Travel Review: Luxury Ireland Tour, Dublin, Killarney, Kinsale, Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, Falconry, Fishing, Cooking Class

There were few parts of the trip that did not qualify as candidates for the most enjoyable or the most memorable.  Dublin deserves more that a day or two and there are a large number of pubs that deserve (nor require) a more thorough evaluation of their wares).   In Killarney we stumbled across cascades that Queen Victoria visited - not on the schedule but a by-product of a morning of fishing.  The same day we flew hawks and owls with the Falconry - an unplanned but brilliant experience.  The Cliffs of Moher were as incredible as everyone says.  There is a reason that it is a must see.  We were fortunate (although some might have thought otherwise) to be there on a windy day when the seas were very turbulent.  The sights were breathtaking and we all remarked that like many of our stops, the light and the conditions changed so quickly that it was like being in a different place from minute to minute.  On our second to the last day, we found four rainbows - or they found us.  Kinsale was a treasure that deserved far more time that we gave it.  A small sea resort town that justifiably is a “foodies” town.  The Castle in Dromoland was a last minute request (we requested a castle and our travel planner booked this one).  We only spent one evening but next time...
Prior to our trip a few of us were concerned about the reputation of the food.  I was not concerned but I am delighted to report that all of our dining experiences were enjoyable and many were remarkable,  We scheduled an Irish cooking class (a cooking class is an experience we try to arrange on all of our international trips) and I am delighted to say that not only did we bring back recipes and some new tricks - we are already trying to replicate some of the meals that we had.  (I was particularly fond of the pub food and tonight made a fair imitation of Guinness and Beef stew).
However, without question, the most enjoyable part of the trip was the people.  We were delighted with the hospitality and friendliness of the people we met - not the least of which were the staff of the travel company.  We were serenaded by picked up and introduced to Dublin by our guide (who also provided the first pub recommendation which we dutifully followed on our arrival nigh), our other guide who walked us around Dublin (and serenaded us three times - Molly Malone the favorite), our driver who drove us for a week on small narrow backroads adapting the trip to spur of the moment decisions and acting as a perfect host.