Slán Go Fóill, Ireland
GAELIC GETAWAY, CHAPTER 17: IN WHICH WE SHIFT OUR GEARS
Days 18, 19 & 20: Tralee to Limerick to Dublin. When we awoke to rain Friday morning, we decided to wait it out. We had only about 65 miles to go for the day, and we were in no hurry. By the time we left around 10, the sun was trying to peek out, but dark gray clouds lingered overhead.
The night before we had booked reservations for the next two weeks through January 2 in Belfast. As we looked at the dates, we realized that we would need to do something about our rental car. Though rental companies always offer an optional collision damage waiver (CDW) for an extra fee, most credit card companies provide this coverage if the rental is paid with their credit card. In certain countries—namely Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, and New Zealand—many cards do not offer coverage, and the consumer is left to pay the rental company’s pricey CDW fee, which can increase the rental cost by 30% or more.
Because we are aware of this exemption (and readily understand the reason for it since we’ve snapped off wing mirrors on rental cars in both Ireland and Italy), we are studious about the coverage our Visa Sapphire card offers. Yes, it does cover rentals in these countries but only for a rental lasting no more than 30 days. Since we picked up our car on December 1, we will exceed the 30 days before leaving Ireland. Though we are in our third car, we’re still on the original contract.
As Ken was driving us toward Limerick, I was searching for a good rate for our new rental. Since we’d be dropping off the car in Dublin, we had to be careful to pick it up in the Republic of Ireland. We couldn’t start the new rental in Northern Ireland (another country—the UK) or we’d be hit with a massive international drop-off fee in Dublin.

By the time we reached Limerick, I had cancelled all our reservations beyond there. The same bookings we had spent two and a half hours planning the night before. Most of these cancellations required a phone call, and for once our cell signal was strong the entire trip. Another sign.
We arrived at the Absolute Hotel in Limerick in time for lunch at the Absolute Bar and Grill. The food was absolutely delicious, and by the time we were finished, our room was ready. With the assistance of the cordial Katie at the front desk, we upgraded for a bargain price to a two-room suite so we would have a bathtub in addition to the walk-in shower. She assigned us to a corner suite on the top floor with a little balcony overlooking the River Shannon. Very spacious and clean, it was missing only a refrigerator, but the air temp was cool enough to store our refrigerated goods on the balcony.
Once we were settled in the room, we began making reservations for Scotland—flying to Edinburgh on December 21, as originally planned, and spending five nights in an apartment in Old Town. After a salad in our room, we called it a night.
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King John's Castle |
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Curraghgower Singers |
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St. Mary's Cathedral |
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Canada Geese--they're everywhere! |
Plans complete, all we needed to do on Sunday was drive most of the way across the country to reach Dublin. Fortunately it was only 120 miles, all of it on the M7, the longest motorway in Ireland. Exits, or junctions as they are called here, are numbered sequentially rather than by mileage as on US interstates. A little past halfway we stopped at Junction 14 Mayfield, a rest area and so much more. Independently owned, the service area aims to give motorists a place to "relax, recharge, and refuel." To accomplish those goals, the complex includes a grocery convenience store, a coffee shop, several fast food outlets, a restaurant, and restroom areas all under one roof. Outside there is a petrol station. Though it was quite busy, we found the concept very appealing.
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Junction 14 Mayfield near Kildare, Ireland |
As we prepare to fly to Edinburgh tomorrow morning, we marveled at the weather on our last full day in Ireland. As often as we have seen rain and wind and storm clouds in the past 20 days, today, when we had no sightseeing plans, the sun was beaming overhead in a blue sky. Go figure.
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Sunny skies over the M7 |
- Started in Tralee, ended in Dublin
- Mileage - 198 mi. (Trip total: 6,142)
- Weather - 43° to 59°, cloudy, windy, rainy
FRIDAY, 18 DECEMBER - SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER, 2015
More Photos
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Thomond Bridge near the castle, built in 1840 |
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Former toll house for the Thomond Bridge, now available as a vacation rental |
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The imposing King John's Castle |
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Sun setting in Limerick |