Ballycotton Cliff Walk, Ballycotton, Cork Co., Ireland

I am unable to comprehend how TripAdvisor has 500 reviews on the Ballycotton cliff walk and 5000 reviews on Blarney Castle. The walkway has breathtakingly beautiful views and is a hidden gem in Cork Co. If I had one only a day in Cork, I would choose to spend it here. The true reason for a trip to the Emerald Isle lies in the beautiful rugged coastlines and never-ending green pastures. 

Ballycotton is a small fishing town an hour away from Cork city center. Bus Éireann has limited service 240 to Ballycotton. The best way to reach the cliffs is to drive. Parking is available on site and is free. A narrow walkway runs across the coastline for around 5 miles and takes around 4 hrs to complete the walk. The path is fairly easy to walk but stop and make way for people coming in the opposite direction.

Definitely choose a bright sunny day for the walk. When we reached the cliffs, thick floating clouds covered the coastlines like a veil covered the beautiful bride. With visibility around 10ft, I was quite disappointed. Luckily, it cleared up shortly revealing stunning coastlines. Navigating the path with young kids can be challenging.  The path is not wheelchair/ stroller friendly as there are many styles to cross. At the beginning of the path, there is a small park with benches. A good place to set up a picnic and spend a couple of hours listing to the sea. 

The cute little town of Ballycotton has numerous bars and restaurants. Consider touring the Ballycotton lighthouse on the island if you have time and blessing from the weather gods.  Tour starts from the Ballycotton pier from 10 AM onwards and lasts around 90 min. The pure joy of traveling to places like this reminds me of why I love2travel. 

Pin Now And Plan Later

What To See Along M8 In Ireland

M8 is a part of the major motorway running from Cork to Dublin. It runs mainly through Cork Co and Tipperary Co but touches a part of Limerick Co and joins M7 in Laois Co. The drive on M8 was effortless. A lovely landscape of yellow-flowered Furze bushes on either side of the motorway with a green backdrop made the drive pleasant. We were able to cover these places in a day along M8.

• Rock of Cashel, Tipperary Co.
• Cahir Castle, Tipperary Co.
• Swiss Cottage, Tipperary Co.
• Mitchelstown Caves, Tipperary Co.
• Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork Co.

Rock of Cashel: In the 5th century, Rock of Cashel was a seat for High Kings of Munster. Later, it was donated to Church. All the current building ruins are from the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. Adjacent to the church ruins in a graveyard. Rock of Cashel has a prominent place in history and it is quite interesting how this place held up over centuries of invasions, abuse, harsh weather, and black death. Take a guided tour of the remains.

Cahir Castle: On the banks of river Suir, stands one of the best-preserved castles of Ireland, Castle Cahir. Even though it was built in the 12th century, the castle was well maintained, restored, and still holds its original defensive structure. Guided tours of the castle are available daily. Take time to climb all the stairs and visit a vast variety of rooms in the castle.

Swiss Cottage: Around 2 km walk from Cahir Castle, is a charming 19th-century ornamental cottage surrounded by lush fields and flowing river. Away from the hustle-bustle of the town, this cottage is a place for nature lovers. The cottage is a small house with a tea room and a family room on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first floor. The architecture is impressive but most of the cottage had been restored. The original cottage took a lot of beating over time and was vandalized.  Guided tours are the only way to see the cottage and no photography is allowed as most of the furniture is on loan from the national museum.

Mitchelstown cave: Like many others, these caves were discovered by accident. If this is your first time visiting a cave, you will definitely enjoy watching the formations. Having visited many of the best caves and caverns previously, it was a pretty quick stop for us. Good spot to get off the road and stretch your legs for a bit.

Blackrock Castle

Blackrock Castle Observatory: Visiting Blackrock Observatory is a great way to end your day. This is an old castle turned into an observatory with a functioning telescope. There is a separate castle tour and an observatory tour. The castle tour is very short and takes visitors to the top of the castle. You can get a look at the functioning telescope at the top and fantastic views of the River Lee. However, this telescope can be used only by Cork University students. The observatory is mostly self-guided and has a short guided tour in an inflated planetarium. 

