Day 12–Jameson Distillery, Waterford Crystal and Kilkenny Castle

Final day of touring.  Couldn’t resist a tour of the Jameson Irish Whiskey Distillery while in Ireland.  They have been making whiskey here since 1780.  They closed the original, (the one we toured), in 1975, opening a modern distillery next door. It looks the same as it has since the mid 1800’s, little had changed over the last 2 centuries.

Next was Waterford Crystal in Waterford, Ireland.  They have been blowing and etching glass since 1783.  They produce your routine, high end goblets, glasses etc., plus they are continually making trophys for all sorts of sporting and political events all over the world.  World famous, interesting to see how very high end crystal is made.

              

    

Cinderella's Coach cost $40,000, making and adding a handle on a claret jug.  Incredible artists.

Finally we visited Kilkenny Castle, another one of those castles build hundred’s of years ago; initially in 1195 by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.  Surviving war after war, then finally bought by aristocrats in the in the 18th Century, remodeled, rebuilt,lost in bad times, remodeled again in good times, someone dies, someone gets married; such is life in the British aristocracy.  Finally in the 1960’s, the Office Of Public Works bought it from the last owner, for 50 Pounds, after it had been abandoned for decades; they rebuilt/remodeled this castle to indicate what life was like  for the owners in the 19th century.  Our favorite room was the “water closet”, a real water closet, with one of the first modern toilets ever crafted.  But it was huge; twice as wide and deep as a modern toilet.  We thought that they were working out the design kinks, but we were told that the owner at that time had a huge back end, hence the need to make it jumbo size!

    

Finally, what is our take home thought after spending 12 days in Ireland?  We saw lots of history and beautiful countryside, 40 Shades of Green, from an old Johnny Cash song, and met many people.  The standout memory though are the people.  We have travelled a fair amount, and the Irish have, by far, been the friendliest we have ever met.  Whether it was at the airport, numerous stops for directions, the airbnb hosts, people at the different historical venues, patrons at all the pubs we ate at, all seemed guniunely  interested in our having a great time visiting their country. 

Day 11–Puck Fair, Muckross House and the Rock of Cashel

We are now starting to work our way back to Dublin.  Two days to visit and eat our way east for an early Monday morning departure.  The weather continues to be excellent, clouds, some wind and a few sprinkles everyday, but no storms and lots of local amazement at the lack of inclimate weather.

A puck is a male goat.  Another thing you didn’t know till today.  This fair originated 400 years ago, (they celebrated the 400+ anniversary this year).  Do they celebrated the 400+ anniversary every year??  We actually timed our vacation around this 3-day celebration in Killgorlin.  What we found was lots of horse and people hanging around in a field just outside of town, and in town they blocked off several streets for a big swap meet!  Indeed, people in Ireland try to sell the same crap we do in the US.  Our final take-away from the Puck Fair is that they use it to keep the bars open 24 hours for thee days.

    

The Muckross house was built in 1843 for William Burn, a wealthy architect and his artist wife.  All very nice with acres of landscaping surrounding the mansion. All went swimmingly until in the 50’s they were informed that Queen Victoria was going to visit the Muckross House in 1861.  They were given a 6 year preparation time.  They took full advantage of the time by remodeling!  New flooring, draperies, dishes, cutlery, furniture; a bit of expansion.  This wasn’t just for the queen, they knew that if she was impressed, either land, money or political appointments would follow.  A big step up from their 65 room mansion was anticipated and expected.

    

So, the visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Albert went well.  Rewards were promised and expected, what happened however was Prince Albert died soon after they returned to England.  Queen Elizabeth was devastated at her loss and moved on with other queenly responsibilities and forgot all about the Muckross House.  Burn had so overextended himself preparing for the queen that he lost the house soon thereafter, financially ruined.  There has got to be moral here somewhere.

And the last stop of the day before our nightly retreat to a local pub for dinner is the Rock of Cashel.  This is one of Ireland’s most historic castles.  Seat of the ancient kings of Munster 300-1100AD.  It was fought over for 800 years until the O’Briens, to keep it away from the McCarthys, gave it to the Church.  Then the real remodeling started.  You see a hodge-podge of Iron Age, Romanesque, Gothic and Celtic architecture. 

