Family Travel with Colleen Kelly

Colleen

The country of Ireland is an island northwest of Continental Europe. Known for it's green pastures, Castled-top hills, and Gaelic hospitality.

Kids

Welcome to Ireland!

Cricket Team

Welcome to Ireland!

Colleen

Welcome to the beautiful country of Ireland! This is Family Travel and I'm Colleen Kelly... We've made the journey from the U.S. to the Emerald Isle...to show you why Ireland should top your list for a family vacation. Since I was a child, a typical vacation meant visiting family. Lucky for me, most of my relatives live in Ireland! On this trip, I'll be catching up with some cousins throughout Ireland. We don't miss a beat with this vacation! Starting off in the big city of Dublin, followed by a trip to the countryside! We'll be showcasing the culture, the castles, and the incredible life here in Ireland. My name is Colleen Kelly, and when I was single, I lived abroad and travelled the world. Then I became a parent,

and wondered

How would I ever travel again? So I set out to find a new way to travel, and get back to exploring the world, family-style. I'm here to guide you on how to get the most out of your family vacation. Pack your bags and join me, Colleen Kelly! We're going on vacation!

Colleen

We begin our journey in the nation's capital, Dublin. The city of Dublin is more than a thousand years old, and is rich with culture and history. Many visitors to Dublin stroll along the river Liffey, check out the architecture, or stop by the Guinness storehouse for a tour or a pint. When I am in the city, I approach it like a local. Shopping and lunch with a new friend are first on my agenda. So let's kick off our vacation in the city's famous shopping district. On a stroll down Grafton street you're gonna find toys, shoes, clothes and just about anything! Take the kids on a walk through Grafton street where you'll find some of the best street musicians and artists. At every turn on Grafton Street, there is modern Irish cuisine and great family food. To get a better understanding of Dublin and modern day Irish cuisine, I spoke with local food blogger, Kristin. She's not only a mom but she was born and raised in the U.S.

Kristin

What's great about Dublin is everything is so close together, it's such a small city that you can really easily walk around, and all the museums are located close together as well, so you can pop in-between them if you wanted, and make a day of it.

Colleen

That's great that sounds like fun, and so it's really easy to get around this city basically.

Kristin

It is, it is, it's-because it's so tiny, you can completely walk. I mean, you wouldn't be taking a cab between places like you would back home.

Colleen

Right, no I like that better, 'cause you can see the city.

Kristin

Absolutely. And, even-cause, you know, I have a four year-old and he still has little legs

Colleen

Oh yeah-

Kristin

So-so we kind of have to be conscious about not doing too much walking. But it's still fine because, just, you know things are a few blocks apart. And these are medieval blocks.

Colleen

So this is the rumor in the United States that the food is not so great in Ireland.

Kristin

That's an old rumor, because look at what's in front of us. This is world class food. This is smoked salmon from the Burns Smokehouse, which is out in county claire. That's top class, world class smoked salmon. They deliver, if you want to try it at home. Um, this is homemade brown bread. That's a really outdated conception-

Colleen

yeah

Kristin

and I think that anybody who came to Ireland today would quickly realize that it's not true.

Colleen

Beautifully presented and everything-

Kristin

I know I mean look at the colors, look at the freshness.

Colleen

yeah

Kristin

And there's real, you know, pride in, like, homemade breads and where the food is coming from, you know, that's the Burns Smokehouse. It's Irish Salmon, It's Irish homemade bagels.

Colleen

I know parents would love this, but what about kids, so-what would I do if I brought my kids here?

Um- Colleen

What would they be expecting?

Kristin

Well you could tempt them with the dessert setup.

Colleen

Oh yeah?

Kristin

Well that's my favorite trick, anyway.

Colleen

Today, Ireland's food scene is more than stew and potatoes. Enjoy the culinary adventure that awaits you in the emerald isle! After a delicious meal we need to burn off some calories. We head just north of the city to learn a traditional Gaelic sport. We step into the world of hurling, at the GAA Hurling club! Here, families who are visiting Dublin can take a lesson to learn about the historic Gaelic games.

Cormac

We actually get to take people here, and you know it's a very difficult game to explain. The best way to explain it, is to have people to play. So what we do is we take groups and families here, and they come and learn the basic skills of the oldest, and fastest field game in the world.

