7 Links- in am ceithre mhí (in four months time)

I am honored to be nominated by Irish Fireside to share 7 past posts from Ireland with Kids.  As I have only been writing here for 4 months I am excited to see how my articles fall in the seven categories!

My Most Beautiful Post

 A Visit to Kells Priory

It's not the Kells, and it seems to be so often overlooked by tourists.  I was enchanted by the “seven castles” and the incredible history that took place here – witch burning anyone?  Kells Priory holds terrific memories for me as my daughter had just learned to walk; the time we spent here was lovely.

Last I knew the old mill on King's River was for sale.  Oh, my dreams for that building only need a investor with deep pockets.  (If you know one please send them my way.)

My Most Popular Post

Should You Have Disney Plan Your Ireland Vacation

I'm not terribly surprised by this.  While Disney is known for providing magical getaways, Ireland is magical all on its own- does it really need help?

I broke down the Disney Ireland itinerary, showed how you could do it yourself (for less) and offered alternatives (from personal experience).  In my opinion a bus tour isn't ideal for young children- and you miss quite a bit of incredible sights.

Of course I've not been on a Disney tour of Ireland.  I'm always open to input from those who have.

My Most Controversial Post

Should You Get a Dublin Pass?

You can't get too controversial on a site like this.  Of course not everyone agrees with my opinions but nothing has really gotten people fired up yet.

In my opinion my most controversial post is whether the Dublin Pass is really a good deal for your family.  The idea behind any city pass is for it to be a deal for the visitor, to draw them to attractions and lead them to participating establishments.  So is the Dublin Pass a good deal?

My findings: maybe, maybe not.  This is one instance when it really pays to do your homework, know your plans and stick to them.

My Most Helpful Post

Podcast with Irish Fireside About Taking the Kids to Ireland

So often Ireland is viewed as an “adults only” getaway, when it is really quite a lovely destination for the family.  I was thrilled when Irish Fireside asked me to share travel tips, favorite locations, how to keep kids happy and our favorite faerie game in a podcast.

After that there are a few other small that are helpful when traveling with kids:

•  Finding Faerie Coins in Ireland: this fun little game will help relieve boredom when kids get “over castle-ated”
•  It's the Touristy Thing to Do: give yourself permission to act like a tourist- you may find out that it's really fun!
• Any Time is a Good Time to Stop and Swing:  it's the #1 rule of traveling with kids- never skip the swings!

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

The Butlers Chocolate Experience

This was really just a post sharing news of the opening of the Butler's Chocolate Experience in Dublin.  As I am a big fan of chocolate and tend to bring home fine Butler's Chocolates as gifts from Ireland I was thrilled to learn about this.

Apparently others were, too, as this post brings in traffic almost daily.

I would love to hear from anyone who has been to the Butler's Chocolate Experience.  Please share your knowledge!  Photos a must, bribes with chocolate highly encouraged.

My Most Underrated Post

Visiting Jerpoint Abbey

The Abbeys and Monastic settlements that lay scattered around Ireland are an incredible place to visit with kids.  Quite often there is plenty of open ground for playing, ancient steps to climb and interesting things to see.  Jerpoint Abbey is truly an incredible visit as it is different from other Cistercian Abbeys and features incredible carvings in the cloister.

Maybe I just should have said that you can find Saint Nicholas here.  You know, the man who was Santa Claus…

The Post I Am Most Proud Of

I is for Ireland: 26 Tips for Family Travel in Ireland

I truly believe that Ireland is one of the most prefect destinations for families.  It is a land filled with magic, a land where dreams can come true.  My goal with this post was to share Ireland and her beauty in a fun way.  It remains in my top 10 most visited posts.

My Nominees

Now is my turn to nominate 5 travel bloggers.  I'm sticking with the Irish theme and hope you will take the time to visit them all and say “Dia duit” (jee-ah ghwit)- hello.

 West Cork with Kids: Cammy Harley is a mom after my own heart- raising her kids in Cork, Ireland- and sharing some of the beautiful spots she sees on a regular basis.  I would love to know what has turned out to be Cammy's most popular post.

View from an Irish Backyard: American expat Maryann shares her life in Ireland, married to an Irishman, and raising her darling daughter.  I am curious about Maryann's most beautiful post.

An American in Ireland: Clare is more of a food writer than a travel writer, but I adore her stories- and her sense of adventure!  Plus she has a recipe at the end of every post!  I would love to know what has been Clare's most controversial post.

Bitesize Irish Gaelic:  Eoin's mission to to keep the Irish language alive and teach it to anyone brave enough to give it a try.  Definitely not a job for the faint of heart!  I would love to hear which post Eoin is most proud of.

Irish Celtic Jewels: This online jewelry store has one of the most interesting blogs around for Irish history, symbolism and culture.  It's like a little lesson in Irish history every time you visit!  I would love to know what their most popular post has been.