We finally got to take our long-awaited trip to Ireland last week. The trip had been planned for almost two years as it was originally planned for October 2022. A few weeks before the original trip, our daughter had an unfortunate fall down some steps and broke her humerus bone which required surgery and a long PT rehab. She’s all healed up and I was able to re-book everything (with some changes) for 2023. This go around, we brought along her boyfriend, which made the trip a bit more symmetrical with two couples, but did require some changes to the hotel and B&B bookings. He also flew separately as he currently lives in Washington, DC.

We started off in Dublin, spending two nights in two rooms at the Hyatt Centric The Liberties. I then rented a car from Sixt at a nearby city location and we headed out to explore the country. We stopped in Galway for a few hours before heading to the Cliffs of Moher and then spending the night in nearby Doolin. The next day, the weather turned a bit sour and we drove to Dingle via a car ferry and the Conor Pass before overnighting at a B&B in Dingle. After driving the Dingle Peninsula the next morning, we drove to Killarney with a stop for an encounter with owls and a hawk. We spent two nights in Killarney at an Airbnb including a drive around the Ring of Kerry (where the weather improved). Our last full day was spent driving to Kilkenny via the Rock of Cashel and spending the night in Kilkenny at a B&B before heading to the airport in Dublin on the last morning.

We flew to Ireland on British Airways in the new Club Suites via London from Newark (as it was the easiest place to meet our daughter). It was booked via Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles before their recent devaluation. The return was on American Airlines to Philadelphia nonstop on a cheap cash round trip business fare that I stumbled on randomly one day. I canceled the return flight for some AA travel credit. My wife and I positioned to Newark on Delta and from Philly on American. Our daughter’s boyfriend flew United from Dulles to Dublin and Aer Lingus on the return, both in economy. I booked his United ticket with LifeMiles and his Aer Lingus ticket with Avios.

I’ll be publishing this trip report over the next few weeks as time allows. I’ll update the links below as the posts go live. I’ve broken it down as follows:

1 – Positioning to Newark and New EWR Delta SkyClub Review

2 – Newark BA Lounge Review

3 – BA Club Suites EWR-LHR and the Heathrow Galleries Club Lounge South Reviews

4 – Two Days in Dublin

5 – Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin Review

6 – Cliffs of Moher via Galway

7 – Doolin to Dingle via the Conor Pass

8 – Driving the Dingle Peninsula

9 – Hawk Walk and Killarney

10 – Driving the Ring of Kerry

11 – The Rock of Cashel and Kilkenny

12 – B&B/Airbnb Roundup

13 – Tips and Warnings for Driving Around Ireland

14 – 51st and Green Lounge Dublin Airport Review

15 – Review of American Airlines 787-8 Business Class The The DUB-PHL

16 – Quick Review of United/Aer Lingus Economy Flights

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