Hello, and welcome to The Gale Hill Radio Hour.
I’m Kate Jones, here to spread some love about traveling in Ireland.
In 2023, my husband, Bernie, and I took our very first trip there. We’ve already made plans to go back again in 2024.
Why so soon? For the usual reasons: the beautiful countryside; the youthful vibe of Dublin; the historical and cultural sites; even the weather, which was remarkably less rainy than we expected.
Mostly, though, for the people! The friendly, good-humored, storytelling people.
So here are a few love notes to those we remember with a smile:
Amen, one of our drivers, offered this entertaining observation about his homeland: “The sun always shines on Ireland, though clouds can get in the way.”
Anthony, our bus driver and guide for Galway Tours, excelled at corralling several dozen people to and from his bus, onto the ferry to see the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, and then, back on the mainland, to McGann’s Pub on the outskirts of Doolin. Along with his commentary about what we were seeing out the bus windows, Anthony would say “God bless you” over the mic whenever a passenger sneezed. Not only polite, he also exhibited a low-key sense of humor. Near Dunguaire Castle in County Galway, Anthony pointed out a stone building close to the road. It’s a notable landmark, he said dryly, for having taken many mirrors off buses.
Carolina, who works the cash register at Dublin’s Coffee 2 Go, had her own deadpan sense of humor not far beneath the pleasant and professional demeanor she displays behind the counter. We realized that soon after we started going to the cafe for its fabulous cappuccinos. One morning, we also ordered a yogurt parfait — an unfortunate decision because we (two adults!) could not figure out how to open the plastic container. So Bernie returned to the counter to ask Carolina how to open the thing. In a split second, she got the lid off by pushing the tab down. We had struggled because we were trying to push the tab up, which did not work. The next morning, Bernie ordered another parfait for us because we really liked it once we could get to it. Carolina handed the container to him with a sweet smile and said, “Want me to open it for you?” This woman works in a busy place, with customers coming and going all the time, so clearly she has a great memory — along with a wickedly sweet sense of humor. We still laugh about the parfait incident and hope we’ll see her again when we return to Dublin.
Around the corner from Coffee to Go is Bloom Brasserie and Wine Bar on Upper Baggot Street. We went there, let’s see, four times during our time in Dublin. That’s how much we liked the stylish, contemporary decor, the beautifully presented and delicious food, and our delightful conversations with Ross, the manager, who was engaging and fun. He treated us like regulars.
We also had a few chance encounters that were fleeting yet memorable. At the start of our vacation, we were walking in Dublin with friends and came upon a young, wide-eyed couple just as they were leaving The National Maternity Hospital. They graciously accepted our oohs and ahs over their brand-new baby. Our group wished them well as they embarked on their grand adventure of parenthood, and we still send fond thoughts their way.
A couple of weeks later, we met another lovely couple, decades older than the previous couple and just as darling. This was outside The Pier House when we were waiting for our taxi on our last night in Ireland. The restaurant is in the scenic fishing village of Howth, not too far from Dublin but an easier and quicker drive to the airport. The couple lived nearby but had traveled extensively. They enthusiastically told us about their several driving trips in the U.S. and said that they wanted to do another one. I’m so sorry that we didn’t get their names. I would invite them over if they came through Ohio.
One of our taxi drivers, John, had recently come back from hiking the famous El Camino de Santiago, Europe’s longest and most storied pilgrimage route. Although he went by himself, he bonded with 16 other people on the trek, and he’s stayed in touch with them on WhatsApp. “It’s a weird experience,” he said, “when you miss people you hardly even know.” And, judging from John’s enthusiasm, a worthwhile experience as well.
Finally, here’s a good thought to keep in mind, courtesy of the late Richard Tisdall:
“Every day you wake up is a good day.”
That was something that Richard said often, according to his son Damien, the taxi driver who took us from Dublin to Sutton for our last night in Ireland.
Damien told us that Richard was a cousin of Bob Tisdall, who won the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Richard Tisdall was 101 when he died. According to his son, he didn’t use a cane, lived on his own and was “sharp as a tack.” Some time before he passed away, Richard went into the hospital for an infection, and the doctors were concerned that at his age he shouldn’t be living alone. So they tested his cognitive abilities. Well, not only did Richard give the correct name of Ireland’s president, he named all of Michael D. Higgins’ predecessors. After that, the doctors let him be.
Richard had another great saying, which I’ll leave you with:
“May you live a long life and the last voice you hear is mine.”
Irish humor. How fun is that?
This is Kate Jones with The Gale Hill Radio Hour. Thank you for listening. And please share this episode with anyone who appreciates the Emerald Isle.