Wild Atlantic Way Ireland Adventure

Wild Atlantic Way Adventure 2023

So, after our mega successful trip to Scotland last year to venture the colossally epic NC500: (Here's the blog of our adventure- http://wezzword.blogspot.com/2023/05/nc500-adventure-2022.html ) - we now feel the urge to venture again!

This year, we will visit the beautifully enchanting country of Ireland to cover a section of the magnificent Wild Atlantic Way. We will unfold the wonders of nature, the power of the ocean and its imprint on the west coast of Ireland, and the stunning countryside in all its diversity. Then finish it all off at Dublin for a monumental piss-up. We only have a few days. 

So, Ireland, a place of Guinness, Thin Lizzy, big green hats, Father Ted, four leaf clover, Danny Boy, U2 and more Guinness, and we expect the whole place to be teeming with leprechauns.

Firstly, as four English men, we must apologise-

From Henry II naming his son Lord of Ireland, even though neither of them had ever been there, to Oliver Cromwell killing a third of the population ... also, the occasional famine because we needed your grain to feed our cattle... oh, and we are so so sorry about our current government and the fact they got Ireland mixed up with Isle of Man during Brexit negotiations. They've obviously never ever seen a map, the absolute morons.

We are very, very sorry. British imperialists were and are absolute bellends. 

But we are just four mere average blokes of low social standing ... or peasants if you will. Not our fault. 

Anyways, our small group of intrepid explorers do intend to fix all this with a goodwill visit to the heavenly Emerald Isle. A place of absolute beauty and amazing people. As a way of an apology for all of England's wrongdoing, we aim to make amends by leaving a gold coin under every toadstool between Cork and Dublin.

Plus, we have a Murphy with us, and some Irish ancestry and

lineage running through all our veins, so it's slightly watered-down Englishness, a bit like the watered-down Guinness the Irish send us.

Hope that helps. 

Let's do this! Daily updates to follow. 

Bejaysus! 🇮🇪 

*************

DAY 1 IRELAND WILD ATLANTIC WAY 

First stop, Cork! And we're flying there!

As expected, Craig turned up late to pick us up. We had already added an extra half hour to accommodate Craig's lackadaisical loveliness.

That fella is chilled to the max.

We somehow made it in time to the airport...

Once checked in, we obviously had to oblige in a few customary airport pints ... Drinking a few pints at breakfast would usually be considered worthy of some sort of intervention by family or friends, but when done at Liverpool Airport, that's perfectly normal and healthy.

Anyways, we were flying with Ryanair, and upon boarding, they issued us with cashmere blankets and champagne as they seated us ... 

... obviously, this is bullshit. Ryanair is beyond budget flying: you get punched in the face entering the plane, then charged 20 Euros for it.

But I jest, seriously, they were ace... albeit slightly pissed off and perplexed with Craig asking for a pale ale.

After a relatively short time in the air, we arrived at Cork, got bags, picked up our hire car, drove two or three miles, and parked it up... then dropped our bags at our hostel. 

After a burger and fries at some tiny-but-incredible establishment, Olly paid for the 1st time ever with his phone.

He's now convinced he'll get hacked by Russians.

Then we ventured out for booze...

It was a corker in Cork! 

Firstly, though, what a weird blend and jumble the buildings are here?... The British and European influence on Irish architecture are significant, but the architectural trends here have kinda been adapted to suit the peculiarities of a particular location... its strange? To our untrained eyes, it's an obscure mishmash... and it's compelling.

I'm struggling to put it all into words because I'm massively pissed on irish stout as I write this?

Basically, there are very old buildings, hardly touched since God-knows-when ... and they're placed against a backdrop of the modern world? It's just really bizarre that the parts left are totally left to be what they were?

But I digress, we got out into the city and it's plentiful pubs. Within them, you can enjoy creamy pints, find the cosiest snugs, and experience the friendliest of welcomes.

Absolute perfection. 

As is the beer.

Guiness will play a major part in this adventure. Irish stout boasts a heritage and history that dates back centuries in Ireland, and while Guinness might be the most famous example, it’s just one of the many options available to those seeking an authentic pint of the black stuff.

On offer was Murphy's, Beamish and Ireland's Edge. All with a rich and creamy taste to savour.

We started necking them in earnest!

There was also a Liverpool football match to catch, and, even more importantly, I had arranged to meet up with my cousin John, who handily lives half-hour away!

Bang on time, he turned up and joined us for a few beers, offering us sage advice on where to visit, and some expert guidance and recommendations on the various options we have in this breathtakingly beautiful area of the country. 

