Ireland - Adare

We saw this on many signs, and tombstones..."O sweet Adare, O lovely vale".

And how apt, because it was a lovely vale, indeed. It was one of my favourite overnight stops. Something about it was comfort, through and through. 

This might have had something to do with the fact that it was Gaelic speaking town/area - and that there were thatched rooves. Not on living history museum homes or anything, on real live homes and shops. It thrilled me to my core. Walking through the tiny little downtown just felt like - how is this real life?!

On a tour we at this point had yet to take, our guide (about mid forties) said when he was younger he remembered the "thatching parties" of the town getting together to re-thatch a roof. It is certainly less common now, as things get updated to modern standards, but. When I go back I want to stay in a place with a thatched roof.

Someone got a new roof!

 Adare seemed to be quite into hurling. It's a sport that seems like a mixture of lacrosse and ...field hockey maybe? It's a stick and ball sport, and Brian's grandfather played it. Adare must have still been in the running for a tournament, because there were signs all about.

If this is not the cutest thing. I love it. 

And we discovered - the name of the cup in hurling is the Bolger Cup!! Here is a google image of the Bolger Cup! - being presented to star player by...Jim Bolger, which is the name of Brian's Dad, lol.

the underside of a thatched gazebo.

Probably a bank - looks like a cult 😂

Where we stayed. It was "grandma vibes" in the best best best way. Our host was the cutest lady, and the room keys were skelton keys! The only place we stayed that served breakfast.

We went to a gastro-pub (a pub known for good food and not just drinks) for dinner and live entertainment. This dish was one of the best things I ate while there - so flavourful! It was a cajun chicken tagliatelle, Brian's panini was called Ath Dara (which is Adare in Gaelic) - it was like Thanksgiving inside with turkey, cranberry, stuffing and bacon.  

This was deep fried Brie. YUM

Peri Peri shrimp!

A cider and an NA beer. I tried the Guinness. Ew! Can't do it.

Maybe because I grew up in a home next to a graveyard?...Or maybe just because I love to imagine lives in the past - but I love graveyards. They don't creep me out at all.

💕

A little common area for sitting. This place was so quaint and wonderful!

Our host specified a "cold breakfast" would be served. This was fruit, toast, meats (cold cut style), cheeses, oatmeal, and muffins/crossaints. There was Barry's tea served hot to our table in little pots, and I haven't had Blackcurrant jam since I was a kid - I definitely haven't seen it offered anywhere in the last 20+ years I've been in the States. Full of nostalgia for me, as we had two massive currant bushes when I was a kid - one red and one black, and we harvested tons of currants and canned them in various ways (jams & juice are two I remember)