate, so it\u2019s one of those places you admire from a distance, which honestly makes it even more mysterious. We then made our way to\u00a0<strong>Claddagh House B&amp;B<\/strong>\u00a0in Ballina. Louise had responded to my Facebook post a few days earlier, kindly inviting us to park our camper in her backyard. Her B&amp;B was full, but her yard wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26513 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-25-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>That evening, we experienced true Irish hospitality: tea, conversation, laughter, and endless playtime with her two labs, Hannah and Molly. It felt like visiting family.<\/p>\n<p>And to this day, we\u2019re still in contact with her. I\u2019ll always be grateful for her kindness and open heart, especially because everything was booked for Easter and, thanks to my brilliant planning (<em>great job, Sarah!<\/em>), we had nowhere else to park that night. Louise truly saved us!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26514 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-26-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Downpatrick Head was the definition of wild Ireland: dramatic cliffs, a roaring ocean, and wind that nearly carried our jackets away.<br \/><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0Downpatrick Head was once a place of pilgrimage, and Saint Patrick himself is said to have founded a church here. You can still see the ruins near the cliff edge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Downpatrick Head in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26515 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg\" alt=\"Downpatrick Head in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-28-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>One of the most fascinating features is the\u00a0<strong>blowhole called \u201cPoll na Seantainne\u201d<\/strong>, a huge circular opening in the ground carved by centuries of waves crashing through tunnels below. It wasn\u2019t active during our visit, but knowing the ocean was thundering beneath our feet definitely added to the thrill.<\/p>\n<p>The highlight, of course, was\u00a0<strong>D\u00fan Briste<\/strong>, a massive sea stack rising out of the water like a giant stone pillar. The kids, especially Luca, kept trying to figure out how to reach it. (For the record, there is absolutely no way to get there, and that\u2019s probably for the best.)<\/p>\n<p>The hike along the cliffs was exhilarating and a little nerve-wracking for me, but the kids loved every second.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Downpatrick Head in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26516 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg\" alt=\"Downpatrick Head in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26516\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-30-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Later, the drive to\u00a0<strong>Silver Strand Beach<\/strong>\u00a0stunned us with sweeping views.<br \/>Still no cinematic sheep-crossing moment, yes, I\u2019ve clearly watched way too many movies set in Ireland, although we\u00a0<em>did<\/em>\u00a0have a sheep leap dramatically into the road. Close enough.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Sheep crossing\" class=\"wp-image-26517 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg\" alt=\"Sheep crossing\" class=\"wp-image-26517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-31-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We checked into\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/salthillcaravanpark.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Salthill Caravan Park<\/a><\/strong>, a peaceful spot overlooking the ocean and just a short drive from Galway. We chose this campsite very intentionally. After a week of terrible sulphuric hair from Iceland, we desperately needed a proper hairdresser. (Three hot springs + three kids who insist on going underwater every time = disaster. I still feel bad for the poor hairdresser who had to deal with the knots, the smell, and the texture.)<\/p>\n<p>Within minutes of parking, Luca threw a ball into the water, only to realize there was no beach to retrieve it from. Campervan life always comes with a bit of comedy.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"rescuing the ball at our campsire Salthill Caravan Park in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26519 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg\" alt=\"rescuing the ball at our campsire Salthill Caravan Park in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-35-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Galway itself is vibrant and full of life.\u00a0<strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0Galway is officially known as\u00a0<em>Ireland\u2019s Cultural Heart<\/em>, famous for its festivals and the sheer number of musicians who fill its pedestrian streets every day. And yes, we heard plenty of them while wandering around town.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Clean hair in Galway Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26520 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg\" alt=\"Clean hair in Galway Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-36-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We didn\u2019t rush through museums or major attractions. Instead, our mission was hair rescue. We found a kind, patient hairdresser who bravely took on the kids\u2019 sulphur-damaged Icelandic hair. A few treatments, a lot of brushing, and probably a silent prayer later, everyone smelled normal again, maybe even better than normal.<\/p>\n<p>Afterward, we wandered the busy streets, listened to street performers, peeked into wool shops (Galway has some of the best), enjoyed lunch, and headed back to our campsite refreshed and clean. Sometimes the simplest travel days are the ones you remember fondly.