Irish Road Trip #2 - Maynooth → Naas → Midlands → Limerick

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.

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Tomorrow: Waterford (hopefully), and more of Charlie’s map-led mystery tour of the Irish countryside.

Irish Road Trip - Holyhead → Dublin → Maynooth-ish

 

And we're off.

After weeks of vague plans and even vaguer maps, the Ireland road trip officially began today.

We left the car parked back in Holyhead, strategically placed just far enough from the ferry terminal to dodge the savage parking charges. Already feeling clever.

The P&O ferry to Dublin was enormous — more shopping centre than ship — and Charlie was in his element. He tore around the decks with wide eyes, exploring everything like he was on a secret mission. We had an expensive dinner on board (standard ferry stuff — fine, but nothing to write home about unless you're writing a complaint).

After a smooth 3.5-hour crossing, we docked in Dublin Port, grabbed a bus into town, and made our way to pick up a hire car.
And then came the pain: €250.
I swear, at that price I thought I was buying the bloody thing. Still, we needed wheels. I handed over the dosh, cursing the fact I could've brought my own car for that money, and all its comforts.

Charlie climbed into the passenger seat, road map already unfolded.

Trip rule #1: No Google Maps.
Just us, an old-school road atlas, and Charlie playing Co-Pilot Navigator-in-Chief for the week. What could possibly go wrong?

Turns out, quite a bit.
Missed the turn for Maynooth on the M4 and ended up doing a lovely extended tour of the Dublin ring road — twice. Between me squinting at roundabouts and Charlie trying to make sense of junction numbers, it was a comedy of errors. Eventually, we made it out west.

Found our Airbnb a couple of miles outside Maynooth, tucked away in the countryside — very quaint, like stepping back in time. Our lovely hosts, Austin & Mary, greeted us warmly, showed us to our room, and introduced us to their deaf dog, who didn’t hear us coming but still gave us a good sniffing. The whole place had a calm, old-world feel to it. 

Once we’d settled in, we headed back into Maynooth and treated ourselves to a ridiculously overpriced Papa John’s. Hunger overrides shame. We then walked it off in the glorious evening sunshine, strolling the full length of Carlton Way. At some point on that walk, we passed a little stone boathouse by the water, tucked beside the golf course—part of the Carton House Estate, we later found out. It looked like something out of a storybook, sitting quietly in the reeds. Apparently, it was built for Queen Victoria in the 1800s. Just sitting there, quiet and forgotten, with little red rowboats docked inside. One of those places you don’t plan to see, but don’t forget either.

Knackered now, but happy. Despite a few wrong turns (literal and financial), we’re here. Tomorrow: westward, into the heart of Ireland.