Patrick and Deb Moylan with the Moylan Field sign on their family’s property north of Panora. When Patrick and his siblings were growing up, this area was a baseball field, complete with sand infield, pitcher’s mound and backstop.
Patrick and Deb Moylan have made multiple trips to Ireland, enjoying the rugged landscapes and friendly locals.
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times
Each year as March 17 rolls around, people with little or no connection to Ireland don green attire and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In stark contrast, Patrick and Deb Moylan celebrate their Irish roots year-round.
Visiting pubs is an important part of the Moylans’ trips to Ireland. Here Deb and Patrick are in Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin during a 2025 trip.
The Moylans have lived at Lake Panorama since 1992, though they purchased their first lot here in 1979.
“I worked for the Lake Panorama developers for six summers while I was in high school and college,” Patrick says. “Then I went on to sell real estate here for 37 years.”
Patrick grew up north of Panora along with seven siblings. Deb grew up on a farm southwest of Guthrie Center with five siblings.
“We knew each other through sports in high school,” Patrick says. “A few years later, we ran into each other at the Bamboo Lounge in Guthrie Center. We started dating in 1974 and married in 1975.”
The Irish connection
Patrick’s great-grandfather on his father’s side, Michael Moylan, emigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1872, settling on a farm in the Bayard/Coon Rapids area. His great-great-great grandfather on his mother’s side, Maurice Carberry, came from Ireland in 1849 during the Great Potato Famine and settled on a farm south of Panora. The first Catholic Mass in Guthrie County was said at Maurice’s farm in 1859.
Patrick Moylan’s first trip to Ireland was in 1984 with his youngest brother, Brian. They are shown in the B&B where they stayed, a place Patrick and Deb Moylan have returned to many times.
Deb Moylan had four grandparents on her grandmother’s side of the family from Northern Ireland. Her great-great grandfather Samuel Sloss came to the U.S. in 1870, along with her great-great-great grandparents and five siblings. Samuel eventually homesteaded land in Guthrie County.
Many other Irish names appear in both Patrick and Deb Moylan’s family ancestries — O’Brien, Flynn, Lawler, Connelly, Clennon, Carberry, Walter, Hughes, McAllister, Bailey, Bunting and Wallace.
The Moylans’ delight in their Irish roots can be seen in signage near the home where Patrick’s family moved a month before he was born. His father, William, brought his wife, Mary, and their growing family to Panora from Guthrie Center when he took a job managing the local elevator in 1952.
The family lived in the house on Highway 4 just north of Panora that stands beside the Moylan Field sign. Though it’s now a large grassy area, when Patrick and his siblings were growing up, it was a regulation-sized baseball field with a sand infield, pitcher’s mound and back stop. The Moylan Field sign features two shamrocks plus family names.
During their 2025 trip, Patrick and Deb were chosen to serve as King and Queen at the Bunratty Castle Medieval banquet.
Outbuildings behind the home feature a large shamrock sign and a wooden version of the national flag of Ireland. A green shamrock was added to the white stripe between the green and orange stripes.
The annual celebration
St. Patrick’s Day is big for the Moylans.
“We’ve not been in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day,” Patrick says. “But, we have been to Dublin, California. We’ve also been in Chicago a couple of times, once to Kansas City, several times to Omaha, and, of course, we’ve gone to Des Moines to celebrate. We dress in our Irish hats and clothing. We typically have some family and friends with us. We’ll enjoy a few pints, maybe a hot Jameson whiskey, shepherd’s pie or Irish stew.”
While they haven’t been in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, Patrick and Deb have spent lots of time on the Emerald Isle.
The first journey
Sean’s Bar in Athlone is the oldest pub in Ireland, established in 900 AD. Shown during a visit in 2025, left to right, Deb, daughter Lynnea, granddaughter Kennedy, Patrick, and Kennedy’s husband Justin.
“Our first interest in going to Ireland was after my siblings and I sent our parents to Ireland for their 30th wedding anniversary in the late 1970s,” Patrick says. “They had such a great time. It was fun listening to them talk about the culture, people, scenery and pubs — and Dad talking about having to drive on the wrong side of the road.”
Patrick’s first trip to Ireland was in August 1984, when he traveled with his youngest brother, Brian.
“We rented a stick shift car that had a cassette player,” Patrick says. “It was my first time driving on the opposite side of the road. The first day I lost the mirror on the passenger side when I drove too close to a parked car. Brian had his window rolled down and his arm out. Thank goodness he was able to bring his arm in fast before he lost it.”
The brothers visited castles, abbeys, ruins, historical sites and pubs.
“That trip marked the first time, of many, when I ran along the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland,” Patrick says.