Colleen

And we get to do it! I think-

Cormac

Absolutely

Colleen

there's nothing better than actually, not just learning about it, but to- actually playing.

Cormac

Well the best way to do it is just to play it here, so we play both hurling and Gaelic football as well.

Colleen

and we got Nicky English, my cousin, and a famous hurler, to show us some hurling moves. What's the concept here? I mean, what-what's going on here when these guys are playing?

Nicky

You can catch the ball, and you can-see the guy catching the ball there now? And you hit it out of your hand, so. Guys can tackle him and take it off him, and you can run- you can only run three steps with it. So you can't just hold it in your hand and run forever.

Colleen

Do they ever hit each other with these things?

Nicky

Oh, all the time yeah.

Colleen

Can you teach me-

Nicky

Yeah no problem

Colleen

I have my cousin teaching me who's a legend in Ireland, this is great.

Nicky

Ok, so-I'm not going to hit it, but you gotta throw it up and hit it like that-

Colleen

ok

Nicky

ok? Straight at the camera.

Colleen

Oh, wait a minute-I wasn't concentrating enough.

Nicky

My cousin must be able to hit it.

Colleen

Wait it's in the blood, right?

Nicky

It's in the blood, you gotta be able to do it.

Colleen

Ok

Nicky

Hey!

Colleen

Hey!

Nicky

So normally, you have an opponent with you all the time who's trying to stop you from getting the ball. So, they're not supposed to hit you with the hurley, but they're supposed to knock the ball away from you, and stop you from trying to get it into your hand. You just, you just gotta hit it down there as you did before and Ben is just gonna stop you from hitting it.

Colleen

Oh he can't stop me.

Nicky

yeah he can easily, watch.

Colleen

If you'd like to see a professional game, check out Dublin's Croke Park. From the hustle and bustle of the city life, it's now time to head to the country where the locals go. Let's head to the town of Cong, in the west of Ireland, to experience a land where fairy tales do come true. Castles aren't just a thing of the past. In Ireland, families can experience all the pleasures of a medieval castle. The historic Ashford Castle was built in 1228, and was once owned by the Guinness Family. Many castles are open to the public, and offer medieval activities, such as falconry, archery, horseback riding, and much more! I joined my cousins from Galway to try one of the oldest sports in Ireland. I think being in a castle like this takes you back to the old days, kinda like Harry Potter, Don't you think?

Kids

Yeah, very much, Definitely.

Colleen

What do you think of the whole castle?

Kids

It's pretty good

Colleen

What about falconry, have you done that before?

Kids

No, Well I've seen the Falcon

Colleen

Yeah? You all look so calm, they don't look scared at all, I'm a little nervous. I've never had a hawk on my arm before. Oh you're fine with this right? Does this Castle look like the one on Harry Potter?

Kids

Yeah, it does.

Falconeer

And if you see how far around his head can go, did you see him then? He has twice as many bones in his neck as you and I have in ours. So he can turn his head almost all the way around, not quite. So we going to hopefully fly him from the tree here to all of you, and then we can go for a walk, we can take him for a walk and he will follow us, from tree to tree, just like taking a flying dog for a walk. As you do often (laughs). Give him a little bit of room, he has to get his flight plan in order, decide where he's going, you see him preparing. Now this is called casting off. You guys can do this as well. So I let go of the dresses, and I give him a push forwards, and off he goes. Now where's my volunteer-make a fist, keep an eye on him-weeee!

Colleen

Good job! That was good!

Falconeer

Well-done! -go eyeball to eyeball with him because sometimes people are looking the other way and "Oh my god I can't look at him!", and what a waste because to study the detail of him up close-he knows his job now. Weee! And you see him pull his wings in, make some adjustments there to his flying. Weee! A tree called Eva. Now Just Bend your elbow a little-

Colleen

Ooh! Very Good!

Falconeer

It's a very nice, gentle landing, isn't it? Everyone's always braced for impact, wondering if the hawk's going to take off with them.

Colleen

I've never been this close, before.

Falconeer

No, no.

Colleen

To any kind of bird.

Falconeer

you can see the detail of them.

