Posted on Thursday, 19 May 2016

Fiona Easton flew with her two young children to Limerick on Ireland's dramatic western coast, for what would be a quintessentially Celtic experience.

Soon after we saw the green fields around Stanstead shrink into a pleasant patchwork quilt, we were over the glistening Irish Sea and descending over another, equally pretty patchwork quilt – although this one seemed a shade greener than its Essex counterpart.

At Shannon Airport the warmth of the locals was immediately apparent, as we were directed to the taxi rank by an affable lady at the information desk. An equally friendly taxi driver took us to the Strand Hotel – although I admit his dialect was at times hard to decipher.

The Strand Hotel

The dialects among the Strand Hotel's staff comprised the same wonderfully warm Western Irish notes, although they were more precisely delivered – so as to be more easily understood, perhaps, by the ears of Anglo Saxons – and others.

Speaking of Anglo Saxons, the spacious room afforded lovely views over King John's Castle – the English king who dominated Ireland at the turn of the 12^th Century. This view, coupled with the appealing River Shannon, ignited the kids' imaginations.

Pool and Spa

However, before venturing out we decided to jump into the basement pool – one of the key reasons we chose the Strand. We weren't disappointed – it was clean, well managed and even boasted adjacent spa facilities.

But the spa would have to be enjoyed later. King John's Castle was waiting to be explored.

King John's Castle

At 12 euros for an adult and around half that for each child, St John's is not cheap, but it did prove a hit. As well as all the medieval wonders of the castle itself, there was face painting and balloon modelling for the kids. I was more impressed by the very high quality audio tour, which really brought to life the history of Limerick – including its bloody Viking encounters and the shocking Irish famine.

After a short stroll around Limerick town centre we returned to the hotel for our excellent evening meal. The staff gave the kids colouring pages and crayons, topping off a lovely day.

Rising early next morning we were almost overwhelmed by the range of breakfast items on offer at the Stand, ranging from healthy smoothies to ‘Full Irish' – which I admit I succumbed to. The black pudding and soda bread were fantastic and would fuel our day of sightseeing.

Cliffs of Moher

We had arranged a day tour out to the coast, while still digesting the superb breakfast; we were collected by the tour company. The sky was leaden, but this only added to the drama of the delightful County Clare countryside through which we passed. We continued to the Cliffs of Moher where we paused for over an hour to take in the views and the mighty Atlantic as it seethed at the sheer rock face. Gulls wheeled overhead as the ocean breeze whipped our hair. These were sights and sounds unchanged for millennia. At 120m, the Cliffs of Moher were lofty, but as our guide explained, they rose to almost twice the height further up the coast.

Viewing the cliffs was included in the tour cost, as were tickets to the fascinating Atlantic Edge exhibition, which explores the different elements associated with the Cliffs of Moher – Ocean, Rock, Nature and Man.

Later we were taken through the strange but beautiful Burren region, laden with rocks and boulders. After this we stopped briefly at the picturesque Bunratty Castle, before returning to Limerick.

An Irish Band

As the evening drew in we found a child-friendly pub in which to dine. The Irishness of the one we selected was perhaps a little over-egged for the tourists, but it was nevertheless a very pleasant experience, made even better by delicious Irish sausages, mash and cabbage. I also permitted myself a pint of the black stuff – and felt entirely sated by the time I had drained it.

Before we left a small band started up in the corner, complete with hornpipes and fiddles – adding to the extraordinarily Irish proceedings. We decided to leave before the Celtic cheer got too loud, and headed back to the Strand.

Friendly, charming Limerick is certain to put smiles on the faces of children and adults alike, imbued with a certain rural Irishness that lingers in the mind. We would definitely be returning.

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