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Famous statues in Galway Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26521 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg\" alt=\"Famous statues in Galway Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-37-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>That evening, while cooking at the campsite, we heard someone speaking Italian. We turned around and met another traveling family, this time from Milan, and soon discovered we were heading in the same direction. The kids were about the same age and clicked instantly, and just like that, our unplanned adventure gained new friends and travel companions for the next few days.<\/p>\n<p>This is what we stopped to visit on this travel day, a full mix of castles, caves, and iconic Irish landscapes, each with its own story to tell.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Dunguaire Castle<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Located on the shores of Galway Bay,\u00a0<strong>Dunguaire Castle<\/strong>\u00a0dates back to 1520 and is considered one of the\u00a0<strong>most photographed castles in Ireland<\/strong>\u00a0thanks to its postcard-perfect setting. The castle was named after the legendary King Guaire of Connacht, whose royal palace once stood nearby.<\/p>\n<p>In the early 20th century, the castle became a gathering place for Ireland\u2019s leading writers, including W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and J.M. Synge, making it an important site in the Celtic Revival movement.<\/p>\n<p>With its curtain walls, narrow staircases, and cleverly designed murder holes, the tower house gave us a vivid look into medieval life. The furnished rooms helped the kids imagine what living inside a stone castle must have been like centuries ago.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Dunguaire Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26523 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg\" alt=\"Dunguaire Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-39-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Aillwee Cave <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Next, we made our way to\u00a0<strong>Aillwee Cave<\/strong>, one of Ireland\u2019s oldest discovered cave systems. It was found in 1944 when a farmer followed his dog, who was chasing a rabbit, only for the dog to lead him straight into a vast underground world. Inside, we explored winding passages, underground rivers, and a surprisingly powerful waterfall. One of the most fascinating parts was seeing the\u00a0<strong>bear hibernation chambers<\/strong>. Before Ireland\u2019s forests were cleared, brown bears roamed the land, and this cave was once a winter den.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0Some of the calcite formations deep inside the cave are estimated to be over\u00a0<strong>350,000 years old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The kids, of course, loved the idea that bears once slept right under their feet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cliffs of Moher <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, we arrived at the legendary\u00a0<strong>Cliffs of Moher<\/strong>, and Ireland gave us the full dramatic experience: sideways rain, powerful winds, and dark clouds swirling over the Atlantic. Honestly, the weather made the cliffs feel even more awe-inspiring, like something out of a movie.<\/p>\n<p>These cliffs stretch for\u00a0<strong>14 kilometers<\/strong>\u00a0and reach heights of\u00a0<strong>214 meters<\/strong>\u00a0(702 feet), dropping straight into the ocean below. They are also home to one of Ireland\u2019s largest seabird colonies, including puffins during breeding season.<\/p>\n<p>The visitor center was excellent, warm, well-designed, and full of fascinating exhibits that helped us understand the geology, wildlife, and history of the cliffs. We spent extra time inside to dry off\u2026 and to recover from the wind trying to blow us away.<\/p>\n<p>After a very wet but memorable day, we continued south and settled into a peaceful campsite in Doonbeg, grateful for hot showers and dry clothes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Cliffs of Moher in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26524 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg\" alt=\"Cliffs of Moher in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-40-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We boarded the\u00a0<strong>Killimer\u2013Tarbert Ferry<\/strong>, a quick and easy 20-minute crossing that saved us over 130 km of driving around the Shannon Estuary.<br \/><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0This crossing has been operating since the\u00a0<strong>1800s<\/strong>, making it one of Ireland\u2019s longest-running car ferry routes. Today, it serves as an essential link between County Clare and County Kerry, and it\u2019s especially popular with campervans and road-trippers because it cuts so much time off the journey.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Killimer\u2013Tarbert Ferry in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26525 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg\" alt=\"Killimer\u2013Tarbert Ferry in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-41-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You drive onto the ferry, stay in your car, and someone comes by to collect payment. It\u2019s simple, smooth, and a fun break from driving.<\/p>\n<p>Once across, we made our way to\u00a0<strong>Ballybunion Beach<\/strong>, where the sunshine finally returned. The kids ran wild, climbing dunes, exploring the ruins of the old castle, and being barefoot (of course).<br \/><strong>Another fun detail:<\/strong>\u00a0Ballybunion is known for its\u00a0<strong>seaweed baths<\/strong>, a local tradition for over a century, believed to help with circulation and skin health. We didn\u2019t try one this time, but it\u2019s definitely something to come back for.