Almost anyone who has been to Ireland on vacation will tell

you that vacationing in the "Emerald Isle" is an unforgettable

experience. There is something about the friendliness of the

people, the haunting beauty of the land, and the incredible

history that makes you want to return again and again.

I found myself in that situation in the summer of 2000, as

finally, after several years of failed attempts to return to

Ireland (I had gone there in 1994), five of us decided to go

for a 10-day trip. We decided to go in May, 2001, which gave

us more than enough time to plan a route.One day, while looking at a map, I noticed a small town

called Dunmore East on a strip of land jutting into the ocean

south of Waterford. I was intrigued by this place and

envisioned a weathered old hamlet that was

quintessentially Irish. This, I hoped, would be one town in

which we would definitely stay.We almost never made it to Dunmore East, thanks to a

bizarre series of events. On the way out of Dublin (where we

had stayed the first night), one of our cars suffered a

blowout, and soon our two cars were hopelessly separated.

We returned to the B&B in Dublin, hoping our two friends

would get in touch. The next morning we heard from them,

and were once again on our way, but we had lost a day. We

quickly passed through the Wicklow Mountains and, after

what seemed like an eternity, we pulled into Waterford and

continued along the winding road toward Dunmore East.

After ten miles of driving through rolling farmland and

windswept ridges, we finally saw houses and lights in the

distance. We pulled into Dunmore East just as the sun was

setting behind us. Coming down the hill into town, we saw

the ocean in front of us. This was indeed a spectacular

location.Our B&B was on the main street overlooking the harbor. It

was foggy, and we could just make out the green cliffs that

formed the harbor. Down the hill from the B&B was an inn

and a pub on the water. Winding lanes, a church and old

cemetery, a park, and thatched-roof houses all added a

unique charm to the village.Seaside villages can often have an eerie, surreal

atmosphere to them at dusk, and Dunmore East was no

exception. The combination of waning light and

ever-increasing fog caused the town to take on a haunting

look. Across the street from the B&B, there was a small park

with a memorial overlooking the cliffs and the harbor. A

single streetlight just added to the incredible scene. I must

have taken a half roll of film at that spot, trying to get the

perfect picture of a truly unique place.While in the pub at the mouth of the harbor, we met friendly

locals and European tourists. Like the owners of the B&B,

they were surprised that Americans would know about

Dunmore East. They said that the town tends to cater to

Europeans, and that people from the U.S. are rarely found

here. Ironically, one of the owners of the B&B was a New

Jersey native who fell in love with the village.Dunmore East is the type of place where you park your car

upon arriving, and do not use it until you leave. It is a very

walkable town, with everything being within a 1-square-mile

radius. I spent the afternoon of our second day there doing

just that, and discovered places in town that people in cars

would clearly miss. For instance, there was a sprawling

park with benches, paths down to the rocky coast, and

grassy areas for lying in the sun. There was also a winding

road that ended up at a small beach called (I believe),

"Ladies View." It was a pristine place with views of the

harbor, driftwood along the beach, and salt spray in the air.

I continued my walk along a coastal road, and soon found

myself walking into a business district. I had accidentally

discovered "downtown" Dunmore East! Apparently, we were

staying in the harbor part of town, which we had mistaken

for the village itself. The center of town was very charming,

with several old shops, a few pubs, and some more

winding lanes.On our second and final night in Dunmore East, we ended

up eating at one of the pubs in the center of town. After

dinner, we walked back to the B&B through the mist and fog,

wishing that we could stay a few more nights. But alas, we

had to move on, and though we found some terrific places

in the next several days, nothing beat this little seaside

village south of Waterford.