Ireland 2025: Part 1

Day 1 – Dublin Pubs & Medieval History

I landed in Dublin on June 24 and met my friend Abdul. Our first stop was a museum (because nothing beats learning the history of where you’ve just landed). Later, we met up with our friends Joe and Lzzy from the band Halestorm at The Brazen Head — Dublin’s oldest pub, dating back to 1198.

From there, we wandered through Temple Bar, Dublin’s famous cultural quarter. Though it’s known today for music and pints, historically it was home to merchants and craftsmen. After a few too many drinks, we called it a night ready for the road trip to begin.

Day 2 – Iron Maiden and Halestorm at Malahide Castle

Abdul and I drove to Malahide, a seaside village with a castle that dates back to the 12th century. That evening, we watched Halestorm open for Iron Maiden in the castle grounds a surreal setting where centuries of Irish history met head-banging metal.

After the show, we stayed up late with Halestorm and their crew. Our friend Suzy, who works for Apple Music, joined the night, and eventually we dropped her back at her hotel. We finally landed back at our hostel around 2AM excited for what the reast of the week had in store.

Day 3 – Into the Kerry Mountains

The next morning, we picked up our friend Anthony from the airport and began the drive south. After a quick lunch in Cork, we stopped in Killarney for supplies before heading to Dromid Hostel, a remote stay in Ireland’s Dark Sky Reserve.

This area is famous for its stargazing one of the best spots in Europe due to the lack of light pollution. Unfortunately, clouds and mist meant no stars for us, but the drive itself winding mountain roads and misty valleys was pure magic.

Day 4 – Ruins on the Ring of Kerry

We spent the day driving the Ring of Kerry, discovering places like Glen Church Ruin and Cemetery and Ballinskelligs Castle. Ireland is dotted with ruins like these — remnants of medieval strongholds and churches that fell during centuries of conflict and colonization.

Standing among those stones, you can feel the layers of history: Viking raids, Norman invasions, English rule, and Irish resilience.

Day 5 – Dingle’s Wild Coast

The drive from Dromid Hostel to Dingle took us through rain showers and bursts of sun. At a scenic viewpoint, we met a man selling handmade St. Brigid’s Crosses, a traditional Irish symbol of protection. His donkey, with a little dog perched on its back, completed the picture-perfect moment.

Later, we stopped at Inch Beach, a famous surf spot where golden sands stretch for miles. By late afternoon, we reached Brandon’s Creek, where clouds finally broke, revealing Ireland’s dramatic coastline. Lush green mountains rolled into cliffs that plunged into the roaring Atlantic below.

We spent the next day in Dingle. We learned that on gloomy and rainy days most people like to spend time in town. We headed to one of the pubs to cathch a Gaelic Football match between Kerry and Armagh. The heavy favorite was Armagh, but Kerry came out humming and won big. We spent the remainder of the day taking in the sites before making our way back to the bnb.

Day 6 – Cliffs of Moher Sunset

Next stop: Lahinch, a small surf town on the Atlantic. We Decided to take a break from driving and take a quick ferry from County Kerry to County Clare. We stopped at our hostel in Lahinch and decided to head down to the city center for some Guinness beef stew. The weather changed every hour, rain, sun, clouds, but by evening we were rewarded. At the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most iconic sights, the skies cleared just in time for a spectacular sunset.

The cliffs rise over 700 feet above the ocean, and legends say they’re home to fairies and sea spirits. Standing there as the sun dipped below the horizon felt almost otherworldly.

Day 7 – Galway & Live Music

We ended this leg of the trip in Galway, known for its vibrant arts scene and bohemian spirit. We walked the streets watching artists and musicians perform. After wandering cobblestone streets, we caught a show at The Kings Head by The Hidden Maple, an Irish band whose sound was the perfect soundtrack to end our journey.

The next morning, we drove Anthony back to Dublin airport but Abdul and I weren’t done yet. We hopped on a bus north, into a land with a very different history: the North of Ireland. Stay tuned for part II