It was great to catch up with him. Many years have passed since our last meeting.

So, what will lay ahead? In my mind, the route ahead could be where coastal locals spend 90per cent of the year indoors sheltering from massive ocean storms that batter the coastline, weather so inhospitable not even trees can survive. An area where we carefully weave ourselves between the wild ponies and boglands with big muddy fields that you can drown in.

But after a chat with John, it seems we have something very magical in store.

That’d be grand 🇮🇪 

More updates to follow 🙌

*************

DAY 2 

After a broken sleep of stereo snoring and open window noise pollution, we all raised from our hostel dormitory with sleepy drowsiness. 

Downstairs a basic breakfast to the whispered musc of Radiohead and Portishead playing on a stereo added to our wearying heads.

But, sleeping is for girls, and coffee is for kings!

Before we left, Craig ventured out first thing to try and purchase a towel from a neighbouring hotel? They obviously refused his request. He's now in possession of a newly purchased towel for 25 euros from a home shop.

Twenty-five Euros! 😆

Anyhow, we've got an adventure ahead! So off we set! 

First stop is a visit to one of Ireland’s greatest treasures - Blarney Castle, the home of the Blarney Stone! 

This mighty castle was built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftans, Cormac MacCarthy (not the American writer, but they likely shared the same graphic depictions of violence )

According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab. 

Well, we endowed the stone with the gift of the Gav! 

Much stone smooching ensued with Gav, Olly and Craig. 

I decided to just take pictures and then patently wait for a herpes outbreak on their faces.

Next up and drive to the area RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-Boat off The Old Head of Kinsale, 1198 souls were lost. It's a beautiful stretch of coastline, with calm Atlantic waters, and we had a chance to stretch our legs. Just like our NC500 Adventure last year, we are in awe of this magnificent coastal wonder on the edge of Europe. The Wild Atlantic Way is stunning ❤️

There's so much to explore and enjoy, so after we let Craig show us his impressive drone skills at the very edge of a mighty cliff, we reached onwards to Howe Strand, the scene of the Howe Strand Coastguard Station conflict. 

I'm a Howe, and I was disappointed it had nothing to do with an Earl or a castle that needs to be bequeathed to me? Just a burnt down Coastguard station. Olly found a toy boat there, and we're thinking of writing a note and setting it to sail in the Atlantic? Right now, it's likely to be a shopping list for beer.

Then, onto Timoleague Friary, a creepy desolate Abbey that's been taken over by crows. Many years ago, the Count of Argideen would travel around in a black carriage drawn by red-eyed stallions to feast on the souls of peasant farmers.

Not really. I'm making that up. But it's definitely a creepy place taken over by crows.

A stunning drive along one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland, Healy Pass, for the views. This serpentine-like track that weaves through epic countryside is breathtakingly beautiful. 

After a full day of driving and getting into the rhythm of this region, we have grateful hearts. The soaring cliffs, buzzing little towns and a way of life here is forever inspired by the sea. An area that has inspired dreamers and drifters, poets and painters, with a landscape laced with brooding mountains and deserted beaches.

It's delightfully heavenly, and we're honoured to have this chance to experience it ❤️

Our ever-reliable Gav secured a perfectly placed Airbnb house at Cahersiveen for the night, there's mountains at the front, harbour at the back! What a lovely location.

Off we trecked for pizza at the local church ... well, it used to be a church, it's now a pizzeria ... what a pleasingly pleasant pizza place. We chomped down the sacred breaded circles of cheese with holy reverence.

Beers were then bought and brought back to our lodgings so we could sit out the back and watch the harbour before we retired to bed.

Sláinte is táinte 🇮🇪 

*************

DAY 3 

It's amazing what a full night's sleep can do! I awoke with the annoying excitement of a 5-year-old at Christmas! Buzzing like a fridge, I made it downstairs to a carefully constructed breakfast cooked by Gav, followed by showers, piss taking, back slapping, and overall jollity. 

We then headed out before 9 am.

Travelling through Portmagee Pier with all its seafaring awesomeness, we noticed a road sign telling us 'KERRY'S MOST SPECTACULAR CLIFFS' is a mere 4 kilometres away.

The sign is written in capital letters. This is either as way of a warning or to grab our touristy attention. 

Either way, that was our next stop!

After passing some Beehive Huts made of slate, the raw, wild, magnificent cliff scenery emerged, with the jagged outline of Skellig Michael on the sea horizon. 