Beautiful View of River Lee

Waterford House of Crystal, Waterford Co., Ireland

Waterford crystal is well known around the world for its quality and sparkle. Welcome to the birthplace of Waterford crystal. Photography is allowed both in the retail store and on the factory tour. I have toured many factories across countries throughout the years and photography is generally not allowed inside the factory tour.

If you have a deep appreciation for the crystal-like I do, take time to tour this facility. Waterford retail store is located in the visitor center and displays a huge collection of Waterford crystal from sports trophies to ring holders.

Take your time to see these exquisite pieces in display and appreciate the craftsmanship, even if you do not intend to make a purchase. A guided tour will start every half hour. In winter and early spring, crowds are thin.

Factory tours are guided and last roughly for an hour. Tour starts with a small video of the origins and the process of crystal making and how Waterford became a center of this craft.

The tour guide will walk you through the process of glass blowing, quality control, marking, cutting, and finishing. It is amazing to see the craftsman skillfully shape a hot molten blob into an elegant piece of crystal. The crystal has to pass stringent standards to go to the next stage. Else, they are rejected and smashed.

Cutting, the most complicated stage of all and a unique selling proposition of Waterford crystal. Watch the craftsman up close as they make complicated cuts on crystal and add finishing touches. The last part of the tour has more display pieces and the tour ends back in the retail store.

Visiting The Blarney Castle, Blarney, Cork Co., Ireland

Just 10 km away from Cork city center, Blarney Castle is one of the popular tourist destinations of Ireland. Some people love it and some people are repelled by the thought of kissing a stone. Needless to say, the same rock was kissed by thousands of people already. Blarney Castle is more of ruins of the castle than the castle itself. 

The village of Blarney is accessible by car or bus. Numerous travel agencies offer day tours to Blarney Castle from major cities like Cork/ Dublin/ Waterford. There is much more to Blarney Castle than meets the eye. The castle is surrounded by luscious green grounds and a variety of gardens. Still, the admission price is quite steep @ €18  per person for what it has to offer.  The sight of a flowing river, River Martin, through the castle grounds makes it picturesque. Castle and gardens are open throughout the year, but Blarney house is open seasonally. 

There is plenty to explore on the castle grounds. However, it is always better to start the tour of the castle. Depending on the weather, wait times can be very long. Blarney Stone is on the top of the castle. The only way to reach the top is to climb never-ending spiral stone stairs. Each floor has a little something to explore. After reaching the top, get ready to kiss the stone. Don't worry, you will have a lot of help to reach the stone. Don't forget to smile for the camera. You can take your own picture at the stone or purchase your picture at the end of the tour. Thankfully climbing down the stairs was easy.

Beneath the castle, is a dungeon that is mostly inaccessible and to the left of the castle, is a badger cave. We went inside the cave but there is nothing to explore. Duh! it is just a cave with a muddy floor. 

All the walking and climbing made us tired and hungry so we headed right to the café. Stable Yard Café has a nice collection of coffee, tea, ice cream, scones, pizza, and a lot more. With the lovely ambiance and delicious food, the café was a refreshing stop. 

Off we went on our way to explore the castle gardens. There are various gardens around the castle grounds. It can take a whole day to explore this vast area. The poison garden was interesting. However, Rock close is my personal favorite. The rocks and trees are covered with moss and have a fairytale charm to it. 

We dragged a stroller and two kids through the rugged paths and stairs to explore these gardens. Well, they were worth the effort.

Outside the castle is a small shop 'Blarney Chocolate Factory'. As a chocolate lover, I cannot skip any shop that has 'chocolate' in its name. They have quite a good collection of chocolate and fudge at a reasonable price. Dark Orange Bar is the best.

