Woke up to a calm, quiet morning out in the countryside near Maynooth. Our Airbnb hosts, Austin and Mary, were pottering about again—and their deaf dog gave us a fond farewell nuzzle before we hit the road.
First stop: Naas, just a short drive south. We decided to treat ourselves to breakfast, which turned out to be ridiculously expensive (again). At this point, I’m starting to think Ireland has some sort of unspoken surcharge for eggs. But coffee was good, and it gave Charlie a chance to re-fold the map, which he’d taken very seriously since assuming his role as Chief Navigator.
From there, we started weaving our way across the drizzly Midlands, avoiding the motorways where possible, taking it slow and stopping whenever the mood struck. A proper road trip day.
We passed through Kildare, where we had a mooch near the historic cathedral. There’s something quite stately about the town—compact but full of little architectural details you’d miss if you blinked. Portlaoise was next—a bit more urban, with a lived-in feel. Not a postcard town, but full of energy and proper local life. Charlie got tooted at a couple of times in his Welsh football shirt! We didn’t hang around long, just enough for a snack and a stretch.
Then, a slightly longer drive brought us to O’Brien’s Bridge, which straddles the River Shannon on the border between Clare and Limerick. The bridge itself is old stone, stretching across the water with just enough wobble in the narrow lanes to make it exciting, we took a long walk along the riverside path I'm guessing the bridge was built by O'Brien...
Eventually we rolled into Limerick. First impressions? Honestly lovely. The sun was dipping a bit by the time we got there, and the city was glowing in that soft Irish light that makes everything look a little enchanted.
We wandered around town for a while, taking in the mix of Georgian buildings, river views, and that slightly scrappy charm that makes the place feel real—not polished, but full of character.
Our Airbnb for the night was a converted townhouse owned by Sinead—she was lovely, and the place had a relaxed, bohemian feel. After dropping our stuff, we took a short walk around the local streets, then headed back into Limerick proper for the evening.
Dinner was a budget classic: Tesco Meal Deal, eaten by the River Shannon.
Not fancy, but sitting on the riverside wall with Charlie, watching the water roll past and the city lights starting to flicker on—it was perfect in its own low-key way. Simple, quiet fun.
Charlie, in between bites of his sandwich, looked around and said:
“Ireland is like Wales… but with a better economy.”
Can’t argue with that, really.
Tomorrow: Waterford (hopefully), and more of Charlie’s map-led mystery tour of the Irish countryside.
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