For all the Star Wars fans, Skellig Michael has risen to dramatic prominence due to its starring role as Luke Skywalker’s Island Sanctuary on the planet Ahch-To in both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Awe-inspiring. More dramatic drone footage captured!

Ba na Scealg 'the place of the craggy rock' and its a healthy dose of Vitamin Sea next! Extensive golden sandy beach with old ruins that was pleasantly soundtracked with the chirp of skylarks.... bloomin beautiful 

As the metaphorical Irish proverb goes: As you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

Well, we are definitely heading in the right direction! This is an experience of epic beauty and heart-pumping adventure! The landscape as we drive is phenomenal! We often stop to just take stock of the rolling mountains, grab a few pictures, and breathe in the crisp air.

Up next, a stop-off at Killarney, a lovely town nestled in a valley surrounded by the magnificent McGillycuddy Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range. Lunch and a pint in a traditional pub.

The town is full of crazy American tourists who expect you to be thrilled that one of their great-great-great-great-great-uncles lived here 150 years ago.

No-one is thrilled.

A visit to Stradbally next. This is where Gav's dad's ashes are scattered, so a respectful call into Holloway senior's second home. It is a wonderful area where he came sea fishing three times a year. It's a north shore of the Dingle Peninsula, also known as “The Gold Coast”.... it lies on one of Ireland’s longest beaches, which stretches 12 glorious miles. 

It is an absolutely glorious area ❤️

Next up, Brandon, a Gaeltacht village on the northern coast of the Dingle Peninsula. This is where we anchored down for the night. Gav (yet again) secured us a fantastic Airbnb. 

Fantastic food and Guinness down the local in front of a peat fireplace set us up for the perfect evening.

After a few, we headed back for more booze and a play with the drone.

... yup, drunken drone flying.

All was well until Craig decided to fly it from the outside, through the patio doors, and down the corridor of the house where it decided, of its own accord, to flip itself into a death-roll. 

After its collision with two walls, Craig got out a load of replacement propellers and went about fixing it.

Astoundingly enough, it still works!

Much more drinking continued!

Finally, if any of you are familiar with our NC500 adventure last year, then you'll be very familiar with Olly's toilet habits. He loves to shit, often many times a day. 

This year, I've omitted his toilet tour itinerary and shit schedule. 

Let’s face it, toilets come in handy. But how much can you say about toilets? You shit in them. Piss in them. Sometimes both at the same time. 

And let’s not forget the flush and wiping. Apart from shitting and pissing, flush and a wipe, that's it for toilet-related activity. 

But every day, we get some further insights on Olly's toilet habits, the various toilets he visits, and how the whole experience can be bettered. I could write an entire book on it.

Just know this- Olly is very regular in Ireland, and he's happy with most of the toilets here and their facilities. 

Turty tree and a turd 🇮🇪 

More updates tomorrow 🤘

*************

DAY 4 

A hyper-velocity hangover fended off by a cooked breakfast of black and white puddings on toast started the day.

Then a short shower and change of clothes. 

-Please Note: My wonderful wife packed my bag for this trip. Apparently, I wore the same clothing every day for last year's NC500 while the rest of the lads sported varied attire daily. She was mortified at the photos.

So she's packed a ton of clobber for me to change into.

I'm pretty sure nobody cares what I'm wearing, however, I owe it to my amazing wife to ensure I've at least changed my top once a day.

So, blue polo shirt it is! 

You can't tell I'm wearing it on the photos as I'm wearing a jacket or fleece... but just for the record, I'm wearing a blue polo shirt 😁👍

Love ya, babe 😘 

So, after an impressive display of regimented morning order and organisation by Gav and Olly, both myself and Craig hastily tried our best to be orderly too.

But we are pathetic and only made more mess.

We then left our Airbnb and set forth further up the Irish coast.

First, Carrigafoyle Castle, which is considered one of the strongest of Irish fortresses. It stands on a rock in a small bay off the Shannon estuary. We reached the top of it after an impossible amount of steps, and as our calves burst into flames, Craig took some dramatic, swooping snaps on his drone camera.

We love our castles 🏰 

With seconds to spare, we reached the car ferry. This ferry will eliminate a couple of hours driving inland, and the fact we caught the late morning crossing saved us a further hour's wait.

Ever-reliable Gav then secured us an Airbnb at Atlantic Way Cottage tonight! We had many hours of driving ahead, with plenty of points of interest en route  

Next up, the magnificent Kilkee Cliffs, a serene area of peace and quiet. We enjoyed a unique sense of tranquillity in this remote part of the world.