Shandon Bells at St. Anne's Church and Butter Museum, Cork City, Ireland

How many times do you get to ring the bells of the 16th-century church? Not a lot of times to never, right? St Annes's church of Shandon in Cork allows just that. For a nominal fee of 5€ ( 12 € for a family), visitors can ring church bells at any time. Great opportunity for visitors but not so much for the neighbors. At times these bells can be deafening hence all visitors are supplied with a pair of ear protectors.

The church is on the ground floor. But, to ring the infamous bells and to see the beautiful city of Cork, take those narrow, rugged stone stairs. If traveling with kids, note that there is no buggy/wheelchair access, no lift, and no bathrooms on the premises. Unlike the Blarney castle or the English market, this place does not have a lot of tourist footprint. For the most part, we were the only crowd there. 

The first flight of stairs, which are rather easy to climb, opens to a grand hall. Follow the detailed instructions and pull the number chords to ring the bells. As you pull the numbered chords, bells sing a dainty song. Kids will immensely enjoy the experience of ringing bells.

Another flight of stairs leads to another hall with urns on display. Bob and Joan's statues are on display too. Climb another flight of narrow, steep, uneven stone stairs to see the bells and internal mechanism. The last flight of stairs, the most challenging of all, starts with a ladder followed by stone stairs. They can be scary for first-time visitors. Do not turn back yet! Climb the ladder and the stairs as beautiful views of the city awaits.

On a clear day, you can capture magnificent views of this beautiful city from all directions. On your way out, visit the Church. It is no basilica but a quiet place of worship. It has a wide display of old manuscripts and bibles. If time permits, visit the butter museum nearby.  

Butter Museum is just a short walk from St Anne's Church. A small two-storied building houses the museum and wouldn't take more than an hour to visit. The entry fee is around €12 per family of 4.

Tour started with a detailed video about Cork Butter History. The lower level has a wide display of artifacts. How butter was made in the olden days. The upper level has a couple of rooms with more history on Cork's butter trade. It was an ok museum. If you are in a time crunch, by all means, skip this place.

All About English Market, Cork City, Ireland

The English market is one of the highly recommended places to visit in Cork City. It has 7 entry/exit points and is tucked perfectly between Oliver Plunkett Street and St. Patric Street. The only trick is to find a parking spot nearby. The market is accessible for buggies but maneuvering a buggy in the jam-packed narrow aisle is a tough task.  This market is full of stalls with fresh fish, poultry, meat and produce. Stall with a variety of olives is my personal favorite.  

If you are passing through the busy streets of St Patrick's, stop by for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine or a quick bite. The Farmgate Cafe upstairs has a variety of food options to choose from but it is always jam-packed. There are few cafés, bakeries, delis, and stores for Irish trinkets too. Ironically this place is always crawling with tourists although there is nothing much for tourists to buy. But worth a quick visit if you happen to be in this area. 

Chocolates always have a special place in my heart and tummy. The chocolate shop in the market has a good assortment of locally made chocolate. Click the link for the list of shops and the location layout. 

A Beautiful Rainbow

Moving to Ireland - Important things to know

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I would never ever write a post this long. But the first two weeks in Ireland had been the most stressful days for our family. There is enough information on the internet but not in order and not definitely from the start to the end. So I thought of including all the necessary information in one post so someone like me would find this post helpful.

One fine day, we decided to move to the Republic of Ireland for my spouse's work purpose. He visited the country a couple of times before and I checked out via face time. We wanted to take the plunge and explore this part of the world.

Before The Big Move:

If moving to Ireland for work, make sure to apply for a work permit and visa well in advance.  The type of work visa (Critical skills/ general work permit) depends on the type of work you do and your nationality. 

Processing takes around 4-6 weeks for work permit approval and another 4-6 weeks for visa approvals irrespective of the location of your embassy. Few embassies have visa decisions updated on their website but there is no centralized process to track your visa application.

Visa officers were considerate and pleasant. They took the time to verify application and crosscheck documents and called us regarding additional documents and updated us every step of the way. We were told that the children below 16 do not need a visa even if the stay is > 90 days. Just carry their original birth certificates while entering Ireland.