 

 

Lastly, we saw this often, Ireland is not only green, but they are GREEN, trying to reduce their carbon footprint.  Not any solar panels, no sun, but frequently windmills.

Day 10–Ring of Kerry and Derryname House

Another “must see” is the Ring of Kerry.  Why…..ah, because all the tour busses do it.  Hmm. One is even warned in Rick Steve’s book, when to start the drive and which direction to go, (early morning, and counter-clockwise, to avoid what he calls, the python of tour busses.   We must have timed it right, because we really saw no tour busses and we could drive and stop as we wanted to.  A couple things come to mind, first, for those of us who have driven the California and Oregon coasts; the Ring of Kerry is good, but not spectacular.  We have seen similar in the good ole’ US of A.  Second, even tho this is the height of tourist season, there still just aren’t that many people driving about.  Ireland is a lot smaller than California, and there are probably one tenth the number of visitors.  Nice.  A few pictures follow.

    

First, Tom and I finally sprung for a traditional Irish Breakfast.  Egg, ham, white pudding, (brains and assorted meats—those little links), black pudding (blood and assorted meats—the sausage looking things on either side), mushrooms and tomato.  Interesting.

 

The big surprise of the day was learning about Daniel O’Connell, his estate was on the Ring of Kerry.  He was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century. He campaigned for Catholic Emancipation—including the right for Catholics to sit in the Westminster Parliament, denied for over 100 years and committed himself to bringing equal rights and religious tolerance to his own country.

In 1815 a serious event in his life occurred. After a political speech. Protestant politicians were outraged and because O'Connell would not apologise, one of their number, the noted duellist John D'Esterre, challenged him. The duel had filled Dublin Castle (from where the British Government administered Ireland) with tense excitement at the prospect that O'Connell would be killed. They regarded O'Connell as "worse than a public nuisance," and would have welcomed any prospect of seeing him removed at this time.

O'Connell met D'Esterre and mortally wounded him, in a duel. His conscience was bitterly sore by the fact that, not only had he killed a man, but he had left his family almost destitute.  O'Connell offered to "share his income" with D'Esterre's widow, but she declined; however, she consented to accept an allowance for her daughter, which O'Connell regularly paid for more than thirty years until his death.

The memory of the duel haunted him for the remainder of his life, and he refused ever to fight another, being prepared to risk accusations of cowardice rather than kill again.  Indeed, toward the end of his political career, he was imprisoned for a time and his legacy of insisting that his followers not react violently is legendary.  Further, he wore a black glove on his right hand throughout his life to remind him that violence is not the answer to disagreement.  O'Connell's philosophy and career have inspired leaders all over the world, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.  Truly, a man for all ages.

Finally the irony of Catholics under intense prosecution in Great Britain during the 19th century contrasts extraordinarily with Protestant attitudes toward the Catholic church in the United States at that same time.

So, if you spent the time reading the above comments about my new here, Daniel O’Connell, you are rewarded with a sign in a chocolate factory we went to.

Day 9—The Dingle Loop and……..Rain

The Dingle Peninsula is the westernmost tip of Ireland, and Europe, for that matter.  This area is known as the “real” Ireland.  Signs are more likely to be in Irish only, although everyone speaks English, the government actually subsidizes the survival of the Irish language and culture in this part of Ireland.  The Potato Famine hit this area in a huge way.  In the mid 1840’s there were over 40,000 people here.  After the plague ran its course, the peninsula was basically abandoned.  Now, over 170 years later, the population is 10,000 and you can still see on the surrounding hills abandoned terraces where potatoes haven’t been replanted.

Our day consisted of driving the “Dingle Loop”.  Kinda a must do, (like the Ring of Kerry tomorrow), if you come to southwestern Ireland.  Recorded history starts in 800AD when Charlemagne gave the task of keeping European literacy alive to the Irish monks during the Dark Ages laborously copying the Bible on sheep skins.  Also, legend/history records St. Brendan sailed to the New World in the 7th century, beating Columbus by a thousand years.  Further, this is where the first transatlantic cable originated in 1855 as it was laid west to Newfoundland, and finally, this is the first land sited by Lindbergh when he crossed the Atlantic in 1927. 

