A vehophobe falls for Ireland’s wondrous public transport
I set out for Ireland nervous. As a lifelong New Yorker, driving was never my priority. The subway, taxis, bike lanes and, more recently, Uber deemed it unnecessary.
I’m hardly comfortable driving on the “right” side of the road in my own hometown. Was I really going to embark on a road trip through a foreign country famous for its narrow, winding, dark country roads — where they drive on the “wrong” side of the road to boot? But that wasn’t going to stop me from traveling through the glorious coast and countryside of the Emerald Isle.
I’d simply have to rely on tours — via both buses and trains — to do it.
My first stop was Dublin, as famous for its formidable sons (Bono, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce) as it is for the Guinness Storehouse, where I later drank in the long history of the world-famous beer.
Ireland is also known for its “liquid sunshine” — a cheeky nickname for rain — and my friend and I felt droplets as soon as we stepped off the plane. We made a beeline for a taxi.
(Thankfully, Dublin has an ample supply.)
But before we could ascend the staircase of the cluster of four glorious Georgian townhouses that comprise the Merrion Hotel, two concierges bedecked in top hats ran to meet us curbside with oversize umbrellas and gallantly led us to (dry) safety.
The entire staff exhibited that signature Irish warmth and the vibe is as personable as it is elegant (from $294).
Subdued and sublime, the Merrion is the perfect antidote to the throbbing heart of the city outside.
The new Garden Room restaurant, which opened this fall, offers modern Irish cuisine against a backdrop of lush 18th-century gardens that include a fountain imported from Provence. Located in the center of town, the hotel is within walking distance to major sights and scenic streets — perfect for the driving-phobic.
(Truth be told, even walking around Dublin left us white-knuckled and dry mouthed. Jitters and clumsiness arose simply from negotiating the city’s byways, where left-side walking rules.)
Book a meal nearby on the impossibly chic Dawson Street. Fire Restaurant, located in an old state house, is a particular gem, with glorious stained glass that makes for an opulent dining experience. Go for the three-course price-fixed menu — and try the Irish chicken supreme as a main — for about $58. With no shortage of castles or cliffs to see, it was time to get out of Dublin. We embark on a two-hour journey by bus to Belfast, in Northern Ireland, via Wild Rover Tours ($65 per person).
There, we tour a highlight of the small nation: Titanic Belfast, the Titanic-centric museum that sits on the same site as the shipyard where the fateful ship was built. Fun fact: the architecturally zany museum stands the same height as the tragic ship.
The bus continues north to the breathtaking Giant’s Causeway — a stunning 18-mile-long rocky coastline of rocks that’s also a Unesco World Heritage site. (These days, it’s better known as a key location for “Game of Thrones” filming.) Now that we’d covered the north, it was time to head back into Ireland and climb aboard the country’s formidable rail system.
We hired tour operator Railtours Ireland for a three-day excursion (about $600 per person) to criss-cross the beautiful landscape with no hassle or stress — and plenty of gazing out the window.
First stop: the Port of Cobh in County Cork, a sumptuous Irish riviera in the south, complete with bright-colored buildings that line the sun-dappled sea. Grab a drink from the bar at the Commodore Hotel and watch the sun set over the flag of the former White Star Line office. This port was the Titanic’s final stop before it started its fateful voyage across the Atlantic.
Back on the train, we head west to the charming (albeit touristy) town of Killarney. It’s easy to see why so many people — visitors and locals alike — are drawn to the town’s pulsating energy here, which brims with sophisticated restaurants, shops, and bars with sing-alongs that spill out into the streets every night.
I felt the luck of the Irish just experiencing this breathtaking country, where the people (totaling just under 5 million) are said to be outnumbered by the prodigious number of sheep. The famous “liquid sunshine” was hardly a drawback given the gorgeous landscapes and gregarious locals, who were always razor sharp and ready with a joke.
Turns out I didn’t need a car to get to know Ireland after all.