Blimey, we’re home.  And I have a fecking ton of work to do, y’check?  So’s ye can bet I won’t be writin’ much in the comin’ weeks here on the ol’ blog.  Thought I’d leave ye, friends, with a list of some o’ the best things about the west coast of Ireland, from this lassie’s perspective.  Thanks a million!

1.  No high fructose corn syrup in food or drinks.  It makes a big, tasty difference.

2.  There’s no bad view from anywhere.

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See?  This is just random countryside.

3. Live music every night in almost any pub.  I tried to upload a video here, but no luck.  The best we saw were The High Kings and Lumiere.  You can find them on YouTube if you’d like.

4.  Very patient, accommodating drivers (who drive on the left from the right side of the car, on roads that are sometimes one lane wide.) Phew.

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5.  The Cliffs of Moher.

It's just breathtaking.

It’s just breathtaking.

6.  Ruins are everywhere, and mostly you can just walk up to them and explore.

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7. Hiking is everywhere, and you are most welcome to just hop on a trail and see where it goes.

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… and this one brought big reward.

8.  Fish and chips.  Guinness.  Also everywhere.

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That’s Smithwick’s- but you get it.

9.  Cozy little towns that reminded me of home (and did I mention, Irish people were incredulous that we lived in a little town called Belfast.  We encouraged them to visit.)

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This is Fisher Street which makes up half of Doolin,County Clare.

10.  This.  The Irish sense of humor.  (Though dead serious about four things:  music, beer, whiskey and hospitality.)

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Funny because it’s true.

Ireland stole my heart, and the hearts of these people as well.

As the Irish say, I’d do it again in the morning.

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Oh, these people – they steal my heart every day.