Cassie Stokes: My Dream Day in Ireland
Cassie Stokes has travelled the length and breadth of Ireland in recent years on a mission to discover and share the Best of Ireland. If you’re looking for a recommendation for a great lunch spot or a good pint in a traditional pub, Cassie is your go-to woman. Now she's distilled the greatest experiences into her brand new book, Best of Ireland.
Here, she tells us about how she'd spend a dream day in Ireland, if time and distance were no object.
This would be my ideal day in Ireland, and believe me, this took time and care – one day simply isn’t enough!
Morning
I’d wake up at the Dunmore House Hotel, a family run hotel in West Cork, and start my day with fresh local produce here. I love fresh fish for breakfast, which they always have on the menu: kippers, sole, cod… anything! From there, I’d walk up to Kodak Corner in Rostrevor, when the sun is just waking up. Walk from Rostrevor village all the way up – the views of the coastline are worth it. After a good walk I love to go for a swim (a freezing swim, of course!), and I’d do this at Ventry Beach in Kerry. On a good day, the water is crystal clear. I’d then warm up with a toastie and a pint at the Spaniard in Kinsale, a cosy old pub that always has the fire lit.
Afternoon
Afterwards, I’d walk through Phoenix Park in Dublin; I find it so calming here. I’d continue my walk in Galway city and enjoy the crowds before sneaking into Tigh Neachtain (a pub full of snugs) to have a quiet pint. After all this exploring, I’d probably be hungry again, so I’d head over to Baltimore for lunch at Bushes Bar. I’d enjoy the crab sandwich while looking out to the pier, watching the boats coming and going. (Top tip: if you like a pint of Murphy’s, this is a great spot.) I’d follow this with a drive along the Clare coast, from Lahinch right up to the Galway border. I’d stop for a seafood snack in Linnane’s Lobster Bar, maybe some of their Flaggy Shore oysters.
Evening
My favourite thing to do on our island is to watch the sun rise or set, so at this hour I’d watch the sun set in Bemullet, Mayo. For dinner, I’d want all my favourite people around a table having a casual bite to eat – The Black Pig Wine Bar in Kinsale would be my choice. After dinner, I’d go to Kennedys in Dingle; this pub used to be a house, and still feels more like a house than a pub! To end the day, I’d head back to my home city of Dublin and sit in Grogan’s – inside or outside, it doesn’t matter.
For more recommendations, pre-order my book, Best of Ireland
