Being a Complete Account of the Journey, 3rd—12th April, 2026

The Monahan & Gelber

Irish Sojourn

"From Charleston & Washington to the Emerald Isle & Back Again"

A Grand Tour of Ireland
In Ten Days' Time

Two Families, One Adventure
Monahans & Gelbers

✈️ Flights

M Outbound Apr 3 → DUB
G Outbound Apr 3 IAD → DUB Apr 4 @ 8:40am
G Return Apr 11 DUB @ 4:10pm → IAD 7:10pm
M Return Apr 12 DUB @ 8:50am
  • Mid-March: Check tide times for Maghera Caves
  • N.B.: Reminder: gear stick is on your left now. Also the road is on your left now. Actually, everything is on your left now.
  • Also N.B.: The dress code for Ireland is "onion" — layers upon layers, peeled as needed, reapplied when the sun disappears. Which it will. Frequently.
☘ ☘ ☘
Friday, 3rd April Monahans Arrive
Monahans Arrival Day

Dublin Airport: where the adventure begins and the stress briefly peaks. Collect one Kia Sportage (manual, naturally — the Irish don't believe in making things easy for visitors). Point northward. The town of Virginia in County Cavan is your destination, and the N3 will take you there, provided you can navigate a roundabout without executing a full 360° in panic.

🚗 Dublin Airport → Virginia: approximately 1 hr 30 min via the N3

Night's Lodging

The Horse's Haven B&B — Virginia
Carrigasimon, Co. Cavan, A82 P9H2
Arrival: From 3:00 PM
☎ +353 83 388 0475
↗ View Map
Gelbers In Transit

The Gelbers depart Washington Dulles this evening, flying overnight to Dublin. Sweet dreams over the Atlantic!

Saturday, 4th April Rina's Birthday! 🎂
🎂 Happy Birthday Rina!
Both families celebrate in Hillsborough
Monahans Belfast & Birthday

The family motors northward to Belfast, where the magnificent Titanic Experience awaits. Entry is secured for half-past ten. They built her here, and she was absolutely fine when she left — the iceberg was somebody else's problem entirely.

🚗 Virginia → Titanic Museum: ~1 hr 15 min | Museum → Hillsborough: ~20 min
Titanic Belfast — The Titanic Experience
1 Olympic Way, Queen's Road, Belfast BT3 9EP
Entry: 10:30 AM | Tickets: 1× Family
Allow 2–3 hours for the full experience
Manage Booking ↗ Map
Gelbers Arrival Day

The Gelbers' Irish adventure begins with a 8:40 AM landing in Dublin — eyes wide, bodies tired, spirits high. The rental car is waiting, Hillsborough is calling, and Rina's birthday simply cannot be missed. Drive north, keep left, and trust that the coffee will kick in by County Meath.

🚗 Dublin Airport → Hillsborough: approximately 1 hr 30 min via the M1

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans (2 nights)
No.33 Coach House
33 Main St, Hillsborough, BT26 6AE
☎ +44 7713 622074
Gelbers (2 nights)
Arthur Street Guest Cottage No16
Hillsborough
Sunday, 5th April Easter Sunday 🐣
Monahans Easter Sunday

Easter Morning in Northern Ireland — and three fine churches beckon for worship. Lisburn Cathedral offers an early start with Morning Prayer at half-nine; Belfast Cathedral draws the faithful for Sung Eucharist at eleven; and Down Cathedral in Downpatrick — where St Patrick himself is said to lie buried — hosts Choral Eucharist at half-eleven. Each is magnificent in its own right. The family shall choose on the day.

Lisburn Cathedral
24 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XH
Church of Ireland (Anglican Communion)
Service: 9:30 AM — BCP Morning Prayer
↗ Map
Belfast Cathedral (St Anne's)
Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2HB
Church of Ireland (Anglican Communion)
Service: 11:00 AM — Sung Eucharist
↗ Map
Down Cathedral, Downpatrick
English Street, Downpatrick, BT30 6AB
Church of Ireland (Anglican Communion)
Service: 11:30 AM — Choral Eucharist
Reputed burial site of St Patrick
↗ Map
Gelbers Titanic Day

The Gelbers visit the magnificent Titanic Experience in Belfast — they built her here, and she was absolutely fine when she left. Afterward, a traditional Sunday roast and a family walk.