Now, what does the Dingle Peninsula look like.  Well, it was kinda rainy today.  Really the first consistent rain and clouds we have had all vacation.  A few breaks, but more clouds than sun.  So, not a lot of great pictures, hence more history.

Dingle Town

    

With a gazillion sheep everywhere, we can’t help take lots of pictures of them.  This the the width of many of the secondary roads in Ireland.  This one is unique in that it is lines with fuschias.  A pest from China, but beautiful none the less.

These are shrink-wrapped hay bales.  They are everywhere.  4-5 feet in diameter.  Keeps out the moisture for winter feeding of all the above mentioned sheep.

Another of the roads, this in the “mountains” on the Dingle Loop.  Bad thing is you meet a car, someone has to back up to the rare wide spots.  Good news is the roads are too narrow for the tour busses!

Day 8—The Burren and the Cliffs of Mohor

Our Airbnb adventure continues.  Our Galway airbnb was a bit challenging to find, but after asking around we located it.  A non descript flat in the city.  We got the key from a local shop and settled in.  To our surprise, many lights weren’t working and no toilet paper.   Although it was a three bedroom, 2 and a half bath, two story apartment, printed directions were a bit sparse.  But, soon enough, the owner, Marie, shows up with toilet paper, biscuits as an apology, and we got to working on the electrical.  We found out that one of the breakers was tripped and she helped us with turning on the two separate water heaters for the showers.  She is new to airbnb and was very apologetic.  After each stay, the renter rates the owner and visa-versa, so everyone is on their best behavior.  Marie did ok.

    

Tom packing up our “car hire”, Gloria in the living/dining room of our flat.

Our Irish adventure continues with a visit to the Burren.  Although barren, it has been where hundreds of early Christian and Prehistoric structures and forts have been identified.  A Cromwellian surveyor in the 1650’s described it as a “savage land, yielding neither water enough to drown a man, nor a tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury him.”  Our destination, primarily, was the Poulnabrone Dolmen.  It is a 4000 year old “portal tomb”, or grave chamber in a cairn of stacked stones.  It looked pretty good, one has got to think that it has been rebuilt and propped up a few times over the millennia. 

The geology here is quiet interesting.  It is all limestone, this part of the planet used to be at the equator, but due to continental drift; ended up here.  Then, 10,000 years ago it was glaciated and you see the results of that on the limestone surface striations.  Then, the ancients clearcut the trees and you get what you have today.  A funny thought, the limestone is rather hard to walk on, you kinda lurch from section to section.  Just before we got there a big bus full of Germans unloaded.  They were all in front of us moving in the same direction.  They looked just like a group of zombies shambling to their next blood meal.  Black clouds above us, creepy as they shuffled past the “druids alter”!

On to the Cliffs of Mohor, Ireland’s most popular destination.  Fairly simple actually, these are cliffs that soar 700 feet above the Atlantic.  I guess what is such an attraction is that, again, no guard rails and you can get as close to the edge as you wish.  Problems in the past.  Due to the high winds and slippery peat, it is somewhat notorious for people slipping or being blown over the edge.  100’s of cars, dozens of coaches (busses), were disgorging people non-stop.  Nice hiking, but we did stay away from the edge, naturally. 

Day 7–Aran Islands

An early morning drive from Galway to pick up the ferry to the Aran Islands.  We visited Inishmore, the largest.  These islands are harsh; steep, rugged cliffs and windsept rocky fields divided by stone walls.  900 people live on Inishmore, about 2000 visitors each summer day.  Winters are brutal.  But a great place to bike to its main attraction, the Dun Aonghasa.  This is a stone fortress built over 2000 years ago on the edge of a cliff 300 feet above the Atlantic.  We know little about the population that built this fortress, other than they would not be attacked from the west!

 

  

Looking north or south, 300 foot cliffs, desolate.  One can imagine what winters are like with the wind and the rain gales.

Many people were wandering about while we were there.  Those with children kept them very close, no guard rails, one could easily wander too close to the edge and tumble off.  The only way to look over is to slide up the the edge on your belly. Creepy.

 

Part of the defense were these sharpened rocks angled toward the enemy.

  

Gloria took this photo over the cliff at the fort, on her belly hanging the camera over the edge, peering down 300 feet.

