TRAVEL
Irish mystique
In the lazy labyrinths of Western Europe’s backyard lies a haven of tranquillity. Here’s a journey through fairytale Ireland
Krishnaraj Iyengar

A lilting uilleann pipe permeates the bustle, hardy Gaelic follows in a fine rhythmic outline. With its kaleidoscope of myriad colours, the charm of Dublin, Ireland’s capital casts a magnetic spell on every traveller worth his salt, "even on a stray Martian that might've dropped down" as is often said by many a drunk Dubliner! But beyond her swank dazzle, yet homely warmth, there lies the treasure house of untrodden havens, the soul of this ancient island country unravelled as a fairytale come alive.

A short train ride from Atha Cliath (Dublin in Gaelic) brings you to the vibrant seaside town of Malahide. While cabs and buses are at your service, one is ever-so inspired to explore the colourful little town by foot, hoping to lose your way and bump into easy-going and friendly locals guiding you back in their earthy lingo!

Not far from the train station stands the forbidding Malahide castle. While ghost tales draw-in the daredevils, a guided tour of the old castle is far from spooky! What would seem like Robert Frost’s "The woods are lovely dark and deep, and I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep" , an endless walk through the castle gardens brings alive childhood picture books as you stroll along picking-up pine cones of different shapes and sizes. At Malahide’s sprawling seafront, a picnicker’s paradise, the glistening blue Irish sea smiles at you, a short walk past an array of colourful pubs and eateries leading you to the tranquil marina with a few carelessly moored fishing boats swaying with a sleepy summer breeze.

Another short train or bus ride from Dublin and you land in Dun Laoghaire (pronounced ‘Dun Leery’), another one of Eastern Ireland’s seaside towns with a strikingly unique avatar. While its quietude envelopes you, lone writers, eccentric poets, musicians with traditional instruments composing in the realm solitude derive ample inspiration as the Irish Sea washes the rocks. At ‘Forty Foot’, the forbidding fag end of the town, a breathtaking rendezvous with the waves awaits those with nerves of steel as they prepare to take a chilling plunge, especially during the legendary Irish winter.

A short drive southeast from Dublin unveils the verdant wonderland, County Wicklow and its famed Japanese gardens at Enniskerry. Ideally one of the most meditative and serene spots in the country, the Japanese gardens situated at the old Powerscourt Townhouse estate with lapping ponds, Japanese-style bridges, a Neptune fountain and pet cemetery are quintessentially Zenesque. Onwards to County Wexford, lush green meadows rolling down to the grayish-blue oceanic expanse, Wexford Port with vessels gently sailing-in and of course, Hook’s Lighthouse, Europe’s oldest. A steep climb to its zenith, a 360 degree panorama of the ocean and intriguing tales by the lighthousekeeper’s charming granddaughter.

At Newgrange in County Meath, two hours by road from Dublin, a tryst with tranquillity awaits at the ancient megalithic site of Br`FA na B`F3inne. The therapeutic gush of the River Boyne and the picture perfect landscape around the site are serenity in its sanctum sanctorum.

Ireland’s west, pulsating with colour, culture and the hardy affection of the Gaeltachts (traditional Gaelic-speaking villages), is like catching the heavens in their revelry! Four hours by road from Dublin, and a tranquil prelude unfolds at the Lakes of Killarney. Like a maiden draped in a myriad garbs, the lakes enchant when seen from different locales around Killarney. Majestic from the townland of Aghadoe, like Buddha in meditation from Ladies View and cheerful and effervescent from the historic Killarney National Park with boat rides, incessantly cackling swans, lone anglers, toddlers, picnickers and honeymooners seeking solace in serenity.

The town of Killarney, a colourful toy-town of sorts, is the place to grab traditional Irish cuisine at wayside eateries, pints of Guinness, the country’s national drink and tread the town’s balustrades on foot or by old-style horse carriages, gentle smiles by affable locals passing by, warming your heart. Despite Europe’s notoriety for racism, the Irish are known to be some of the continent’s friendliest people.

Impromptu chats with cigar-puffing gents, a folklore session by a local maverick with rib-ticklers, jigs and reels on bright red button accordions and hearty helpings of mouth-melting jacket potatoes make Killarney the place to, as they say, ‘sing n slange’.

Frothing turquoise and smashing the sheer 90 degree cliffs is the ocean yonder, as seen from the breathtaking Ring of Kerry. The Atlantic, known among weathered Irish sailors as ‘wild and unpredictable as she can get’ makes the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland’s sought-after adventure haven. First stop, Dingle, a tiny one-horse Gaeltacht with a mesmerising array of old pubs, each with a different colour and shade throbbing with traditional music and tap-dance tornados, burly fishermen rumbling an old ballad and the fragrance of ovenfresh home-baked bread captivating your senses. Not far is Annascaul, the quaint Gaelic village where stands the legendary bright blue South Pole Inn dedicated to Antarctic explorer Tom Crean. The warmth of its wooden interiors and true-blue Irish hospitality, mellifluous Irish music, the yearly Tom Crean International Festival and the presence of passionate patrons make the little inn a place of historic significance in Ireland.

Driving along the Ring of Kerry is a hair-raising tete-a-tete with the Atlantic roaring on the rocks. A visit to an art museum housing gems by local masters, a rocky monastic site looking out at the horizon and then, down the slopes to a rock beach with the waves charging like enraged lions, a Rubik’s Cube of diverse experiences bathes your consciousness every moment, like Khalil Gibran’s famous lines "great beauty captivates me, but the greatest beauty liberates me from the captivity of myself".

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