They also kissed the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, another spot Patrick Moylan visited in subsequent trips. Those who know him won’t be surprised that each time he visits, he kisses the stone.
“It’s believed those who kiss the stone are endowed with the ‘gift of gab’ and a talent for great eloquence, charm and persuasive flattery,” he says, with a smile.
British soldiers and machine guns
Patrick and Deb Moylan show the many passports they’ve used over the last 40 years as they traveled to Ireland. Behind them is a display of photos, souvenirs and other memorabilia they’ve brought home from their journeys.
In 1985, Patrick returned to Ireland, this time with Larry Squires, his partner in the real estate business.
“Larry was a pretty good-sized lad,” Patrick says. “He earned the nickname ‘Gentle Giant’ in a pub we frequented. We visited many of the same sites Brian and I had visited the year before. But, this time, we went further north. I told Larry I wanted to drive into Northern Ireland.”
Ireland consists of 32 counties with six of those in Northern Ireland that are ruled by the United Kingdom. To drive into Northern Ireland, the pair had to cross a border checkpoint.
“There were two British soldiers surrounded by sandbags; each had a machine gun. One asked what our business was, and I said we just wanted to say we’d been here,” Patrick says. “They let us pass. I pulled over about 20 yards in and stopped. I told Larry he should take a picture of those guys, because nobody at home will believe this. He got out of the car, and just as he was about to take a picture, the soldiers both turned toward him with their guns pointed. They said if he took the picture, he wouldn’t leave with his camera. He didn’t take the picture.”
A trip to Ireland in 2013 included Deb and Patrick’s two sons, plus their daughter and son-in-law. Shown during a visit to Muckross House and Gardens in Killarney National Park, left to right, daughter Lynnea, Patrick, Deb, sons Devan and Shaun, and son-in-law Shane.
A couple of years later, Patrick made his third trip to Ireland.
“I decided to ride a bicycle to the southeastern part of the country,” he says. “That was my toughest trip, as it rained almost every day I biked. I came home early and never tried that again.”
The couple’s first trip and the family tradition
Deb and Patrick’s first trip to Ireland together was in 1990.
“We visited castles, gardens, churches, pubs and took several hikes,” Patrick says. “During another trip in 2004, we were in a pub the evening the no-smoking ban in Ireland took effect. It was a great day for us, but there were a lot of upset pub patrons.”
The Moylans say Ireland has changed since their first visits more than 40 years ago.
“The first several trips to Ireland felt like we had stepped back in time. It was like going back to the late 1950s and early 1960s growing up in rural Iowa,” Patrick says. “There was very little new construction or infrastructure. Around 1995, the Celtic Tiger was born. There was an economic boom, driven by foreign investment and tech, transforming Ireland into a wealthy nation.”
Durty Nelly’s pub first opened in 1620. It sits adjacent to the 15th Century Bunratty Castle and is a frequent stop when Patrick and Deb Moylan visit Ireland. Shown outside the pub on their 2025 trip, left to right, Patrick, Deb, granddaughter Kennedy, daughter Lynnea, Kennedy’s husband Justin, and son-in-law Shane.
Deb and Patrick Moylan have three children, seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way. Daughter, Lynnea, and her husband, Shane Andersen, live in the home just south of Moylan Field. Shaun and his wife, Julie, live in Danville, California. Devan and his wife, Kelsey, live in Johnston.
“Several of our trips to Ireland have been with our children, my siblings and some of our friends. We’ve also developed friendships with several Irish families during our visits,” Patrick says.
The couple’s most recent trip was in the fall of 2025, as part of their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. That was Patrick’s 27th trip to Ireland and Deb’s 17th. They were joined by their daughter and son-in-law, Lynnea and Shane, and their granddaughter and her husband, Kennedy and Justin Rolfes. It also was a time to celebrate milestone birthdays for Deb, Lynnea, Shane and Kennedy.
The King and Queen and the castle dungeon
One highlight of that trip was Patrick and Deb being chosen to serve as King and Queen at the Bunratty Castle Medieval banquet with more than 250 others.
Patrick’s Day for the Moylans always involves friends, family, good food and drink. This photo was taken on a St. Patrick’s Day at the Royal Mile in downtown Des Moines. Patrick and Deb are squeezed into a corner of the booth, joined by friends and family.
“As King, one of my tasks was to taste the food before it was served to my subjects,” Patrick says. “Another was to throw someone in the dungeon. After listening to some very talented performers and musicians, I released the prisoner from the dungeon, but only after he sang a song.”
This wasn’t the first time the Moylans had attended a Bunratty Castle banquet.
“Over the years, three of my brothers and our son, Devan, have had the honor of spending time in the castle dungeon,” Patrick says. “They each had to a sing a song to get out.”
