Ireland - Land of Leprechauns, Laughter and Beer!
True to the nature of the Irish, the IDC trip to Ireland was filled with laughter and camaraderie as we drove through the countryside taking in the beauty that is Ireland.
Our journey began in Cork, a well established hub for Irish traditions. We stayed at the wonderful Hayfield Manor, virtually on the campus of the University College of Cork, and considered one of the finest privately-owned hotels in Ireland today. The hotel is situated for an easy walk into city centre to enjoy Irish pubs, fine restaurants and other forms of entertainment. (http://hayfieldmanor.ie)
To get totally immersed in the culture of Ireland, our first evening we enjoyed "Pulses of Traditions"; an evening of authentic Irish tales, song and dance at the Triskel Christchurch. (http://www.discoverireland.ie/Whats-On/pulses-of-tradition) Our second day in Cork, after a hearty Irish breakfast, we drove to Blarney Castle. The current castle built in 1446, is the third to be built on this site. (http://www.blarneycastle.ie/pages/history) 
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We continued our road trip through the Irish countryside, driving to Kinsale, a beautiful fishing village, located some 25 km south of Cork City. Kinsale is a very popular tourist attraction, and arriving, looking for a place to eat lunch turned out to be a difficult task. So, we headed further along the coast.
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Laughing in the car, we "visualized" the ideal lunch spot. And then we came up on The Speckled Door in Ballinspittle, Old Head of Kinsale. Good food, friendly people and a beautiful view of the water. Perfect! (http://www.speckleddoor.com/gallery)
Dinner that evening was at Market Lane, an award wining restaurant in the trendy area of Cork that specializes in local artisan producers and The English Market. http://www.marketlane.ie/
The next morning we packed up and drove to the town of Waterford for a tour of the Waterford Crystal Factory. And where the tour of the factory was certainly educational, the discovery of the tea shop adjoining the showroom floor was even more extraordinary. This little shop had the most abundant choice of sweets ever seen in one place. Pies, cookies, cakes, torts.....even 10-15 gluten free confections. It was if we had landed in the story of Hansel and Gretel.
That evening we lived every little girls dream, we spent the night at Waterford Castle. Located on Little Island on 420 acres, the island is known as a wildlife and bird sanctuary. The only access to the castle is via ferry. The center tower of the castle was built in the 15th century with the east and west wings added in 1875 and 1895. The castle is made entirely of stone and today houses 19 elegant rooms. (http://www.waterfordcastleresort.com)
The next morning we were off to Dublin and to the Guinness Storehouse where we participated in their Connoisseur Experience, a private tasting session held in a secluded bar area. This session went through the taste and traditions of four of their most popular stouts. We learned the proper way to pour and drink Guinness, and got the certificates to prove it! (https://www.guinness-storehouse.com)
We spent our time in Dublin on a historical walking tour, visiting a few pubs and doing a little shopping.
Our final gala dinner was at the Patrick Guilbaud. Patrick Guilbaud has been the centre of fine dining in Dublin for the last thirty-three years and is Ireland’s only two star Michelin and listed in 1000 Things to do Before you Die. Some of us opted to choose the four course taster's menu and let the chef and sommelier surprise us with our dishes and wine for the evening.
One of the discussions for the evening was where to next year and it looks like back to New York .
Our final gala dinner was at the Patrick Guilbaud. Patrick Guilbaud has been the centre of fine dining in Dublin for the last thirty-three years and is Ireland’s only two star Michelin and listed in 1000 Things to do Before you Die. Some of us opted to choose the four course taster's menu and let the chef and sommelier surprise us with our dishes and wine for the evening.
One of the discussions for the evening was where to next year and it looks like back to New York .