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What I Wore & More in Ireland
I’m back from a week-long trip to Ireland with my family, where we visited Dublin, Cliffs of Moher, Killarney, Kinsale, Cork and Castlemartyr. I last traveled to Ireland over a decade ago in what feels like a different lifetime; my husband and I were newly married in our early 30s and sans children. Back then, I threw a bunch of things in my luggage (which was notoriously overpacked and maybe overweight) and off we went.
These days, I’m a lot more strategic when it comes to packing for vacation. Maybe it’s because I’m a busy mom in my mid-40s who not only packs for myself but also my ‘tween daughter, or maybe it’s because I’m a busy Type-A woman in my mid-40s and after decades of traveling with a somewhat haphazardly packed bag, I’ve learned that less is more when it comes to clothes and shoes, and I like to get dressed effortlessly—even when (especially when?) on vacation.
In this Ireland Travel Guide, I’m sharing not only what I packed and wore, but also all the details on what we did and where we stayed and ate.
What I Wore on our Family Trip to Ireland
If you follow me on social media or have read any of my other travel guides, you know that I typically plan my vacation outfits in advance, and this trip to Ireland was no different. I tried on a few combos the week before our trip to make sure it was all comfortable and the footwear I planned to take worked with each outfit. Priorities for this trip were comfortable walking shoes, easy mix-and-match combos that I could repeat and maybe one or two nicer options if I felt like dressing up a little more for dinner. Once I finalized the pieces, I organized them into outfit options in my virtual wardrobe, which I can access from my phone, making it easy to reference each day when I got dressed.
Aside from what’s shown above, I wore Spanx Air Essentials wide-leg pants and an Athleta sweatshirt on our two travel days. Here’s a little more detail on the pieces above:
3 pairs of jeans: Kut From The Kloth wide-leg trouser jeans, J.CREW straight-leg jeans, Madewell demi-boot crop jeans. I wore them all equally, with the trouser jeans being my go-to for a few dinners where I dressed up just a touch more and wore my black boots.
1 pair of cropped sweater pants, which I wore during the day but also as my pants to go down to breakfast at the hotel each morning, because they feel a little bit like pajama pants!
1 pair of sneakers and 2 pairs of boots, all of which were worn throughout the trip, but I probably could’ve skipped the black boots. They’re comfortable enough, but not super comfortable, and I only wore them to dinner a couple of times and then on one of the days when we didn’t do a ton of walking.
4 woven shirts: I wore the chambray button-up the most, by far, followed by the white button-up. The brown button-up is silk, and while I love this blouse, I only wore it once to dinner and could’ve probably taken that shirt or the green blouse, as each was only worn once.
2 grey sweaters: Whoops… It’s uncharacteristic of me to pack two grey sweaters, but it worked as I wore them both, and they’re not exactly the same. For example, I wore the grey V-neck sweater layered over the white button-up, whereas I don’t layer the ribbed grey henley sweater over anything, as it’s more fitted.
2 knit shirts: I wore the jade green shirt several times, but only wore the turtleneck once, though I liked having it as an option.
1 sweatshirt: I wore the black/white striped sweatshirt several times throughout the trip.
1 blazer: This Maeve blazer is one of my favorite layering pieces because it’s knit, so I can layer it over shirts and lightweight sweaters, and I can add a coat on top without it being too bulky. I wore this several times on our trip.
1 trench coat: This Hunter coated gabardine trench jacket was perfect for this trip and for me. It’s lined and water-repellant, so it was just the right weight for added warmth but not too heavy for Ireland’s autumn weather and its on-again/off-again rain, which we experienced nearly every day. It’s perfect for me because it’s single-breasted with a slightly shorter hem (~34" long); I’m busty and 5’3”, so the fit is just right for my frame. Typically, I find mostly double-breasted trench coats, which add too much volume and heft for me, and longer lengths overwhelm my frame.
2 belts: J.CREW’s classic belt in Italian leather is the only belt one needs, I might argue. I have it in brown and black, and wore both.
Assorted gold jewelry: this was all worn daily.
This travel capsule made for really easy mixing and matching for traveling throughout Ireland. As I noted, I could’ve forgone a few of the pieces I packed, but I wore every single piece that I took on the trip at least once. I had enough variety without too many options, which made it very easy to get dressed each day. Even still, I could’ve created even more looks with the pieces I had available to me.
Want to know more about my family’s trip to Ireland beyond the fashion? Read on for where we stayed, what we did and where we ate in Ireland.
