Have you ever dreamed of walking new paths? Visiting lands far away? Exploring places of outstanding natural beauty? Yes?! Me too!

After living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for almost 20 years and walking the same paths and trails over and over, I dreamed of new paths to walk on! Far away lands. Adventure. Romance. Beauty. I was ready to get out of my routine and rut.  Especially as a single girl! I hoped that if I kept walking my trails and paths, at some point they would intersect with my hearts desires…and that’s exactly what happened. I had my own Irish love story.

My Irish Love Story

Through a MIRACLE introduction to the man of my dreams, a tall handsome Irishman, a new chapter in my life began. After a whirlwind romance of him coming to Oklahoma to meet my family, and me traveling to Ireland for the first time to meet his, he got down on one knee and proposed. In the beautiful rose garden of Kilkenny Castle, I said yes!  I married an Irishman.

That’s where our new path started together. We decided we wanted to live in Ireland. And I’m sure that being an adventure girl yourself, you would’ve jumped at the chance as well! The land of Ireland is absolutely beautiful. Green fields dotted with white sheep. Mountains with streams of fresh water. The Castles and forests make it seem otherworldly in its beauty.

One of the first things I noticed  besides the beauty was how welcoming and friendly the Irish people are. They would always say,” You’re very welcome here,” and offer a cup of tea – which means they’d like you to sit down and visit with them for awhile. I had to let go of my fast-paced American “get in and get out quick” mentality and relax. It was quite a life change. After you visit, you may find yourself slowing down your own life to a more enjoyable Irish pace. Following are some fun and inexpensive things I have found to do in my new home.

SEEING IRELAND ON A BUDGET:

THE GREAT OUTDOORS-
Ireland is full of beautiful parks and hiking trails in the mountains that are all FREE of charge. Even walking through the cities with a map is a super fun adventure.

OPW HERITAGE CARD-
The Office of Public works have taken over castles and heritage cites all over Ireland. Go online and map your visit by picking sites you’d like to see. At your first stop, buy the heritage card which then gives you FREE access to all other opw sites in the Republic of Ireland.
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Info/HeritageCards/
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FOOD-
One order of fish and chips will feed two girls sharing. My husband and  I learned that lesson the hard way after gaining extra weight trying to each eat our own! Now we share. €10

In most convenience stores there is a sandwich bar where you an get a fresh, made to order sandwich for €3-5. It’s great to pack along with you when you go hiking or shopping and pull it out to eat when you get hungry.

PUB FOOD-
You usually can’t go wrong with pub food. The soup here is blended, homemade, and served with warm crusty brown bread and butter. It’s a cheap but delicious meal! €3.50

The Carvery style is also very popular where you go through a lunch line with a tray and choose your meal. The portions are huge! €13-15 Some places have a smaller plate that gives you a full plate for nearly half the price of the large one. €7-9 Just ask before going through the line.

TRANSPORTATION-
There is a new bus system that is very nice and has wi-fi on board. Learn more about visiting Ireland.

 

God bless your journey as He did mine!

Cynthia Murphy