The weather has cooled significantly, and I started to regret my choice of blue polo shirt, but at least the wife is happy.

Craig surprised us with some packed sandwiches he prepared, proving he was slightly more organised than me this morning. 

During a toilet stop, myself and Olly scarpered across the beach for a photo opportunity before Gav had a chance to tell us off.

The photo is me standing next to a mural of Che Guevara. As I've acquired the nickname 'Red Wezz' on this trip due to my socialist leanings, a photo of a Marxist revolutionary and myself was not to be missed.

This pleased me ✊️

We continued our trek through quaint towns ... most of which have more pubs than people. 

We moved through the Burren, a region of County Clare. It’s a landscape of bedrock incorporating a vast cracked pavement of glacial-era limestone, with cliffs and caves.. 

We braved the rain to view these incredible huge slabs of rock! ... and, I have to say- incredible huge slabs of rock sounds like my record collection 🤘🤘🤘🤘

We called by Burren Smokehouse to sample some of their smoked salmon. Absolutely delicious! The four of us stood and snaffled supreme smoked salmon out of a sealed pack in the car park, munching away into giddy oblivion.

Dunguaire Castle next. More castles! Because we bloody love em!

Then, a few scoops of prime Guinness in lovely Spiddal! Oh, how we wished to stay for 10 more pints! 

But nope! One of us was designated driver and was feeling left out... so onwards to our Airbnb. 

Well, what can we say? What a top-notch house! The best so far.

We bought steaks to cook and plenty of booze to enjoy. 

Settled in, with the mighty Bruce Springsteen supplying the soundtrack, we kicked back, in awe of our surroundings, and gleefully happy with life.

What more can you ask for? All good things are wild and free.

Saoirse ☘️ 🇮🇪 ❤️ 🍀

**************

DAY 5 

The first part of our morning was spent trying to entice the local Robin to eat some porridge. We received this message from our friendly Airbnb host:

'I have left a saucer of oats on the kitchen window for the robin. Call out ‘spideogín’ (the Irish for Robin) and look around to see if she pops up on one of the walls. When you see her (hopefully), take a pinch of porridge and leave it on ground and step back and she should come and eat it.'

I caught sight of it ...and to say its massive is an understatement! 

She had our pants down though! Every time we reached for our phones to capture a photo, she flew away ... which is surprising due to her colossal weight.

For a mental visual, just imagine the size, shape and weight of a cannon ball the size of you fist, covered in robin colours

We took time out to visit Galway. Widely regarded as the cultural capital of Ireland, this beautiful city boasts a rich history and proud identity, all of which has been entirely eclipsed by Ed Sheeran’s shit song Galway Girl. 

It's a shame, really. 

Anyways, we took a stroll along the waterfront where there's an abundance of swans out on the waterways. While graceful and elegant, these birds can be fierce fighters and could likely take down a child or small person in a dust-up.

Me and Olly kept our distance, just in case.

After a relaxed coffee, we took a moment to purchase a permanent marker pen... 

If you recall, a few days back, Olly found a discarded toy boat. We hatched a plan. We will let the boat sail again from Galway! 

I quickly thought of a Wezzism to write on the boat and also put a small message as to where the boat is from. Plus, my email address, just in case it actually floats ridiculously far over to New York.

On it I wrote-

May your adventures flow as freely as your Guinness. 

This boat was found at Howe Strand. We set it sail again from Galway. 

Gav, Wezz, Olly & Craig

After that, I simply dropped it from a bridge into the rising rapids of the river.

Off it floated, upside down, towards the ocean.

Well, ya never know. But chances are, the swans have destroyed it thinking it was a discarded small human or something?

Next was a bold decision. How do we get our hire car back to Dublin at 11am on Saturday?

Enough winging things, this needed a carefully crafted and constructed plan... especially since the egg chasing Heineken Champions Cup final is happening there! No Airbnbs available, and hotels costing twenty-five million euros for a single bed in Dublin City!

As always, there was a glimmer of spinetingling life-affirmation on the horizon! 

Gav sorted it!

He secured a hotel at Trim, a town in County Meath, and its 2.5hrs drive across the country! And only 40 mins drive from Dublin. This puts us in arm's reach of Dublin for Saturday morning. 