Colleen

One of the most memorable activities for young children at a castle like this, is to go on a fairy walk. Children can explore old passageways and look for fairies. Following an afternoon of fairy sightings, it's a good idea to sit down for a nice cup of tea. When you're ready for a break from all the activities at a castle, you can sit back, relax, and have a cup of irish tea. In Ireland, tea is a way of life. Served three times a day, the Irish blend their tea with up to a 1/3rd cup of rich milk. Tea time is an opportunity to catch up with friends, and loved ones. A perfect ending to a day full of whimsical adventures! And we're off to Westport, County Mayo to visit more cousins, aunts and uncles! Mayo is the third largest county in Ireland. With rugged mountains and a beautiful coastline, it's a county of small villages that are scattered across the countryside. Our first stop in Mayo is the town of Westport. This is the beautiful town of Westport, voted one of the best places to live in all of Ireland. And it's easy to see why! Westport has a rich architectural heritage, dating back to the 1700's. Point out to your kids the traditions of this Georgian architectural style which is visible throughout the village. As you walk through town, shops, pubs, and award-winning restaurants adorn the streets. Jewelry is always a lovely souvenir, a reminder of a special trip. Or stay classic, with a sweater. The patterns are for different regions of Ireland. Shopping can work up an appetite. Grab a bite and enjoy the cultural adventure that awaits you on the Emerald Isle. Make sure to stop off at one of the many local tea shops in the center of town. During a stroll through town we stopped to chat with a family visiting westport. So why are you here in Westport?

Man

Well we love it, it's just a great place to visit. We love the time.

Colleen

Would you say it's a great place for a family vacation?

Man

Oh definitely, definitely.

Woman

There's lots of scenic drives to do, there's a lot of petting farms and things for kids.

Colleen

Oh, so great for his age too, right?

Man

Oh yeah.

Keep 'em busy Woman

Yeah.

Colleen

Yeah, you want to keep them busy.

Man

we wanted to make sure that we planned things-if the weather wasn't good, we have to make sure that he was entertained as well.

Colleen

Worn out for the evening.

Woman

yeah, that's the key.

Colleen

Westport, a town of Irish tradition and local charm. Now it's time for some Irish history and some outdoor family fun! We head up the coast, near Newport to learn the story of a historical pirate! In the mid-16th century, this castle was home to the legendary pirate queen, Grace O'Malley, one of the most famous women in Irish history! Rockfleet castle is definitely no palace, but it is truly a hidden gem to people visiting the area. The interior of the building showcases the castles medieval roots. With it's narrow stairwells, low ceilings, and slender windows. On our visit to the castle, we decide to invite a few friends with us, to hear the story of Grace O'Malley, the pirate sea queen. Look at this-Look at this view! and, uh, pirate queen came.

Man

Absolutely. The pirate queen-the pirate queen has said, Grinne Uile

Colleen

Famous. She's a queen,right?

Man

Grinne Uile She's the Queen, es.

Colleen

And we got a Pirate.

Man

and we've got the best looking pirate in the west!

Colleen

Did you have fun?

Children

Yes.

Colleen

What was your favorite part?

Boy

When the pirate came in.

Colleen

Oh, he liked the pirate of course, and did you like the queen?

Boy 2

probably on the top of the castle.

Colleen

Oh, who liked the queen? cause she was a woman, you know. Yes we girls like the queen I think. Definitely, definitely. She was a pirate queen. And I think she was over the pirate, right? She was above the pirate. She told you what to do, right?

Pirate

Yeah, Absolutely-I had a difficult job with her the state she wanted to go to sea and I said no, but she cut off her hair, and that's-that's how she became Grinne Uile. She made herself look like a boy.

Colleen

She did?

Pirate

She cut off her hair, I said no, and she still insisted and cutting her hair and went to sea. And she learned everything that I knew.

Colleen

Oh, and then what happened to you?

Pirate

Well I lived for awhile, and then I died.

Colleen

I hear this performance is really popular here in the west. What's it like?

Woman

Um, I guess it's a real good family show, it has something for everybody. It has lots of dancing, both Irish and (INDAUDIBLE) and so I guess it's a very good variety show which is perfect for families.

Colleen

and What do you think of it for families?

Pirate

It's just a great family show, it starts in june and runs all the way until September. It's also very much indigenous it's organic for the west of Ireland, and it's one of those things that tells a very historic story of somebody who was very much part of the Irish culture, Irish history.

