| UNIQUELY IRELAND | | TRAVELHotNews.com FAMs in Ireland with Transat Holidays & Tourism Ireland | | Zachary-Cy Vanasse |
Travelling as a guest of Transat Holidays and Tourism Ireland on a FAM, I currently find myself looking out at a (mostly) sunny day in the quaint little town of Dingle. I had never visited the Emerald Isle before, but my imaginings of what the place looked and felt like are being matched perfectly. That is to say, what you likely imagine Ireland to be, it is, and more.
Transat Holidays is currently offering Unique Experiences for groups, and through just three days in Ireland, in which the FAM group has now visited Dublin, Limerick and Dingle, I have already experienced some very unique moments.
How about falconry for one thing? During our visit to the sprawling five-star Dromoland Castle Hotel outside of Limerick City, Dave Atkinson, the Dromoland Castle falconer, gave our group a quick education on falconry, told us a little bit about the bird he had with him, Bruce (who is actually a hawk), and then let each of us participate - Bruce would swoop down onto our gloved and outstretched hand and perch there for a moment.
I was quite impressed by the majesty, killing-power and surprising lightness of Bruce. The all-female agents group I am travelling with seemed more impressed by Dave. But I digress.
I also found myself on the wrong end of unfair accusations that had me falsely imprisoned during our “authentic” medieval feast at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. As I stood accused of “trifling,” the evening’s randomly selected temporary king (a system of government less fair even than the feudal system in my opinion) decided to have me tossed into the Bunratty Castle Dungeon.
Though unjust and drunk on momentary power, the king was also kind of a softy, as I was allowed out fairly quickly in exchange for a few lines of a song. It wound up being “Row Row Row Your Boat” as “O, Canada” apparently isn’t well known enough in Ireland, and seeing as how electricity wasn’t yet invented in the Dark Ages, I had no karaoke classics to lean on. Lame song choice though it was, it satisfied King Some Random Guy enough that I was allowed to return to the table.
Other uniquely Irish experiences have included a presentation of the play “Conversations of a Homecoming,” of the Druid Murphy series, at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre, an Irish artisan food education and tasty experience at the Limerick Milk Market (I can assure you it’s not all potatoes and meat in Ireland anymore!) and a visit to the Blasket Centre on the Dingle Peninsula, with its spectacular panoramas and interesting cultural history.
And there is still plenty more to come, beginning with an apparent plethora of live music options here in Dingle, more amazing foods to experience in Ireland and some boating, butter museums, historic books and more.
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