Two Days in Dublin, Ireland
Where We Stayed in Dublin, Ireland
We spent three nights at Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin, which is located in The Liberties neighborhood, an ideal spot for sightseeing—close enough to sights you want to see but quiet and free of crowds. Bonus: the Søren & Son coffee shop just outside the door is the perfect spot to grab morning coffee and pastries (we went there every morning!), and I’m told John Fallon’s “The Capstan bar” (literally outside the hotel doors) is also a super spot to grab a pint of plain; we tried but it was too crowded.
We booked a Family Room for my husband, daughter and me and I was pleasantly surprised by how big the room was. We had more than enough space and the layout was excellent. Right inside the door was a mini walk-in closet and a bench which gave us an extra area for getting ready. The living room had a sofa, desk with chair, TV and space for a rollaway bed, and there was a partial wall which made it feel more like its own, separate room. On the other side of the partial wall was a bed, another TV and two bed side tables. The bathroom had plenty of space and a good shower, too.
Things To Do in Dublin, Ireland
Ha’Penny is an iconic bridge over the River Liffey, named for the “half-penny” it used to cost to cross. You could stroll along the river to explore the other bridges in the city, like the famous Samuel Beckett Bridge which looks like a harp lying on its side.
Temple Bar is not my favorite area of Dublin, but we still took the time to stroll through. It’s a bustling area full of crowded pubs, restaurants, quicky shops and as I noted this time around, a lot of tattoo parlors.
Avoca is one of my favorite stores to browse, and I love that there’s a café with delicious food on the top floor. You’ll find a little bit of everything—clothing, cards, books, jewelry, artwork, gorgeous woolen goods galore, etc.
The Little Museum of Dublin is, in my opinion, the perfect execution of a museum. A midlife self-discovery? I’m not a huge fan of museums anymore. I don’t know that I ever was, particularly, but I’m even less so now. The guided tour at The Little Museum of Dublin is about 30 minutes, which is perfect. We had a really fantastic guide who was a captivating storyteller, sharing bits of Dublin history before closing out the tour with a solo parting song.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral are two popular tourist attractions in Dublin, and much to my surprise, we learned they now require admission tickets. Candidly, I don’t definitively remember if this was the case when we visited back in 2012, but I don’t think it was. For us, waiting in line plus paying around €30 for our family of three to enter—combined with the fact that I have mixed feelings about churches at the moment—wasn’t worth it, so we appreciated the views from the outside. But I know a lot of people enjoy sights like this when visiting new cities.
Kilmainham Gaol tours sell out seemingly the moment tickets are released, if that tells you anything about how popular this sight is. They also release a few tickets for same-day tours, which we were lucky to get. You might be familiar with the gaol from movies or concerts that have taken place there, but from its inception, it served as the county gaol and housed thousands of men, women and children who committed minor crimes as well as those who fought for Irish independence. It’s a moving, thought-provoking experience.
The Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum seemed like a good idea, and yes, this is coming from someone who just admitted to not really liking museums. As a U2 superfan and a fan of several other Irish musicians and bands, I thought the Irish Rock 'n' Roll Museum would be fun. It was just okay. It was neat to see some of the memorabilia, especially from U2, naturally, and I did learn a few things (for example, I had no idea Enya had never performed live and will never perform live, nor that she lives in a castle with countless cats), but overall I found it to be somewhat underwhelming.
Where We Ate in Dublin, Ireland
Søren & Son: Our favorite spot for latte and breakfast pastries.
Avoca: You can’t go wrong with a café on the top floor of a great store—and they happen to serve brunch all day. Don’t miss their “famous rainbow slaw.”
Cloud Nine: Gelato is a vacation must for our family.
Bovinity: A loud, buzzy, edgy, modern steakhouse on the north side, and coming from Texas, we feel like we know a thing or two about good steak.
Fish Shop: Don’t try to show up without a reservation. This adorably tiny restaurant is—tiny. But fish and chips are a must in Dublin, and this is the place for it. Much like my closet, I appreciate a menu that doesn’t overwhelm, and Fish Shop delivers on that with a handful of snacks, shellfish and fish and chips options, and plenty of wines to choose from.
Exploring Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher feel like a must-do when visiting Ireland. It’s about a 3.5-hour drive from Dublin, but it’s a nice drive and you can pick out some stops along the way. Keep in mind you’re driving from the eastern-most edge of the country to the western-most edge.
Our drive even within about 30 minutes of reaching the Cliffs was beautiful and sunny, but the closer we got, the worse the weather became. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, it was pea soup conditions, cold and rainy, and I didn’t think we’d be able to see much of anything at all, but as you can see in the photos above, the views were unspoiled.
Two Days in Killarney, Ireland
Where We Stayed in Killarney, Ireland
We spent two nights at The Europe Hotel & Resort, and we all agreed we wished we’d stayed longer! It is a beautiful property with spectacular views of Lough Leane and Killarney National Park, and it’s so peaceful. The location is ideal to explore the National Park as well as Killarney and its shops and restaurants.
