Travel Journal #1: Ireland (Part Six - The End)

Outdoor/Travel

Dec 28

Cullan McNamara
Dates: September 11-18, 2017
Destination: Republic of Ireland
Travel Buddy: Kevin McNamara (Dad)
Part One: Day 6 - The End (with post-trip updates)

“... for no man knows if he shall survive the journey, and thus he departs with excessive revelry.”

Sept. 17, 2017 - Galway to Leixlip

UPDATE

I'm about to land where this story began. I'll arrive in Dublin in 40 minutes, and I'll have a short layover before getting to Rome. It's truly strange how life comes full circle. As I wrap up the final day of this journal, I'll soon begin the first day of the next. I look at the picture of my dad I and I on the adjacent page to this one, and I cherish the time I had with him. He never was able to do the same trip with his own father. The tears forming in my eyes are making it hard to see. I pray this trip will fulfill me as much as the last.

ANYWAY

My father and I reminisced on the way back toward Dublin.

"What was your favorite quote?" I asked, pen at the ready.

"Oh man. What was his name, Patty, in Dublin?"

"You mean Billy at Shanahan's?"

"Yeah! When he said, 'All of Ireland will be in a bar this Sunday. You better find yourself in one, too!" he said in his best Irish accent. "Or, maybe everyone who said, 'Go to Galway!' Connie's was good, too. 'Galway is the place dreams go to die 'cause you'll never want to leave it.' There were a lot of other good ones as well, though."

"It was a good trip, wasn't it?"

"It sure was, son. Have you booked a place for tonight?"

"Yeah, in Leixlip. It's about 15-20 minutes out of Dublin. This time we're in an actual hotel. I'm not sure if that'll be bad or good, but it'll be different."

We continued on about the wonders we'd seen and the people we'd met until getting into Leixlip. We passed the hotel, which resulted in a stupid argument erupting between us. That was my bad. I desperately needed sleep. We turned around and arrived in a moment. The room wasn't ready for us, so we had to wait a bit anyway. We explored and realized there wasn't only a hotel restaurant but also a hotel bar. This couldn't be better because of the Irish football match we had to see.

UPDATE

I've landed in Italy. 4.5 hour drive to Chicago. 6.5 hour flight to Dublin. 5 hour flight to Italy. 1 hour train to the city center. Now? 6 more hours on a train to La Spezia. Planes, trains, and automobiles, right?. After all this work, you better read the next journal!

ANYWAY

Our room seemed so luxurious and spacious at first. Then, I slowly noticed a poor paint job, a strobing bathroom light, and countless other minor issues. In reality, it was far from the nicest place we stayed. You win this round, AirBnB. Still, we'd only sleep there and spend most of our time in the bar. We dropped off our stuff and went straight down to it. Luckily, we'd arrived just before the game began. To be completely honest, my dad beat me there. I had to nap for about 20 minutes before I could properly function.

My father already started up conversation with two brothers by the time I arrived. They spoke about Irish football, golf, careers, and the like. The bigger, red-headed brother held nothing back while rooting for Dublin. During the whole trip, we heard of people rooting for Mayo, so it was strange being surrounded by Dublin fans.

The sport itself was like a mix of soccer and rugby. It was fast and rough, but it was clear there was much skill involved. They'd curve the ball into the uprights while running full speed. By the way, kicking the ball through the uprights is one point, getting it in the net is three, and it has a running clock like soccer. It's a wild and exciting sport.

My dad was enjoying his Guinness as I inhaled water. I was in recovery mode due to the excessive boozing of our trip. I leaned from my seat to see the only small TV available. I stayed for maybe a quarter or a third of the game before heading back to the room for a proper nap. My father stayed behind, ensuring nothing would hinder his last night in Ireland. I respected it, but I needed sleep.

When I awoke, a good amount of time had passed, and my dad was still at the hotel bar. He said the brothers he'd met recommended The Salmon Leap Inn for dinner and a drink. That would be the final pub we'd visit in Ireland, but it was by far one of the finest.

"Sorry I missed most of the game - I know it was supposed to be like the epic finale of this trip."

"That's alright. You did miss one hell of a game, though!" he laughed as we walked to the pub. "Dublin came back to win it in the final seconds of the match. The whole place was going nuts. Poor, Mayo! Haha!"

I shrugged and gave a laugh. It sounded amazing, and I wish I hadn't missed it, but at least he enjoyed himself. That was a lot of what this trip was about. I wanted him to realize the exciting and beautiful world outside of the States. After that trip, I can say I was successful in my mission. He truly loved our experience. We spoke more about the game until we arrived at the pub.