So, we said a final goodbye to the incredible Wild Atlantic Way! The awe-inspiring, majestic, magnificent beauty of one of the greatest areas on the planet ❤️

Once at Trim, we were out for booze! Pub after pub after pub ... then the biggest meal any human being can realistically withstand at some place I can't remember! 
There was pictures of mad Mel Gibson hanging on the walls ... he used the castle (yes, another awesome castle 🙌) opposite to ue in Braveheart. 

We sat for our meals, the waiter came over with our order of drinks ... but they were thimbles full of Guinness....the tiniest pints ever... 

Then he said ... 'Well, ya voted for Brexit'

🤣🤣🤣

Funny fecker!

After much merriment and jest, over came the correct sized pints... and, obviously, a sincere apology from me, yet again, for our country being absolute Brexit bellends.

Anyways, further pints ensued! A pub with some exemplary jigs and reels! It was Irish music galore! And extra music in the pubs beyond!

And now, here's me, frantically writing all this the next morning.... Dublin today ... my head is spinning!

Oh, and finally, check out Ricky Tomlinson's message to us below. He's a good friend of Craig's, and what a lovely chap Ricky is for sending us that 😁👍

What's the craic! 

****************

DAY 6 

Blimey? Are you all still reading this?

Ok. For those that have followed this incredible journey...

Fasten your seat belts...

So, where do I start? ...what a frantic fiasco first thing! We got up, breakfast, shower, bags, check-out the hotel, car, motorway, airport to drop bags, drive again, car hire return, walk, toilet, toilet again, more toilet.. f'kin TOILET!!!... and finally ... deep breath......... 

Pub.

It is one minute past twelve o clock in the afternoon as I write this...

The other three are elsewhere. Shops, I should imagine. Olly's belly is, and I quote - like a washing machine on the spin cycle. 

So I'm hoping he's at the chemist. 

Mine isn't much better, to be honest. 

But I just needed to stop, grab a Guinness, and settle. A chance to write the final instalment of this travel journal. 

At 12:05pm in Dublin .. I'll say this ... a pint of Guinness counts as a substantial meal. Meals don’t have to be served on a plate. The black stuff is rich in iron and undeniably filling and fits neatly into a pint glass.

Two pints of the Irish stout for a starter with a side of Jamesons whiskey and then a third pint for a main course.

It's just how it's done here.

Update:

I've now met up with the other three. Olly was attacked by a seagull.

We have started drinking in earnest, this is our last sesh... and, ya know, we will leave the crushing hangovers of headaches, throwing up, the shits, sweating, and dread for tomorrow ... seriously, the consequences are predictable, unpleasant, and fully deserved... but we don't care. 

It is Dublin... birthplace of Oscar Wilde, WB Yeats and James Joyce ... Dublin is truly one of the world's great cultural cities! Whether you’re a shitfaced Brit, a tiresome American, or an international corporation looking to create a European headquarters to wash profits through ridiculously low corporate tax rates, then Dublin’s the city for you!

But joking aside, you can't help but fall in love with Dublin ❤️

*************

What a day! Drinking mega-large quantities of alcohol can unleash talents you never knew you had, such as talking total crap, Irish dancing, looking your absolute worst, and eating crap.

All the above were ticked off in various levels of competence. 

Guinness after Guinness ... pub after pub, we managed to get eight solid hours of drinking in. This included the airport. 

We partied hard. Check out the pics 📸 

But enough of all that. It's time to wrap this Irish journey journal up.

From the Wild Atlantic Way to Dublin, this has been a wholesome worthwhile undertaking. From the brotherly bonds to the memories made, we have completed yet another adventure of epic proportions.

We will say this ... while lounging by the beach sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them can be fantastic, a more active, adventurous experience will always do more to improve your quality of life. This has truly been a rich and rewarding experience. 

From our first crusade across the cusp of Scotland's spectacular NC500, to the beautiful awe-inspiring Wild Atlantic Way, the four of us have connected with nature and each other ... surely that is proven to help people feel better about life?

The connection with the outdoors has helped us declutter our minds, and for that, we are blessed with gratitude. Also, for those of you that don't know, the four of us are related to each other, and it's always great to reconnect on these escapades.

Ireland, you are beautiful. From the dramatic cliffs and atmospheric towns of the Wild Atlantic Way to the fairytale castles, craggy mountains and the friendliest of people throughout, Ireland is a land where beauty is bountiful.

Thank you ❤️

Finally, we hope we've inspired you to embark on an adventure too? There is, without a doubt, an unusual, exciting and daring experience ready and waiting for you. Go seek out new environments of beauty and wonder ...

Take a walk on the wild side.

Much love

Wezz, Gav, Olly & Craig