It has been three months since my daughter and I returned from Ireland, but if you talk to her, you’d think we got home yesterday. Though only 5 years old — an age some would deem too young for international travel — Olivia recounts her trip highlights with enthusiastic ease. I give Adventures by Disney (ABD) all the credit.
People talk about the “magic of Disney,” but a seamless international trip with a group of strangers is no product of a wand; it’s the result of thoughtful programming and lovely, talented people. Olivia and I had the benefit of both from day one.
Clients can explore Dublin’s charming Temple Bar neighborhood.
Credit: 2018 Adventures by Disney
Our Adventure Guides — the official leaders of any ABD journey — were the first faces we met in Dublin. Part on-the-ground travel agents, part local experts, Stephen and Landon wore as many hats as the world’s best character actors. The duo divided and conquered during our initial meeting; Stephen, a native of Ireland, wowed Olivia with tales of Irish fairies, while Landon marked up a map of nearby sights and snack stalls that we could visit prior to the trip’s formal welcome dinner.
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Stephen and Landon’s ability to care for the interests and needs of our group did not falter throughout our eight-day journey. In the capital city, the duo supported parents who needed to pencil in naps for their children after a walking tour through the Temple Bar neighborhood. The next morning, we avoided crowds by entering Epic The Irish Emigration Museum before the public. And on longer bus rides between destinations, guests leapt between learning and laughter; if Stephen was giving a history lesson or telling a story over the intercom, Landon was likely singing a self-penned jingle while bouncing down the aisle and passing out Irish snacks. Between limerick contests, a Disney version of “Name That Tune” and a film screening, our time on the road breezed by.
Budding orinthologists will love the on-site Hawk Walks at Dromoland Castle Hotel.
Credit: 2018 Adventures by DisneyOff the bus, the trip schedule struck a good balance of group time and independent exploration.
In County Kerry’s Killarney National Park, we traveled across Lake Leane by motorboat out to the teeny, uninhabited island of Innisfallen. We were on our own once there, traversing trails and playing hide-and-seek with friends among monastery ruins. At one point, we interrupted a herd of deer resting in a sea of wild grasses and flowers — even our whispers were more than these creatures were accustomed to.
“There isn’t one single thing about this itinerary that disappoints,” Steven told me one afternoon. “I love the boat ride to Innisfallen. Guests come back from that little island, and they’re different people.”
Families learn to make scones at a multigenerational working farm.
Credit: 2018 Adventures by DisneyWhile wandering the quaint streets and shops of Kilkenny, Killarney and Kenmare held plenty of sweet moments for me, for Olivia, nothing compared to our stay at Dromoland Castle Hotel. You could feel our large group collectively holding its breath as we pulled onto the grounds of the manor-turned-hotel in County Clare. Grand yet approachable, the 400-acre estate offers guests leisure activities of all kinds. We enjoyed a fancy afternoon tea with another mother/daughter pair, and greeted feathered friends at the on-site falconry center, home to well-trained peregrine falcons, hawks and owls. Other families went fishing in the pond, or tried archery, clay shooting or horseback riding.
An evening visit to a local farmstead was the only thing that lured us away from Dromoland, and though I left the castle somewhat begrudgingly, this night was my favorite of the whole trip. Rathbaun Farm, a multigenerational working farm, gave our group the opportunity be part of a lovable — and lovably ornery — Irish family. Owner Frances Thompson led a scone-making lesson full of firm dos and don’ts. Later, her husband, Fintan Connelly, helped our crew bottle-feed young sheep, and his sheepherding dog got the kids cheering and hungry before a homemade dinner. We indulged in hot scones — plus pork, cabbage and mashed potatoes — with a live piano player belting out tunes in the background. It was an unforgettable evening — one to rival even a night in a castle.
“When strangers go through an experience like this, a bond is created,” Stephen said. “The lines that separate us start to blur, and families adopt each other. As guides, we love to see that.”
Olivia enjoys the farewell dinner at Dromoland, which featured live Irish dancing, music and dinner.
Credit: 2018 Adventures by DisneyOn our final night together, we gathered in a stunning room at Dromoland for live Irish dancing, music and dinner. Stephen and Landon shared a slideshow of photos they’d captured that week, and watching our smiles and trip shenanigans was bittersweet for us all. Saying our goodbyes in the morning was the biggest challenge of the trip.
We hadn’t boarded our plane at County Clare’s Shannon Airport before Olivia turned to me and said, “I miss Ireland.”
And she’d say it for days and days after we were home.
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