Colleen

This was wonderful and I can't thank you enough, this is fantastic, great family entertainment. From Rockfleet Castle to the onstage performance, the legend of Grace O'Malley lives on throughout the land. And now we're off to zipline in a park named after the pirate queen herself. Ziplining is one of the many activities available at Pirate Adventure Park. So how safe is this?

Man

Super Safe.

Colleen

are you sure? Ziplining is available for the whole family, and it's the perfect way to see the beauty of the countryside. The zipwire has been used as a transportation method in some mountainous countries for many years.

Boy

It feels like you're going to fall when you're coming down from really high-ish, down the hill.

Colleen

Make sure you brace yourself for the landing, it's a bumpy one! But Ziplining is a blast, and anyone can do it! Great job that was awesome! Not only is the queen tied to the Pirate Adventure Park, but the local pubs' show their respect too. We're headed there for lunch. Who's hungry? The influence of Grace O'Malley can be seen throughout Mayo County. This pub was named after Grace O'Malley's nickname, Grinne Uile, and they serve up locally sourced food from County Mayo. Right here, there's a river here

Woman

There's lots of fantastic shellfish and fish out there and we use as much local stuff as we can, like even the herbs that have gone into that were from an organic farm on the greenway organic farm so it's, you know, between the (INAUDIBLE) and the local meat suppliers-everything. Local vegetable suppliers, you know-we're lucky-

Colleen

-that's amazing.

Woman

Everything's gone back now to, you know, to simple food, but good food.

Colleen

and that's how it should be, really.

Woman

yeah.

Colleen

I've noticed that there's a lot of kids and families in these pubs-can you bring kid's to pubs here, how does that work?

Woman

all pubs are set up for children, we have high chairs and special children's menus so children can eat healthy food as well.

Colleen

Pubs are a great way to get your family feeling like a local. Children can taste traditional Irish fare, while parents enjoy a pint of their favorite beer. During lunch we got to experience a session, which is an impromptu breakout of traditional Irish music. Music Is an important part of Irish culture. When in Ireland, be sure to stop off at a pub, and take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a spontaneous performance by local musicians. Just a stones throw away from Grinne Uile, is a local playground where kids can burn off some energy. We walk across a nearby bridge, into the center of Newport Village. The town of Newport is surrounded by natural beauty, and old world charm. This charming downtown area can easily be walked within minutes. But take your time, stroll, and poke your head into a few shops. Meet the shop owners, and even check out the grocery store. It's different from what your kids might be used to. Top of the Morning!

Woman

Hello! How are you? Good to see you!

Colleen

How are you?

Woman

Fine, thank you.

Colleen

I was wondering if you have ice cream here-

Woman

Absolutely-

Colleen

Some famous ice cream-

Woman

Lovely ice cream. There you are, I hope you enjoy it.

Colleen

Thank you, I will!

Woman

Is it your first time having it with us?

Colleen

You know, I've actually been here before.

Woman

oh really?

Colleen

yeah. When i was little I used to come in your shop and used to order these exact cones in fact. Which is kind of amazing to come back and have the same one.

Woman

God, I hope you enjoy it as much as when you did. And that the memories be good too. (laughs)

Colleen

They'll always be good to me, anytime you get Ice Cream is great right? (laughs)

Woman

It is, it does it good.

Colleen

That's true. Have a good day!

Woman

You too, thank you very much, bye bye!!!

Colleen

Just a few doors down from the grocery, is the local butcher. Who served us some Irish favorites. Sean?

Sean

Yes? That's me!

Colleen

Hi, I'm Colleen.

Sean

You're Welcome to Newport!

Colleen

I have to hug you, good to see you! Mr. Kelly showed us all around the butcher shop, and told us about one of his specialties, black pudding! Don't know what that is? Well, let's ask! And what is Black pudding? Cause I kinda heard that black pudding, is not really pudding.

Sean

It is pudding.

Colleen

It is?

Sean

it is pig (?) pudding. Can I show it to you?

Colleen

Yes, Yes!

Sean

That's black pudding, that's white pudding. That one there is a black pudding, with a white pudding in the center.

Colleen

What it is made up of? That is my question.

Sean

Blood.