After spending the the day on Inishmore, walking among different ruins and biking, we drove to Roundstone, a small town inland from the coast for our day’s meal.  It is Gloria’s birthday, so we enjoyed a big meal.  Even though it is Tuesday the town was loaded with people.  They had just finished the Tour De Bog.  A 32 mile bike tour for all ages.  All the pubs were full, inside and out.  Luckily we got an outside table for dinner to enjoy the post race festivities.  Food continues to be excellent, now that we are back on the coast, fish is always fresh.  Lots of fresh vegetables, lots of mutton.  Excellent.

 

Another way to get around the island

  

This is a photo from the fort Dun Eochla.  Not as big as Dun Aonghasa, but just as many rocks were stacked.  Typically 10 feet high and 13 feet at the base.

One more night in Galway, then a drive to the Dingle Peninsula where we will be for two days.  Weather continues to be the same, some sun, mostly clouds, rains several times a day, but always cool.  Very nice.

After a successful day of biking.

Day 6--Derry to Galway

We will now call Londonderry -- Derry.  We are back in the Republic of Ireland, out of Northern Ireland, back to using Euros, not Pounds, and dropping the “London” is appropriate.  As we continue to travel we learn more and more about the political/religious challenges through the centuries.  Most of the England/Ireland, Protestant/Catholic unrest is behind modern Ireland/Northern Ireland due to the need of a struggling economy, high unemployment and need for more tourist dollars.  Older generations are still challenged by sectarianism, the newer generations have moved on.

Ashford Castle, best hotel rooms in Ireland, to cross the moat would have cost us $7 each.  Telephoto lens works fine.

Today was like “repositioning” a cruise ship. Although it is about a 4 hour drive from Derry, with stops, a bit of sightseeing, a picnic lunch and dinner at a pub, we arrive at our airbnb flat around 8:30pm.  A comment about driving in Ireland.  Tom has been our driver and he has done an excellent job driving on the left.  With innumerable round-abouts, no shoulders on the smaller roads and the speed that Tom likes to drive, it is always exciting.

We had excellent maps, actually a spiral bound book with details of the whole country.  But the names are very familiar, for instance, in Ireland we have the following towns:  Drumacrib, Drumadoon, Drumagarner, Drumahadone, Drumahoe, Drumakill, Drumaknockan, Drumalig, Drumalure, Drumandoora, Drumanespick, Drumaness, Drumany, Drumara, Drumard, Drumaroad, Drumaskibbole, Drumasladdy, Drumatober, Drumawhy.  These are just the “Druma…..s”, the total number of “Drum…….s” is 137!!!!  So navigating, (my job) is a bit of a challenge. 

 

At first we thought, how cute, an elderly shepherd leading his sheep.  Indeed, this gentlemen was taking a short-cut through the field and the sheep were following him hoping for some treats!  In his right had is his umbrella that he would take out every few steps and swat them.

Next to each Abbey is a cemetary, all still in use.

We did go to the Potato Famine Museum.  From 1845-1849, a fungus essentially destroyed Ireland’s potato crop.  All Irish depended on the potato for nutrition, especially the poorest.  This, plus the intent to convert from farming to grazing either starved or exported almost half the Irish population, (around 4 million people). This devastated all levels of Irish culture and society, and drove the fatal wedge between the Protestant landowners and the Catholic workers and poor.  The museum is actually housed in the estate of one of the local land barons who, through his curlish attitude toward the poor farmers working for him was instrumental in either their deaths or exportation to Canada on the “coffin ships”.

We also briefly visited Ashford Castle.  This renovated Victorian Castle is now a 5 star hotel.  Reagan stayed here in 1986.  We took a picture from across the moat.  Throw in a couple of Abbey’s built in the 11th and 12th century and we called it a day.  Oh, I found a book, “Abandoned Castles II”  3/4 inch thick volume of pictures and descriptions of dozens of castles and manor houses no longer maintained, some others collapsing, many hundred of years old.  If one had say $10-20 million, what a cool project! (To restore one).

Look carefully under the two pews.  Radiant heaters!  A 700 year old abbey is tough to heat, so why not just put the heat under the parishiners!

More interesting views on our travels south.  Fairly high altitude (for Ireland), no trees.  Looks like the alpine lakes above tree-line in Colorado!