🚗 Hillsborough → Titanic Museum: ~20 min

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans
No.33 Coach House
Hillsborough
Gelbers
Arthur Street Guest Cottage
Hillsborough
Monday, 6th April Easter Monday — The Great Bunny Hunt 🐰
🐰 Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt
Both families at Hillsborough Castle & Gardens!

Armed with nothing but determination and an insatiable sweet tooth, the children descend upon Hillsborough Castle & Gardens for the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt. Golden bunnies lie in wait across one hundred acres. There will be running. There will be pointing. There will be that one bunny nobody can find until a parent spots it.

Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt
Hillsborough Castle & Gardens
Designed for children aged 3–12 years
Duration: Allow 90 minutes for trail, 3 hours total visit
🎟 Book Tickets ↗ Map

Afternoon adventure: the drive up the Antrim Coast, where every bend reveals a new postcard. The Monahans peel off to Cushendall; the Gelbers continue to Glendun. The children may or may not be asleep by this point, depending on their chocolate consumption.

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans
Glenn Eireann House
Room 3, 121 Tromra Rd, Cushendall
☎ 028 2176 1530
Gelbers
Mullarts Church — Glendun Apt
Ballymena area
🚗 Hillsborough Castle → Antrim Coast: ~1 hr 15 min via A2
Tuesday, 7th April The North Coast & Donegal

Forty thousand columns of basalt, precisely hexagonal, extending from cliff to sea: the Giant's Causeway is either a volcanic masterpiece or the world's most ambitious paving project, depending on your tolerance for Irish mythology. After suitable appreciation, the road leads to Downhill Strand and the ferry to Donegal.

Giant's Causeway
40,000 interlocking basalt columns
UNESCO World Heritage Site
↗ Map
🚗 A Full Day's Motoring!
Antrim → Giant's Causeway: ~45 min | Causeway → Downhill: ~30 min
Downhill → Magilligan Ferry: ~15 min | Ferry crossing: ~15 min
Greencastle → Donegal lodgings: ~1 hr 15 min
⛴ Lough Foyle Ferry — Magilligan → Greencastle
Scenic Lough Foyle Ferry, ~15 min crossing
Payment: Pay on board — cash (€ or £) or card. No booking needed.
Fares: ~€20–30 for car with passengers
2026 Season: Daily sailing 1st–12th April (Easter). Shuttle service 9:00 AM – 8:15 PM.
☎ 1800 938 004 (ROI) | 0800 471 4665 (NI)
Fallback if not running: drive via Derry (adds ~1 hr 15 min)
🚢 Ferry Info ↗ Magilligan ↗ Greencastle

Tonight's Lodgings (2 Nights)

Monahans
St. John's Point Lighthouse
The Clipper cottage, Dunkineely
Irish Landmark Trust
Gelbers
Blaneys Coastal Cottage
Donegal
Wednesday, 8th April Caves & Coast
🍺 Lunch at Nancy's Bar
Both families meet in Ardara!

Wild Donegal at its finest! Maghera Beach reveals over twenty sea caves, arches, and tunnels — the Atlantic's gift to anyone brave enough to explore them at the right time. N.B.: LOW TIDE required for safe exploration! "We'll just have a quick look" has been the last words of many a wet tourist.

⚠️ Tide Check Required
You need LOW TIDE in the morning for cave exploration!
"Ah sure, it'll be fine" is not a tide prediction strategy.
🌊 Check Tides

The Day's Programme: Morning at Maghera Beach & Caves → Stop at Assaranca Waterfall on return → Late luncheon at Nancy's Bar in Ardara (~2:00 PM), where a pint of the black stuff and some seafood chowder await → Return to lodgings.