Upon Arrival:

Upon arrival, you will go through immigration and customs just like any other county. I found the immigration procedure to be different from USA/ Canada. The immigration officer will place a landing stamp in the passport and date is indicated. landing stamp gives you permission to stay in the country up to 90 days. Before the expiry date on landing stamp, register at a local garda station. Once registered, the IRP card will be issued in a month. If not, you might have to leave the country.

After Entering Ireland:

If you are entering the country for work, there are several formalities/ cards you need to apply for

• Phone number: It is easier to get a prepaid mobile number initially to start things off. A local phone number is essential for house hunting, PPS application, bank account opening, etc. for two-factor authentication. I got a basic prepaid plan from Tesco Mobile SIM only plan. 

• Bank Account: BOI (Bank of Ireland) provides an option to open a bank account from overseas. We filled application before entering Ireland and provided the bank with all the necessary documentation. Bank never processed our application because our application had Ohio and our driver's license had OH and they never cared to inform us. After reaching Ireland, we opened a bank account with Permanent TSB. Walked into a bank with all original documents like passport, work authorization, a letter from employer stating hotel address as out temporary accommodation and such. We were able to open a bank account immediately and account took 48hrs to be activated and the debit card was mailed to our hotel address. However, we were able to carry online transactions within 48 hrs. 

• House Hunting: House hunting is the craziest experience in Ireland.  I loathed the house hunt in Ireland. Later I got to know that all my other European friends have a similar experience with house hunting for rent. For the GNIB / IRP application, a lease agreement is mandatory as a proof of address. They do not accept temporary hotel address and for that very reason, we had to find a house fast. First of all, there are no houses in the market for rent. Few houses that were priced for €1500 reeked of a musty smell, had major cracks and water stains in the ceiling. Rental agencies and landlords insisted on references from the previous landlord. So have a solid reference from your employer. Homeowners will ask for PPS numbers, bank account details, one month rent as advance and one-month rent deposit. We wrote a heartfelt mail to the owner along with our application stating why we would be the perfect tenant. To our surprise, we got selected and thus thankfully ended our house hunt.
• Register for alerts with sites like daft.ie, sherryfitz.ie
• Book first available viewing and verify the house thoroughly during viewing
• There will be multiple appointments for the same time slot. don't be surprised if 20 people show up at the same time slot
• Fill the application and follow up with an agent and let them know why you are interested in this house
• Pay a deposit on time and get the lease signed by both parties. don't forget the receipt for your rent and deposit
• If there are any additional requests, make sure to add them in the agreement
• Read the agreement thoroughly before signing

• PPS Number (Personal Public Service Number) and PSC (Public Services Card): PSC card is used as an ID and is required for all most everything including driving license, rental agreement, bank accounts, etc. Personal Public Service number is required for social security benefits, child benefits, rent application, filing taxes, etc. This is similar to SSN (USA), Adhar Card (India).  Registration is free of cost. Make an appointment at your local welfare office for all family members. During an appointment at the welfare office, you would fill out an application for each person including kids and state the reason for a PPS number (employment, child benefits, tax purposes if the spouse is unemployed at the time of application, etc). Officer would verify all documents, take a picture for ID and verify the online account. PPS number will be mailed within 5 days and the PSC card will take another week. Carry below original documents for your PPS appointment 
• All Passports old and new
• Marriage certificate
• Kids birth certificates
• Letter from children's school
• Letter from employer 
• Address proof
• The temporary address is accepted for PPS applications.

• PPS Number (Personal Public Service Number) for kids: There are no PSC cards for kids. But PPS number is issued. Once applied for children PPS number, call the welfare office to receive children PPS number.