<\/p>\n<p>It was one of those simple, happy afternoons that make travel days feel like mini-adventures of their own.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Ballybunion Beach in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26526 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg\" alt=\"Ballybunion Beach in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-43-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>We spent time with our new Italian friends celebrating their son\u2019s 18th birthday, a milestone made even more special by the fact that we were all thousands of kilometers from home, sharing a kitchen in a campsite. We even managed to bake a little cake in our campervan (proof that anything is possible with enough determination\u2026 and a tiny oven!).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Group photo with our Italian friends\" class=\"wp-image-26527 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg\" alt=\"Group photo with our Italian friends\" class=\"wp-image-26527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-44-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Meeting them was such a gift. The kids bonded instantly, and so did we, turning those few days on the road into laughter-filled adventures. These are the moments full-time travel gives you, instant connections that become lifelong memories. But as always with travel friendships, there eventually comes a moment to say goodbye. They headed back home, and we continued on our route to finish our final days in Ireland.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Drombeg Stone Circle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26528 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg\" alt=\"Drombeg Stone Circle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-50-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Despite weather alerts predicting a severe storm, we still drove to see the\u00a0<strong>Drombeg Stone Circle<\/strong>, also known as the Druid\u2019s Altar. We arrived soaking wet, but thrilled.<br \/><strong>Fact:<\/strong>\u00a0Drombeg is one of Ireland\u2019s best-preserved stone circles, and on the winter solstice, the setting sun aligns perfectly with the recumbent stone, revealing its ancient astronomical purpose. The stones were mystical in the rain, and standing there imagining ceremonies from 3,000 years ago made the soaking clothes worth it.<\/p>\n<p>When the weather turned even worse (Ireland wanted to make sure we remembered her!), we escaped to a movie theater and watched\u00a0<em>Wonder Park, lovingly chosen by Cosimo and Emma so <\/em>Luca could enjoy it too. A perfect cozy ending to a very stormy day.<\/p>\n<p>Since we knew the oven worked, we baked some muffins in the campervan that morning (and yes, we licked the batter). Then we headed to\u00a0<strong>Blarney Castle<\/strong>, which turned out to be a pretty amazing stop.<\/p>\n<p>The gardens felt enchanted, with lush paths, towering trees, winding walkways, and hidden corners that made it feel like we\u2019d stepped straight into a storybook. The rain would disappear, then return, then vanish again, giving everything a soft, ethereal glow.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"plant umbrellas\" class=\"wp-image-26530 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg\" alt=\"plant umbrellas\" class=\"wp-image-26530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-47-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The kids invented \u201cplant umbrellas.\u201d Luca tried protecting himself with two sticks. It\u2026 did not work.<\/p>\n<p>We spent hours wandering the estate, taking photos, exploring, and soaking in the history of the site.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Blarney Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26531 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg\" alt=\"Blarney Castle in Ireland\" class=\"wp-image-26531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-46-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><strong>A bit of history:<\/strong>\u00a0The current <a href=\"https:\/\/blarneycastle.retailint-tickets.com\/Home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blarney Castle<\/a> was built in\u00a0<strong>1446<\/strong>\u00a0by Cormac L\u00e1idir MacCarthy, the King of Munster. It\u2019s actually the\u00a0<strong>third<\/strong>\u00a0castle to stand on this site; the first was a wooden fort from the 10th century, and the second was a stone structure that didn\u2019t survive. This version has stood for nearly six centuries, witnessing battles, sieges, political intrigue, and generations of legends.<\/p>\n<p>And, of course, there\u2019s the\u00a0<strong>Blarney Stone<\/strong>, famous for granting the \u201cgift of eloquence\u201d to anyone who kisses it. The tradition is centuries old, and while we didn\u2019t kiss it ourselves, it was fun watching others bravely lean backward over the drop to reach it.<\/p>\n<p>Between the myths, the history, and the magical grounds, Blarney Castle quickly became one of those places we wished we had more time for.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Luca kissing the Blarney Stone,\" class=\"wp-image-26529 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg\" alt=\"Luca kissing the Blarney Stone,\" class=\"wp-image-26529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-45-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>On our final day, we followed a roadside sign for a castle and ended up at\u00a0<strong>Carrigafoyle Castle<\/strong>, a towering ruin with a dramatic, and very bloody, past. Built in the late 1400s by the O\u2019Connor Kerry family, it once guarded the shipping lanes leading to Limerick.