Alternate / Addition: Slieve League Cliffs

Ireland's highest accessible sea cliffs (601m / 1,972 ft) — nearly 3× the Cliffs of Moher, without the crowds. If tides don't cooperate for Maghera, or if you fancy doing both, Slieve League is ~45 min from the lighthouse.
Access: Open year-round, no admission fee. Parking €10/car at machines (off-peak: drive to upper viewing area).
Time needed: 1–2 hrs for viewpoint; longer if hiking
ℹ️ Visitor Info ↗ Map
↗ Maghera Beach ↗ Waterfall ↗ Nancy's Bar

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans
St. John's Point Lighthouse
Dunkineely, Donegal
Gelbers
Blaneys Coastal Cottage
Donegal
Thursday, 9th April Bunratty 🏰
🏰 Medieval Banquet
Both families feast at Bunratty Castle!

The families bid farewell to Donegal and embark on the great southward drive to County Clare. The Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle caps the evening — a gloriously theatrical affair where the food is medieval, the music is traditional, and the "wenches" are funnier than any comedian you've paid to see.

🚗 A Full Day's Motoring!
Donegal → Bunratty: ~3 hours via N15/M17/M18
🏰 Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
Time: 5:30 PM
Monahans: 4 persons (2 adults, 2 children ages 4–12)
Gelbers: Also booked!
↗ Map

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans
Bunratty Haven
Clonmoney North, Co. Clare, V95 RK29
☎ +353 61 708 362
Gelbers
Parkhouse B&B
County Clare
Friday, 10th April Dublin
🍀 Families Unite in Dublin!
Exploring the capital together

Dublin! Where James Joyce set his masterpiece, where Oscar Wilde sharpened his wit, and where both families will now spend two days discovering why the Irish capital is one of Europe's most charming cities. The rental car goes back. The walking shoes come out. The pubs await.

🚗 Bunratty → Dublin: ~2 hrs 30 min via M7/M4

Tonight's Lodgings

Monahans (2 nights)
Staunton's on the Green
St Stephen's Green, Dublin
Gelbers (1 night)
Staycity Aparthotels Augustine
Near St. Audoen's Park, Dublin
↗ Staunton's ↗ Staycity
Saturday, 11th April Gelbers Depart / Monahans Explore
Gelbers Homeward Bound ✈️

And so the Gelber adventure draws to a close. A final Irish breakfast — take the full fry-up, you've earned it — then to the airport for the 4:10 PM flight home. Washington Dulles by 7:10 PM. The memories will last. The jet lag will also last, but not as long.

Safe travels! Until the next adventure!

Monahans One More Day

The Monahans enjoy the rare luxury of a day with no itinerary, no driving, and no schedule. Dublin stretches before you like a gift. Trinity College? The National Gallery? A park bench and a good book? All valid. Final night at Staunton's on the Green.

Night's Lodging

Staunton's on the Green
St Stephen's Green, Dublin
Sunday, 12th April Monahans Homeward Bound ✈️
Monahans

And so to the airport. The family leaves Staunton's on the Green, takes one last look at Dublin, and boards the plane for Charleston. Ten days in Ireland have changed us — we now instinctively look right before crossing the road, say "grand" after every sentence, and consider rain a mild inconvenience rather than an event.

↗ Dublin Airport

In Case of Emergency

Irish Emergency Services 999 or 112
US Embassy, Dublin +353 1 668 8777

The Route Map

A Cartographical Representation of Our Journey
Two families, one clockwise loop around Ireland

Monahans
Gelbers
Shared Attractions

The Stops

✈

Dublin Airport

Arrival & Departure

1

Virginia, Co. Cavan

Apr 3 — Horse's Haven B&B

2

Titanic Belfast

Apr 4–5 — Both families visit

3

Hillsborough

Apr 4–6 — Birthday & Easter Hunt!

4

Cushendall

Apr 6 — Glenn Eireann House

4

Glendun / Ballymena

Apr 6 — Mullarts Church Apt

5

Giant's Causeway

Apr 7 — 40,000 basalt columns!

6

St. John's Point Lighthouse

Apr 7–8 — Donegal (2 nights)

6

Blaneys Coastal Cottage

Apr 7–8 — Donegal (2 nights)

7

Maghera Beach & Nancy's Bar

Apr 8 — Caves & lunch together!

8

Bunratty

Apr 9 — Medieval Banquet 🏰

9

Dublin

Apr 10–12 — Capital city!

In Case of Emergency

Irish Emergency Services 999 or 112
US Embassy, Dublin +353 1 668 8777