Just returning from a vacation in Ireland

I have just returned, along with my wife and sister-in-law, from a trip to Ireland. Nice trip. Beautiful country. Lots of pubs. Many old castles. Huge tombstones. Sheep everywhere, also cattle. Crowded with tourists. Glad to be back home.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

That about sums up our vacation to a beautiful country that sings sad songs but everybody seems to be happy. At some of our evening meals we were entertained by vocalists singing Irish songs. Yes, they are beautiful, but mostly sad.

I had wanted to visit Ireland ever since my late sister, Bena Mae, years ago said it was her favorite place to visit.

We started in Dublin, the capital, and ended in a different hotel in Dublin. In between we visited many towns and villages. My favorite stop was in Killarney. It was busy with tourists. Some kind of auto race was going on there and thousand of people filled the 60 hotels.

My two favorite sightseeing adventures were the Cliffs of Moher and a sheepdog demonstration. The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs located on the west coast of Ireland. The cliffs are entirely vertical and high. You’ve probably seen them in several movies. They are a favorite background for film productions. The weather in Ireland has a mind of its own, but fortunately for us the weather was clear and our view was excellent. There are several walking paths that give you an opportunity to see the cliffs from various locations.

Totally incredible is the only way I can describe the sheepdog demonstration. These are the best trained dogs you will ever see. The dogs obey every command of the handler. The dogs seem to love herding the sheep. They stay ready for each command and when the handler gives it, off they go, even to great distances. When the distance becomes too great to hear the handler’s voice, the  command then comes from his whistling.

There were 41 people in our tour group. We met people from places all over the United States. Our only foreigner was from England. The American presence is very vivid in Ireland. Next to their flag I always saw an American flag. Much of their TV was American reruns. Our guide and others there were constantly mentioning the 40 million Americans that are Irish.

What I didn’t see in Ireland were pickup trucks and billboards. Our guide said we don’t want those gas guzzlers here. The price of gasoline was $8 a gallon.

They take pride in the looks of their country, and that’s probably why there was a lack of billboards, but lawyers and businesses do seem to carry on without them.

I have been taking regular vacations since I married the beautiful Judy Holman 59 years ago this June 1st. We have visited all but two states and a few foreign countries. I like travelling, but I detest flying. That’s why I made a vow to stay away from airports after this trip. All that walking, waiting and crowded space on the plane is not for old folks like me.

However, I do recommend vacations. Going other places makes you appreciate what we have here at home. It is also a time to clear your mind and it is good for your mental health.

Yes, I would like to see more of what the world has to offer and I would like to be younger too, but the last part is not possible so that’s why future vacations will be spent closer to home for me.

Finally, I did enjoy the trip and I’m glad we took it. Ireland is a wonderful place to visit, but so are many places in Kentucky and the USA!