My Summer of 40 Shades of Ireland
Days # 4 - # 6
From the village of Fishguard (Wales) I gazed out over the vast blue green Irish Sea known as St. George’s Channel. Our port destination was Rosslare Harbour, Ireland. From Rosslare we would head to Waterford to begin our three day trek throughout southern Ireland before heading to Dublin for two days. I eagerly anticipated our nearly three-hour voyage to Ireland. Of the four countries, dad and daughter would visit during our 16 day journey throughout the United Kingdom, this was the country I wanted most to experience.
Day # 4 – Waterford / Blarney / Killarney
Pre-dawn, with camera in hand, I slipped out of the Tower Hotel & Leisure Centre and headed west along Merchants Quay, ready to explore Waterford, Ireland. Waterford is considered the oldest city in southeast Ireland with Vikings roots dating back to 914 AD. Reginald’s Tower across the street from our modern-day hotel was built circa 1003 AD. The pubs Lauren and I had frequented the night before; The Granville Hotel, Jordan’s Bar and The Reg once bustling and full of conversation now sat still and historic against the sun trying to break through the clouds hovering over the River Suir. I walked across the Rice Bridge in search of an old church with multiple Celtic crosses I had seen from our bus window upon arriving in Waterford last night. These crosses were the subject of my photography mission this morning. I would soon locate the Church of the Sacred Heart on Fountain Street built in 1906 serving the Ferrybank parish for over one hundred years. Much to my surprise, only two blocks away was from another church named Our Lady of Good Counsel. I smiled at the karma that was clearly present this morning, as Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) is my Catholic parish church located nearly 3,200 miles away in Moorestown, New Jersey. Quietly gazing up at the these larger than life crosses, I recalled the famous Dylan Thomas quote our tour guide April had mentioned only 12 hours earlier, “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Do not go gentle into that good night.” This solitary moment of the sun finally peeking out from behind the massive stone church was not lost on me. Later that morning, our travel group would trace the steps of the early Viking settlers exploring the area of the city known as The Viking Triangle. We boarded the bus for our next stop, historic Blarney Castle.
Blarney
They say the journey is the best part of the destination. Nothing could be more accurate that driving on the N25 southeast with the Celtic Sea as our travel companion on our left heading towards County Cork. It was only day #2, but I could begin to understand why the locals call, Ireland – “40 Shades of Green.” Suddenly, from nowhere the Blarney Castle appeared towering over the lush green Ireland countryside. Originally built before 1200, the current stone structure was rebuilt in the 1400s. At the top of the Castle lies the ultimate destination – Stone of Eloquence (aka Blarney Stone). Tourists visiting the Castle are hung upside down with instructions to ‘kiss’ the stone. Those who do are said the receive the Gift of Eloquence (aka the Gift of Gab). Lauren suggested I pass, since I clearly already possess this particular ‘skill set’. Determined, Lauren and I accepted the challenge to kiss the stone! After a bit of a shaky start, I was able to complete the task, without dying (falling through the grated opening). Make sure you explore the surrounding grounds of rock formations and poison garden with a n number of poisonous plants including mandrake, ricin, wolfsbane, opium, as well as cannabis!
Killarney (Part 1)
Our day’s final destination was the city of Killarney. A scenic city on the shores of Lough Leane in County Kerry, this would be our stop for the next 36 hours. Before we said goodbye to the day, we enjoyed our first night in Killarney. We dined at Treyvaud’s Restaurant enjoying an unbelievable meal of traditional and international cuisine before our magnificent show – Gaelic Roots! Gaelic Roots is a magical show which showcases traditional Irish song, music and dance. It is performed at the beautiful Killarney Avenue Hotel. Part River Dance, part Trad Music, it not only spotlights the choreographed tap dancers but backing band, especially harpist and soaring vocals of the accompanying singers. Our day concluded with lodging accommodations at the 5-star hotel – The Dunloe Hotel and Gardens. Simply beautiful! It was at this exact moment with my weary head hitting the soft fluffy pillow, I began to feel the warmth and beauty I had hoped to experience while in Ireland.