• Child Benefits for kids below 16: Each eligible kid would receive child benefit of €140  /month. Child benefit is paid to the mother. There are different options for payment method. You can opt for an online deposit or head to the post office every month and pick up the payment. If you chose to go the bank deposit route, make sure the mother is a joint account holder or the mother should have an individual bank account. Else, the application will be rejected.  Mail original documents to child benefit office in Co. Donegal along with filled application form.
• Mother PPS and PSC card
• Child PPS number
• Verified MyGovID account of applying parent
• IRP/ GNIB of applying parent
• Original passports
• Children birth certificates
• Bank account details
• Address Proof
• Letter from School for school-aged children
• Letter from a doctor for children not of school age

• Under 6Y GP Visit Card: Child care for children under 6 years of age is free. Basic care is covered but medication and hospital care are not covered. You need child PPS number for registration.

• IRP (Irish Residency Permit): IRP is also known as GNIB. IRP is not an ID card but it is a proof of registration with the Irish immigration department ( similar to USA I-94 ). I-94 has issued automatically upon entry to the USA and is valid until your visa expires (6 months for visitors). IRP is issued by local garda station after document verification. Registering for IRP is a separate process and mandatory before the expiry date on landing stamp. Immigration officer generally suggests the registration garda station based on your county of residence. All original documents along with proof of address are required. Temporary proof of address will not be accepted. Registration fee is €300 per person. Once documents are verified, a physical IRP card is issued in a month and needs to be picked up in person (depends on where one resides. IRP card is mailed to applicant's house in Dublin). IRP is valid for a maximum of 1 year and must be renewed every year by paying €300 every year. Fun right!!!. Check with the garda station for appointments and walk-in availability. Children below 16 years of age do not need to be registered. A relief !!! IRP states the type of stamp and validity of your stay. IRP card is mandatory for a re-entry visa. Documents needed
• Original passports
• Marriage certificates
• The lease agreement signed by the tenant and landlord or any utility bill as address proof
• €300 payable by credit card (visa/master) or bank giro

• Re-entry Visa: Edit: No Re-entry visa required for adults after 13 May 2019. http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/abolition-of-adult-re-entry-visas. Children below 16, who are not eligible for IRP still require re-entry visa. Re-Entry visa is dependent on your NATIONALITY. Without a re-entry visa, you cannot travel in and out of Ireland. The application can be posted to Dublin. 
• Filled application based on stamp type
• Filled application for kids above 4
• Filled application for kids below 4 (if applicable)
• Original Passports
• 2 passport size photos of the applicant
• Valid original IRP cards
• Bank draft / Postal order of application fee

House hunting / PPS / IRP / Multiple entry visas is a chicken-egg situation. You need a permanent address to apply for IRP, You will not find a home unless you have PPS and for signing a lease you need PPS. I still do not comprehend the importance of IRP and re-entry visa when they can be easily integrated into one. It is an additional expense and immense stress for the applicant.

Plan ahead and get as many documents as you can from the company HR to successfully navigate this situation. Good luck!!! you need it.

Edit: RECENT CHANGES

•  INIS made a welcoming change by abolishing re-entry visa for adults that hold valid IRP card.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/abolition-of-adult-re-entry-visas

• Spouse of Critical skills applicant do not need a separate work permit 

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/migrant_workers/employment_permits/spousal_work_permit_scheme.html

World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, GA

If you miss this attraction, you really are missing a bottle of free coke and sampling of Coke around the world. Oh wait, there is a 20$ for admission. Entry to the museum is in batches and every guest receives a small coke tin in the front room. Next is the introduction room that holds 125 years of coke artifacts. This is followed by a 6-minute feel-good video.

From the theater guests enter the main lobby. It showcases several coca-cola bottle sculptures from around the world. At this level, guests have the opportunity to take a picture with the infamous polar bear. 

This museum is also a bottling plant but it produces only 1200 bottles per minute. This is way less than the production plants.

 And more memorabilia.

The fun part is tasting beverages from around the world. Some were great but some were disgusting. If you have the time and wouldn't mind spending money or just want to visit this place out of curiosity, go ahead and visit. But you won't miss much if you decide to skip this museum.