Today was our last day with our tour group as our bus took us from Sligo back to Dublin. The day was cloudy, then rainy, then sunny, then cloudy again and the cycle repeated. The trick to dealing with Irish weather is to always have your raincoat and your hat, and dress in layers.

Our first stop today was Carrick-on-Shannon where some members of our group took an optional boat ride on the River Shannon. We opted not to because we have been on many boat rides over the years and we wanted to use the time to see the town. Carrick-on-Shannon is a lovely little town in County Leitrim and in 2025 it was named Ireland’s tidiest town. I don’t know who awarded them that title, but we saw the plaque in a window and we can attest to the town’s cleanliness. It was a fun town for walking on a Saturday morning because it was very quiet and peaceful and… tidy! We saw some interesting shops, a tennis club, and a little park. We walked along the River Shannon a bit until the wind threatened to blow our hats off. We then went for coffee in a cute little cafe before getting back on the bus.

The drive back to Dublin was long, but once again the bus ride was an opportunity for me to do the New York Times crossword puzzle. We made a pit stop in a rest area where we were able to stretch our legs and get some air. If you are wondering about the price of gas in Ireland, check out the photo below. Be ready to make the necessary conversions from Euros and liters to gallons and dollars.

Back in Dublin, we were given some free time in the city before dinner. Paul and I had two days in Dublin before the bus tour so we had already seen a lot of the sights, but we missed the General Post Office where there is a museum. The exhibits depict major events in Irish history, including the 1916 Easter Rising. The museum was crowded, and we didn’t have nearly enough time there, but what we saw was compelling and thought-provoking. If we ever visit Dublin again I would like to return to the GPO.

Heading back to our bus, we walked over the Ha’penny Bridge to get a good look at the River Liffey.

Our “Best of Ireland” tour ended tonight with a farewell dinner at Roly’s Bistro Restaurant where we had a lively conversation with some new friends from Philadelphia.

Tomorrow we fly to Boston, catch the bus to Portland, and drive home. I’ll post again tomorrow with some final thoughts about our Irish adventure.