The Bunratty Castle Hotel is a wonderful place to stay after flying in to Shannon Airport since it is only fifteen minutes away. It’s a great introduction to driving on the left side of the road without overwhelming you. Bunratty is a quaint Irish town with colorful buildings and kind locals. Since I can’t sleep on a plane (ugh…even if it’s overnight) I was thrilled that a room was available for us so early in the morning. We were all in beds, asleep, by 7:00 am. A few hours of sleep were all we needed before going out to explore our first taste of Irish culture.