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Europe, Travel
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November 23, 2015

Timeless Ireland at Ashford Castle

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I think back at the days I spent touring Ireland and I realize that the moments where I was happiest was when I felt the history of the place around me. There’s something to be revered about a place that has survived the test of time and the whims of humanity.

There would be many places in my Ireland road trip with Insight Vacations that would wow me, but none would be as awe-inspiring as the majestic Ashford Castle.

I heard about Ashford Castle from my husband who had taken a road trip through Ireland with his brother 15 years ago. He described his room as stately and large. He also recalls how much he enjoyed the falconry and how it remained one of his favorite hotel experiences.

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Ashford Castle_girlgonetravelThe castle, which served as a home to the Guinness family for over 100 years, is now one among the 17 luxury and award-winning hotels in the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. The history of how the Guinness family brought life to not only the castle but to the community around it is worthy of a day-long tour through the grounds. The work done to restore and keep the history and beauty of the place, led by Red Carnation’s Founder and President Mrs. Bea Tollman, beautifully melds contemporary amenities with old world charm and sophistication.

We arrived to the castle on a rainy afternoon. Before I could take it all in a bagpiper started to play and lead us across the castle’s bridge over the Lough Corrib.

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I understood why my husband loved this place so much. It is warm and inviting with every turn leading into a new experience for the senses. Guests first walk into the Oak Room, your eyes quickly gravitating up towards the gorgeous chandelier that centers the room. Portraits hang on almost every wall, while beautiful carvings adorn the edges of the wooden room.

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The Drawing Room, over looking Lough Corrib, is perfect for relaxation and enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. Adjacent to the drawing room is the George V dining room for a fine dining experience, though I also enjoyed the more casual experience at Cullen’s At The Cottage, a short walk away from the castle on the estate. Delicious seasonal dishes are served, but come hungry as the servings are generous and you won’t want to waste a bite.

Ashford Castle_girlgonetravelAshford Castle_girlgonetravelThis room next to the Oak Room holds the castle’s collection of silverware, much of which is used during tea time, a must while enjoying your stay.

My room was like a dream. I felt myself melt in my bed and I fell asleep smiling. Yet no two rooms are the same, each delivering a different view, feel, and memorable stay. Check out the video below mini-tour of my room!

#Minitour of my room in the celebrated #AshfordCastle. #GGTinIreland #InsightIreland

A video posted by Carol Cain (@girlgonetravel) on Oct 20, 2015 at 10:54am PDT

Ashford Castle_girlgonetravel

There’s a cinema that seats 32 of your closest friends and family, should they ever be so lucky to join you. Movies rotate periodically to guarantee you have something new to watch each time. A big hit is The Quiet Man filmed right there in the castle and in the village of Cong.

There’s also a billiards room, a wine cellar, an incredible spa – and really, that’s an understatement, and more.Ashford Castle_girlgonetravel As I mentioned before, I highly recommend a tour of the estate grounds as well as taking a bike ride around the same. The garden is picture perfect and ever-changing.

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Restoration is still ongoing around the estate, so I was happy to get a glimpse into the past in some areas.

Ashford Castle_girlgonetravelA glimpse into the past: the old gardener’s working cabin.

Aside from touring the grounds, other fun includes kayaking, equestrian, golf, tennis, fishing, clay shooting and archery, as well as traditional boat excursion. Forgot your rain boots and jacket? No worries. They have you covered!

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For a special treat, take a sunset lake cruise. Sure, it’s a bit windy and maybe even a tad chilly, but the views are worth it and you get to enjoy some drinks and music along the way.

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The bagpipes sent us on our way to explore a bit of Lough Corrib, a boat tour led by the family owned Corrib Cruises.

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Ashford Castle_girlgonetravelMartin Noone, 85, has been serenading guests on the cruise for decades, many of them celebrities. He is not only a beautiful singer, he is quite the character and has some fun stories!

Of course, you can’t miss out on the falconry. Ashford Castle is home to oldest established Falconry School in Ireland. I can see why this was a highlight for my husband when he visited. I was both terrified and fascinated.

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If you are an animal lover, a dog-lover especially, be ready to fall in love with the Ashford wolfhounds, Cronan and Garven. They even have their own Instagram account!

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Don’t leave without venturing into Cong. It’s a sweet village with small shops, eateries, and pubs. Even on a lazy, rainy afternoon you’ll feel like your walking through the pages of a picturesque storybook.

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My stay in Ashford Castle was special. One of the most luxurious experiences I have had in a long time. But what left me most impressed was the level of hospitality. The smiles and friendly demeanor of everyone I met, from management to cleaning staff. Though my stay was wrapped in the lap of luxury, it never felt pretentious or impersonal to me. The Irish warmth that I have so grown to love about this country was present every step of the way, as was the sense of humor that always makes me feel so happy inside.

Of all the awards Ashford Castle has won, I think what it’s got going for it the most is just how much the people who you will meet there love it, which has a funny way of working itself into the magic of the overall experience. And which makes me want to go back for more.

The Ashford Castle Experience with Insight Vacations

Ashford Castle is a 5-star luxury boutique hotel, with only 85 rooms and suites, despite its 350-acres estate, making it an intimate stay where every guest is catered to with great attention and care. It is part of an Insight Vacations Signature experience and was acquired by the Red Carnation Hotel Collection in 2013.

For more Ireland travels read:

Ireland luxury road trip: a photo tour

Falling in love with Dublin

Photography is property of the publisher and may not be used without consent of GirlGoneTravel.com. 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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