Day 5—The Antrim Coast to Londonderry

As promised, a photo of our airbnb last night.  Our hosts are in the process of completely redoing a school house build in 1876.  They are doing a great job; to be finished soon.

 

  

Lots of hiking today.  First though, we drove the Antrim Coast, the northern most road in Northern Ireland.  The views were a cross between the Napali Coast of Kauai and our own New England Coast.  Volcanic and Limestone, steep cliffs and small towns.  The two main attractions were the Giant’s Causeway and Carrik-a-Rede Rope Bridge.  For those of you who have seen Devil’s Postpile by Mammoth, and/or walked on any rope bridge in any part of the world, save your money.  Add in the same number of people on a typical summer weekend in Yosemite Valley and you get an idea how our day went.  Pretty scenery but not a real keeper as far as new and exciting adventures.

  

This photo needs a bit of explanation.  Our new camera will take multiple shots.  I got this butterfly drawing nectar and bee flying in to poach.

 

 

We finished our day in Londonderry, another late meal.  This time, since it was running close to 9:00, we swung into one of the few restaurants open on a Sunday night.  A great Indian restaurant.  Excellent.  Not too much more narrative tonight.  After midnight again, a full day tomorrow as we drive south out of Northern Ireland, back to Ireland and Galway for two more days of adventures.

 

Day 4—On the Road to Belfast

Just three destinations today, but it is 11pm, and I am just starting the blog!  After getting our car hire, (rental car on this side of the pond), we headed west to the Trim Castle.  This is famous for two reasons: 1) it is the biggest Norman Castle in Ireland. And 2) much of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart was filmed here.  It was built in the latter 1100’s as a defensive and administrative castle by the Normans.  The local Irish were not happy.  Think our forts in the American Wild West.  The Native American’s were not happy.

One interesting note of history I bet you don’t know.  Why do all of these castles have clockwise stair wells?  Easy answer—Most soldiers are right handed, so as an enemy soldier goes up the stairs to attack, the defending knight can swing his sword with his right hand to lop off the enemies head!  Now, what if you were a left handed peasant?  There is a job for you too.  The bedrooms had “wardrobe latrines”  Basically a hole in the floor with a bucket below for you to use as your toilet.

 

Now, follow me closely, People rarely bathed or washed their clothes back in the Early and Middle Ages.  Hence they were filthy and their clothes were filthy and vermin infested as well.  It was cold, so multiple layers of rough, homemade cloth proved to be home for lice, fleas, and a variety of bugs and pests.  This was the job for the left handed peasants.  When people removed their clothes 3 or 4 times a year, it was the lefties job to, first stir the latrine pot, thus releasing the ammonia from the ‘bilge’, then hang the clothes over the aromatic mixture to kill all the vermin!!  One would never used your right hand for this, it is for shaking hands and smacking women’s butts. You have heard the idiom, “dirty end of the stick”?  Well, this is where it came from.  Glad I am right hande

 

Our second stop of the day was at Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland.  It will be famous for two reasons.  1) It is an 18th century estate of English Aristocracy  recently given to the Irish National Trust to maintain and refurbish.  in the 1700 and 1800’s it was where everybody who was anybody needed to be seen and heard.  Like the Hearst Castle of Ireland.  Now however, it is falling down and requires millions to keep it and the 100’s of acres of grounds safe and presentable.  Kinda a “nice place to visit but I would hate to own it” situation.  Oh, the second reason it will be famous---they are getting ready to film the new Dracula movie here.  They are adding “stone” walls to some of the gardens in preparation for filming.

 

  

Our final stop of the day was Titanic Belfast.  This is the incredible, new exhibit/museum for the Titanic.  Finished last year for the 100th anniversary of the sinking, it has become a major destination for those visiting Ireland.  The building is as tall as the Titanic was. With an interactive experience from vision to building to the inaugural/last voyage to what has taken place since.  A real 21st century museum.  Worth the time we spent.

A model of the first class cabin on the Titanic, very nice

Tonight we are staying in Draperstown, west of Belfast.  It is another airbnb.  Our hosts are completely renovating an old school house.  We have the entire building to ourselves.  It is huge.  Pictures tomorrow.