Picture a Castle, in a far away land, surrounded by green pastures, swans swimming in ponds, and gardens blooming with colorful flowers. Furnished with antique chandeliers, grand staircases, elegant hallways, luxurious plush, sink-in sofas in front of ornate fireplaces lit with a warm evening fire. A fresh cup of tea being poured into a cup with a sterling silver spoon and the faint sound of classical music playing in the background.
Well, guess where I spent my afternoon?
First build in the late 15th Century but later completed in 1835 stands Dromoland Castle. Once home to the O’Briens of Dromoland who were the Kings of Thomond and whose family line goes back 1,000 years to Brian Boru, the only High King of Ireland. With over 400 acres of land, this historical castle includes a deluxe 5-star hotel, golf course and country club, day spa, fine dining, and activities such as fishing, falconry, archery, horseback riding and clay shooting.
Although my stay was only a mere couple of hours I was able to enjoy a beautiful meal, tour of the gardens, and an elegant tea time in the Library Bar. For a short time, I felt like a princess! Matt and I were treated to this special afternoon with Lydia and her husband John, two parents from the Limerick Celtics. We also had the chance to play a quick game of chess, but not just any ordinary game as you can see. I’ll hand it to Matt, he took the lead pretty quickly and I ended the game a bit early…but it was still such great fun!
I’m very grateful for this experience because it was our first time really exploring outside Limerick. One of the most incredible parts about being in this country aside from mentoring the kids and furthering my education is the experience of traveling. My next task is to devise a list of all the wonderful places I hope to see while here in Ireland! I truly never thought I would leave home and here I am halfway across the world sipping tea in a Castle! There are so many incredible places to explore and I am looking forward to plenty more adventures. The more I travel the more I realise that life is about experiencing what makes you happy not the amount of things you have.