Things To Do in Killarney, Ireland
Killarney National Park: We spent our single full day in Killarney briefly walking one of the trails in Killarney National Park (“briefly” is probably generous; it was rainy, cold and we were ill-prepared for all-weather hiking!).
Market Cross: This is the main shopping area, which connects Main Street, New Street and High Street, and where you’ll find just about anything you’re looking for—including plenty of gorgeous woolen goods to choose from.
Where We Ate in Killarney, Ireland
The Laurels Pub: A great spot for a pint and a snack after shopping.
The Porterhouse: A popular spot known for its steak and fresh seafood—and the cocktails are tasty, too.
An Afternoon in Kinsale
Things To Do in Kinsale, Ireland
The Old Head of Kinsale is a picturesque promontory with a 3.7-mile hike and a lighthouse. Although we didn’t hike the trail, a stop to take in the stunning views was worth our while.
Shopping is an ideal way to see all the colorful buildings that dot the streets of Kinsale. There’s something for everyone—art, gifts, clothing, footwear, culinary delights. Two of my favorite shops are Boland Gifts and Cronin’s (no website to be found, but they’re just across the street from Boland Gifts).
Where We Ate in Kinsale, Ireland
Fishy Fishy: While we didn’t eat at Fishy Fishy on this trip, it was recommended to my husband and me when we first visited Kinsale 13 years ago. We had planned to go back, but the timing of our visit to Kinsale didn’t coincide with a meal, so we unfortunately didn’t make it.
Wild & Tame: We did, however, grab iced lattes, hot chocolate and an enormous chocolate chip cookie to be shared and this adorable, woman-run coffee shop. There’s also a small section of gifty items like t-shirts, mugs, stickers and the like.
Castle Vibes in Castlemartyr, Ireland
Where We Stayed in Castlemartyr, Ireland
Castlemartyr Resort was the reason Kinsale and Castlemartyr were on our itinerary at all. It’s where we stayed the first time we visited Ireland, and we loved it so much we not only extended our stay that first trip, but we knew we’d be back. Since our last stay in 2012, it’s expanded but still has its charm of feeling like you’re really staying in an old castle (which you aren’t, but the manor house is close enough!).
The grounds and overall feel of this property are what we loved so much on our first stay, and that’s still the case. There are horses, sheep and pigs just out the front door and both hiking trails and paved paths to get out and explore. Inside, we loved grabbing a cocktail from The Knights Bar and sitting in front of the fire or playing a game in the library. There are so many great nooks to relax and just enjoy the time.
I splurged on a facial on this trip so I can recommend the spa, too. Be smarter than I was; pack a swimsuit and really make your time there worth your while!
Things To Do in Castlemartyr, Ireland
Cork English Market: This is such a fun place to explore food. It’s important to note, parking can be challenging. There are plenty of garages in the vicinity, but traffic getting to the garages can be hairy. If public transportation makes sense for you, it’s probably a better option. Worth it, regardless. There are so many food stalls to choose from. I’m convinced I had the best seafood chowder of my life.
Blarney Castle: Whether or not you choose to kiss the Blarney Stone is up to you!
Midleton Distillery: The distillery tour was a fun experience, and this is coming from a non-whiskey drinker. Although after trying the Jameson, ginger and lime cocktail, I may be a convert.
Where We Ate in Castlemartyr, Ireland
We never went far for any of our meals, opting to dine at the resort and one of its nearby restaurants during our stay.
Canopy Brasserie and Canopy Restaurant are both on-property. The brasserie is the more casual of the two restaurants with a more relaxed menu, and the restaurant feels a bit more elevated with a fixed price menu.
The Hunted Hog is a fun pub that’s part of the resort but a short walk away, on the main street in Castlemartyr.
Miscellaneous Musings
In Dublin, we walked nearly everywhere except for catching a few Ubers. We rented a car from Alamo at Dublin Airport for the rest of our trip, and I have to note that it was the best car rental experience we’ve ever had. Easy, plenty of staff who were all helpful and friendly. Still, driving on “the wrong” side of the road (and the wrong side of the car!) is no small feat—which is precicely why I left that part to my husband.
I’m still not sure what the definitive answer is, but it seems like it’s okay for kids to be in pubs until a certain hour—what that hour is, I’m not entirely sure but we never had any problems with our 12-year-old being in a pub for a meal (or even just a drink) with us if it was during the daytime. At Castlemartyr Resort, they clearly state that children cannot be in the Knights Bar past 6PM.
Ireland’s weather is wild. Nearly every day we had a little sun and a little (or a lot) of rain. Layers, an umbrella and waterproof shoes are essential.
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