Day # 5 – Killarney
Killarney (Part 2)
Waking to a glorious sunrise over the rolling green countryside of Killarney, we headed out to experience the Ring of Kerry. Roughly 112 miles, the route circles southwestern Ireland, passing through thousands of acres of beautiful Irish countryside while skirting the North Atlantic Ocean. The area serves as a naturist’s and photographer’s dream Outdoor Playground! Rugged coastline, beautiful vistas, windswept cliffs, gorgeous mountains, picturesque villages and rolling country hillsides will take your breath away. You will be eternally grateful your cellphone has almost unlimited storage for the magnificent photos you will surely capture during this once in a lifetime experience! Our next stop was the Kerry Bog Village and Red Fox Inn located in Glenbeigh. The grounds attempt to recreate an 18th century traditional Irish Village complete with historic museum, bog farm, thatch houses and local inn offering the best Irish coffee you will ever taste. It was a welcomed stop on our rainy circular drive around the Ring of Kerry. It did not disappoint. We lunched at the Scarriff Inn in Caherdaniel perched on the bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The idyllic location is best known for its proximity to The Dingle Peninsula, Killarney Lakes and Skellig’s Rock. Unfortunately, the morning fog and mist limited our views, but added to the mystical allure of this countryside carved in rock, remnants of the last Ice Age from nearly 10,000 years ago. We next stopped at the Kissane Sheep Farm. Owned by the same family for nearly the last 200 years, the active farm is situated between Kenmare and Killarney National Park in County Kerry. The panorama views of Moll’s Gap viewed from the grounds; overlooking the farm, sheep and lambs will leave you gasping for your breath with a other worldly feeling that this image before your eyes could only have been created by God’s hands. Here we witnessed a very cool demonstration a single border collie herding nearly 50 sheep, along with a sheep shearing demonstration by a professional craftsman. Must see for your complete Ring of Kerry experience! Our final stop was the Ladies View. This scenic panorama on the Ring of Kerry is approximately 12 miles from returning to Killarney along the N71 towards Kenmare, in the Killarney National Park. The name stems from the admiration of the view given by Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting during their 1861 visit. We concluded our afternoon exploring the Killarney National Park in jaunting carts (aka horse drawn carriages) accompanying 6-8 people. Our driver named Michael Ryan was like someone straight from the movie Ned Devine; knowledgeable, self-deprecating and humorous drawing funny parallels between his Irish ancestors and our mostly American passengers. His one-liners were hilarious. Trip guide highlight! This was the very first National Park in Ireland created in 1932. The almost 25,000 acre estate boasts pristine woodlands, native animals and plants, Lakes of Killarney; Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake, along with the stone structure Muckross Abbey founded by the Observantine Fransiscans in 1448 which is still standing. The park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981. The Ring of Kerry was an amazing experience! As evening fell, dad and daughter ventured into the Killarney town center for a relaxing dinner at Gaby’s Restaurant recounting stories and sharing photos from the unbelievable past eight hours. Dessert was Murphy’s Ice Cream where the locals have been stopping for sweet treats since 2000. Next was our nightly Pub Crawl and tonight would not disappoint! First stop - O’Connors Traditional Pub opened in 1929 is known locally as Teddy’s Pub named for famous Kerry footballer, Teddy O’Connor. Next, Laurel’s Pub with a rich history of training and racing Irish greyhounds and the Wimbledon “Laurel” race from 1930. Next stop – Charlie Foley’s Bar for some traditional Irish music (man and woman two piece band) and cold tasty pints. Our last stop was John M. Reidy Pub. Established in 1870 on Main Street the current building is best described as a Sweet Shop Pub offering specialty coffee, cakes, pastries as well as sweet cocktails and tasty beers. The walls are lined with nostalgic photos and equipment one would quickly recognize from any local bakery or confectionary shop. A sweet way to end our night in Killarney!
Day # 6 – Killarney/County Tipperary
We bid Killarney goodbye and headed north towards County Tipperary, specifically the Rock of Cashel.