Favorite sites
Ask the Moylans about places they have visited, and you’ll get a list of more than 140 sites that includes castles, churches, pubs, distilleries and breweries.
In 2014, the Moylans visited Ashford Castle in Cong. The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, was filmed there in 1951. Deb and Patrick are shown in the door of the cottage where much of the interior filming took place.
“Some of our favorite sites are Powerscourt, Muckross Estate, Kylemore Abbey, Ashford Castle, St. Kevin’s, Bunratty Castle and Folklore Park,” Patrick says. “Repeat visits to many of these sites are almost a must because of new additions to gardens and renovations to estates.
“There are between 6,600 to 6,800 pubs in the country,” Patrick says. “The pubs are always lively, with traditional music sessions, great beer and food. Some of our favorites are Durty Nelly’s, The Creamery, Gus O’Connors, McGann’s, Foxy John’s, Matt Malloy’s, Johnnie Fox’s, and Pat Cohan Bar, which was featured in the movie ‘The Quiet Man.’ ”
On one of the couple’s trips, their goal was to visit pubs with a significant distinction. That took them to Irish pubs that were the furthest north, west, southwest and southeast. They also visited the highest elevation pub, plus Sean’s Bar in Athlone, the oldest pub in Ireland. Along the way, they had a few pints in two different Moylan Irish Pubs.
Ireland is known for its dramatic, emerald-green pastures and rugged landscapes.
“We really enjoy the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough area with great national parks offering nature trails for hiking,” Deb says. “There are all kinds of exotic plants, moss hanging from the trees, gnarly tree trunks and little streams and waterfalls. We’ve hiked Croagh Patrick twice, which offers spectacular views of Clew Bay below. And, we truly love the Doolin Walk to the Cliffs of Moher.”
The bookings and things to know
Over the years, Patrick Moylan has enjoyed a few pints in two different pubs that carry his last name. In 2005, Patrick traveled to Ireland with his sister and three brothers. Left to right outside Moylan’s Pub in Loughrea are Bill, Tim, Bridget, Brian and Patrick.
The Moylans book every part of their Ireland trips themselves.
“First, I book our places to stay when we arrive and depart,” Patrick says. “We prefer staying in B&Bs, enjoying a filling breakfast. The hosts usually provide us with local hidden-treasure sites to visit or suggest something on our route. Next, I book the flights, then the vehicle we’re going to lease.”
Over the years, the Moylans have enjoyed helping others plan trips to Ireland.
“This past year we helped several people who were going for the Iowa State football game in Dublin in August,” Patrick says. “We shared places they might want to see and information on lodging, airlines, car rental agencies, what clothing and shoes to take. We also talked about what to expect, and explained that driving in Dublin, Ireland’s largest city, can be challenging.”
Moylan lists some of the most important things he wants travelers to Ireland to know.
“First, check your health insurance coverage before leaving the U.S., in the event of sickness or an accident. If you’re going to rent a car, make sure you get the super collision damage waiver insurance. Your insurance in the U.S. will not cover your vehicle in an accident in Ireland,” he says. “And, remember, look the other direction before pulling out in an intersection as you’re driving on the opposite side of the road.”
For lodging, the Moylans prefer to stay at least two or three nights at each B&B.
Deb and Patrick Moylan at the top of Croagh Patrick, known as Ireland’s Holy Mountain. They’ve made this hike twice, and been rewarded with spectacular views of Clew Bay below.
“Not having to pack up each day makes the trip more enjoyable and relaxing,” Patrick says. “You can take day-trips from where you’re staying to see the different sites you want to visit.”
Ireland’s peak tourist season is the summer months of June through August.
“We prefer the spring or fall when there aren’t as many tourists,” Patrick says.
For the last few trips, the Moylans have taken a cell phone.
“We have a global cell plan with our provider,” Patrick says. “The cost is about $12 for 24 hours. It’s well worth it to have access to phone, text, email and most of all, GPS.”
A couple of weeks of relaxation
The Moylans have visited all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland and the six counties of Northern Ireland.
Ireland’s lush vegetation is the result of frequent rain. Here Patrick Moylan is shown at the Cliffs of Moher in 2017 with his brother Mike, and Mike’s girlfriend Yelena.
“Traveling in Ireland offers a mix of stunning, rugged landscapes, and incredibly friendly locals,” he says. “You will be driving on the left side of the highway, on narrow and winding roads, with vibrant, historic cities offering a stark, enjoyable contrast to the slower-paced, breathtaking countryside. We both feel very fortunate to have been able to take these trips to Ireland over the last 40-plus years.”
Currently, Patrick and Deb Moylan are busy making plans to return to Ireland this spring.