Colleen

Oh, Ok blood. That's not so bad, I thought it was something else..

Sean

You have oatmeal, you have onions, you have flaked mill, part barley and seasonings. Here's one for you.

Colleen

Hahaha That looks like a Guinness!

Sean

Yes, We won a competition in France we had to create something with black pudding. So we created pints of Guinness, and we won a gold medal for it.

Colleen

How did you do that?

Sean

With severe difficulty!

Colleen

(laughs) Which is why you won the gold medal, right?

Sean

Exactly.

Colleen

That is amazing! And how do you eat that?

Sean

You don't eat it. It's mostly for show, but we won a gold medal in France, with 800 people in the competition, and we came away with a gold medal.

Colleen

O my gosh, no wonder you're famous!

Sean

Oh, I'm not famous, im just O'Kelly from Newport and the County Mayo.

Colleen

Newport, a quiet little village easy to navigate and perfect for making new friends! After strolling Newport, it's time to head back to Westport to meet up a family for a tour of the Countryside. This afternoon we're taking advantage of a beautiful day with a bicycle ride along Ireland's great western greenway! The longest off-road cycling and walking route in all of Ireland. First, let's met some of my cousin's friends who will be joining me on our bike tour. Hi!

Cousin's Friend

Are you excited about today as well?

Colleen

Very Excited! I get to join all of you, this is great! With any biking tour, it's important to understand where you will be riding, you'll need to out time for your family to pick out a bike and have it properly adjusted for everyone's height.

Guide

Okay so this is your front break, so if you're going down any sort of a hill, what break do you use?

Boy

The back.

Guide

Your back break, exactly.

Boy

And when I'm going up the hill, and I wanna go back, I probably use the front break.

Guide

Yes, that's right, ok?

Boy

And am I going on the small?

Guide

Yes, you're going on the kitty trailer.

Colleen

And before we know it, it's time to ride! Let's go! Woohooo!!! Our bikes are loaded into a trailer, and we are driven a few towns away to begin our biking tour. This looks fun! I think it's gonna be pretty far, do you think it's gonna be pretty far?

Boy

Yea.

Colleen

Yea? How many hours do you think it will take us?

Boy

Hmmm... let's see... one hundred.

Colleen

One Hundred hours? Oh, ok, that's not that long really. How many days?

Boy

One

Colleen

One day and a hundred hours? Excellent, I can't wait! I've been working out so hopefully a hundred hours will go by real fast! The entire trail is 26 miles long, which your family doesn't need to conquer all in one day. Find a guide that can accommodate your family's needs. Some offer pickup and drop off at any town along the route. The off road trail is intended for use by cyclists and walkers. The Greenway runs along an old unused victorian railway. It passes by some of the most dramatic scenery in all of Ireland. and offers magnificent views of Clew Bay. The off road trail is intended for use by cyclists and walkers. An estimated four hundred people use it a day. I know one thing, I'm coming back to Ireland, we forgot about that! This is absolutely Fantastic, What do you think of the Greenway?

Woman

This is the best thing that has ever happened in the West of Ireland, it is very family orientated. What do you think Darling?

Man

Oh, it is! It's been great! Specially for the Grandchildren. To be out here with them in the outdoors, is beautiful.

Woman

It's great, We came and the greenway is full with families. Colleen? And what about the ages? Grandparents?

Man

Oh, it is for every age, and down the trail and in the outdoors it's great, it's safe, it's easy, and very enjoyable.

Colleen

Alright, should we go cycling again?

Woman

Ok!

Colleen

Alright, let's go, ready? What a Fantastic outdoor experience for a whole family to enjoy! Now we are off to the town of Mauranay, to wind down our Ireland vacation. For night time entertainment, Nevin's Pub is a popular spot among locals with their families. Who knows? I might even run into one of my relatives there! When a family is looking fo an evening activity in America, Pubs are not usually the first place that comes to mind. But In Ireland, Pubs are a gathering place for families, where stories and traditions are passed down through the generations and in many ways is told through song. With All this History and traditions, you'll never run out of things to do in Ireland! This has truly been an enriching, adventurous, family vacation! It is easy to see why more families are traveling to Ireland. A beautiful and modern country with historic roots. We hope you've enjoyed this journey overseas. We'll see you next time, on Family Travel!