<br \/><strong>Fact:<\/strong>\u00a0In 1580, the castle endured a brutal two-day siege during the Desmond Rebellions. English forces attacked with heavy cannon fire, one of the earliest recorded uses of large artillery in Ireland, causing part of the tower to collapse and leading to a devastating loss of life.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the remains stand silent above the estuary, windswept and imposing. The kids didn\u2019t care that most of the structure was gone; they invented games among the stones, turning the ruins into their own adventure playground.<\/p>\n<p>That evening, we reached\u00a0<strong>Kilkenny<\/strong>, one of Ireland\u2019s best-preserved medieval towns.<br \/><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong>\u00a0Kilkenny is often called\u00a0<em>\u201cThe Marble City\u201d<\/em>\u00a0because of the polished black limestone used in many of its historic buildings.<br \/>The town\u2019s narrow lanes, castle views, and vibrant pubs made it the perfect final stop on our trip.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26533 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-48-1-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Before leaving Ireland, we made sure to raise a celebratory glass, a\u00a0<strong>Guinness for Mass<\/strong>\u00a0and a\u00a0<strong>Kilkenny for me<\/strong>.<br \/><strong>Another fun detail:<\/strong>\u00a0The beer Kilkenny was originally brewed by monks at St. Francis Abbey, right in the heart of the city, making it the perfect local toast.<\/p>\n<p>It was the ideal ending to a journey that began with no plan at all,  just curiosity, a campervan, and the open Irish road.<\/p>\n<p>What began as an unplanned detour, squeezed between other destinations, barely researched, and booked during Easter of all times, became one of the most memorable chapters of our travels. Ireland didn\u2019t need a perfect itinerary to impress us. It simply needed open roads, a campervan, and our willingness to follow wherever the day led.<\/p>\n<p>From ancient tombs older than the pyramids, to windy cliffs and mystical stone circles\u2026<br \/>From fairy forests and random castle stops, to strangers who became friends overnight\u2026<br \/>From baking in a tiny campervan to hair emergencies and rainstorms that turned into adventures\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Mass and Luca looking at irish horses\" class=\"wp-image-26536 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg\" alt=\"Mass and Luca looking at irish horses\" class=\"wp-image-26536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-15-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Ireland surprised us at every turn.<\/p>\n<p>Along the way, we met people who opened their homes and hearts, from locals who guided us to hidden places, to fellow travelers whose children played with ours like they\u2019d known each other forever. Those spontaneous friendships became some of the brightest memories of our trip. It\u2019s amazing how quickly connections form when you\u2019re all living on the road, following the same spirit of curiosity and freedom.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"our kids with their english friends\" class=\"wp-image-26535 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg\" alt=\"our kids with their english friends\" class=\"wp-image-26535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-10-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Ireland reminded us that some of the best journeys aren\u2019t the ones planned months ahead, but the ones we stumble into, the ones shaped by kindness, spontaneity, and the magic of simply being present.<\/p>\n<p>We arrived with no expectations.<br \/>We left with full hearts, muddy shoes, new friendships, and the kind of memories that stay with you for years.<\/p>\n<p>Ireland, thank you for the stories, the storms, the sunshine, the sheep, the laughter, and the serendipity.<br \/>We\u2019ll be back, next time maybe with a little more planning\u2026 or maybe not.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Luca laying on the campervan\" class=\"wp-image-26534 ewww_webp_lazy_load\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-31x21.jpg 31w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg.webp 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-600x400.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-640x427.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-31x21.jpg.webp 31w\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg\" alt=\"Luca laying on the campervan\" class=\"wp-image-26534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.the5worldexplorers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ireland-49-31x21.jpg 31w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An unplanned route. A house on wheels. A country full of stories. New friends we met along the way. And two unforgettable weeks wandering Ireland\u2019s wild beauty. In April 2019, after months of hopping between continents and juggling logistics for other parts of our journey, Ireland was almost an afterthought.We hadn\u2019t planned a route, booked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":328065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97880,12262],"tags":[35617,5924,5446,8087],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-328064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","category-ireland","tag-campervan","tag-ireland","tag-magical","tag-trip"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ireland by Campervan: Our magical 2019 trip - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=328064\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ireland by Campervan: Our magical 2019 trip - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An unplanned route. A house on wheels. A country full of stories. New friends we met along the way. And two unforgettable weeks wandering Ireland\u2019s wild beauty. 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