Erin’s Travel Diary: Finding My Namesake in Magical County Clare

Shaun and I just touched down back in Seattle, and oh my goodness, my heart is still somewhere over the Atlantic! After we finished our 250KM trek on the Camino in Portugal (yes, we actually did it!), we decided to fly over to Ireland. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to see the place I was named after, so adding a little Irish "extension" was a total no-brainer.

Some dear friends told us that if we wanted to see the real Ireland—the hidden gems, not just the tourist traps we had to call Eoghan O’Dea at West Clare Concierge. Well, let me tell you, that was the best advice we got! Even though we love hiking, we knew we’d be a little wiped after Portugal, so Eoghan helped us put together a perfect itinerary that balanced history with those "pinch-me" views.

We started in Limerick, and Eoghan was right there at our hotel at 9:00 AM sharp.He gave us a "whistle-stop" tour of the city first, and honestly, the history gave me actual goosebumps. We walked through the Potato Market and stood by the Treaty Stone where they signed for peace in the 1600s. Standing there, looking at King John’s Castle from the 13th century, you just feel the weight of all those years. It makes our Seattle history feel like just a blink of an eye!

Then, we headed for the Cliffs of Moher. Now, I’ve seen the photos, but nothing and I mean nothing prepares you for that salt-infused air and the sheer scale of those 400ft drops. We looked out toward the Aran Islands and visited O’Brien’s Tower, where Eoghan told us a wild (and a bit spooky!) story about shipwrecked Spanish sailors. For lunch, we tucked into a cozy pub called Gus O’Connor’s in Doolin. I had the freshest battered whiting and a pint of Guinness while listening to live fiddle music... honestly, I think I went to heaven for a minute.

We spent the afternoon driving through The Burren. It looks like the surface of the moon! We saw the Poulnabrone Dolmen, which is older than the Pyramids. It’s mind-boggling to think about how they moved those massive stones thousands of years ago. We finished the day at Bunratty Castle, where I learned that back in the day, the poorest families would keep their prize cow right in the house for good luck! We had some wings at Durty Nelly’s (a pub from the 1600s!) and Shaun loved the day so much he begged Eoghan to take us out again the next morning.

Since it was April and a bit quieter, Eoghan took us on some of his favorite "locals-only" spots the next day. We did the cliff walk in Kilkee no railings, just raw nature! and visited the "Little Ark" in Kilbaha.It’s a tiny church on wheels from a time when people weren't allowed to build Catholic churches on land. We ended that day with a 5km hike at Lough Avalla Farm, which was just magical. We saw buffalo-like cattle and "holy wells" it felt like we’d stepped into a fairytale.

But the absolute highlight? Eoghan invited us to a Hurling match in Limerick! It’s this incredibly fast, physical game imagine field hockey but way more intense. The crowd was a sea of colors, and get this: a ball (they call it a sliothar) flew into the stands right near us. A local fan caught it, heard my Seattle accent, and handed it to me as a souvenir since it was my first game! I’m bringing that ball home as my favorite treasure from the trip. Ireland, you were everything I hoped for and more!