Clonmel Arms Hotel

Visiting Johnny in Clonmel

by saccharinicity

Clonmel was our second to last stop on our Ireland roadtrip adventure.

Johnny is a good friend of my aunt and uncle. He stayed with them for a while and I would see him often on my visits to their home. Always a great Irishman, full of whiskey and good cheer, it was his turn to return the favor to my family later in time when my friend and I needed a place to rest along our journey. We stayed in his mother's beautiful home and Johnny and his gal took us out of the town for a night I will never forget.

Clonmel, in Co Tipperary seemed an extremely liveable town - a place to raise children, a place to wave to your neighbors while doing your gardening, a place to bake countless muffins and leave them on the kitchen windowsill to cool while your fat little cat sleeps in the sun.

Clonmel surprised me in that it didn't seem as rugged and laid-back as I found the other towns we visited in Ireland. Clonmel was picture-perfect, clean and beautiful. I could have stayed here forever as the rest of the world drifted away.

Thank you to Johnny and his mother for welcoming us into their home and lives for the night.