There was a dedicated bar side and a separate restaurant side, which actually also had a bar in it - that's where we sat. The place was absolutely packed. It was clearly a local favorite, and it seemed to me we were the only foreigners. Those were the sort of pubs we liked anyway. It was authentic.

The bartender that served us was a huge, dark-haired, bearded man. In essence, he was a badass. He had the physique of a marine, but he was soft-spoken and kind. We ordered Guinness, chicken wings, and entrees. Honestly, I don't like bone-in wings back home, but these were the greatest wings my dad and I ever had.

There was some special sauce that the bartender told us half the recipe of. So, we'll never know how to recreate them. But, if you want the greatest wings on the planet, go to The Salmon Leap Inn in Leixlip, Ireland. How ridiculous does that sound?

THE FINAL UPDATE

I'm on the plane from Roma to Dublin. I'm finally gonna be done traveling for a while. That sounds strange in my head, but for once in my life, I truly miss home. After a summer in North Carolina, a 10-day American road trip, and 17 days in Europe, I'm ready for some family time. Who knows how long that sentiment will last. Nonetheless, I'll be at home whether I like it or not for some time.

I really need to recuperate financially. Furthermore, and this is disappointing, I didn't really journal in Italy like I thought I would. I had some wild experiences and met amazing people, so I hope I'll recount that once finished here. Only time will tell. I know one thing, though - you should add "Hike the full Cinque Terre trail" to your bucket-list. I definitely shouldn't have started with that.

It was awe-inspiring and overshadowed much of the rest of my trip. That 16 mile, 10 hour hike was only matched by the next day's hike to Porto Venere from Biassa. I was lucky enough to show my good friend Dom and my girlfriend, Meg, around Rome, though. That was more special because of the people rather than the destination (I'd already been to Rome.) Porto Venere, on the other hand, felt just a little more... real than the Cinque Terre towns.

An important note is that I did these day hikes with two Australian guys, Justin and Hai. They would turn out to be amazing friends, and they made a cameo later in my Italy trip. I shouldn't write more until I start the next journal, but it was only fitting to have my final update at the end of my current world travels.

I TRULY HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED MY TALE - NOW, TO THE FINAL CHAPTER....

THE FINAL ANYWAYS

"You know, Dad, this trip has been seriously awesome. Thank you for doing this. It means a lot that I've finally gone on the long-awaited trip to Ireland with my father. I know we've bitched at each other, and I could be a jerk sometimes, but no trip will ever be better than this one. I mean, we drove all over Ireland! We didn't stay in a single place for more than a night - that's insane.... I love you, Dad. I'm glad we did this."

"I am too, son. There's no one I'd have rather done this with. I never got to go on this trip with my father, so this is pretty incredible. And to think you suggested it. Most kids never want to do this crap with their parents.... Thanks for nudging me in the right direction on this one."

"And, now you know there's a whole beautiful and exciting world out there," I said.

"I never thought I'd like it here this much, but I assumed it to be so different. I didn't know a place could be so green! They have so much countryside for such a small country. I could definitely come back here."

That was music to my ears. He somehow didn't think Ireland, or Europe for that matter, had much to offer. I think he understands a bit more now.

"I'd love to see Rome... and Athens... and go to Oktoberfest," he said dreamily.

We continued on like this for some time. This was the end of the rainbow. This was the literary arc. Obviously, the trip was about Ireland, its sights, and its people, but it was more than that. It was about my relationship with my father. It was like we'd finally gotten to know each other as adults, our likes and dislikes. We'd reconnected to each other and our familial roots, providing us endless stories to share with others. That was special. That's why I wrote this journal.

Even when my dad is gone, I'll forever have this piece of him. So will my kids and grandkids. And, I guess whoever gets the chance to read this. This journal immortalizes my father and this trip.

We concluded at The Salmon Leap Inn, drank a bit more at the hotel bar, then I beat him to bed. He returned to the room sometime as I slept. We awoke the next day and made our way to the Dublin airport. My dad was finally an expert on the left side of the road.

We returned the Jag with ease and took to the terminal by shuttle. These last few hours seemed to go by so quickly, but that's not bad when you're just trying to get home.

The two of us weaved through multiple security checks and arrived at our gate with time to spare. I know my dad hated that, but I preferred getting to the airport early rather than late.

"It was a good trip, son."

"Yeah... it really was."

We said only what was necessary, and we boarded the plane back to the United States. It would soon be time to tell our tale and share our photographs.