Ireland by Rail 

I cannot stress enough how incredible this journey was. I booked a full day tour with Railtours Ireland that included the Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle, Burren & Galway Bay

The Train

Before boarding the train at Hueston Station, I had some time to kill because I arrived early. So I grabbed something to eat.I went a non traditional breakfast route and grabbed a sandwich from this bakery that was so good.

Read More: Food in Dublin

One of the main draws on the train were the modern amenities. Not only could I get free WiFi but I could also charge my devices. This was great because I could answer some emails and do a little work while enjoying the view out the window.

The Tour

My tour started in Dublin at the Hueston Station and went to Limerick. From there, we joined our coach to take a tour of Bunratty Castle and the Folk Park. Driving through Limerick we passed over river Shannon which is the longest in Ireland.

Bunratty Castle was built around 1425 and is beautiful. There are many floors in the castle, but if you are willing to climb one of the towers to the top, you will be rewarded with a gorgeous view.


Inside the castle you can see the old stain glass in some of the Windows.

The staircases up each floor share both directions and they are narrow and circular, so be careful if you visit.

The Folk Park is an open air museum. Old buildings, animals, a gift shop, and even a pub.

Our next stop was about an hour away, to Co. Clare. We stopped for lunch at O’ Connor’s Pub in Doolin. I ordered an Irish coffee and it was the first and only one I had while in Ireland, but it was everything I expected and more. For lunch I had a potato and leek soup and a tuna sandwich.

While we were at this pub my phone mysteriously quit working and I couldn’t get it to turn back on until many hours later. I was starting to have a panic because I take all my photos on my phone and we hadn’t been to the Cliffs of Moher yet. I had to make quick decisions to really learn how to use my GoPro Hero4 Black.
The Cliffs of Moher

When you arrive, there is a visitor center with restrooms, a gift shop, a cafe, and a small museum. I would suggest using the restroom and grabbing a water before you hike to the Cliffs.
There are two pathways to see the Cliffs. The path to the left is mostly rolling hills and some of them are steeper. The path to the right has a lot of stairs but they are spread out nicely. O’Brien’s Tower is on the path to the right. If you have time, do both walks. I only had time to do one and so I walked to the right.

You don’t realize how big and beautiful the Cliffs are until you take the walk up to see them. It’s quite astonishing in person. I really couldn’t believe my eyes. It was dark and dreary that day but I had perfect vision. The rain didn’t come until we were just leaving.

Heading to Galway
After the Cliffs we started to head toward Galway. We went the scenic route along the coastline, none as the Burren. There we were rewarded with beautiful landscapes and even some animals here and there. This drive lasted about 2 hours but you don’t realize it takes that long because the tour guide stopped for photos and the scenery is just marvelous.


Galway is the point for the train to head back to Dublin.
Overall, I enjoyed touring with Railtours Ireland and I would highly recommend them. I am planning to come back to Ireland for a couple weeks next year and will be taking some of their extended tours around the country.