County Cavan and Dublin, Ireland 2026

The main event of my trip was Regina and Sam’s wedding at the Virginia Park Lodge in County Cavan. Back on Saturday, upon arrival at the airport back, the Customs Officer asked the purpose of my trip, and I said I was there for a wedding and sight-seeing. He asked where and then told me he was also going to a wedding at the Virginia Park Lodge two months later!

credit: Wonder and Magic

There was no way to get from Galway to Virginia without a car. Susan got up early and took the train to Dublin, while I took the bus, then walked to the historic Merrion Square, a very grand area with beautiful townhouses and several prominent national sites, including Leinster House (the seat of the Irish Parliament), the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Natural History Museum.

I had seen that Jane Casey had a new book coming out while I was in Ireland, and was determined to find a copy. I wrote to the Waterstone’s in Dublin and asked them to find/save me a copy, and they obligingly wrote back to say it was waiting for me. Of course, I then saw it at every bookstore in Ireland (and I probably visited 10-12 in my short visit) but had to resist. But as I walked toward Merrion Square, I passed Books Upstairs and it looked so winsome I had to go inside, luggage and all. I spent 20 minutes or so browsing, and then saw Everything She Didn’t Say with an “autographed by the author” sticker. Reader, how could I resist?

By 2:35, some 50 of us were on a bus heading to the wedding, including several friends from my book group, even Lidija and her husband who barely made it from their vacation in Croatia. When we reached the Virginia Park Lodge - 100 acres of gorgeously landscaped gardens and walking areas, overlooking a lake and golf course - both Marlene and Duncan were outside to greet us. The hotel was once a hunting lodge and the suite I was sharing with Akiyo and her husband was described as a two-bedroom cottage. It was rustic but appealing: two levels with a living room, bathroom, and small kitchen with tea kettle and microwave on the ground floor and two small bedrooms above. The bedroom was very warm. Europeans don’t seem to believe in top sheets, but when it’s nearly 90 degrees, who wants a duvet? We quickly changed for an outdoor welcome party which gave us a chance to admire the grounds. There were even some Irish singers, which pleased Susan who had suggested we go find some Irish music earlier in the week. Duncan spoke, warmly welcoming us to the wedding festivities, and Sam’s father and brother spoke, as well as one of Regina’s maids of honor.

On Friday, there was a lavish brunch at the Lodge, and time for a walk to town before the wedding. There wasn’t much to see but the library was nice, in a building with the local arts center, and I found The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan at a charity show, which I wanted to reread after visiting Galway. Then it was time to change for the wedding. A sort of maze on the grounds had been decorated and chairs put out for the guests. Several musicians were playing classical music, although I think it changed to Here Comes the Sun when Duncan walked Regina down the aisle. It was a lovely celebration of marriage (they had done a legal ceremony in San Francisco the week before) and Regina looked beautiful. The grounds of the hotel made a very appealing setting for the event. Both the dinner the previous evening and the wedding dinner were held in a pavilion adjacent to the main building; very attractive, with an elaborate meal that included duck.

On Saturday, we had brunch at a nearby hotel where some of the guests were staying, with a lovely lake view, then the bride’s family had chartered another bus to bring us back to Dublin. Several of us were staying at Trinity College in the heart of Dublin; the driver dropped us off nearby and it was easy to find our rooms (mine was larger and more comfortable than my dorm room in London, although I suspect it would be cramped for an entire semester). There was time to visit Waterstone’s (where I confessed that I had bought the Jane Casey elsewhere but compensated by buying two other books) and Dunne’s (for treats to bring home), then drop everything in my room before going across the river to the restaurant I had chosen - The Woolen Mills - where Susan, Nona, Howard, Maryanne, her friend, and I had a nice dinner before we went to the Abbey Theatre to see a place called The White Haired Boy, a famous Irish comedy play written by Lennox Robinson that first premiered at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1916. It was the final night of the run so it was fun to be in the audience.

Staying at Trinity was fun because even though it was summer, the quadrangle was full of people and energy. I wished I had planned for one final day in Dublin before I went home. There was only time for a quick breakfast with Susan at Keogh’s Cafe, a few blocks from the campus on Sunday morning, before I took the bargain €2 bus to the airport and the slow journey home. It’s always hard to go back to work but it was a lovely 9 days in Ireland!