Three kids and a husband who says he knows the way. Cian (11) scores every trip out of ten, badly. Aoife (8) takes one stone from every car park. Rory (3) falls asleep at the best bit. Dave drives and gets lost and calls it the scenic route. Her mother Bridie minds the kids on night shifts. Maggie works nights on the same ward as Shona's Kirsty.
Maggie's stories, in order
STORY 1 · 21 February 2025Blarney Castle, then the Cork places that earned their keep
STORY 2 · 16 April 2025Top 10 beaches in County Mayo, with three children and one flask
STORY 3 · 7 May 2025Bath with three kids, one timed ticket and a flask
STORY 4 · 23 July 2025Kylemore Abbey, three kids and the bog that swallowed a plane
STORY 5 · 8 October 2025Bunratty with three kids, a ruined friary and a very useful wood
STORY 6 · 26 December 2025St Michael's Mount was shut. Dave had already picked Saturday.
STORY 7 · 12 March 2026Arranmore with three children and a return ferry to catch
STORY 8 · 28 May 2026A Dublin Saturday with four free stops and three children
STORY 9 · 16 June 2026Top 10 beaches in County Dublin, with the children and the tide in mind
STORY 10 · 13 August 2026Four days out with kids in Ireland worth the drive
STORY 11 · 14 August 2026Free things to do with kids in Dublin: seven stops, two Saturdays
STORY 12 · 15 August 2026A Loch Ness day with kids, from a castle to six canal locks
STORY 13 · 16 August 2026Three days out with kids in Dublin, with a free stop after each ticket
STORY 14 · 17 August 2026Indoor activities for kids in Ireland on a rainy day: five doors in Waterford
STORY 15 · 18 August 2026Things to do in Donegal with kids, in an order a family can survive
STORY 16 · 19 August 2026Free things to do with kids in Galway, from the old harbour to the woods
STORY 17 · 20 August 2026Free things to do with kids in Cork that earn the petrol
STORY 18 · 21 August 2026Six days out with toddlers in Ireland
STORY 19 · 23 August 2026Family days out in Donegal: two drives and seven good stops
STORY 20 · 25 August 2026Inis Oírr with children: book the boat, follow the green arrows
STORY 21 · 27 August 2026Conwy Castle with children: five stops, one parked car
STORY 22 · 3 September 2026Garinish Island with kids: the boat, the garden and the bill
STORY 23 · 5 September 2026The smallest churches in Ireland and Britain: six seats and a turkey shed
STORY 24 · 7 September 2026Mount Usher and Powerscourt Waterfall with kids: the Wicklow day that fits
STORY 25 · 9 September 2026Mull with the kids: Tobermory, a lost castle and the houses above Calgary
STORY 26 · 11 September 2026Johnstown Castle with kids: the Wexford day beyond the turrets
STORY 27 · 15 September 2026Horse troughs and village pumps: five old survivors and a Soho replica
STORY 28 · 17 September 2026Muckross House and Torc Waterfall, with a castle and a friary on the way
STORY 29 · 21 September 2026Tresco with kids: the garden, three forts and the boat bill
STORY 30 · 23 September 2026Brownsea Island with kids: £71 before lunch, and plenty beyond the squirrels
STORY 31 · 27 September 2026Five famous animals' graves, and the visits families can actually make
STORY 32 · 28 September 2026Aillwee Cave with kids, then the Burren stops beside itMaggie's letters to the desk
Maggie Brennan to The desk, 9 July 2026
Cian has scored Blarney Castle 2 out of 10 and we haven't left Cork. Aoife wants a stone from the car park. Rory is asleep already, which is a record, we're still in the driveway. Dave says he knows the way. Pray for us.
Maggie Brennan to The desk, 11 January 2026
Small world. Kirsty on my ward says Shona did hill reps in the dark on Tuesday and came home with one shoe. I'm not saying anything. I'm just saying.